Santiago, Chile

Semester in Santiago

New for Spring 2025!

Study Program Part-Time Internship

Select a Term...

Dates

Feb 26 - Jul 4, 2025

18 weeks

Credit

12 - 18 semester hours

18 - 27 quarter hours

Eligibility

2.5 Overall GPA

Application Deadline

November 1, 2025

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Do you have a deep wish to experience a Latin American metropolis so close to the sea and the mountains that you could literally visit both in one day? Do you crave a blend of language immersion and cultural exposure with academic success? CIEE Santiago de Chile has the perfect program for you! Enjoy a semester in Santiago taking courses at any (or all) of our three, Latin American-leading partner universities. This program gives you the opportunity to blend in with local college students and make new friends, be academically challenged, and explore global topics with a local taste in the language you feel most comfortable with.

Santiago de Chile boasts a plethora of amenities that cater to students studying abroad. The city's efficient public transportation system makes navigating its diverse neighborhoods a breeze, whether you're exploring cultural sites, dining at local eateries, or shopping for souvenirs. For those seeking outdoor adventures, the city's proximity to the Andes Mountains and to coastal cities provides ample opportunities for hiking, skiing, surfing and other recreational activities. Every term, our local team invites students to weekly cultural outings to nurture your curiosity and encourage your immersion, and trips are intended to give you a glimpse into Chile’s cultural and geographical diversity.

Unique Experiences

Take a deep dive into Latin American pre-Columbian and colonial art

with CIEE excursions to world-class specialized art museums

Take a gondola ride in Parque Metropolitano

the 4th largest metropolitan park in the world

Explore award-winning contemporary architecture

and enjoy breathtaking views of Santiago from the only Bahá’í temple in South America

7

CULTURAL AND NATURAL LANDMARKS AS UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITES IN CHILE

15

BEACHES LOCATED AT THE CENTRAL COAST OF CHILE, NEAR SANTIAGO

22 +

OFFICIAL TRAILS TO TREK IN THE ANDES AND THE OUTSKIRTS OF SANTIAGO

Your Destination

Santiago de Chile is a city of wonders, where the past and present intertwine to create a tapestry of culture, history, and natural beauty. The city is framed by the majestic Andes Mountains, their snow-capped peaks providing a breathtaking backdrop to the urban landscape. Within the city, you will explore the historic neighborhoods of Barrio Lastarria and Barrio Bellavista, where colonial architecture blends seamlessly with modern art galleries, boutique shops, and vibrant street art. Santiago's culinary scene is equally rich, offering a tantalizing array of flavors, from traditional Chilean dishes to international cuisine, mixed with food offerings from all over Latin America! And when it’s time for disconnecting and recharging, Santiago's multiple parks and green spaces provide a tranquil escape from the bustling city streets.

As an international student, you will embark on your daily routines commuting by an efficient metro system or cycling along dedicated bike lanes with the Andes surrounding and providing a framework for your daily adventures. College campuses at partner universities offer an array of activities and opportunities to their students, and courses in English will allow you to pursue your required credits without the hardships of a language barrier. At lunchtime, the college cafeteria will surprise you with healthy, hearty, homemade food, and an opportunity to catch up with new friends. Afternoons are often spent exploring Santiago's cultural attractions, such as museums and art galleries, with friends or CIEE peers in customized cultural outings. Evenings in Santiago begin with the tantalizing aromas of fresh-baked bread and tea at “once” time with friends and family, to later enjoying gatherings in parks, cafés, or theaters to socialize and appreciate the city's rich cultural offerings, from live music performances to theater productions.

Whether exploring the city's historic sites, indulging in its culinary delights, or simply soaking in the natural beauty that surrounds it, Santiago de Chile is a city that never fails to captivate and inspire.

