Universidad de Santiago de Chile - USACH

About: 

The University Of Santiago de Chile (USACH) is one of Chile’s most traditional and prestigious State higher education institutions. It public education institution, which goes back to the former Escuela de Artes y Oficios (literally School of Arts and Crafts) founded in 1849. Nowadays, the university houses over 18,000 undergraduate students in 66 different majors. In addition, beyond academia, the University of Santiago, Chile prides itself on its orchestra and choirs that have been running since the 1980s and 1950s respectively which take part in regular national and international performances. It was also in the 1980s that a planetarium got built on the premises of the institution. 

Highlights:

It has a vast 170-year academic career and is projected as a campus of excellence, with an emphasis on research and a global perspective. According to the QS world ranking, it is located within the three best universities in the country, which demonstrates the institutional academic commitment to quality and excellence. 

Location: 

Santiago is the capital city of Chile and the Metropolitan Region. Its “big city” nature makes it a place which offers a complete experience, from the modernity of its buildings, to the historical combination of popular neighbourhoods, which bring with them the best of Chile’s culture and traditions.

The university campus is well located in the Estación Central ward and has two direct accesses to Metro stations on Line 1: Estación Central and Universidad de Santiago.

Courses / Modules: 

The course catalogue provides a list of possible USACH courses, however, it should be noted that not all courses are offered every semester. York students with a minimum of B2 level in Spanish are able to study in the majority of the courses except courses in Law, Occupational Therapy and Kinesiology. Some courses in Social Sciences and Journalism require York students to have a higher proficiency in Spanish. 

Credit (Full-time Load per semester): 

York students would be able to select from a wide range of modules at USACH that would meet their stage level learning outcomes. There is no real restriction on the departments that York students can study in, as long as they meet entry requirements and take a full load of modules (equivalent to 120 York Credits for full year, or 60 York credits for a semester). 

At USACH the  credit value for each module varies, from 4 credits to 12 credits. For typical one-semester courses, the number of credits is calculated as - 45 minutes lecture/tutorial per week is 1 USACH credit point. There are 17 teaching weeks in a semester. 

For example: 

4 USACH credits = 4 * 45 minutes * 17 = 51 hours per semester 

48 USACH credits (612 hours) = approx. 60 York credits 

Teaching Periods: 

The academic year at USACH is divided into 2 semesters. 

Semester 1: March to July

Semester 2: August to December

Language: 

Most courses are taught in Spanish with a minimum language level of B2. There are some courses taught in English but places may be limited.

Accommodation: 

USACH does not have student residence for foreign students. The International Office can offer housing suggestions that other students have recommended once accepted. Students are responsible for deciding the type of residences they would like to stay in Santiago based on their budget and expectations. 

Generally, there are two options available to visiting students in Santiago: private student residences or shared houses/flats. 

The approximate cost of housing at Santiago is USD 320-400 per month. 

Orientation / Welcome week:  

The International Office offers a Welcome and Informative meeting to cover essential information about the University to new students. Each faculty also offers a welcoming breakfast or brunch and visiting students are encouraged to participate. 

Support Services: 

USACH has a range of student support services such as USACH Without Borders, which is a program runs by a group of students that promotes and facilitates the connection between local and international students with the objective to enhance intercultural awareness and competencies.

Visas: 

Students should take time to research their own visa status but USACH provides some information on visas in their Incoming Student Manual. 

Health insurance: 

Insurance must cover emergency medical expenses, accidents and coverage before diseases. It must also cover expenses for health repatriation. It is recommended that York students take out additional health policy so they could access private medical help in Santiago, if needed. The public health sector isn’t always consistent. 

Travel insurance:  

If you are approved by the University of York to participate in this program, you will be covered by the University's Travel Insurance Policy. This is a complimentary policy to cover you for the duration of your University of York mobility experience. Please refer to the Insurance website for all travel insurance queries.  You may be required to obtain health insurance valid during your exchange. 

Charlie, History, Study Abroad 2018/19 (studied at Pontificia  Universidad Católica De Chile)

Santiago is unlike any European capital city I have visited. The various turbulent periods of recent Chilean history are still controversial among many sectors of society and this is clear in conflicting depictions of Colonialists, early Presidents of Chile, and more recent dictators, throughout Santiago and the country in general. Despite Santiago being South America's most developed city, it is clear that this is still very much a developing city, though the infrastructure is always changing and I am sure that the city will be a different place in 10 years. 

The Chilean dialect is something that I was constantly warned about before my trip, but it was only when I started chatting to Chileans in a more casual and social environment that I realised just how commonplace certain phrases are. You rarely get through a sentence without hearing one of 'weón' (mate), bacán (cool/great), or 'cachai?' (do you get me?).  

The single most annoying thing about Chile is how bureaucratic the society is, and this constantly affects everyday life. The immigration process was very drawn out during the first month here and needed several trips to various civil registries, including one 5 hour queue. It's also necessary to have your national insurance number every time you want to a) use the equivalent of your Tesco clubcard, b) take a bus an hour outside of the city. 

The university made it very easy to settle in. The orientation day was very useful for meeting fellow international students, and there are often events to encourage international involvement in the university, and communication between Chileans and international students. 

Testimonials from other exchange students

• USACH

• USACH International Office

• USACH Incoming Students Manual 

• Numbeo - cost of living comparison site

• Expatistan - cost of living comparison site

If you find any broken links, please email us at global-opportunities@york.ac.uk

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