A country known for its vibrant culture, rich history and world-class coffee, Colombia attracts many international students. Universities in Colombia offer world class higher education, as well as being in a diverse and cultural country.
With its bustling cities, lush rainforests and world-class beaches, there will always be reasons to come to Colombia. Students will be able to enjoy and experience nature, nightlife and culture when they take their studies in this vibrant country. Colombia is perfectly located for students to explore the rest of Latin America in their free time.
International students must apply for a Colombian student visa, either online or at consulates worldwide, depending on their program length and type.
For more information about visas, see our International Student Visas advice article.
There are over 80 universities in Colombia, both public and privately funded.
Public universities – Publicly funded universities in Colombia may either be National, which are run by the state, or Departmental, which are controlled by the Colombian department in which they reside (Colombia is divided into 32 departments).
Public national universities of Colombia include the National University of Colombia and the University of the Amazon. Examples of Departmental universities in Columbia include the University of Cartagena and the University of Valle.
Private universities – 15 of the privately funded universities are Catholic universities, while around 35 are non-sectarian. These universities include La Salle University in Bogotá and the University of Medellín.
Many of Colombia’s universities feature in world university ranking tables:
| University | Times Higher Education World University Ranking 2024 | Best Global Universities | QS World University Ranking |
| University of the Andes, Colombia | 801-1000 | 598 | 198 |
| University of la Costa | 801-1000 | 1201+ | |
| Icesi University | 1001-1200 | 901-950 | |
| University of Antioquia | 1201-1500 | 896 | 701-710 |
| Universidad de Cartagena | 1201-1500 | 1201-1400 | |
| Del Rosario University | 1201-1500 | 1668 | 711-720 |
| National University of Colombia | 1201-1500 | 662 | 226 |
| Pontifical Javeriana University | 1201-1500 | 917 | 347 |
| Antonio Nariño University | 1501+ | Not yet ranked | |
| University of Caldas | 1501+ | 1401+ |
Latin American Studies Program Summer School, Short Course
Universidad de La Sabana Colombia
Find out more| Capital City | Bogotá |
|---|---|
| Currency | COP, Colombian Peso |
| Language(s) | Spanish |
| Major Student Cities | Medellín |
The official language of Colombia is Spanish.
It is more common to find courses offered in Spanish than English in Colombia. If you wish to study in a non-native language, you will need to provide evidence of your language proficiency. If you do not meet the required standards, some universities offer language courses to help you improve.
Even if you are able to study in English, you should make an effort to learn as much Spanish as possible. Communicating with locals and other students is the perfect way to practice. This is a skill that will look great on your CV/resume.
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