The Culture

Excursions & Activities

Visit Pomaire, a picturesque Chilean village known for its traditional pottery and rustic charm. A CIEE study trip to Pomaire typically includes a pottery-making workshop guided by experienced local artisans, with both direct sculpting work and pottery-wheel work. There also are opportunities to try Chilean delicacies and partake in a cooking workshop!
Take a trip to Aconcagua Valley, a serene Chilean valley nestled in the Andes Mountain range celebrated for its agricultural heritage and scenic beauty. This study trip explores the history of Chile’s independence through walking tours along its old and picturesque streets. A short trek takes CIEE students to the top of a hill/art park where they enjoy views of the valley and fields. Given the agricultural nature of the area, previous trips have also included a stop by a local, small-scale vineyard to learn about and taste the terroir of Chilean wine.
As part of the cultural offerings of our center, CIEE students may attend plays and performances reflecting artistically and aesthetically on current hot issues such as feminism, human rights, and ecology/sustainability.
Santiago’s diverse “comunas” (districts) offer a peek into the lives and perspectives of a diverse body of citizens. Our local staff facilitates insightful tours into neighborhoods that foreigners may otherwise miss. One of them is the art district in San Miguel district, or a guided visit to explore historical migrations in Santiago’s Patronato neighborhood.
Chile’s history unfolds around the exploitation of natural resources, from land to mines. Visits to selected museums advance this history to CIEE students in a friendly and approachable way, such as the Cousiño Palace Museum.
While a predominantly Catholic country, Chile’s spirituality has drastically changed in the last 10 years. Students have the chance to explore and gain a deeper understanding of the topic by guided visits to spiritual centers such as the Cathedral of Santiago, the Baha’i temple, or the As-Salam Mosque.

santiago intern students speaking with center director

Academic Projects

A for-credit internship (in English or in Spanish) allows students the opportunity to have practical work experience in a company or NGO within a variety of industry sectors. In addition, students participating in an internship program have a weekly classroom component, which provides academic support to their practical experience.

For-credit Directed Independent Research is for qualified students who have demonstrated academic rigor and curiosity toward a particular research topic. Independent research topics will be approved by the CIEE Santiago Director and home institution and should ideally reflect a topic that is relevant to Chile. To be accepted into this course, students must submit a structured proposal with topic of exploration, significance of research topic as it relates to Santiago/Chile, methodology, a literature review, and a schedule of research milestones. Upon research completion, students will present their findings to a panel of academics.

Program Blogs

Princess Peluda

By Jonah B.

One of the first things I noticed about my house in Chile was that it was much like the country itself: long, narrow, and full of opportunities to make mistakes... keep reading

CIEE Santiago Open Campus Block 1/2

By Jason L.

Santiago, Chile is such a beautiful city! From going to the hill of San Cristobal, the numerous artisan markets, seeing the wonderful architecture, going to vibrant parks, and countless fascinating... keep reading

January term students 2024 in their farewell celebration

From CIEE

Embarking on a Cultural Odyssey: The CIEE Santiago January Exchange Unveiled

By CIEE Santiago at CIEE

Santiago's vibrant tapestry provids the backdrop for weeks filled with enriching encounters and memorable moments. Although, not primarily a language-oriented program, the immersion component stands out as daily interactions with... keep reading

Housing & Meals

Housing

Standard Housing: Includes a room in a homestay or residence hall.

Select Housing: Includes a single room in a residence hall. This accommodation option has limited availability. Select housing requires an additional fee.

Homestays: This is the perfect option for students who wish for a fully immersive experience in Chile! Our hosts represent the landscape of current Chileans and include families with adult children living at the homestay; monoparental families; same-sex couples; young or older couples; retired people; etc. Regardless of your language level, we have the perfect family for you; that is, families with one or more family member who are fluent in English, or families who prefer to communicate solely in Spanish. Students are greeted and welcomed into the dynamics of these families, which include weekend activities at relatives’ homes, day trips to other cities, shared meals, or simply watching soap operas while having “once!”

