Study in La Plata, Argentina

About La Plata

La Plata is the capital of Buenos Aires Province, in eastern Argentina, close to the Río de la Plata and within reach of the city of Buenos Aires. It is a planned city laid out on a regular grid with diagonal avenues, and its streets are numbered rather than named, which makes it easy to find your way around.

For students, La Plata is above all a university city. A large public university with free tuition, a Catholic private university and a long list of degree subjects draw students from all over Argentina and from other Latin American countries. Teaching is in Spanish.

Studying in La Plata

Our directory lists 2 universities in La Plata. The Universidad Nacional de La Plata (UNLP) was founded in 1905 by Joaquín Víctor González. It describes itself as a public institution that is free of charge and has no enrolment caps. It has 17 faculties and about 180 undergraduate and short-cycle programmes, from architecture, law and medicine to astronomy, journalism and veterinary science. Applications open online from mid-November to mid-December, and the academic work starts in February with the entrance courses.

The Universidad Católica de La Plata (UCALP) is a private Catholic university founded on 7 March 1964 by the then Archbishop of La Plata. Since 1971 its degrees have had national validity. Today it has 7 faculties, more than fifty degree programmes and 5 sites, including Bahía Blanca, and it runs its own language school. Students pay a monthly fee during the academic year; first-year students pay it in ten monthly instalments. All new students take an admission course of three subjects, which is compulsory but does not eliminate candidates.

Admission for international students

At the UNLP, applicants whose first language is not Spanish must prove adequate Spanish. The university accepts the CELU certificate (Certificado de Español: Lengua y Uso) or its own academic Spanish certificate, and each faculty sets the level it requires. Online registration is conditional until the applicant hands in the paper documents in person at the faculty. At UCALP, secondary school certificates from abroad must be legalised; for countries that signed the Hague Convention this means the Hague apostille.

Students who need a visa apply for Argentina's student visa at the Argentine consulate for their place of residence. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the visa allows a stay of up to two years. The consular fee is 250 US dollars or euros, depending on the consulate, and the migration fee is US$300 for MERCOSUR citizens and US$600 for others; students from Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay are exempt from both.

Cost of living for students

Tuition at the UNLP is free, so rent and food are the main costs. Prices in Argentina change quickly, so check current figures before you budget. As a reference, in October 2026 the UNLP opened applications for its new student housing complex in Berisso, next to La Plata, with flats for groups of 2 or 4 UNLP undergraduates at 120,000 Argentine pesos per student per month, water included. The university's student welfare office also runs a hostel, a university dining hall and grants.

Getting around and daily life

The centre is compact and many students walk or cycle between faculties. Buses and trains in the Buenos Aires area are paid with the SUBE card. Under provincial law 14.735 of 2015, students at every level, including university, are entitled to travel free on public transport in Buenos Aires Province (Boleto Educativo Gratuito). The UNLP also promotes a Tren Universitario, a local rail service that it plans to extend from the San Juan de Dios hospital to the Gambier railway workshops in Los Hornos. The academic year follows the southern hemisphere calendar, with entrance courses starting in February.

Frequently asked questions

Is it free to study at the Universidad Nacional de La Plata?

Yes. The UNLP describes itself as a public university that is free of charge and has no enrolment caps. Students still need to cover rent, food and their visa costs.

Do I need to speak Spanish to study in La Plata?

Yes. Degrees are taught in Spanish, and the UNLP asks applicants whose first language is not Spanish to prove their level, for example with the CELU certificate.

When can I apply to the UNLP?

Online registration opens from mid-November to mid-December for the following academic year, which starts with entrance courses in February.

How much does the Argentine student visa cost?

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the consular fee is US$250 and the migration fee is US$300 for MERCOSUR citizens and US$600 for others. Students from Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay are exempt from both.