Does the UCN accept International Students?
Yes, the UCN is open to international students.
About our Educational System.
Chile boasts one of the strongest higher education systems in South America. Universities provide the highest degree of learning in Chile, combining teaching, research and outreach activities to their diversified programs. There are 64 universities in Chile divided into ‘traditional’ and ‘private’. Traditional universities include public and private universities with partial public funding. Students take a national test (PSU) and apply, in a centralized process, for admission to these universities. Private universities were created after 1980, and do not receive direct public funding. Each private institution defines its own admission process. The Universities in Chile enroll approximately 450,000 students annually.
Undergraduate programs are 8 to 12 semesters in length, leading to a degree of licenciado or a professional title. Graduate programs include magister (Master's) and doctorado (Ph.D.) and require one to three years of further study and the submission of a thesis.
Universities work on a semester basis. Chile is in the Southern Hemisphere; therefore, the first semester runs from March to mid July while the second semester is from July/August to mid December.
Lecturing is the principal method of instruction in Latin American Universities, with one final exam or paper counting as the only grade in the class. Still, some professors will also give midterm exams or papers. In most Latin American countries, the grading philosophy is that the student starts at 0 (has no knowledge of the subject) and needs to work hard to obtain a good grade. The student’s grade rises as he proves his gain of knowledge throughout the semester. As such, Latin American universities tend to be severe in their grading and a grade of Muy Bueno (7 - the highest grade possible in Chile) is rarely awarded. In most classes, the majority of students will receive either suficiente or bueno (from 4 to 6).
About our Courses
PIE-UCN sends universities from abroad a list of the courses of the careers offered at the UCN with their corresponding curricula. Once international students decide the courses they would like to attend, we send them their corresponding syllabi.
Does the UCN have programs that offer university credits for students who do not intend to graduate from the UCN?
Yes, we offer both non-degree programs and regular degree-programs for Chilean and International students.
What is the language of instruction?
Spanish.
How does the International Office evaluate proficiency in Spanish?
PIE-UCN -campus Antofagasta and Campus Coquimbo- evaluates Spanish language proficiency through a Preliminary Examination Test administered once the international student arrives in one of the two campuses.
What if the applicant does not meet the language standard?
Students who do not meet the language requirements cannot take career courses at the UCN due to the fact that the majority of the UCN courses are in Spanish.
What can the applicant do then?
S/he can take the Intensive Spanish and Chilean Culture Courses.
Does the UCN have dormitories or university apartments where international students can live?
No.
What methods of assessment are used?
Usually each professor has his/her own method of evaluating the student work: quizzes, oral presentations individually or in groups, exams, papers, etc. plus final exams.
Our grading system is called “Notas de calificaciones or Notas”.
1.0 being the lowest grade and 7.0 the highest. In order to pass the course the student needs a 4.0
What have been the experiences of international students as far as transferring credits to their home institutions goes?
Transferring credits goes like this: We have different ways of assessing the students, we agree with the home institution about the meaning of the notas and their conversion in USA system of grades. We have had no problems in this area, as the home institution and our university have a conversion table that gives justice to the effort and work of their students.
How do international students tend to do in UCN classes? Do they report feeling overwhelmed, intimidated, unprepared? How might a student best prepare to study in Chile?
The best preparation is of course a good level of Spanish. This enables the student to overcome easily the difficulties any person encounters when going to another country with a different language and culture.
The other aspect to be considered is the previous preparation or orientation given to the student prior to the departure as well as the Orientation Session at the UCN. These orientations help the students know how to react appropriately to different situations.
It is a challenge for the international student, especially those coming for the first time to a Latin American country. The cultural shock is always there, but at the UCN the student is not alone as we take care of him/her in every way possible.
Past student comments:
“There has not been a problem as long as the student checks with their home institution first and makes sure their institution will accept the classes they take. Most students have done well at UCN. However, it also depends on their study habits and willingness to learn Spanish. The first couple of weeks are pretty tough b/c everything is so new. Some students have felt overwhelmed, intimidated, and unprepared but I believe that this is normal with any study abroad program. The first couple of weeks are going to be a time of readjustment. However, one good thing about UCN is that during the first couple of weeks each international student has a meeting with the PIE-UCN Staff. This meeting is intended to help the students adjust to their new city and university. I believe the best way to prepare for a study abroad experience in Chile is to arrive with an open mind and be prepared to be flexible. Things are not like the US here and the students must be willing to adapt to their new country”.