As the capital of Chile, a country with one of the strongest economies in Latin America, Santiago is the industrial and financial center of Chile and home to more than six million people, making it an ideal place to observe rapid development and its effects on culture and society. Experience first-hand how historic and modern architecture, fine and folk arts, a dynamic business sector, and fascinating history come together in this electrifying metropolis.
The IES Abroad Santiago Program allows you to fully immerse yourself in the daily life and culture of Chile while studying the Spanish language and Latin America. Courses are taught in Spanish by distinguished professors from IES Abroad partner universities.
Santiago will also be your classroom. Can you imagine practicing your Spanish as you tour local neighborhoods; or visiting local business organizations as part of your study of Chile’s regional and global trade? Welcome to study abroad. Wherever possible, our courses take advantage of the city’s many historical, artistic, and cultural sites, and several courses also include a hands-on, practical component.
You can enroll in courses at local universities, including the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile and the Universidad de Chile, where you’ll experience the Chilean educational system firsthand and enjoy access to local student activities. Maybe you’ll even make some Chilean friends while you’re at it.
Enrollment in a unique Health Studies option is also available and allows you to gain practical, medically related experience in Chile and to gain a medical vocabulary in the Spanish language.
Finally, we want you to feel at home in Santiago, so we will do everything we can to help you integrate into life in Santiago. Whether it’s through our Amigos Chilenos Program, an internship, or a service learning placement at a social service or health organization, you’ll have lots of opportunities to get to know the residents of Santiago.
These dates are preliminary and are subject to change. Students should not book flights according to these dates.
Our mission is simple: to provide you with the best study abroad program possible, which includes the highest quality academic and cultural experiences.
We offer unique courses that explore Spanish Language, Chilean History, and Culture through an in-depth and hands-on approach. Our world class professors and course options at prestigious local universities enhance your academic experience and provide you with new perspectives each day in class.
You take 15–19 credit hours per semester, and all courses are worth 3 credits unless otherwise specified. All courses at IES Abroad Santiago and partner universities are taught in Spanish.
You craft your own academic experience by selecting from the following required and optional program components:
This is a list of planned course offerings. After you are accepted, you will see a list of final course offerings in your MyIESabroad account.
To learn more about IES Abroad’s innovative theoretical and pedagogical approaches to teaching language abroad, refer to the IES Abroad MAP for Language & Intercultural Communication.
Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chilewww.puc.cl The Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile was founded in 1888 and was designated as a “pontifical university” by Pope Pius VII in 1930, and is Chile's largest private university. Today, the university is a well respected research institution, gaining prominence for recent innovations in the fields of chemistry, engineering, and vaccination medicine.
Courses Below are disciplines available to IES Abroad students.
Visit http://cursos.puc.cl/catalogo/ and select your academic area of interest. PUC usually requires a personal interview before approving course enrollment. University course offerings vary by semester and not all courses are available to international students.
Location & Commute Time The campuses of PUC are located in different parts of the city, all very close to public transportation. The commute time from the IES Abroad Santiago Center to PUC is about 30 minutes by public transportation.
Universidad de Chilewww.uchile.cl Founded in 1622 by Spanish colonists as “Saint Thomas of Aquinas University,” the Universidad de Chile is now one of the most prestigious universities in Latin America. In addition to its 18 faculties and departments, the university is also home to Chile’s 150-year-old National Astronomical Observatory, the National Theatre of Chile, the National Ballet of Chile, and an international center for Antarctic studies.
The Universidad de Chile is a prestigious university known for its outstanding research initiatives and undergraduate curriculum.
Courses Courses are available in the disciplines below. Visit http://www.uchile.cl/pregrado for course details.
Location & Commute Time The Universidad de Chile has six campuses and faculties around the city. The commute time from the Universidad de Chile to the IES Abroad Santiago Center is approximately 30 minutes by public transportation.
While adding study abroad to your resume is impressive enough, adding an international internship experience is even more powerful, and can help distinguish your application for graduate school or a job opportunity in today’s competitive job market. In addition, an IES Abroad Santiago internship provides an invaluable cultural experience and helps you develop professional and personal skills.
A service learning placement allows you to develop similar skills while working within social organizations in Chile.
Placement examples include:
Service Learning
Service Learning Placements
Our job is to make sure that your greatest challenge is deciding what landmarks to see first or discovering the best café—not finding a place to live where you feel comfortable. We do our best to locate housing that is reflective of how the local students are living. Our goal is that when you leave Santiago, it will feel like home.
