Study in Santiago de Chile, Chile

About Santiago de Chile

Santiago is the capital of Chile and by far its largest city. According to the regional government, the 2024 census counted 6,657,428 inhabitants in the city of Santiago (Gran Santiago), 36% of the national total, and 7,400,741 in the Región Metropolitana de Santiago as a whole.

For international students, Santiago is the main gateway to Chilean higher education. Many universities have their main campus here, and the city is a common base for a full degree, a semester of exchange or an intensive Spanish course.

Studying in Santiago

Our directory lists ten schools in Santiago: seven universities and three Spanish language schools. Chile as a whole has 58 universities with 814,262 students, according to the Ministry of Education's Mi Futuro portal: 18 state universities created by law, 12 private universities founded before 1980 or derived from them, and private universities created after 1980. Examples in Santiago:

• Universidad de Santiago de Chile (Usach) goes back to the Escuela de Artes y Oficios, created by decree on 6 July 1849. It has more than 22,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students in eight faculties.
• Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (UC) accepts exchange students for one or two semesters and offers Spanish courses for its foreign exchange students. Its first semester starts in March and its second in August.
• Universidad Diego Portales (UDP) runs short summer and winter programmes taught in English for international students.
• Universidad Bernardo O'Higgins (UBO) is a private, autonomous university founded in March 1990, with its main campus next to Parque O'Higgins.

The directory also includes Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, which has campuses in Santiago and Viña del Mar, Universidad Central de Chile and Universidad SEK Chile. Degree programmes are generally taught in Spanish, so students who do not speak it yet should plan a language course first.

For Spanish, Escuela de Idiomas Violeta Parra - Tandem Santiago, in the Providencia district, runs group courses that start every Monday with at most eight students per level, and pairs each student with a Chilean language exchange partner. It also offers DELE preparation. COINED International and the Instituto Chileno Suizo de Idiomas y Cultura also teach Spanish in the city.

Student residence permit

Students from abroad apply for a temporary residence permit for students (Residencia Temporal), according to Chile's National Migration Service (SERMIG; page updated 18 December 2025). The application must be made from outside Chile. Among other documents, it requires a passport valid for at least one year, a certificate of enrolment or of regular student status, and proof of financial support. Holders may work up to 30 hours a week. After arriving, students register their visa and apply for a Chilean identity card.

Cost of living for students

Living costs depend heavily on housing. As an indication, Tandem Santiago's 2026 prices are US$ 610 for four weeks in a single room in a shared apartment without meals, and US$ 815 for four weeks with a host family including breakfast. Its intensive course of 20 lessons costs US$ 190 for one week, plus a US$ 55 enrolment fee, and its group DELE preparation (40 classes over 10 weeks) costs US$ 335.

Getting around and daily life

Santiago's public transport, Red Movilidad, combines three modes: buses, the Metro and the Tren Nos commuter rail. According to its fare page (checked October 2026), a bus fare costs CLP 795 at any time of day, while a Metro or Tren Nos fare ranges from CLP 735 in the low-fare hours to CLP 895 at peak times. Secondary and higher-education students with the national student card (Tarjeta Nacional Estudiantil, TNE) pay CLP 260. The TNE is issued to students in basic, secondary and higher education; ask your institution whether you can apply for it.

Language schools often help with arrival: Tandem Santiago's 2026 lodging prices include a shared minibus transfer from the airport. Because Chile is in the southern hemisphere, the university year starts in March, as the Universidad Católica's semester dates show.

Frequently asked questions

Is Santiago a good place to learn Spanish?

Yes. Spanish is the everyday language, and the city has language schools such as Tandem Santiago, whose group courses start every Monday, as well as Spanish courses for exchange students at the Universidad Católica.

Which universities are in Santiago?

Our directory lists seven universities in Santiago, among them the Universidad de Santiago de Chile, the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Universidad Diego Portales and Universidad Bernardo O'Higgins.

Can I work while studying in Santiago?

Holders of a student temporary residence permit may work up to 30 hours a week without an additional permit, according to SERMIG.

How much does public transport cost for students?

Students with the TNE card pay CLP 260 per trip on buses, Metro and Tren Nos; the standard bus fare is CLP 795.