Location
  • Chile
    • Santiago
Term
Fall, J-Term, Spring, Summer

Program Details

Program Type
Provider
Degree Level
Bachelors
Housing
Host Family
Language
English

Pricing

Price Details
You get more for every dollar when you study abroad with CIEE! Our high-quality programs include tuition, housing, on-site airport pick-up, field trips and cultural activities, 24/7 on-site professional staff, and automatic iNext insurance. There are no hidden charges or surprises when you arrive, and scholarships opportunities are available!
What's Included
Accommodation Some Activities Classes Some Meals Travel Insurance
Apr 20, 2021
Apr 18, 2019

About Program

Seated at the base of the Andes Mountains and the edge of the Pacific coast, Santiago is perfectly situated not only for sunbathers and mountain climbers, but also for those seeking higher education. Having created a contemporary trend in arts and lifestyle, in Santiago you will discover the urban deployment of multicultural and global tendencies with a Latin American atmosphere.

Video and Photos

Program Highlights

  • Enjoy Parque Bustamante, cafés and restaurants, shops, and much more surrounded by the beauty of Cerro San Cristobal.
  • Depending on their program of study and availability, students may be able to participate in an internship or volunteer.
  • Do Santiago on your own terms by customizing your experience through the Open Campus program. Take one, two, or three six-week blocks, select your academic track from six options, then choose your courses from a wide range of subject areas.

Scholarships

CIEE

CIEE Scholarships and Grants

CIEE’s need-based grants offer support to students who face financial barriers to studying abroad. CIEE awards need-based grants based on students’ EFCs and program selection. The Gilman Go Global Grant offers students $750-$2,000 toward airfare, plus $2,500 toward semester program costs, or $1,000 toward summer program costs.

Value
$500 - $2,500

Popular Programs

CIEE Santiago Sumner Programs

On one side of Santiago, the towering Andes loom in the distance, while on the other, the dazzling Pacific laps the shore. No matter where you are, you’ll enjoy world-class cuisine, neoclassical architecture, exotic parks, and a bustling urban environment.

CIEE Santiago Semester Programs

Every CIEE semester program has frequent cultural excursions uniquely designed to complement the program’s academics and enhance your cultural immersion. Enjoy hikes in the Andes mountain range and trekking activities in Cajón del MaipoIn or visit the big island of Huilo-Huilo or the San Pedro de Atacama Desert.

Program Reviews

9.33 Rating
based on 6 reviews
  • 9-10 rating 83.33%
  • 7-8 rating 16.67%
  • 5-6 rating 0%
  • 3-4 rating 0%
  • 1-2 rating 0%
  • Academics 7.7
  • Support 8.8
  • Fun 8.7
  • Housing 8.2
  • Safety 8.3
Showing 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
Default avatar
Kurosh
9/10
Yes, I recommend this program

Loved It. Intellectually stimulating program, great people

It's now been about 15 years since I studied abroad. However, as Mauricio was the head of the program and he was a pretty young guy, I wouldn't be surprised if he still heads it. My study abroad in Chile with CIEE was a great time in my life - not only in terms of personal experience, but our orientation and CIEE programming really connected us with the Chilean history and culture, especially with regards to history of human rights, as well as touched upon so very strong intellectual conversations and growth. Our Chilean university (PUC) is respected among the best in Latin America. Santiago is a relatively modern place within Latin America - and has a wide variety of things going on. The nature in Chile is spectacular - I compare it to California a lot. Overall highly recommended program!

What would you improve about this program?
My first housing assignment was quite a bad situation. Although it was resolved, it was a bumpy ride.
9 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Samantha
8/10
Yes, I recommend this program

Amazing experience, difficult academics

I loved this program and loved Santiago so much. If you are a flow artist or have an interest in circus arts I recommend Santiago so highly- it is the world capital of jugglers and you will be inspired by events and presentations all of the time throughout the city. Also recommended for people looking to get to know a city- very easily traversable city by foot/bus/subway.
Downsides: Living with a homestay at the beginning was amazing and exactly what I needed to practice my Spanish, but by the end I was really wishing I had the freedom of living with other students and having my own space. Also, taking only classes at the University of Chile with other chilean students was an amazing experience, but very hard. Sometimes too much stress for what I was looking for.

Overall I am so thankful I chose this program. It is so difficult but one of the best programs out there if you actually want to be fluent in Spanish by the end, in my opinion. Would recommend.

