Study Abroad in Valparaiso, Chile

Long having drawn inspiration for poets, writers, and artists, Valparaíso breathes authenticity and encourages creativity. As a student, you too can revel in the arts and languages, or take courses in a wide range of subjects. Chile is known for having one of the best educational systems in Latin America, so be ready to challenge yourself and grow!

Popular subjects to study. Hola amigos! Are you ready to brush up on your Spanish? By taking classes and immersing yourself in the community, your fluency will develop so quickly that you’ll soon be dreaming in español. Valparaíso has more than just Spanish though; what about the sciences? As a coastal city, Valpo is the perfect place to take courses on ecology, the environment, marine biology, and much more.

Studying history while you study in Valparaíso is also popular, as students can explore Valparaíso’s intriguing past as a port city and major stopover for ships traveling between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. European immigrants flocked here during the 19th century, and your history lessons will come to life as you peel back the layers of the city.

Short term and summer programs vs. long term programs. It’s all about timing in Chile. Since Chile is located in the southern hemisphere, study abroad programs in Chile are on different schedules and begin in March and end in December. If you are looking to develop your language skills, consider a long term program. Semester and year-long programs are the perfect way to develop friendships and return home fluent and ready to communicate with Spanish speakers. Short term programs can also be beneficial for language learners who are short on time, but ready to engage in Spanish.

Attending universities vs. other program types. Does your home university already offer a study abroad option in Valparaíso? If not, consider the direct enrollment route—as a college town, Valparaíso boosts a wide range of options. Consider the Universidad de Valparaíso, Federico Santa Maria Technical University, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Valparaíso, and the Universidad de Playa Ancha in your search. Third party programs are also a popular option, with many academic interests to choose from!

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Latest Program Reviews

Great study abroad program for an independent student wanting to improve Spanish

January 04, 2025by: Tamsin Connerly - United StatesProgram: SIT Study Abroad: Chile: Cultural Identity, Social Justice

9

This program was very well-run. The faculty at the program site were amazing, kind, and caring. Almost all of the home stays were great fits for the students, and when anyone had a problem they could easily be moved. The best part of the program is the internship/independent study period. My internship was fantastic and important for making most of my Chilean friends.

Great semester!

December 06, 2024by: Katherine Cheston - United StatesProgram: SIT Study Abroad: Chile: Cultural Identity, Social Justice

7

I loved my time in Chile! The people I met definitely made the semester! The SIT staff was very friendly and supportive, and they did a great job assigning host families. I loved my host families both in Valparaiso and on the excursions. I felt very comfortable and got to know them very well despite the partial linguistic barrier. I also found many Chileans around my age to be really friendly, and I was able to make a few great friends who I still talk with every week. The group dynamics within the program weren't great, in part, because our homestays were so spread out that it encouraged cliques to form. The staff maybe could have done more to improve group dynamics especially during our first few days in Chile where we were all staying at a hotel together for orientation. I have mixed feelings about the program's academics. I appreciate that we weren't assigned much work, so we got to use our time outside of school to explore and spend time with our host families. I thought my Spanish class was interesting, and it helped me to learn Chilenismos and improve my grammar. The classes about cultural identity, social justice, and economics were disappointing though. They were taught by different guest lecturers every class, so there was no continuity or clear learning targets. Some of the classes/lecturers were great, but most were boring and didn't teach me much. The research methodologies class was a bit dry but did a good job of preparing us for our ISPs. I was not excited about doing an ISP as I don't like research, but ended up finding a topic I was excited about and got a lot out of it! The SIT staff did a great job supporting me through the ISP period, even as I traveled outside of Valparaiso for it. I loved Valpariso/Viña and Chile in general. The pace of life in Valpo/Viña (and its public transport) is a lot slower than where I'm from (MA), but once I got used to that I loved exploring the city (going to dance classes, bars, markets, ect.) I also went to visit friends in Santiago on the weekends and have touristy days with them. I also loved our excursion to the south. I loved getting to spend time outside in a rural area and go to family parties with my host family. Our trip to the north was kind of a wash since so many people got sick (largely due to the altitude). I would have loved to travel around Chile and the Southern Cone more, but we didn't have any breaks and weren't allowed to travel without the program. I didn't think the program's schedule, nor its policy that students can't travel on their own was made clear on the website which frustrated me.

Great study abroad program for an independent student wanting to improve Spanish

January 04, 2025by: Tamsin Connerly - United StatesProgram: SIT Study Abroad: Chile: Cultural Identity, Social Justice

9

This program was very well-run. The faculty at the program site were amazing, kind, and caring. Almost all of the home stays were great fits for the students, and when anyone had a problem they could easily be moved. The best part of the program is the internship/independent study period. My internship was fantastic and important for making most of my Chilean friends.

Great semester!

December 06, 2024by: Katherine Cheston - United StatesProgram: SIT Study Abroad: Chile: Cultural Identity, Social Justice

7

I loved my time in Chile! The people I met definitely made the semester! The SIT staff was very friendly and supportive, and they did a great job assigning host families. I loved my host families both in Valparaiso and on the excursions. I felt very comfortable and got to know them very well despite the partial linguistic barrier. I also found many Chileans around my age to be really friendly, and I was able to make a few great friends who I still talk with every week. The group dynamics within the program weren't great, in part, because our homestays were so spread out that it encouraged cliques to form. The staff maybe could have done more to improve group dynamics especially during our first few days in Chile where we were all staying at a hotel together for orientation. I have mixed feelings about the program's academics. I appreciate that we weren't assigned much work, so we got to use our time outside of school to explore and spend time with our host families. I thought my Spanish class was interesting, and it helped me to learn Chilenismos and improve my grammar. The classes about cultural identity, social justice, and economics were disappointing though. They were taught by different guest lecturers every class, so there was no continuity or clear learning targets. Some of the classes/lecturers were great, but most were boring and didn't teach me much. The research methodologies class was a bit dry but did a good job of preparing us for our ISPs. I was not excited about doing an ISP as I don't like research, but ended up finding a topic I was excited about and got a lot out of it! The SIT staff did a great job supporting me through the ISP period, even as I traveled outside of Valparaiso for it. I loved Valpariso/Viña and Chile in general. The pace of life in Valpo/Viña (and its public transport) is a lot slower than where I'm from (MA), but once I got used to that I loved exploring the city (going to dance classes, bars, markets, ect.) I also went to visit friends in Santiago on the weekends and have touristy days with them. I also loved our excursion to the south. I loved getting to spend time outside in a rural area and go to family parties with my host family. Our trip to the north was kind of a wash since so many people got sick (largely due to the altitude). I would have loved to travel around Chile and the Southern Cone more, but we didn't have any breaks and weren't allowed to travel without the program. I didn't think the program's schedule, nor its policy that students can't travel on their own was made clear on the website which frustrated me.