Whether you are placed in a single or double placement with another CIEE student, you will have your own private room (bathroom may be shared with other host family members or your CIEE mate). Other amenities include weekly laundry, two meals per day, and Wi-Fi access. All homestays are located in residential areas near supermarkets, coffee shops, and parks. Bus stops or a metro station are guaranteed to expedite your access to public transportation, however, commuting to your host institution may take up to one hour (off-peak).
Residence Hall: This is the best option for students who wish more independence and to meet other Chilean and international college-level students at their own pace. The residence hall is located in a residential area, just footsteps from a commercial district with amenities such as cafés, theaters, supermarkets, exchange houses, restaurants, shopping malls, etc.

The residence hall is a three-story building with 30+ bedrooms, a common kitchen, shared bathrooms, a complimentary laundry room, lounge areas, Wi-Fi access, and a small yard. Students will be placed in a double room with another college-level student (not necessarily a CIEE peer). Students are responsible for providing their own meals as they are not included. A metro station is within walking distance of the residence hall, and commuting to your host institution may take up to 45 minutes (off-peak). This accommodation option has limited availability.

A note: The default criterion to assign housing is first-come, first-served; however, other factors may also be considered. If we cannot accommodate your first housing choice, we'll let you know before you arrive.

Meals

Residence Hall: Meals are not included. However, students have access to a fully furnished kitchen, complete with utensils and cleaning supplies, to prepare their meals. Additionally, there are plenty of restaurants in the surrounding areas for students to enjoy.

Homestay: Students residing with host families typically enjoy two daily meals, which are agreed upon with the host family (choosing from breakfast, lunch, or dinner). Any additional meals or snacks are the responsibility of the student. Students are welcome to utilize the kitchen facilities provided by the homestay, and families will allocate a cabinet or storage area for their food and ingredients.

Homestay

Student with their host

Homestay

Single bedroom

santiago ch student putting salsa on a piece of bread

Academics

Students have wide flexibility to design their own academic load-taking options from the following scheme:

Courses taught in English at top Chilean universities: Universidad de Chile, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, and Universidad Diego Portales
For those proficient in Spanish, there is the option to take courses in Spanish at all three local universities
Students can also opt for courses delivered in English and/or Spanish by CIEE

Before your arrival onsite, you will have a one-on-one academic counseling with local staff to review your options and decide whether your proposed schedule is logistically feasible (commuting between campuses may take between 30-45 minutes).

GPA

2.5

Additional Requirements

Please refer to the detailed Program Essential Eligibility Criteria.

Individual courses may have additional prerequisites; for CIEE courses, these are listed in the syllabi below. Students are responsible for having their own course approval conversations with their advisors.

Requirements

All Semester in Santiago students take courses for a total of 12-18 semester credits. Students enroll in 4-5 courses per semester, choosing from:

CIEE courses
Host Institution courses taught in English at any of the following Chilean universities: Universidad de Chile, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, and Universidad Diego Portales. There is a commute of about 30-45 minutes between campuses to consider for final course schedule.
- Students may choose to take host institution courses taught in Spanish if the student shows proof of language proficiency
- Students may choose courses from any or all of the partner universities

Program Credit

Total of 12-18 semester credits/18-27 quarter credits

Course Credit

CIEE Courses: 3-4 U.S. semester/4.5-6 quarter credits; 45-60 contact hours.
Host Institution Courses: 3-4 U.S. semester/4.5-6 quarter credits, unless otherwise noted.
CIEE Internship: 3 U.S. semester/4.5 quarter credits; 15 seminar hours, 100-120 internship placement hours.
CIEE Directed Independent Research: 3 U.S. semester/4.5 quarter credits; 15 contact hours, 100-120 research hours.

Academic Culture

Courses taught in English at partner universities tend to gather local students who are enthusiasts of the language and want to practice more. Thus, the presence of international students in local courses is highly valued by instructors as they see it as an opportunity to add foreign perspectives to the local audience. On the other hand, CIEE-offered courses are exclusively for CIEE students across programs, and they are designed to follow U.S. academic culture and standards. Classes at host institutions are typically scheduled Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., while CIEE courses usually go from Monday to Thursday from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Both CIEE and host institution classes tend to meet twice a week.