What would you improve about this program?
Giving kids the opportunity to leave their homestay and move in together/choose to live with other students and not in a homestay. Also, more front end preparation for what to expect. I felt very very very very overwhelmed and uncomfortable at first.
10 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Marla
9/10
Yes, I recommend this program

Step out of your comfort zone

Though Chile was not necessarily the first place that came to mind when I thought of going abroad, I am immensely grateful that I ended up there. Santiago is a lively, bustling city filled with all sorts of things to do--whether it be hiking, checking out a new cafe, art shows and performances--you can really find everything there. And beyond Santiago is an incredible country filled with incredible people and unbelievable places--the driest desert in the world in the north, glaciers and ice fields in the south, volcanoes and waterfalls and lush green landscapes in between, and so much more. And while just exploring the country itself would have been enough to make this an unforgettable experience, the people were also wonderful--I could not have asked for a better host family to live with and learn from during my time there. Not to say that it was without its challenges; the language barrier seemed insurmountable at first, the lifestyle and cultural norms weren't always obvious, and don't get me started on public transportation (though it's actually great once you get used to it). Perhaps that was even my favorite part; being somewhere was I was challenged each day, whether it be figuring out new ways to communicate or learning how to navigate my way around the city. It has inspired me to seek out those uncomfortable moments in my everyday life, to always search for opportunities to grow and learn, no matter how unattainable or awkward they may seem.

10 people found this review helpful.
McKenzie
10/10
Yes, I recommend this program

An amazing program!

The CIEE staff is really friendly, encouraging, and attentive to help students with any troubles they're having. Somehow they matched the students in my program to their host families with extreme accuracy. I loved my host family! We had a ton of the same interests, took family vacations together on the weekends, and shared food and music from our home countries. They truly made the entire semester a million times more memorable, and I felt like a part of their family!

What would you improve about this program?
All the included excursions with the program were well-planned and great, but it could be cool for students to have a few options to decide between rather than pre-planned destinations and itineraries.
10 people found this review helpful.
Jess
10/10
Yes, I recommend this program

CIEE Business + Culture in Santiago, Chile

CIEE has been an excellent source of great education, information, and activities in Santiago. They paired me with an amazing host family who is extremely helpful and where I am in a place I feel very comfortable. I have been given the opportunity to refresh my Spanish knowledge and actually put it into practice, and the staff is supportive in everything I come across. I know my transition from the United States to Chile has been a million times easier because of the guidance and accommodation CIEE has given me, and I am very thankful for that. I could not imagine better people to be surrounded by in my classes, extracurricular activities and travel throughout the country. CIEE is the program I need to stay on track with my academics in Santiago while also getting genuine information about everything happening in Santiago and beyond. I have been having the time of my life in Chile and have truly been able to immerse myself in the culture of this South American country, and I have CIEE to thank for all the opportunities and support they have given me on my journey.

What would you improve about this program?
It is sometimes difficult taking a Spanish class with people who are at all different levels. While our teacher is absolutely wonderful and does her best to accommodate everyone, it would maybe be more effective to split people up into at least two groups of beginners and those who have more prior Spanish knowledge.
10 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Alexa
10/10
Yes, I recommend this program

Santiago - the best place to study abroad!

I could not have imagined studying abroad anywhere else but Santiago, and going with any other provider but CIEE. Santiago is the perfect city to get to know - it's large enough to have plenty to do and see, but small enough to not feel overwhelmed. Santiago has a very easy-to-use metro system, and the culture and history of the city is fascinating. CIEE provided a much-needed support system while I studied abroad. The staff members (Elsa, Patricio, Claudia) did a great job introducing us to Chilean culture, taking us on trips throughout the country, and being there as a resource for each and every student. I got lucky with the fellow students on my program, who were all wonderful and I remain friends with many of them to this day. This particular program allows you to take classes at three different universities: la Católica, la UDP, and la Chile. I took classes at la Católica and la UDP, which was great as it allowed me to see two distinct sides of Chilean society. Taking classes in Spanish with Chileans can be frustrating if you dislike group projects or hate when teachers and students arrive to class thirty minutes late. However, it forces you to go outside of your comfort zone and makes you become a better student. I had a great host family for the most part, but had issues with one of my host sisters that made me consider changing families (I ended up staying with them for the whole semester). Overall, studying with CIEE Liberal Arts in Santiago was one of the best decisions of my undergraduate career. It is a very challenging experience, and you will still suffer culture shock, homesicknesses, and various frustrations. But if you keep an open mind and stay flexible, you will learn so much, develop a global mindset, and will most definitely fall in love with Santiago. I can't wait to go back and visit!

What would you improve about this program?
I wish that the program staff provided more support to us when we first started taking classes in the universities, since I felt like I had no idea how to register for classes, pick up my readings, or even print papers in the computer lab. They had done a great job with the support during our first two weeks in Santiago, but I felt a bit isolated when we first started classes and would have appreciated more 'hand-holding' in this stage. At the same time, it forced me and the other CIEE students to be proactive and ask for help from Chilean students, so in that sense the challenge was beneficial.
8 people found this review helpful.

Questions & Answers