Universidad Católica del Norte

The Universidad Católica del Norte is a Catholic and pluralistic university. Founded in 1956 in the city of Antofagasta, it was the third Catholic university to be established in Chile. In 1964 it was recognized by the Government of Chile as an autonomous university, integrated with the Council of Presidents of Chilean Universities as the eighth oldest university in Chile. UCN is an accredited institution by the national commission of accreditation, an autonomous institution created by the Ministry of Education of Chile.

The strategic objectives of the university place an emphasis on educating the student as a complete person, pursuing UCN’s international vocation and promoting the acquisition of knowledge, skills and abilities at the academic level while cultivating spiritual values in the personal realm.

UCN has two campuses: the main campus in Antofagasta, and the Guayacan Campus in the city of Coquimbo. Students may only take classes from one campus, due to the large distance between the two. Coquimbo is particularly well-suited for students interested in the marine sciences, health sciences and philosophy. Antofagasta is particularly well-suited for students interested in architecture, physical sciences and engineering. 

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  Coquimbo

  Coquimbo, Chile Campus Website

  5,000 - 20,000 on Campus

  100,000 - 250,000 residents in Coquimbo

  Language(s) spoken on campus: Spanish

  The city of Coquimbo is 465 kilometers north of Santiago and houses the Guayacan Campus. This port city is known for its nearby beautiful beach resorts, and the main industries are agriculture, fishing and mining. Placed on the northern coast of the bay known as La Herradura, the Guayacán Campus has a privileged position for the study of marine science. This region is also internationally recognized for its astronomical activity and has many observatories, thanks to skies that are clear most of the year and very low light contamination. The fourth region of Coquimbo, Capital La Serena, is also the region of the mystic Elqui Valley, and the small villages of Pisco Elqui and Montegrande, origin of the famous Chilean Poetess Gabriela Mistral and the famous liquor "pisco." 

  The city of La Serena, a well-known tourist center, is very close to Coquimbo. It offers visitors a long and attractive seafront of fine sandy beaches, bays and temperate, unpolluted waters.

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  Antofogasta

  Antofagasta, Chile Campus Website

  5,000 - 20,000 on Campus

  250,000+ residents in Antofagasta

  Language(s) spoken on campus: Spanish

  Antofagasta is truly one of the world's most unique locations and is known as the Mining Capital of Chile. With 20 kilometers of beachfront and ocean to the left and the desert and Andes Mountains to the right, this resort area offers year-round sunshine (average temperature of 17°C/64°F) in a dry climate. With the clearest skies in the world and no more than 20 cloudy days in a year, this region of Chile is internationally recognized as an ideal location for astronomical observation. A number of national and international observatories and some of the world's largest telescopes are found here. 

  The area is surrounded by picturesque mountain villages, beautiful sites such as the Atacama Salt Flat and the Valle de la Luna, interesting fauna and archaeological treasures. A tourist center of international renown, and Chile's "archaeological capital," San Pedro de Atacama, is located 320 kilometers from Antofagasta. It is known for its natural attractions, rich historical heritage, archeological sites and Andean indigenous settlements.