Study in Colombia

Located in South America, Colombia is home to just under 50 million people. It is considered one of the most ethnically and linguistically diverse countries in the world. It shares borders with 5 other countries, and has two coastlines. These coastlines sit on the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. Colombia’s rich cultural heritage reflects its European, Middle Eastern, African and indigenous influences.

Colombia uses the Colombian Peso (COP) as its currency.

Your tuition fees will depend on where you are from, where you choose to study, and at what level. If you choose to study at a public university, you should expect to pay around $630/€550 per semester. If you choose to study at a private university, you should expect to pay between $630/€550 and $3,450/€3,100 per semester. Some higher education institutions offer scholarships for international students.

Your cost of living will depend on where you choose to live in Colombia. On average, you should budget for around $1,000/€900 per month. This accounts for accommodation, groceries and travel.

All international students will need to obtain a visa in order to study in Colombia. You will need to apply for a student visa at the Colombian embassy or consulate in your home country. Your visa will be valid for one year, and will need to be renewed if your studies are longer than this. To be granted a visa, you will need to be enrolled in a course that has 10 hours of teaching per week. Your visa documents must be translated into Spanish if they are in any other language.

You should ensure that you have valid health insurance for the duration of your stay in Colombia. It is possible that if you require healthcare, hospitals may ask for cash payment up-front.

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.

Bogotá

The capital city of Colombia, Bogotá is home to just over 8 million people. Despite its historically troubled reputation, the city is now well developed. It is the political, economic, cultural and administrative centre of the country. Many inhabitants of the city use the extensive bicycle network and bus facilities to get around.

There are many public and private universities located in the city. Included in these are the Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Universidad Externado de Colombia and Universidad de La Sabana, among over 100 others.

Medellín

The second largest city in Colombia, Medellín is home to more than 2.4 million people. Medellín is one of the best cities to live in South America, sharing first place with Santiago de Chile, according to the the Indra Sistemas smart cities survey. The history of the city dates back to 1574, when Medellín was first discovered and development began.

Located in the city there are over 30 higher education institutions. Included in these are the Universidad de Antioquia, Universidad Santo Tomás, and Universidad Nacional Abierta y a Distancia, among others. You will also find several technical institutions in the city, such as Tecnológico de Antioquia. Technical institutions tend to focus on offering technological and professional courses.