Discover Chile's welcoming people, beautiful beaches and some of the region's finest vineyards. Explore the Atacama Desert in the North; the Pacific coastal region to the West; the Andes mountains to the East; and glaciers, fjords and lakes in the South. Enjoy an amazing array of fresh seafood, read world-famous literature by Pablo Neruda and Isabel Allende and perfect your Spanish in Latin America’s most economically and politically stable country.

Languages Spoken:

Spanish

Education System

HIGHER EDUCATION OVERVIEW

Chile boasts one of the strongest higher education systems in South America. Universities provide the highest degree of learning in Chile, combining teaching, research and outreach activities to their diversified programs. There are 64 universities in Chile divided into ‘traditional’ and ‘private.’ Traditional universities include public and private universities with partial public funding. Students take a national test and apply in a centralized process for admission to these universities. Private universities were created after 1980, and do not receive direct public funding. Each private institution defines its own admission process. The universities in Chile enroll approximately 450,000 students annually.

Undergraduate programs are 8 to 12 semesters in length, leading to a degree of licenciado or a professional title. Graduate programs include magister (master's) and doctorado (Ph.D.) and require one to three years of further study and the submission of a thesis.

Universities operate on a semester basis. Chile is in the Southern Hemisphere; therefore, the first semester runs from March to July while the second semester is from July to December.

STUDYING IN CHILE

Courses

Courses are offered in both English and Spanish, depending on your institution and level of Spanish. Courses are available on topics such as Latin American development, Pre-Columbian civilizations, environmental science, business and Spanish.

Registration

Check with your host institution for procedures on registration for courses.

Course Load

Depending on your host institution, you will be enrolled in four to five courses per term, spending around 20 hours in class per week. Terms last 16-19 weeks and may include time for final exams. Students will take between 180 - 225 hours of classes (4 - 5 classes). Generally, this is equivalent to 12 - 15 U.S. credit hours. Each course is approximately 45 hours.

Exams & Grading

Lecturing is the principal method of instruction in Latin American universities, with one final exam or paper counting as the only grade in the class. Still, some professors will also give midterm exams or papers. In many Latin American countries, the grading philosophy is that the student starts at 0 (has no knowledge of the subject) and needs to work hard to obtain a good grade. The student’s grade rises as he proves his gain of knowledge throughout the semester. As such, Latin American universities tend to be severe in their grading and a grade of Muy Bueno (seven - the highest grade possible in Chile) is rarely awarded. In most classes, the majority of students will receive either suficiente or bueno (from four to six).

Transcripts

International students should contact the International Offices at their host institution for university regulations on transcripts. All transcripts are sent to ISEP Central to be forwarded to your home institution.

Visa and Residency

IMPORTANT NOTES:

- If you do not have your passport already, you must obtain it immediately. Your host school will request a copy of your passport by a certain deadline (for visa and admission purposes), and failure to meet this deadline could have serious consequences. A passport valid for at least three months past the end of your program is also part of the required documentation for the visa.

- Students studying in Chile for more than 90 days (and under 180 days) should enter Chile on a Permiso de Permanencia Transitoria (stap in your passport upon entry to Chile). This is received from the Border Controlling Authority at the airport upon entry to Chile. Prior to the end of the first 90-day period, students will apply for a 90-day extension. Staff at your host institution in Chile can assist you with this process. The process for extending your Permiso can be done online once you are in Chile. The extension of your Permiso is $100.00 USD. For semester students entering on a Permiso de Permanencia Transitoria, you should tell the border agents at the airport in Chile that you will extend your stay after the first 90 days and show your PUCV Acceptance Letter.

- Students studying in Chile for more than 180 days must apply for a student visa. All students studying in Chile for more than 180 days must arrive in Chile with a student visa (Residencia Temporal). Due to processing times, you should begin the student visa application IMMEDIATELY after accepting your ISEP placement.

