#119 in the world · QS 2027

Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile

Chile's most-chosen university among top PAES scorers, with a separate admission route for students schooled abroad.

Santiago, Santiago Metropolitan Region, Chile Private Catholic research university (part of Chile's public funding system) Founded 1888 Official website

See my chances at UC Chile Admissions office

Photo: Sfs90 · CC BY-SA 4.0

Students: 38,536; 31,716 undergraduates
Tuition: CLP 4.4M; From · 2026
Founded: 1888
QS World Ranking: #119; 2027 edition

About UC Chile

The Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (UC) was founded in 1888 and is a Catholic university in Santiago. It has 38,536 students, 31,716 of them undergraduates and 6,820 postgraduates, and 4,114 academics. It has four campuses in Santiago (Casa Central downtown, San Joaquín, Oriente and Lo Contador) and one in Villarrica in southern Chile.

UC is the university that Chile's highest scorers choose most often: in the 2025 admission process, 33% of the top 5,000 PAES scorers chose UC, and 1,044 of the 1,874 students with maximum scores listed it as their first option. Its faculties cover agronomy, architecture and design, arts, biological sciences, economics and administration, social sciences, communications, law, engineering, medicine and more plus three broad 'College' bachelor's programmes in Arts and Humanities, Natural Sciences and Mathematics, and Social Sciences.

Most students enter through Chile's centralised admission system with PAES scores, while applicants who completed at least the last two years of secondary school abroad can use UC's Special Admission route. Chilean and resident students can use the state Gratuidad (free tuition) scheme. UC suits high-achieving students who want a demanding, research-led university and can study in Spanish.

In Christi lumine pro mundi vita

“In the light of Christ for the life of the world” — university motto

Why students choose UC Chile

UC's Medicine graduates top Chile's national medical exam, according to the programme page, and entry required a score of 958.35 for the last admitted student in 2026.

A Special Admission route for students who finished secondary school abroad; for March 2027 entry the second application period runs until 28 October 2026.

Three College programmes (Arts and Humanities, Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Social Sciences) offer a broad bachelor's route alongside the professional degrees.

Undergraduate financial aid will reach 30 billion pesos in 2026, with the Premio de Honor merit award rising to 40% of tuition.

Admissions

Admisión 2027 (classes start March 2027)

Selectivity

UC does not publish an overall admission rate; entry through the centralised system is by weighted PAES score. Scores of the last admitted student in 2026 included Medicine 958.35, Civil Engineering 898.10, Law 871.90, Business (Ingeniería Comercial) 870.10 and Acting 793.12; the minimum average to apply is 485.

Testing Required for the centralised route: PAES (administered by DEMRE), weighted with school grades (NEM) and class rank (Ranking). The Special Admission route for students schooled abroad uses a separate application with programme-specific documents and evaluations.

Grades Weightings vary by programme; Medicine uses 20% NEM, 20% Ranking, 15% reading, 20% Mathematics 1 and further maths/science tests.

Typical entry requirements

Chilean secondary school + PAES	Weighted score above the programme's cut-off, e.g. last admitted 958.35 (Medicine), 898.10 (Civil Engineering), 871.90 (Law) in 2026
Secondary school completed abroad (Special Admission)	At least the last two years of secondary school abroad, finished no more than three years before applying, no prior university studies; ranking and completion certificates; programme-specific requirements such as a CV for Engineering or a personal letter for Medicine

Deadlines

Special Admission (studies abroad): first period Non-binding Passed

24 September 2026, 13:00

Opened 24 August 2026 and has now closed; application fee CLP 107,230 for external applicants.
Special Admission (studies abroad): second period Non-binding Next deadline · In 22 days

28 October 2026, 13:00

Opens 28 September 2026; fee CLP 161,150. Evaluations 16 November-4 December; results 28 December 2026.
PAES Regular exam Non-binding In 55 days

30 November-2 December 2026

Registration closed 27 July 2026.
Centralised application (DEMRE) Non-binding In ~3 months

7 January 2027, 13:00

PAES results and applications open 4 January 2027; selection results 18 January 2027.

Dates are for Admisión 2027 from DEMRE's calendar and UC's Special Admission calendar. UC also runs a Special Admission call for second-semester (August) entry.

How to apply

Chilean-system applicants register for and sit the PAES with DEMRE, then list preferences in the centralised application in January. Students schooled abroad apply directly to UC through Special Admission: submit the application form, motivation questionnaire and documents, pay the application fee, and take programme evaluations in November-December.

What admissions looks for

A high weighted PAES score, combined with school grades (NEM) and class ranking.
Strong results in the subjects each programme weights most, such as mathematics and science for Medicine and Engineering.
For Special Admission, a solid academic record abroad plus programme-specific evidence such as a CV for Engineering or a motivation letter for Medicine.
For teaching degrees, meeting the national pre-admissibility requirements for pedagogy.

Tips for applying to UC Chile

1 If you finished your last two years of school abroad, use the Special Admission route rather than the PAES; the cheaper first period closed on 24 September 2026, so apply in the second period by 28 October 2026 (fee CLP 161,150).
2 Check each programme page for its weightings and last-admitted score before listing preferences.
3 Complete the FUAS form on time if you want Gratuidad or state scholarships; UC's own benefits also require it.
4 Consider a College programme if you want a broad bachelor's in arts and humanities, natural sciences and mathematics, or social sciences rather than a professional degree from day one.

