Meeting Local People Attending university courses is one the best way to meet Chilean students. Being part of a university community in Santiago will open doors for you to experience academic culture in Chile and participate in activities outside of classes. Life at Chilean universities is very lively. Students spend hours at the university before and after their classes in cafés, libraries, parks, and campus facilities. They study, meet for group projects, play sports, and spend time with friends. A major difference with the United States is that Chilean students live at home and not in dorms...

Santiago’s public transportation system is very user friendly, clean, and safe. There are peak hours that you will need to consider in order to arrive promptly to your destination. As in any large city, public transportation is used massively, so be aware that you will be travelling in crowded buses/trains at times. Santiago's public transportation is considered relatively expensive when compared to the rest of Latin America, so you will need to consider this in your budget in order to not be surprised when you arrive. You will use a BIP card to travel on public transportation while in...

If you elect to participate in community-based learning, you must complete a minimum of 120 hours of community service hours in addition to the required seminar. Community-Based Learning must be taken for credit. Placement opportunities vary by semester. Previous community-based learning locations in Santiago include: Hogar de Cristo - Shelter for the needy, victims of family violence, abandoned elderly, and children Projects with children: workshops in painting, dancing, singing; movies and discussion; sports and games Projects with single mothers: teach basic English to enable them to help...

If you require an internship as part of your semester abroad, please reach out to your IES Abroad Program Advisor as soon as possible. Internships offer a unique, real-world experience combined with professional skill building and cultural immersion. While we have a selection of internship placements that only require English, some fields require an intermediate or advanced level of Spanish. It is your responsibility to research and understand your current college or university's policies with regards to earning credit for an internship before you apply for one. To apply for an internship...

Partner University Preregistration Many IES Abroad students typically take one to two partner university classes, and Politics, Social Justice and Language students are required to take at least one partner university course for visa reasons. You will officially register for your courses after you arrive, though it is important to complete the online pre-registration process according to the partner university's instructions in order to reserve a spot. You will receive more instructions about this process during your Virtual Pre-departure Orientation academic session. Partner university...

You will be required to submit the Course Preregistration Form when it becomes available in your MyIESAbroad account. Preregistration is done on a first-come, first-served basis. Please obtain course approval from your current college or university for all courses you intend to take before your departure, especially if you intend to fulfill specific degree requirements with those courses.

To complement your IES Abroad courses, you will have the option of enrolling in courses at our partner universities. We strongly encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity. It will not only be a unique educational experience, but it will also provide the opportunity to add another perspective of student life in Chile. You can also improve your Spanish language abilities and meet local students! The classroom atmosphere might be entirely different from what you experience on your home campus. Please keep in mind that you will have to be able to adapt to different classroom structures...

You must enroll in the Health Studies Seminar and field placement. If you are interested in medicine, health, healthcare, and health policy, you have a special opportunity to examine global perspectives of Chilean health and healthcare systems through the Health Studies program. This course has a seminar and two tracks available, depending on number of students enrolled and interested in each track (minimum of 4 required per track): clinical observation and community health. Clinical Observation: The clinical observation track allows you to visit clinical sites. You will be required to dress...

Spanish Language Placement Assessment & Levels Prior to arrival, you will complete the Language Placement Assessment Form and participate in an assessment interview. This process is meant to assess your Spanish proficiency level for course planning purposes. The results will be used to determine your placement for your IES Abroad Spanish language class. Faculty in Santiago evaluate the results of your placement assessment, the last Spanish class you took, and the class you need to receive credit at your current college or university to determine your language level. Your language level also...

You are required to enroll in 15-19 credits per semester. Your program offers six ways to earn academic credit: IES Abroad Health Studies courses (required, 4 credits each) IES Abroad Spanish language course (4 credits) IES Abroad Spanish-taught area studies courses (optional, 3 credits each) Spanish-taught courses at local universities: (at least 1 required, 3-5 credits each) Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (PUC) Universidad de Chile (UChile) Internship placement and seminar (optional, 4 credits) Community-based learning placement and seminar (optional, 4 credits) Classes are...