- It is important to note that a national-level background check is required documentation for the Chilean student visa. This can take some time to issue, so students should apply IMMEDIATELY with the relevant national authority in their home country.

*U.S. students are required to obtain an FBI Identity History Summary Check. For faster processing ISEP highly suggests students consider submitting their request through Electronic Departmental Order.

- Currently, the Chilean visa process is online. Students who enter Chile with a student visa must process their Chilean ID in-person. All visa application fees and any visa-related travel costs are the responsibility of the student.

STUDENT VISA REQUIREMENTS:

- You will apply for your visa online through the Servicio Nacional de Migraciones

- ALL APPLICATIONS MUST BE SUBMITTED ONLINE.

- START YOUR ONLINE APPLICATION HERE: https://tramites.extranjeria.gob.cl/

- From the above link, students should click "Listado de Trámites" under "Residencia Temporal" to apply for their student visa. Next, you will need to click on "Iniciar trámite" under "Residencia Temporal en el extranjero" and create an account before proceeding. Once you have created your account and started the application, you will be able to save changes to your application in-progress and upload documents as you receive them. More information about the Residencia Temporal visa can be found on the Residencia Temporal FAQ webpage, and details specific to the Student subcategory here.

- Students should submit their completed online application no less than 60 working days in advance of their departure for Chile.

- Students should apply as a "Residente Estudiante Titular." The Visa Residente Estudiante Titular fee is $160.00 USD.

Sample Required Documentation:

- Online Application Form

- Valid passport (for at least three months past the term of the visa)

- Apostilled National-level Background Check stating that the applicant has no records nationwide.

Students from the United States

• Students from the United States will need to bring an Apostilled FBI Background Check (Identity History Summary).

o ISEP highly recommends that students submit their request to the FBI via Electronic Departmental Order (eDO), as this is the least-expensive expedited option.

- The current cost of applying via eDO is $18, plus mailing costs and any costs associated with the fingerprinting process.

- Current processing time for requests submitted Electronically is estimated to be 3-5 business days upon receipt of the fingerprint card, not counting additional time for mail delivery (non-expedited processing times are 2-4 weeks).

- When selecting your preferences in the eDO application, it is important to request that your date of birth is included on the document and select that you want to be mailed a hard-copy response that will include the FBI seal and the signature of a division official.

• You will then need to obtain the Apostille Seal of The Hague from the US Department of State to authenticate this document.

o Review the US DOS Apostille Requirements in full. The process has three main steps:

- Step 1: Have the hard copy of your FBI Background Check notarized in front of a notary public in your state of residence.

- Step 2: Mail in the original notarized FBI Background Check document to the US Department of State. Carefully review the guidelines for requesting authentication services before starting this final step in the process.

• US DOS Authentication fees are currently $20 per document, plus mailing costs.

• Current processing time is 2-3 weeks.

• Your documents should be sent and returned via certified and trackable mail.

Students from outside of the U.S.

• Students from outside of the U.S. should obtain a national-level police record certificate (background check) from the appropriate authority.

• Once this original document is obtained, it will need to be authenticated with an Apostille of the Hague. Visit this site, scroll down the page and click on the country name to find more information about the Apostille process for your particular home country.

- Official Letter of Acceptance from University where the applicant will be studying.

- Letter or certificate of financial support (scholarship, notarized letter of financial support from the parents).

- The ISEP Letter of Certification stating the terms of your ISEP benefits is sufficient documentation for this requirement. This letter can be downloaded from your ISEP Acceptance Package.

- The letter or certificate of financial support must be be authenticated with the Apostille Seal of the Hague from the U.S. State Department as outlined above for the FBI background check.

General Information concerning your Chilean Student Visa:

- This visa is granted for the duration of studies, to a maximum of one year.