In terms of attendance, all three host institutions have a policy requiring students to attend more than 80% of class time. Additionally, some courses offer weekly complimentary tutoring sessions with a teaching assistant (TA). These sessions are sometimes considered part of the class attendance, or the tutoring session may be factored into the class's final grade. CIEE courses are ruled by similar policies. It’s worth mentioning that CIEE co-curriculars have mandatory participation (they are part of the course’s grade).

CIEE instructors use Canvas as their academic platform. Communications, notifications, along with assignments, grades, and readings are stored and disseminated through this means. Each host institution has its own platform.

Class Format

In general, the Chilean pedagogical teaching approach is more teacher-centered, with the instructor mainly leading the lectures and facilitating the course discussions. Instructors at local universities tend not to have office hours. Instead, they can be reached by email, the corresponding academic platform, or right after or before class time.

Students usually have daily homework assignments and readings informed by the instructor in the online platform for the course, via email or orally during class time. Students are not required to buy books as most of the bibliographical materials are provided by the course facilitator on the online platform and they are usually available in the host institution library. In terms of co-curricular activities, CIEE courses have guaranteed co-curricular activities, but host-institution courses tend not to offer this type of opportunity to students.

To avoid falling behind, students should not plan personal travel out of Santiago when classes are in session and plan trips for the long weekends.

Grading

CIEE reports all final course grades to students’ home institutions using a U.S. letter grade equivalent scale of A-F. For CIEE-administered courses, students’ grades are based on attendance, class participation, homework, project work, presentations, and midterm and final examinations. Learning outcomes assessment is continuous through personal reflections, evaluation feedback, self-assessment, and requirements as set out in course syllabi. Just as with CIEE courses, final grades for local institution courses are a compound of components of a different nature, such as attendance, class participation, homework, project work, presentations, and midterm and final examinations. Primary assessments (assessments with more weight) are usually two or three part written exams. The final examination may be held in either oral or written format (or both) and is usually worth around 30% of the final grade for the course.

Language of Instruction

English and/or Spanish

Course Information

The following list of courses constitutes a representative sample of course offerings in English through our partner universities and is subject to change. Some courses are offered once a year, in either the spring or fall semester.

Universidad Diego Portales	*This brochure corresponds to 2024.
Engineering	Python for Engineers
Environment	Environment and Sustainable Development
History	Indigenous Population in Chile and the Americas
Astrophysics	Exploring the Solar System and Beyond
Astrophysics	Zooming in and out: Scaling the Universe
Social Science	Women’s Rights Movements: From Alaska to Patagonia
Social Science	United States of America: A nation of Migrants
Law	International criminal law
	Current trends on migration
	International courts and politics
Economy	Doing Business in Latin America

Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile

Introduction to gastronomic engineering

Fintech: financial applications

Number theory

Algebraic Topology

Research, innovation and entrepreneurship

Comparative Constitutional Law

Research seminar: International and Comparative Law

China: Business, Law, Technology and Society

Litigating Before International Courts and Tribunals

Persuasive Communication

English for Small Children

Strange Tales in Narrative and Film

Language and the Brain: Discourse Comprehension and production

English and Spanish Contrasts

English Phonetics and Phonology II

Applied Grammar II

Drama

Poetry

Classical and Medieval Literature

Narrative I

Research in Literature/Linguistics

Applied Phonetics II

Multimedia Journalism Workshop

Universidad de Chile
Philosophy and Humanities	Chilean History and Culture through Literature and Film
	American Culture Through Literature and Film
	Culture and Power: Mechanisms of Social and Cultural Control
	Government
	The Chilean Political Crisis
Law	European Union and Latin American Integration Law
Agricultural Sciences	Nano Agriculture
Arts	History of Art: Chilean Heritage
International Studies	Latin American Politics and World Affairs
Business School
	Advanced Accounting
	The Economic Way of Thinking
	Urban Economics
	Environmental Economics
	Finance I
	Corporate Financial Management
	Business Intelligence and Analytics
	Business Intelligence and Data Base Applications
	Business Process Management
	Chilean Economic Development
	International Business
	Marketing
	Business Negotiations
	Latin America´s World Affairs
	Business Strategy
	Managing Multinational Corporations in LATAM
Intercultural Business Challenges in Latin America

Note: This course listing is for informational purposes only and does not constitute a contract between CIEE and any applicant, student, institution, or other party. The courses, as described, may be subject to change as a result of ongoing curricular revisions, assignment of lecturers and teaching staff, and program development. Courses may be canceled due to insufficient enrollment.
"(GI)" denotes courses that originated at CIEE's Global Institutes and that are offered at multiple CIEE sites.

Dates & Fees

You get more for every dollar when you study abroad with CIEE, because our high-quality programs include everything from excursions to insurance. There are no hidden charges, and no disappointing surprises when you arrive.

Program	Application Due	Start Date	End Date	Fees & Housing
Program Spring 2025 18 weeks	November 1, 2025	Start Date February 26, 2025	End Date July 4, 2025

To help you budget, keep in mind that students are responsible for the cost of international airfare, local transportation, books and supplies, visas, and personal expenses. In addition, your college or university may charge additional fees for study abroad, or may require you to receive a transcript via CIEE's School of Record, which carries an additional fee of $500.

What's Included

Tuition

Housing

Pre-departure Advising

Advising before you depart to set goals and answer questions

Optional on-site airport meet-and-greet

Orientation

Introduction to your program plus practical information about living in your host city

On-site Staff

Full-time program leadership and support in your city

Cultural and/or Co-curricular Activities

Excursions and/or Study Tours

Travel Protection

CIEE iNext travel protection

24/7 emergency on-site support

Our Staff

Maria Paz Montes Monsalve

Program Coordinator

Maria Paz holds a degree in English from Universidad de Chile where she had the opportunity to spend a year abroad in the United States, which was a life-changing decision...

Victor Muñoz

Programs and Finance Manager

Víctor is passionate about studies. He graduated in Business and Economy, has a master's degree on Strategic Management and Project Evaluation, and certifications on Data Science in Python. He also...

Camila Soto

Program Coordinator

Camila Soto has a BA in Literature with experience in independent publishing, language teaching and international education. At CIEE she has worked at the Teach in Chile program and as...

Alejandra Herrera

Regional Director of Operations for Latin America, Interim Center Director, Santiago Chile

Alejandra is a passionate and experienced educator in higher education in Chile with more than 10 years in the field of International Education.

Semester in Santiago

Dates

Credit

Eligibility

Application Deadline

Unique Experiences

Take a deep dive into Latin American pre-Columbian and colonial art

Take a gondola ride in Parque Metropolitano

Explore award-winning contemporary architecture

7

15

22 +

Your Destination

The Culture

Excursions & Activities

Academic Projects

Program Blogs

Housing & Meals

Housing

Meals

Academics

GPA

Additional Requirements

Requirements

Program Credit

Course Credit

Academic Culture

Class Format

Grading

Language of Instruction

Course Information

Dates & Fees

Program

Application Due

Start Date

End Date

Fees & Housing

Program Fees

Estimated Costs

Financial Aid

What's Included

Tuition

Housing

Pre-departure Advising

Optional on-site airport meet-and-greet

Orientation

On-site Staff

Cultural and/or Co-curricular Activities

Excursions and/or Study Tours

Travel Protection

24/7 emergency on-site support

Our Staff

Program Coordinator

Programs and Finance Manager

Program Coordinator

Regional Director of Operations for Latin America, Interim Center Director, Santiago Chile

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