Does the UVM accept International Students?
Yes, the UVM is open to international students.
About our Educational System.
Chilean universities usually do not have Catalogs. The reason is that the universities are career-oriented, that is to say they offer careers.
The student chooses a career and the School in charge of that specific career gives him/her the information about the “malla curricular”, curriculum of that career. The students know what to study in the semesters of that specific career and the syllabi of the courses. The universities also offer the degree of “Licenciatura” plus the career title.
The “Licenciatura” means that after having approved 5 or 6 years of study or 10 to 12 semesters, the student obtains that degree plus the career title. The “bachillerato” (bachelor) degree is given in some of the careers that offer “licenciatura”, after 2 years (4 semesters). Its only purpose is to give students that degree because the USA and European universities have it. However, in terms of future work possibilities the “bachillerato” has no value. It is only a step for the “licenciatura” and the career title.
About our Courses
UVM sends universities from abroad a list of the courses of the careers offered at the UVM with their corresponding curricula. Once international students decide the courses they would like to attend, we send them their corresponding syllabi.
Does the UVM have programs that offer university credits for students who do not intend to graduate from the UVM?
Yes, we offer both non-degree programs and regular degree-programs for Chilean and International students.
What is the language of instruction?
Spanish.
How does the International Office evaluate proficiency in Spanish?
The International Office evaluates Spanish language proficiency through a Preliminary Examination Test administered once the international student arrives in Viña del Mar.
What if the applicant does not meet the language standard?
Students who do not meet the language requirements cannot take career courses at the UVM due to the fact that the majority of the UVM courses are in Spanish.
What can the applicant do then?
S/he can take the Intensive Spanish Courses offered by the International Office during the two semesters.
What type of language course(s) does the International Office offer?
Please refer to UVM Academic Offering
Does the UVM have dormitories or university apartments where international students can live?
No.
How UVM classes are structured?
UVM classes have a duration of 40 minutes (hora pedagógica).
1.The career courses usually consist of 4 contact hours per week with a total of 64 contact hours and 4 credits.
2. The courses taken in the Humanities Department have 2 contact hours per week with a total of 32 contact hours and 2 credits.
3. The Spanish courses. See pages 2,3, 4 & 5.
What methods of assessment are used?
Usually each professor has his/her own method of evaluating the student work: quizzes, oral presentations individually or in groups, exams, papers, etc. plus final exams.
Our grading system is called “Notas de calificaciones or Notas”.
1.0 being the lowest grade and 7.0 the highest. In order to pass the course the student needs a 4.0
What have been the experiences of international students as far as transferring credits to their home institutions goes?
Transferring credits goes like this: We have different ways of assessing the students, we agree with the home institution about the meaning of the notas and their conversion in USA system of grades. We have had no problems in this area, as the home institution and our university have a conversion table that gives justice to the effort and work of their students.
The UVM has about 5,000 Chilean students. International students from Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador and Brazil come to study at the UVM because their parents prefer Chilean private universities in terms of safety, academic and professional preparation. There is also a group of students from Mexico, France and Sweden who also come to study in specific schools for one or two semesters. The rest of the students, mostly from USA, apply directly through the OIIE.
How do international students tend to do in UVM classes? Do they report feeling overwhelmed, intimidated, unprepared? How might a student best prepare to study in Chile?
The best preparation is of course a good level of Spanish. This enables the student to overcome easily the difficulties any person encounters when going to another country with a different language and culture.
The other aspect to be considered is the previous preparation or orientation given to the student prior to the departure as well as the Orientation Week at the UVM. These orientations help the students know how to react appropriately to different situations.
It is a challenge for the international student, especially those coming for the first time to a Latin American country. The cultural shock is always there, but at the UVM the student is not alone as we take care of him/her in every way possible.
Yes, the UVM is open to international students.
About our Educational System.
Chilean universities usually do not have Catalogs. The reason is that the universities are career-oriented, that is to say they offer careers.
The student chooses a career and the School in charge of that specific career gives him/her the information about the “malla curricular”, curriculum of that career. The students know what to study in the semesters of that specific career and the syllabi of the courses. The universities also offer the degree of “Licenciatura” plus the career title.