- The visa is renewable in Chile

- You are not allowed to work under this visa

- Once the visa is granted, you have 90 days to enter Chile

Please keep in mind:

- Scan and upload all documents in color and in pdf format (pictures must be sent in jpeg). ALL REQUIRED DOCUMENTS MUST BE UPLOADED.

- Upload all the required documents in separate files.

- Do not scan copies of copies. Make sure the scanned documents are easy to read before uploading them.

Page updated: April 2024

Culture

COMMUNICATIVE STYLE

Chileans are generally indirect in their communication styles, but can become very animated and assertive when if they get emotional. Communication styles tend to be tuned to people's feelings. Confrontation is generally avoided in order not to jeopardize another's honor or dignity. It may therefore be necessary to read between the lines in order to fully understand what is really meant. Chileans stand very close when conversing.

GREETINGS

With first introductions, a handshake is the custom. Male Chileans may greet each other with hearty hugs, with women customarily kissing each other on the cheek. Direct eye contact is important.

FOOD

Food has a very special place within Chilean culture. Chileans normally eat four times a day. The first meal of the day is breakfast, which mostly consists of rather light fare including toasted bread with butter and instant coffee with milk. Lunch (served between 1-2 p.m.) is the big meal of the day. Traditionally two main dishes are served. The first course may be a salad of some kind. A common salad is the ensalada chilena, including sliced onions, chopped and peeled tomatoes, an oil and vinegar dressing and fresh cilantro (coriander). The second dish generally includes beef or chicken, accompanied by vegetables. Around 5 p.m. Chileans take once, an afternoon tea with bread and jam, that often also includes cheeses and palta (avocados). Once, which means "eleven," is evidently named after the British tea time at 11 a.m. Around 9 p.m. most families serve dinner, which is usually a single but substantial dish, most often accompanied with wine grown in the many Central Valley vineyards.

Chilean cuisine has both Indian and European influences. The national dish, porotos granados, for instance, has ingredients characteristic of Indian cooking (corn, squash and beans), with distinctly Spanish contributions (onion and garlic). As may be expected in a country with an extremely long coast, seafood has a prominent role in local culinary preferences. Traditional Chilean seafood includes locos (abalone), machas (razor clams), erizos (large sea urchins) and cochayuyo (seaweed). Another national delicacy is caldillo de congrio, a soup of conger eel, tomatoes, potatoes, onions, herbs and spices.

FAMILY

The nuclear family is by far the dominant household unit in Chile. Most Chileans live with their parents until they are married. Although the nuclear family constitutes the basis of Chilean households, grandparents continue to exert considerable authority in family affairs. Moreover, and either by necessity or by choice, grandparents (especially widowed grandparents) frequently live with the family of one of their daughters or sons. Married children normally visit their parents over the weekend and it is not uncommon for them to talk with their parents by phone almost daily. Aunts, uncles and cousins are also considered to be close relatives and they frequently meet at family and social gatherings.

CULTURAL ADJUSTMENT

At first, you might be tempted to cling to other international students, especially those from your home country. While it is comforting to depend on fellow expats as friends, you will limit your Chilean experience. Try to make a sincere effort to meet and get to know Chilean people. You will find that people are genuinely warm.

One way to get to know Chilean people is to arrange an intercambio in which you exchange one hour of Spanish conversation for one hour of conversation in your language. Even if your Spanish does not need the practice, it is a good way to meet and get to know a Chilean.

SPACE AND DISTANCE

Chileans are close communicators physically and so will often touch each other when speaking and maintain little physical distance between speakers.

Daily Life

COMMUNICATIVE STYLE

Chileans are generally indirect in their communication styles, but can become very animated and assertive when if they get emotional. Communication styles tend to be tuned to people's feelings. Confrontation is generally avoided in order not to jeopardize another's honor or dignity. It may therefore be necessary to read between the lines in order to fully understand what is really meant. Chileans stand very close when conversing.

GREETINGS

With first introductions, a handshake is the custom. Male Chileans may greet each other with hearty hugs, with women customarily kissing each other on the cheek. Direct eye contact is important.