Costs & financial aid

2026 · figures in CLP

Annual tuition (arancel) for the 2026 intake, by programme: from 4,380,000 (Villarrica early-childhood and primary pedagogy) to 10,720,000 (Medicine and Dentistry), e.g. Law 8,380,000, Ingeniería Comercial 9,540,000, Civil Engineering 10,260,000; plus a one-off enrolment fee of 195,000 (waived with pre-assigned Gratuidad). 2027 aranceles not yet published. Tuition CLP 4,380,000 – CLP 10,720,000

Financial aid

UC participates in the state Gratuidad scheme, and all MINEDUC scholarships and loans can be used there; applying requires the FUAS socioeconomic form. UC's own undergraduate aid budget rises to 30 billion pesos in 2026: the Premio de Honor for high achievers rises from 25% to 40% of tuition (up to 50% outside the top socioeconomic decile), and elite athlete scholarships rise to 40-50%.

CLP 30 billion (up from 24 billion in 2025)
UC undergraduate financial aid budget, 2026: 40% of tuition (up to 50%)
Premio de Honor merit scholarship: CLP 195,000
One-off enrolment fee, 2026

Academics

Academic calendar: Semesters

Medicine

95 places, a 2026 last-admitted score of 958.35 and, per UC, the best results in Chile's national medical exam since it was created.

Civil Engineering

650 places and an 11-semester programme, with a 2026 last-admitted score of 898.10.

Law

325 places; 2026 last-admitted score 871.90.

Ingeniería Comercial (Business and Economics)

418 places; last-admitted score 870.10 and alma mater of President Sebastián Piñera.

Architecture

The school of Pritzker Prize winner Alejandro Aravena, whose Siamese Towers stand on the San Joaquín campus.

Research

UC won 96 new Fondecyt Regular research grants in the latest round, for 498 active projects.
In 2024, 6,960 students graduated, including 1,857 master's and 207 doctoral degrees.

Schools & faculties

Faculty of Agronomy and Forest Engineering
Faculty of Architecture, Design and Urban Studies
Faculty of Arts
Faculty of Biological Sciences
Faculty of Economic and Administrative Sciences
Faculty of Social Sciences
Faculty of Communications
Faculty of Law
Faculty of Education
Faculty of Engineering
Faculty of Philosophy
Faculty of History, Geography and Political Science

Student life

UC students are spread across four Santiago campuses: the historic Casa Central on the Alameda, the large San Joaquín campus in Macul, and the Oriente and Lo Contador campuses in Providencia, plus Villarrica in the south. The long rivalry with the Universidad de Chile extends to sport, especially football. Half of the students who entered in 2024 came from public or subsidised schools, and in 2024 more than 1,300 international exchange students studied at UC.

Five campuses: Casa Central, San Joaquín, Oriente, Lo Contador and Villarrica.
Historic rivalry with the Universidad de Chile, including in football.
1,328+ incoming exchange students and 1,211 UC students abroad in 2024.
The Siamese Towers on the San Joaquín campus, designed by Pritzker Prize winner and alumnus Alejandro Aravena.

Location

Santiago is Chile's capital and largest city, set in a valley with the Andes visible to the east. UC's Casa Central sits on the Alameda, the city's main avenue, while San Joaquín is in the south-eastern commune of Macul and the Oriente and Lo Contador campuses are in Providencia. The metro connects the campuses, and the city offers good public transport and a big student population.

Nearest airport: Santiago International Airport (SCL)

Notable alumni

SP
Sebastián Piñera

President of Chile; BS in business (Ingeniería Comercial) from UC
EF
Eduardo Frei Montalva

President of Chile
AH
Alberto Hurtado

Jesuit priest, social reformer and Catholic saint
AA
Alejandro Aravena

Architect, Pritzker Prize laureate 2016
JA
José Antonio Kast

Politician and President of Chile; law graduate
JL
Joaquín Lavín

Politician, former Minister of Education and Mayor of Santiago

Frequently asked questions

How can international students apply to UC Chile?

If you completed at least your last two years of secondary school abroad, apply through UC's Special Admission route. For March 2027 entry, the first period runs 24 August-24 September 2026 and the second 28 September-28 October 2026, with evaluations in November and results on 28 December.

What PAES score do I need for UC Chile?

It depends on the programme. In 2026 the last admitted students scored 958.35 in Medicine, 898.10 in Civil Engineering, 871.90 in Law and 870.10 in Ingeniería Comercial; the minimum average to apply is 485.

How much does UC Chile cost?

Annual tuition for the 2026 intake ranges from CLP 4,380,000 to 10,720,000 depending on the programme (Medicine is 10,720,000), plus a one-off enrolment fee of CLP 195,000; 2027 fees are not yet published.

Does UC Chile offer free tuition?

UC participates in the state Gratuidad scheme for eligible students, who are also exempt from the enrolment fee; you must complete the FUAS form. UC also funds its own merit scholarships such as the Premio de Honor.

When is the PAES for Admisión 2027?

The regular PAES is on 30 November, 1 and 2 December 2026. Results and applications open on 4 January 2027, applications close on 7 January, and selection results are published on 18 January 2027.

Sources & methodology

Figures on this page were checked against official university publications, national application services and ranking publishers in September 2026. Each number is shown with the year or admissions cycle it describes. Always confirm deadlines and fees on the university's own website before applying.