Location

Chile is a long and narrow country, bordered on the east by the Andes and on the west by the Pacific. Often called the pais de poetas–country of poets, Chile has a rich literary and cultural heritage.

Valparaíso and its twin city of Viña del Mar are on the Pacific coast, just two hours by bus from Santiago. Valparaíso is a port city, housing the Chilean Congress, and Viña del Mar is a modern resort city with shops, beaches, and recreational facilities as well as residential housing. The two cities each consist of 600,000 inhabitants, of which more than 60,000 are university students. With affordable mass transportation between the cities, students find it a friendly location in which to live and study.

The Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso (PUCV) is ranked among the top regional universities in Chile. In 2003 it received its designation as a "Pontificia," a distinction given to Catholic universities by the Vatican. The buildings of the University are in both Valparaíso and Viña del Mar, and offer more than 50 undergraduate and 30 postgraduate degrees. Of the 13,000 university students at PUCV, only 3% are international students, allowing CIEE participants a great opportunity to immerse themselves in the Chilean higher educational system.

Back to Top