Universities in Santiago De Chile, Chile

Santiago is the capital of Chile and the country's main university city. Students from other countries come for a full degree, for one or two exchange semesters, or for short programmes, and many combine their studies with improving their Spanish. The city has public and private universities side by side, from institutions with roots in the 19th century to private universities founded after 1980.

According to Mi Futuro, the Chilean Ministry of Education's portal, Chile's higher education system has 58 universities with 814,262 students, and 47 of them are accredited. Eighteen are state universities created by law; private universities are those created after 1980.

The universities in Santiago

Chilean universities mainly teach professional degree programmes (carreras) of 8 to 10 semesters, that is four or five years, and they are the only institutions that can award all academic degrees: licenciado, magíster and doctor. Teaching is in Spanish, although some universities offer short programmes in English. Some examples from our list:

• Universidad de Santiago de Chile (Usach): its roots go back to the Escuela de Artes y Oficios, created by decree on 6 July 1849; it took its current name in 1981, when it replaced the Universidad Técnica del Estado, and teaches on its own 32-hectare campus in Estación Central
• Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (UC): offers exchange students one or two semesters of courses across its degree programmes, with Spanish courses for exchange students
• Universidad Diego Portales (UDP): runs short summer and winter programmes taught in English for international students
• Universidad Bernardo O'Higgins (UBO): a private, autonomous university founded in March 1990, with its main campus next to Parque O'Higgins; it holds advanced-level institutional accreditation from the Consejo Nacional de Educación (CNED) until November 2027
• Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez (UAI): campuses in Peñalolén (Santiago) and Viña del Mar
• Universidad SEK Chile and Universidad Central: private universities; Universidad Central has 22 master's programmes (magíster) in Santiago, La Serena and online

Admission for international students

There are two main routes. Exchange students apply through their home university's agreement. Students who want a full degree and finished secondary school abroad can use special admission routes: at UC, for example, applicants must have completed at least the last two years of secondary school abroad, and each programme has its own assessment, which may include pre-selection, subject tests or interviews. UC runs this admission twice a year, for the first semester (classes start in March) and the second (classes start in August). Foreign documents must be legalised in the country of origin, by apostille if that country has signed the Hague Convention.

Visa and residence

Chile's migration service (SERMIG) issues a temporary residence permit for students at institutions recognised by the State. The application must be made from abroad. Requirements include a passport valid for at least one year, a certificate of enrolment, a criminal record certificate (over 18) and proof of financial means. UC advises admitted students to apply at the Chilean consulate in their country of residence and, once in Chile, to register the visa and obtain a national identity card.

Costs and getting around

Tuition fees (aranceles) are set by each university and programme, so check the current fee on the university's admission pages. In Santiago's integrated public transport network (buses, Metro and Tren Nos) a bus fare costs CLP 795 and a Metro fare CLP 735, 815 or 895 depending on the time of day, with up to two transfers within 120 minutes. Students in secondary and higher education pay CLP 260 with the Tarjeta Nacional Estudiantil (TNE); students without one must ask the person in charge of the card at their institution.

Frequently asked questions

How many universities does Chile have?

According to the Ministry of Education's Mi Futuro portal, Chile has 58 universities with 814,262 students; 47 of them are accredited.

Can I study one semester at a university in Santiago?

Yes. Universities such as UC accept exchange students for one or two semesters through agreements with their home university, and UC offers Spanish courses for them.

Do I need a visa to study at a university in Santiago?

For a degree or a semester you apply from abroad for a student temporary residence permit from SERMIG, with proof of enrolment and of financial means.

Are university degrees in Chile taught in Spanish?

Yes, degree programmes are mostly taught in Spanish. Some universities, such as UDP, run short summer and winter programmes in English.