IFSA - CHILEAN UNIVERSITIES PROGRAM, VALPARAÍSO
  Valparaíso and Viña del Mar, Chile

WHY STUDY IN VALPARAÍSO?
Valparaíso, Chile’s second-largest city, enjoys an ideal location between the mountains and the sea. Known for its romantic elegance of cobbled streets and Victorian houses, the city’s natural amphitheater includes 41 hills with spectacular ocean views. Valparaíso’s Historic Quarter, a UNESCO-recognized World Heritage site, and its vibrant life as the country’s “Cultural Capital” add to its charm. Twin city Viña del Mar is Chile’s premier coastal urban center and boasts beautiful beaches and stunning coastline, lavish gardens, subtropical atmosphere, cinemas, and dance clubs.

ABOUT THE PROGRAM
Make a concrete difference with your study abroad experience in artsy, progressive Valparaíso, Chile. Spend your semester in this maritime seaport city, where you will take action, working alongside other dedicated, socially conscious students to put your learning into practice in the local community. Take classes in English or Spanish while you create sustainable change in the environment around you.

You may select from classes at Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso and Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María. This program is ideal for students majoring in human rights, public policy, engineering majors, and more.

We offer semester study on the Chilean Universities Program in beautiful Valparaíso and Viña del Mar for students from zero to advanced Spanish language experience. Here you can enroll in classes at one of two different universities alongside local and international students, and take advantage of an IFSA class built around community engagement. 

SIGNATURE IFSA CLASS
Communities in Action: Valparaíso
This exclusive class, taught in English by local professors, is intended to provide you with an understanding of the events and issues that make Chile what it is today.

SPANISH LANGUAGE CLASSES
The Programa Internacional de Intercambio Estudiantil (PIIE) at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso offers Spanish language classes at beginning through advanced levels as well as Chilean culture classes that are accessible to students without any Spanish language background.

Essential Spanish
If you’ve never studied Spanish before, and you decide not to take an elective language class, you’ll take this introductory seminar to contemporary Spanish language and culture taught intensively during the first weeks of the program. 

DIRECT ENROLL CLASSES
To complete your course load, you will select courses with locals at one of our partner universities. 

• Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso
• Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María

Featured Direct Enroll Classes in English

• Socio-Environmental Latin American History
• Human Rights in Latin America
• Political and Social Change in Chile and Latin America
• Gender-Based Violence
• Cross-Cultural Encounters with the Native Mapuche People
• Chilean Winemaking
• Atmospheric Pollution and Climate Change
• Introduction to Sustainable Transportation Projects
• Every-day Botany: Human Use of Plants
• Metaheuristics
• Thermodynamics
• Introduction to Construction Engineering
• Restoration and Conservation in Heritage Constructions

Featured Science and Engineering Departments

• Astrophysics
• Chemical and Environmental Engineering
• Chemistry
• Civil and Construction Engineering
• Computer Science
• Electrical Engineering
• Industrial Design and Engineering
• Mathematics
• Mechanical Engineering
• Metallurgical and Materials Engineering
• Physics

CULTURAL ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES & EXCURSIONS
Program activities are designed to enhance your intercultural competence by developing your understanding of the local culture and people. Activities are optional, but they are included in your total program fee. They vary each term based on availability, but activities may include:

• City-as-Text
• Urban Street Art 
• Politics in Valparaíso
• Pandemic and the Economy

IFSA excursions are included in your total program fee and though these are optional, most students choose to participate. They vary each term based on availability, but excursions may include:

• Isla Negra Trip
• Wine in Chile Trip
• Santiago Trip 
   

  WHAT’S INCLUDED IN MY IFSA PROGRAM?

• Academic Support
• Administrative Fees and Applications Fees
• Airport Pickup
• Activities and Excursions (including transportation and meals)
• Guaranteed Housing
• International Medical Insurance
• Internet Access in Housing
• Internship, Directed Research, and Volunteer Opportunities (on many programs)
• Meals (on some programs)
• Official Transcript with U.S. Credit Translation
• On-site Orientation
• On-site Staff Support (including in-person meetings and emergencies)
• Pre-arrival Advising
• Tuition

  WE’RE HERE FOR YOU