Study Abroad in Chile

  Chile

• Santiago: 
Santiago

Durations of Program: 5-8 weeks, 3-6 months and 7-12 months
Dates: year: either mid-January- early January or late July- early July; 13th Year Abroad: early August- mid May; semester: mid-January- early July, late July- early January

Description: You will attend school in one of the best school systems in South America. As a YFU student in Chile, you may attend either a private or a public senior high school. Courses at both types of schools are generally compulsory so you will not have the option of choosing classes.

Year and semester students in Chile participate in a four-day trip in May/June. The trip varies from one year to the next, so you may visit north, central, or southern Chile. This trip is included in your program tuition. In addition, there will be educational excursions and sightseeing trips during your stay in Chile. These are optional and involve an additional fee.

13th Year Abroad

An exciting new opportunity for students 18 and over, the 13th Year Abroad program in Chile combines a YFU homestay experience with attendance at the Universidad Bolivariana in Santiago. The program includes orientations, intensive Spanish couses, and field trips.

The interdisciplinary character of this program ensures that you will gain insights into the most important aspects of Latin American culture, society, politics, and economic development. Class hours are combined with educational visits and escursions for a complete learning experience. At the Universidad Bolivariana, you will participate with local students in social science classes, giving you the opportunity to discuss relevant issues and make new friends. The Interdisciplinary Course on Latin American Culture and Society (ICLACS) provides you with a solid introduction to major themes of cultural and social development in Latin America. In the second semester, the Economic Development and Social Change in Latin America (EDSCLA) advanced course reviews and analyses economic development in a Latin American and global context- focusing on the social and ecological implications of economic development. Both the ICLACS and the EDSCLA courses are directed by a bilingual academic director who will support you through group discussions and indicidual guidance.

Your first semester will include courses in intercultural learning, intensive Spanish, and Social Sciences; an optional week-long trip to Mendoza, Argentina; the four-week ICLAS seminar; a two-week educational excursion; and an end-of-semester week-long excursion to the south of Chile for project development, presentation, and discussion. The second semester includes additional intensive Spanish and Social Sciences courses, the EDSCLA seminar, and introduction to Field Studies, a one-week education excursion, four weeks of independent field study, and a final Field Study Presentation.

Highlights: Want to go to the end of the world? Then Chile is the place for you! You might explore the Antarctic with its glaciers, the botanic wonderland of the Juan Fernandez Islands, or Easter Island with its famous giant statues, the Moais.

Chileans are an exceptionally hospitable people who will welcome you into their homes and hearts for an experience that can only come from living in Chile. Family life is valued and treasured in Chile. Parents, siblings, and extended family not only live and eat together, they also enjoy special gatherings and social events. As a member of your host family, you'll experience this unity from the inside out and enjoy developing close ties with your host parents, brothers, and sisters. Because of its isolation and challenging geography, Chile is a country of people who are strong, proud, extremely innovative, and caring.

Cost in US$: inquire for more information

Participants Travel to Chile in Groups

Typically Participants Work Independently

Application Process Involves:

• In-Person Interview Required
• Letters of Reference
• Physical Exam/Health Records
• Written Application

Post Services Include:

• Re-Entry Debriefing at Home
• Alumni Network

Youth For Understanding USA's Mission Statement: Youth For Understanding (YFU) prepares young people for their responsibilities and opportunities in a changing, interdependent world.

Year Founded: YFU in 1951