How to Study Abroad in Peru In this diverse destination, you can find amazing beaches, mind-blowing Inca ruins, the most challenging treks of your life, and awe-inspiring explorations through the Amazon rainforest. Learn to salsa dance, go mountain biking, discover ancient temples that co-mingle with nature, or enjoy some of the most fabulous shopping and dining in South America.
What City Should I Choose? The two main cities to study abroad in Peru are Cusco and Lima. Which city you’d choose depends on what kind of experience you want from your time abroad.
Lima is a huge, metropolitan city with lots of tourists, good shopping, and dining that ranges from five-star cuisine to fast-food chains. It has a mild climate and a close proximity to some gorgeous and very fun beaches. If you’re looking for hot nightlife, a strong Spanish influence, all the attractions of a big international city, nearby beach life, and a good place to start trips to other South American countries — then studying in Lima is for you.
The other main hub to study and volunteer abroad in Peru is Cusco, the old capital of the Incan empire and a World Heritage Site. With about 360,000 people, this is not a huge city, but there is plenty of appeal. Though Cusco is a very foreigner-friendly place with tons of tourists, scholars, ex-pats, and other international influences, the attractions here extend far beyond the city. Namely, it’s the surrounding mountains, Inca ruins, and spectacular hikes that make Cusco truly great. Amazing adventures are literally right at your doorstep. From bungee jumping to treks to salsa dancing, Cusco is the ancient city that has it all.
Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola, or USIL, is the main university in Peru where students take classes. There are beautiful campuses in both Lima and Cusco that are run by super organized and caring directors. The campus in Lima has large classrooms and great housing in the beautiful neighborhood of Miraflores. In Cusco, the campus is in a small Incan building about a block away from the Plaza de Armas. If you go into the coordinator’s office you can actually see Incan ruins that are blocked off for excavation. Either way, both campuses have modern facilities and tools with great professors and coordinators.
Where To Live. Your ideal housing depends on what kind of experience you want while studying abroad in Peru. Most programs offer both host-families and independent student housing. If you want to really improve your Spanish rapidly, consider staying with a host family. Living with a family, hearing the language spoken constantly, and having to think and speak in Spanish will help your language skills dramatically. You’ll learn real Peruvian lifestyle as you enjoy home-cooked meals and celebrate holidays and fiestas with them. However, you do have to abide by the family rules — which often mean no sleepovers, no coming home at 3 a.m., and no ruckus in general.
Independent student housing offers more freedom. It comes with a price, though — there’s nobody to cook you amazing Peruvian food; and you’ll probably speak English with the other international students, making language acquisition a bit more slow going. However, both Lima and Cusco have an abundance of housing options that’s affordable for students.
What to Pack. If you’ll be studying abroad in Lima, it’s pretty easy: flip-flops, shorts, and anything else you wear for warm weather. Lima was in the middle of a desert before it was built by the Spanish, so the climate is warm, but there is always a nice ocean breeze coming in from the coast. It would also be prudent to pack stylish clothes for the nightlife, as Lima has that in abundance.
If you’re studying abroad in Cusco, you can experience all four seasons within one day, so pack in layers so that you can peel off or pile on as needed. You’ll need comfortable hiking boots or tennis shoes, jeans, fleeces, sweaters, and a rain jacket. (Hint: buying warm alpaca wool sweaters, gloves, hats, and scarves in Cusco is a lot cheaper than buying them at home, and they are luxuriously warm and soft!) It never gets intensely cold except in July (the middle of winter) but it can get chilly pretty fast — so just make sure you’re always prepared for cold, warm, and rainy weather. If you’ll be going trekking on a regular basis, bring a sleeping bag and a sturdy backpacking backpack (you do have the option to rent these, as well).
But Really, Why Should I Study In Peru? Peru is much more than just Machu Picchu and the Amazon. This is a place where, on your way to take class in international business, you can walk past ancient Incan architecture. In Peru, you can see a KFC on one corner and a 500-year-old Spanish colonial building on the next. Peru is a country where you can go on a hike, explore ruins that a fraction of the world’s population will ever see, and learn more about yourself and the world around you every day. That is why you should not only study in Peru, but live in Peru.