The “Licenciatura” means that after having approved 5 or 6 years of study or 10 to 12 semesters, the student obtains that degree plus the career title. The “bachillerato” (bachelor) degree is given in some of the careers that offer “licenciatura”, after 2 years (4 semesters). Its only purpose is to give students that degree because the USA and European universities have it. However, in terms of future work possibilities the “bachillerato” has no value. It is only a step for the “licenciatura” and the career title.
About our Courses
UVM sends universities from abroad a list of the courses of the careers offered at the UVM with their corresponding curricula. Once international students decide the courses they would like to attend, we send them their corresponding syllabi.
Does the UVM have programs that offer university credits for students who do not intend to graduate from the UVM?
Yes, we offer both non-degree programs and regular degree-programs for Chilean and International students.
What is the language of instruction?
Spanish.
How does the International Office evaluate proficiency in Spanish?
The International Office evaluates Spanish language proficiency through a Preliminary Examination Test administered once the international student arrives in Viña del Mar.
What if the applicant does not meet the language standard?
Students who do not meet the language requirements cannot take career courses at the UVM due to the fact that the majority of the UVM courses are in Spanish.
What can the applicant do then?
S/he can take the Intensive Spanish Courses offered by the International Office during the two semesters.
What type of language course(s) does the International Office offer?
Please refer to UVM Academic Offering
Does the UVM have dormitories or university apartments where international students can live?
No.
How UVM classes are structured?
UVM classes have a duration of 40 minutes (hora pedagógica).
1.The career courses usually consist of 4 contact hours per week with a total of 64 contact hours and 4 credits.
2. The courses taken in the Humanities Department have 2 contact hours per week with a total of 32 contact hours and 2 credits.
3. The Spanish courses. See pages 2,3, 4 & 5.
What methods of assessment are used?
Usually each professor has his/her own method of evaluating the student work: quizzes, oral presentations individually or in groups, exams, papers, etc. plus final exams.
Our grading system is called “Notas de calificaciones or Notas”.
1.0 being the lowest grade and 7.0 the highest. In order to pass the course the student needs a 4.0
What have been the experiences of international students as far as transferring credits to their home institutions goes?
Transferring credits goes like this: We have different ways of assessing the students, we agree with the home institution about the meaning of the notas and their conversion in USA system of grades. We have had no problems in this area, as the home institution and our university have a conversion table that gives justice to the effort and work of their students.
The UVM has about 5,000 Chilean students. International students from Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador and Brazil come to study at the UVM because their parents prefer Chilean private universities in terms of safety, academic and professional preparation. There is also a group of students from Mexico, France and Sweden who also come to study in specific schools for one or two semesters. The rest of the students, mostly from USA, apply directly through the OIIE.
How do international students tend to do in UVM classes? Do they report feeling overwhelmed, intimidated, unprepared? How might a student best prepare to study in Chile?
The best preparation is of course a good level of Spanish. This enables the student to overcome easily the difficulties any person encounters when going to another country with a different language and culture.
The other aspect to be considered is the previous preparation or orientation given to the student prior to the departure as well as the Orientation Week at the UVM. These orientations help the students know how to react appropriately to different situations.
It is a challenge for the international student, especially those coming for the first time to a Latin American country. The cultural shock is always there, but at the UVM the student is not alone as we take care of him/her in every way possible.
Some Chilean professors intimidate Chilean students, but there are just a few of them belonging to the old system. This is because we still have the old system in which the professor knows everything and the student nothing. We also have the lecture system, the professor talks, the students listen and at the end they can ask questions.
We asked one of our past international student to answer some of the questions according to her point of view as a student.
Meredith Denton
Former International Student at the UVM
International Students Coordinator of the International Office - UVM
“There has not been a problem as long as the student checks with their home institution first and makes sure their institution will accept the classes they take. Most students have done well at UVM. However, it also depends on their study habits and willingness to learn Spanish. The first couple of weeks are pretty tough b/c everything is so new. Some students have felt overwhelmed, intimidated, and unprepared but I believe that this is normal with any study abroad program. The first couple of weeks are going to be a time of readjustment. However, one good thing about UVM is that during the first couple of weeks each international student has a weekly meeting with the Director of the International Department. This meeting is intended to help the students adjust to their new city and university. I believe the best way to prepare for a study abroad experience in Chile is to arrive with an open mind and be prepared to be flexible. Things are not like the US here and the students must be willing to adapt to their new country”.