Homestays - You live in a homestay in Santiago with a family or señora, who helps facilitate your language learning and integration into the Chilean community. Your homestay hosts provide three meals daily.
Part of making you feel at home in Santiago is doing our best to help you feel safe and cared for. Whether it’s the program that prepares you for what’s ahead, your housing that is well located and comfortable, or the field trips that take you to places off the beaten path—we’re all about our student services. This is just one of the things we’re known for.
The program begins with a mandatory one-week orientation that introduces you to the IES Abroad Santiago staff, your fellow students, and the city of Santiago. Topics such as academics, housing, transportation, and health and safety are covered during the week.
During orientation, you also register for your courses after visiting partner universities and meeting with the IES Abroad Santiago Academic Coordinator. Both Universidad de Chile and Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile have a half-day orientation for international students.
Additionally, CORE™, IES Abroad’s Comprehensive Orientation & Re-entry Experience, begins during orientation and continues throughout the semester with activities focusing on cultural adjustment, goal achievement, and preparing for the return home.
Redefine the way you live and learn in Santiago through our cultural events and activities, such as:
Although your adventure begins in Santiago, our field trips take you to other great destinations in Chile to provide contrast and context for what you are learning in Santiago.
The orientation field trip to Valparaíso and Viña del Mar is included in the program fee. One additional trip each semester will also be partially-subsidized, typically the trip to Chiloé. Additional optional trips may be available depending on student interest. Past destinations are listed below.
Valparaíso and Viña del Mar 1 Day | Fall & Spring Discover the culture of two of Chile’s most beautiful coastal towns.
Isla Negra 1 Day | Fall & Spring Visit the beloved home of Pablo Neruda, Chile’s national poet.
La Serena and Coquimbo 3 Days | FALL Experience Chile’s diverse coastal geography, see penguins, and observe other native animals at a national nature preserve.
Chiloé 3 Days | Spring Visit Chile’s largest island, learn about the local economy and culture, and see whales, dolphins, otters, and penguins.
Torres Del Paine 3 Days | Fall & Spring Hike on ancient glaciers and winding mountain paths in one of Chile’s most spectacular national parks.
San Pedro De Atacama 3 Days | Fall & Spring Explore one of the driest deserts in the world.
Our Center Dr. Manuel Barros Borgoño 159 | Providencia | Santiago, Chile | 750-0513
The IES Abroad Center is located in Providencia, a vibrant residential neighborhood in central Santiago. Features include:
María del Carmen Cortés ArceIES Abroad Director
A native of Santiago, Maricarmen has nearly 30 years of experience with local development activities with government and non-profit organizations, including Wilder Center for Communities (part of the Amherst H. Wilder Foundation), Franklin Covey Chile, and the United States Peace Corps in Santiago, FINAM (a Women's World Banking NGO), and the Fundacion Miguel Cast. Maricarmen holds a Master's and B.A. in Architecture from the Universidad de Chile, and was also a Fulbright Scholar through the Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship program with the University of Minnesota.
IES Abroad Staff Anita María MorenoStudent Affairs Coordinator
Angela SchaafAssistant Director/Academic Coordinator
Paola RiquelmeAdministration and Finance Coordinator
Sonia FierroOffice Keeper
Faculty Lucas ArayaSpanish Language M.A., Applied Linguistics, Universidad de Chile
Rosi BahamondesSpanish Stylistics Ph.D. Applied Linguistics, Carnegie Mellon University
Marcelle CepedaSpanish Language M.A., Applied Linguistics, Universidad de Chile
Lilian FerrerPUC Health Studies Coordinator Ph.D. Public Health, University of Illinois-Chicago
Pablo FierroHistory and Human Rights M.A. Education and History, Universidad de Chile; Postgraduate in Education and International Affairs
Claudia FloresSpanish Language M.A. Linguistics, Universidad de Chile
Marisol Madariaga,Service Learning and Internship B.A. in Social Work
Alejandro Olivares,Political Science and Economics Ph.D. Social Sciences; Political Science and Economics, Universidad de Chile
Francisca Pérez,Anthropology Ph.D., Architecture and Urban Studies, M.A., Anthropology, Universidad Academica de Humanismo Cristiano; Pontifica Universidad Católica de Chile
Alejandra Wolff,Arts and Literature Ph.D. Literature, Pontifica Universidad Católica de Chile M.A., and B.A., Arts, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile; Literature
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