Spanish courses

Spanish for Foreigners

The Spanish courses for foreigners at the Universidad de Chile aim to develop oral and written communication skills in Spanish within social and professional/academic contexts, across different levels of language learning.

Each semester, five levels are offered: elemental, post-elemental, pre-intermediate, intermediate, and post-intermediate.

These courses are open to both international students enrolled at the Universidad de Chile and foreign residents interested in learning Spanish or improving their language proficiency.

Duration and structure

Each course consists of 4.5 hours per week, divided into three 1.5-hour classes.

The elemental and post-elemental levels include two modules:

• Communicative-social Spanish: 3 hours.
• Communicative grammar: 1.5 hours.

The pre-intermediate, intermediate, and post-intermediate levels include three modules, each lasting 1.5 hours:

• Communicative-social Spanish.
• Communicative grammar.
• Academic-professional Spanish.

Modules

Communicative-social Spanish: this module helps students develop communicative skills for effective interaction in social, work, study, and service contexts, among others.

Communicative grammar: this module focuses on reviewing and practicing key grammatical content in order to achieve the communicative goals proposed in the other modules.

Academic-professional Spanish: this module aims to develop the comprehension and production of oral and written texts typical of academic and/or professional discourse, according to each level.

Certification and credits

All participants who successfully complete and pass the course will receive a certificate indicating the level achieved.

Certificates are issued only upon successful completion and passing of the course. Certificates of attendance are not provided.

For international students, the course is equivalent to 8 SCT credits, compatible with ECTS.

Calendar

Each program level covers an academic semester of 16 weeks, equivalent to 4 months.

• Classes start: Monday, August 3, 2026.
• Classes end: Wednesday, December 9, 2026.
• Admission process: June-July 2026.

Class schedule and location

Classes take place twice a week, on Mondays and Wednesdays, between 10:15 am and 1:30 pm.

Classes are held at the Facultad de Filosofía y Humanidades, Campus Juan Gómez Millas, located in Ñuñoa.

Admission process

All individuals interested in these courses must take the placement tests. These evaluations include an oral interview via Zoom and an online written test.

The evaluations are mandatory, even for those who do not speak Spanish, as they also serve as a record of language skills at the beginning of the courses.

To register for the placement tests, please use the following link:

Placement test registration form

After registration, students will be contacted to schedule the Zoom interview.

The results of both tests determine the student’s level and, therefore, the course in which the student may register.

International students registered at the Universidad de Chile through the Student Mobility Program (PME) or through specific agreements with University faculties do not pay the placement test fee.

Fees

Total course cost: materials are included in the course fee.

• General course fee: CLP $460,000, approximately US$460.
• Placement test fee: CLP $14,000, approximately US$14.

Special fees

• International students registered at the Universidad de Chile through the Student Mobility Program (PME) or through specific agreements with University faculties pay CLP $250,000, approximately US$250. The fee must be paid in Chilean pesos.
• Postgraduate and PhD students, postdoctoral researchers, interns, and visiting professors at the Universidad de Chile receive a 15% discount on the general fee. The final fee is CLP $390,000, approximately US$390.

Please note

• This course does not require a student visa. The University does not issue visa-related documentation and cannot provide support for student visa applications.
• Participants must be at least 18 years of age.

Contact

Applicants must contact the course coordinator via email at espanolenlachile@uchile.cl.