Program Provider: Council on International Education and Exchange (CIEE)

Program Site: Universidad de Chile, Pontificia Universidade Catolica de Chile, and/or Universidad de Santiago.

Duration: Fall, Spring, or Year. The fall semester runs from mid-July to mid-December, and the spring semester runs from mid-February to mid-July.

Description: Located 60 miles from the coast of Chile, Santiago is home to over five million inhabitants. This capital city is both modern and dynamic, and its pleasant Mediterranean climate and proximity to the mountains makes it an ideal place for outdoor activities such as hiking, skiing, river-rafting and horseback riding.

This program aims to provide American students with an advanced level of Spanish first-hand knowledge of contemporary issues and cultural patterns in Chile. Students can take courses at any one of three universities: the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, the country’s leading private university; the Universidad de Chile, the country’s preeminent public university; and the Universidad de Santiago, one of Chile’s top five universities.

Academics: The program begins with a two-week course called Contemporary Chile before students directly enroll in university classes to study alongside local students. All courses are taught in Spanish and a wide array of disciplines is available. Students may also choose specially-designed area studies and advanced Spanish language courses for CIEE students only.

Sample CIEE courses:
-    Historical Memory and Human Rights in 20th Century Chile
-    Historical Perspectives of Chile
-    Poverty and Development in Chile and Latin America
   
Course load and Credit: Students take four or five courses and can earn a maximum of 20 units per semester or 36 units for the academic year.

Accommodations: Chilean homestay; three meals per day are provided.

Activities and Other Program Features: The program includes visits to sites of historic and cultural importance in Santiago such as the homes of Pablo Neruda, museums, a historic mining village and the memorial to the victims of the 1973 coup. In addition, there are weekend trips each semester to Pucón, an ecotourism center in the south of Chile, and to a national park. Students also have the opportunity to do non- credit bearing internships, perform community service, and do one-to-one language exchanges with Chileans.

Eligibility: Minimum 3.0 GPA and six semesters of college-level Spanish (or the equivalent).

Estimated Semester Cost:
Tuition................................$11,556
Additional Expenses*.............$8,948
Total..................................$20,504

Cost Updated: 3/31/09
Text Updated: 8/19/08

*Additional expenses include estimated costs for airfare, room and board, books and supplies, health insurance, and personal expenses (which can vary greatly from student to student). USC financial aid, scholarships, and tuition remission may be applied to program costs. Please visit the Office of Overseas Studies for more detailed cost information.

Links:
CIEE Chile - Santiago
Universidad de Chile
Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
Universidad de Santiago
Lonely Planet Chile & Easter Island
Lonely Planet Santiago de Chile
Chilean Consulate in Los Angeles
Chile Tourist Information