Program Highlights for Santiago, Chile

• Study and explore the language, culture, literature, arts, history, anthropology, native cultures, politics, economy, international studies, and technology of the most southern country in the world through courses, internships, excursions, and field trips.
• Discover northern Chile and the Atacama Desert or southern Chile with its lakes and volcanoes in an in-depth, weeklong tour/field study.
• Experience Santiago’s diverse cultural blend of native, Spanish, and international residents.
• Take advantage of great opportunities for outdoor recreation, including skiing, sandboarding, surfing, whitewater rafting, hiking, climbing, mountain biking, swimming, and horseback riding.
• Immerse yourself in the local culture by learning salsa dancing, visiting vineyards, and enjoying delicious Latin American food.
• Enjoy the benefits of a large urban city that has preserved the hospitality and accessibility of a small community.
• The USAC Resident Director and staff are present on-site full-time to welcome and support you during your term abroad.

Why Study in Santiago?

Santiago’s urban and natural framework, its mountainous terrain, and its proximity to Chile’s central coastline are ideal for experiencing the nature and culture of the most southern country in the world. You’ll have the opportunity to study Spanish language and contemporary Chilean society through a wide selection of academic courses, as well as personal interaction and immersion in the host culture.

This program offers academic coursework in Spanish Language, Latin American, and Anthropological Studies. The intensive language approach allows you to complete up to a year and a half of university foreign language coursework in only one semester, or a year of foreign language coursework in the ten-week summer session. You may choose to study for one semester or a full year and meet Spanish minor or major requirements; the summer offers two five-week sessions that can be taken individually or back-to-back for a ten-week session. You may complement your language curriculum by taking courses in literature, art, history, sociology, political science, economics, women’s studies, community development, anthropology, native cultures, and technology.

However, the academic courses are only a part of the value of a semester or year abroad. Participating in a homestay, cultural excursions, field trips, and the optional tours to Northern and/or Southern Chile, as well as internships and volunteering, offer unparalleled opportunities for experiencing the local culture. Outings in and around Santiago constitute an integral part of this program.