Studying in Chile

What a year costs

Tuition. Chile's free tuition scheme (gratuidad) is only for foreigners with permanent residence, or with temporary residence and complete secondary education in Chile, according to the Ministry of Education's student benefits portal (FUAS). As an international student you pay the university's full fee.

The Universidad de Chile, a leading public university, publishes these 2026 figures for new undergraduates:

• Annual tuition from CLP 4,606,900 (Licenciatura en Filosofía) to CLP 9,468,300 (Medicine)
• Annual enrolment fee (derecho básico de matrícula): CLP 217,600

The page does not show separate rates for international students, so confirm your fee with the university. Private universities set their own fees, which you should check programme by programme.

Living costs. No government body publishes an official budget for international students, and we could not verify a university estimate for this guide. Santiago is the most expensive city for rent; Valparaíso, Concepción, Valdivia and La Serena are generally cheaper. Base your budget on current listings, and add health insurance and your permit and identity card fees.

The visa

You need a temporary residence permit for students (Residencia Temporal, subcategoría estudiante), issued by the National Migration Service (SERMIG). It is for students at educational institutions recognised by the Chilean state.

Apply from outside Chile. SERMIG states that the student permit must be applied for from outside the country, through its online portal. You cannot enter as a tourist and switch.

The money. SERMIG asks for proof of income or support: bank deposits, money transfers, a notarised family affidavit, or a scholarship certificate stating how long the scholarship lasts. No amount is published. Show enough to cover a full year of tuition and living costs in a form that is easy to trace.

Documents also include a passport valid for at least one year from the application date, a criminal record certificate for applicants over 18 no older than 60 days, a photo, and a regular student certificate or enrolment certificate. Documents not in Spanish or English need a certified translation; foreign documents need an apostille or legalisation.

The fee. The fee for the student permit depends on your nationality, according to the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile's official migration guide. For applications from abroad, SERMIG asks you to pay through the General Treasury (TGR) portal before you finalise the submission. We could not verify fee amounts by nationality: check the amount shown in the portal for your case.

Duration. SERMIG issues temporary residence for a maximum of two years, and it can be extended.

After arrival. The Universidad Católica's guide tells students to book an appointment at the Civil Registry (Registro Civil) within 30 days to get a Chilean identity card (cédula de identidad). You need it for a bank account, a phone contract and most everyday transactions.

Working while you study

SERMIG allows student permit holders to do lawful paid work for up to 30 hours a week without extra authorisation, at your university or elsewhere. It warns that going over 30 hours can cost you your student status. That is one of the more generous student work allowances in the region. Keep your employment contracts and payslips, because you may need them when you extend your permit.

After you graduate

Chile has no post-study permit. SERMIG lists 15 temporary residence subcategories, including students, paid work, family, investors and others, and none is for graduates or job seekers.

The usual next step is the temporary residence for paid work, which needs an employment contract or a formal job offer from a Chilean employer. SERMIG states that this permit must also be applied for from outside Chile. Before you graduate, ask SERMIG or your university's international office whether your situation allows a change of subcategory from within Chile, and plan for the possibility of leaving to apply.

Language

Degree programmes at Chilean universities are overwhelmingly taught in Spanish. Some postgraduate programmes, especially in science and business, are taught in English. Check the language requirement for your programme; universities set their own.

Chilean Spanish is fast and full of local expressions, and many international students take a few weeks to follow lectures comfortably even with good Spanish. You do not need Spanish for the permit itself, but SERMIG, the Civil Registry, landlords and most jobs work in Spanish.

When to apply

The Chilean academic year runs from March to December, with the second semester usually starting around August. Undergraduate admission for Chilean school-leavers is through a national entrance test; students with foreign secondary qualifications usually apply through special admission routes run by each university. Postgraduate programmes publish their own calls.

Work backwards from the permit: you need a regular student or enrolment certificate before you can apply, the application must come from abroad, and the criminal record certificate must be under 60 days old. The Universidad Católica's guide cites about 40 working days for an extension decision; initial applications have no published processing time, so apply as early as your documents allow.

What to watch out for

You must apply from abroad. Entering as a tourist and trying to change status in Chile does not work for the student permit. Plan the full application before you travel.

No gratuidad for you. Chilean public debate about free tuition does not apply to international students without permanent residence or Chilean secondary schooling. Budget for full fees in every year of your degree.

The 30-hour cap is a condition of your permit. Work more and you risk losing student status. Irregular or informal work does not count as a safe way around it.

Short-lived documents. The criminal record certificate must be under 60 days old and private documents under 30 days. Get them close to your application date.

The 30-day identity card deadline. Book the Civil Registry appointment as soon as you arrive. Without a cédula, everyday life in Chile is difficult.

Where these numbers come from

Rules change, sometimes at short notice. Every figure above carries the date we checked it. Check the official source before you rely on it. We could not verify the permit fee for specific nationalities, a proof-of-funds amount (none is published) or an official living-cost estimate.