The range of courses at the Universidad de Chile is very extensive and you can choose between many English and Spanish courses. As an exchange student you have a lot of freedom with regard to the courses and no special requirements from the Universidad de Chile. It is therefore only necessary to observe the requirements of the home university. According to my home university, I would have had to attend 5 lectures to achieve the required number of credits. Since the effort of the individual lectures at the Universidad de Chile is higher than in Germany, I was able to reduce this to 4 lectures with the help of the International Office, which confirmed this for my home university. This also corresponds to the average number of lectures given by Chilean students. The preparation for the lectures consists of a lot of reading of texts and preparation of presentations as part of group work. These group work during the semester are then partly included in the final grade, supplemented by the midterms and final exams, which take place over 2-3 weeks in the middle and at the end of the semester. In the introductory week there is also the opportunity to take a Spanish test, which is intended to assess which language level you belong to and which Spanish course you can therefore be admitted to. There are three courses in total: a beginner course, an intermediate course and an advanced course. You can also improve your Spanish with a Language Partner who can be assigned to you by the International Office if you wish. Most courses are subject to an attendance requirement of 80%, but the professors always let themselves be talked about if you want to travel and the plans should exceed 80%. The sports offer at the Universidad de Chile is also very large and you can attend many dance courses in addition to football, basketball, volleyball, etc. The gym is also available to students free of charge. The student organization and the International Office also organize numerous parties and excursions for exchange students, so that you can get to know the country and its people better. Basketball, volleyball etc. also attend many dance classes. The gym is also available to students free of charge. The student organization and the International Office also organize numerous parties and excursions for exchange students, so that you can get to know the country and its people better. Basketball, volleyball etc. also attend many dance classes. The gym is also available to students free of charge. The student organization and the International Office also organize numerous parties and excursions for exchange students, so that you can get to know the country and its people better.
Travel opportunities
When it comes to travel, Chile offers a great variety. On the one hand, there are large, untouched natural landscapes in the south of the country (Patagonia). The Torres del Paine National Park is particularly worth a visit here. To the north, on the other hand, one encounters the Atacama Desert and many coastal cities such as Valparaiso, Vina del Mar, La Serena etc. Leaving the country with a tourist visa is also not a problem and offers numerous possibilities. The most obvious option is to spend a weekend in Mendoza (Argentina). Here you can travel very cheaply by bus about 7 hours across the border.
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Another option is to travel in the south of the country from Chilean Patagonia to Argentine Patagonia or to extend the desert trip from San Pedro de Atacama to Uyuni in Bolivia.
Conclusion
The semester at the Universidad de Chile was definitely a very positive experience that I can only recommend to everyone. Speaking and understanding Spanish is a bit more complicated at the beginning, as the Chileans speak their own Spanish, with many variations and their own words, but over time you get used to it. Contact with locals is also quite easy, as the Chileans are really very open to exchange students and of course you come into direct contact with locals through the university. The country and the university really offer everything you could want from a semester abroad: a wide range of English and Spanish courses, a very relaxed relationship between professors and students, which makes studying really a lot of fun, Interesting course content and a lot of application, very competent support from the International Office and the study organizations, many leisure activities, great culture, breathtaking landscapes and many travel options. So if you are considering traveling to this country and studying at this university, I can only recommend it.