FOOD

Food has a very special place within Chilean culture. Chileans normally eat four times a day. The first meal of the day is breakfast, which mostly consists of rather light fare including toasted bread with butter and instant coffee with milk. Lunch (served between 1-2 p.m.) is the big meal of the day. Traditionally two main dishes are served. The first course may be a salad of some kind. A common salad is the ensalada chilena, including sliced onions, chopped and peeled tomatoes, an oil and vinegar dressing and fresh cilantro (coriander). The second dish generally includes beef or chicken, accompanied by vegetables. Around 5 p.m. Chileans take once, an afternoon tea with bread and jam, that often also includes cheeses and palta (avocados). Once, which means "eleven," is evidently named after the British tea time at 11 a.m. Around 9 p.m. most families serve dinner, which is usually a single but substantial dish, most often accompanied with wine grown in the many Central Valley vineyards.

Chilean cuisine has both Indian and European influences. The national dish, porotos granados, for instance, has ingredients characteristic of Indian cooking (corn, squash and beans), with distinctly Spanish contributions (onion and garlic). As may be expected in a country with an extremely long coast, seafood has a prominent role in local culinary preferences. Traditional Chilean seafood includes locos (abalone), machas (razor clams), erizos (large sea urchins) and cochayuyo (seaweed). Another national delicacy is caldillo de congrio, a soup of conger eel, tomatoes, potatoes, onions, herbs and spices.

FAMILY

The nuclear family is by far the dominant household unit in Chile. Most Chileans live with their parents until they are married. Although the nuclear family constitutes the basis of Chilean households, grandparents continue to exert considerable authority in family affairs. Moreover, and either by necessity or by choice, grandparents (especially widowed grandparents) frequently live with the family of one of their daughters or sons. Married children normally visit their parents over the weekend and it is not uncommon for them to talk with their parents by phone almost daily. Aunts, uncles and cousins are also considered to be close relatives and they frequently meet at family and social gatherings.

CULTURAL ADJUSTMENT

At first, you might be tempted to cling to other international students, especially those from your home country. While it is comforting to depend on fellow expats as friends, you will limit your Chilean experience. Try to make a sincere effort to meet and get to know Chilean people. You will find that people are genuinely warm.

One way to get to know Chilean people is to arrange an intercambio in which you exchange one hour of Spanish conversation for one hour of conversation in your language. Even if your Spanish does not need the practice, it is a good way to meet and get to know a Chilean.

SPACE AND DISTANCE

Chileans are close communicators physically and so will often touch each other when speaking and maintain little physical distance between speakers.

Health and Safety

Your health and safety is our number one priority. Please read and reference the Health and Safety section of the ISEP website for general information regarding health and safety abroad.

Detailed travel information about Chile can be found at the following links. Please pay special attention to the Safety and Security, Local Laws and Health sections.

U.S. Department of State Travel Information for Chile

U.K. Foreign and Commonwealth Office Travel Advice for Chile

Australian Department of Foreign Affairs Travel and Safety Advice for Chile

-If you’re planning to bring your prescription or over-the-counter medicine on your trip, you need to make sure your medicine is travel-ready. More information can be found here, and please contact your Student Services Coordinator and ISEP Coordinator with any additional questions.

Currency

MONEY MATTERS

There are many places in the financial and commercial districts where students can exchange foreign currency, including shopping malls. Students can also obtain money from ATM machines (located throughout the cities). The use of credit cards is extensive in large cities, but it is preferable to carry local currency should you visit small towns or the countryside. As with most countries in South America, cash is used in smaller shops and shop keepers prefer when you use smaller denominations.

To compare your currency to the Chilean peso, see www.xe.com.

It is useful to change some dollars at the airport or at a bank in advance of your departure so that you will have local currency upon entering the city. In most cases, it will not be necessary for you to open a bank account in Chile.