Studying in Colombia
Colombia is home to several of the region's top universities. In fact, Bogotá is known as the “Athens of South America” because of it's abundance of libraries and educational opportunities. No matter which city you choose, you will find a number of institutions at which to study in Colombia.
Courses
Colombia has many public and private universities. Forty-one of the top 300 universities in Latin America are located in Colombia.Ã Because of the rich biodiversity and many indigenous cultures, Colombia is a great option for those interested in studying the environment, conservation, and anthropology. Other top programs include political science, engineering, and physics.
In addition, Colombia is an excellent place to study Spanish. The Spanish spoken in Colombia is known to be grammatically pure and the accent very clear. And unlike studying in other popular places like Spain or Costa Rica, English is not yet widely spoken so you'll get lots of practice. Most foreigners choose to study in either Bogotá, Medellín or Cartagena.
Important:
University courses and admissions will be in Spanish. Registration for Spanish classes with a language institute is available in English.
Admissions & Formalities
Admissions requirements at the university level will vary by institution. All prospective students should be able to provide school transcripts, letters of recommendation, and a Spanish proficiency test. All documents need to be translated into Spanish.
Once admitted, students will need to apply for a TP-3 visa. Please note that students must be enrolled in a minimum of 10 credit hours per week to apply for a TP-3 visa. This can be done in person or online by submitting the visa application and documents listed below.
- A passport with at least two blank pages, in good condition, and valid for a minimum of 180 days
- Copy of main passport holder identification page
- Copy of the most recent stamp showing your entry or departure from Colombia
- Certificate of admission issued by the educational establishment
- A letter from the student or a person who will be financially responsible for the student, along with a bank statement showing an average account balance for at least six months that is higher than ten times the monthly minimum wage. The 2017 minimum monthly wage in Colombia is 737.717 COP.
Good to know:
Spanish language institutes cannot issue the Certificate of Admission required for a student visa. While you can study at a Spanish language institute for less than six months on a tourist visa, if you want to study Spanish for more than six months you should seek a Spanish language curriculum through a university.
Tuition & Fees
Tuition and fees depend on whether you attend a public or private university and the type of program (for instance graduate or undergraduate study). Compared to other locations in the world, tuition fees are relatively inexpensive, ranging from between 970 USD to 5.000 USD per semester. The cost of living in Colombia should also be taken into account, as this also remains comparatively low. Single students can expect to spend between 500 USD to 1.000 USD per month for accommodation, food, and entertainment depending on their lifestyle.
Useful Links:
Top Global Universities
List of Spanish language institutes and university Spanish programs
Visa classes and requirements
English instructions for online visa application
