Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador
Ecuador's Jesuit-inspired Catholic university in Quito, with about 50 undergraduate programmes and a published 2026 fee table.
- Students
- 29,406
- International
- 2%
- of students
- Student–faculty
- 19.4:1
- ratio
- Tuition
- $8,690
- From · 2026
- Founded
- 1946
About PUCE
The Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador (PUCE) was founded in Quito in 1946 by the Society of Jesus with the archbishop of Quito. It opened with a single Faculty of Jurisprudence and 54 students, according to Spanish Wikipedia, and its main campus remains in Quito, with other campuses in Ambato, Esmeraldas, Ibarra, Santo Domingo, Manabí and the Amazon region. The university's own identity pages describe Ignatian pedagogy and the motto Seréis mis testigos (You will be my witnesses).
On its Quito site PUCE lists about 50 undergraduate programmes, from Medicine, Dentistry, Law and Architecture to Data Science, Bioengineering, Applied Languages for Global Studies and Philosophy, Politics and Economics. Teaching is organised in faculties such as Health and Wellbeing, Law and Society, Economics and Business Management, Habitat, Infrastructure and Creativity, Exact, Natural and Environmental Sciences, and Learning, Languages and Communication, plus an International Innovation Faculty run with the French group Icam. THE's 2026 profile counts 29,406 students, 2% of them international.
PUCE admits students through its own entrance exam or an admission course rather than through a national test, and inscription carries no fee. It suits applicants who read Spanish well, want a private Catholic university with a broad programme range and are comfortable with fees set in US dollars on a published table.
Seréis mis testigos
“You will be my witnesses” — university motto
Why students choose PUCE
The entrance exam can be taken on demand, 24 hours after registering, for every programme except Medicine, and registering costs nothing.
Around 50 undergraduate programmes cover health, law, business, engineering, social sciences, arts and theology in one Quito campus.
International Engineering (Ingeniería Integral, run with Icam) offers a degree that the university says can be homologated at Icam campuses worldwide.
Direct-entry agreements exist for students from the Ignatian school network, Quito archdiocesan schools and International Baccalaureate schools.
Admissions
First period 2027 (classes expected March 2027; dates not yet announced)
Selectivity
PUCE does not publish an acceptance rate. Admission depends on passing its Academic Aptitude Exam (or the Admission Course) and on the availability of places in the programme; Medicine has fixed exam dates and restrictions.
Typical entry requirements
| Bachillerato or equivalent | A digital copy of the bachillerato title, or a certificate showing you are in the third year of bachillerato |
|---|---|
| Identification | A digital copy of the national identity card or, for foreign applicants, a passport |
| International Engineering (Icam) | Minimum English level B1 and two interviews, one in Spanish and one in English |
| English language | Teaching is in Spanish. English is required only for International Engineering (minimum B1 plus an English interview); language courses outside the degree cost US$225 through Continuing Education. |
Deadlines
- First period 2026 (previous cycle) Non-binding PassedClasses began 16 March 2026 (2 March for Philosophy and Theology)
The university's entrance page lists start dates but no application deadlines; inscription is open without cost, subject to available places.
- Second period 2026 Non-binding PassedClasses began 1 September 2026 (17 August for Medicine)
Medicine exam dates for the second period were 21 March and 9 May 2026.
PUCE had not published first-period 2027 dates when checked on 30 September 2026. The dates shown are from the 2026 academic calendar, so first-period 2027 classes are likely to start in March 2027; confirm with the admissions office.
How to apply
Register at puce.elluciancrmrecruit.com/apply, upload a copy of your identity card or passport and your bachillerato title or third-year certificate, and then take the Academic Aptitude Exam 24 hours later (Medicine has fixed dates). Alternatively take the Admission Course. Places are limited and depend on availability.
What admissions looks for
- A passing score on the Academic Aptitude Exam across verbal, reading, mathematical-logical and abstract reasoning.
- A bachillerato title or proof that you are in the last year of bachillerato.
- Fit with the programme and available places, which differ by programme.
- For International Engineering, English ability at B1 or above shown in an interview.
Tips for applying to PUCE
- 1 Use the free exam simulator before sitting the aptitude exam, since you can choose the exam date and time.
- 2 If you attend an Ignatian, Quito archdiocesan or IB school, check the direct-entry agreements before paying for a preparation course.
- 3 Medicine has fixed exam dates and its own places, so plan earlier for it than for other programmes.
- 4 Budget for the matricula and arancel together: the published fee table says the arancel is added to the matricula, the student contribution and medical insurance.
Costs & financial aid
2026 · figures in USD
PUCE offers scholarships for academic excellence, direct scholarships, sport and cultural excellence, solidarity, disability, indigenous peoples and nationalities, religious communities and others, according to Spanish Wikipedia; applicants must complete the admission process and follow the scholarship guide on the PUCE site. Permanent direct discounts apply to a whole programme under the Quito campus's internal norm, and the published table notes a US$150 preparation course and no inscription fee.
- None
- Inscription fee
- US$150
- Preparation course for the entrance exam
- US$395 (US$434.50 in the extraordinary period)
- Matricula, most undergraduate programmes (per period, 2026)
- US$3,950; US$5,500 Medicine and Dentistry; US$5,000 International Engineering
- Arancel, full-time (9 credits or more) per period
- US$1,975 for most programmes
- Part-time (1 to 8 credits) arancel per period
Academics
Academic calendar: Two academic periods a year (for example the 2026 first period from 16 March and second period from 1 September)
Medicine
Fixed exam dates, earlier start (17 August in 2026) and the highest published arancel, US$5,500 per period.
Law (Derecho)
Offered in presencial and semipresencial formats, part of the Faculty of Law and Society.
Data Science (Ciencia de Datos)
Listed among the undergraduate programmes with the standard US$3,950 arancel per full-time period.
International Engineering (Ingeniería Integral, PUCE Icam)
Run with the French Icam group, with English interviews and a degree the university says can be homologated across Icam campuses.
Applied Languages for Global Studies (Lenguas Aplicadas a los Estudios Globales)
One of the language and communication programmes listed on the undergraduate page.
Philosophy, Politics and Economics
An interdisciplinary programme in the identity, culture, communication and values domain.
Research
- Spanish Wikipedia lists the Yasuni Scientific Station, founded on 25 August 1994 inside Yasuni National Park in the Amazon, among PUCE's research sites, used for applied ecology, conservation biology, anthropology and sociology.
- The university runs the QCAZ Zoology Museum and the Jacinto Jijon y Caamano Museum, according to Spanish Wikipedia.
- Developmental biologist Eugenia del Pino, who holds a PUCE degree, was the first Ecuadorian elected to the US National Academy of Sciences.
Schools & faculties
- Facultad de Aprendizaje, Lenguas y Comunicación
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Naturales y Ambientales
- Facultad Eclesiástica de Ciencias Filosófico-Teológicas
- Facultad de Derecho y Sociedad
- Facultad de Economía y Gestión Empresarial
- Facultad de Hábitat, Infraestructura y Creatividad
- Facultad de Salud y Bienestar
- Facultad Internacional de Innovación PUCE - Icam
PUCE runs a job board (Bolsa de Empleos PUCE); no graduate-outcome figures were found on the pages checked.
Student life
PUCE's main campus is in Quito, where the university keeps a Cultural Centre, a library with study floors that overlook the campus, sports facilities including a coliseo and a pastoral tradition run by its Identity and Mission office. The Jesuit Ignatian spirit is explicit in the mission pages: the directorate works on pastoral activity, Christian praxis and formation across the university community. Students can use the Secretaria Unificada help desk, the job board and vocational and professional orientation services. Most courses are taught in person in Spanish, with virtual and semi-presential options for some programmes.
- The Centro Cultural PUCE hosts exhibitions and cultural events on the Quito campus.
- The Identity and Mission directorate coordinates pastoral activity and formation in the Ignatian tradition.
- PUCE-TEC offers technical and technological programmes, and PUCE Virtual offers online study.
- Sports facilities on the Quito campus include a coliseo with a basketball court.
Location
Quito is Ecuador's capital and second-largest city, with an estimated 1.7 million people in the city and 2.8 million in the metropolitan area. It lies in a valley on the eastern slopes of the Pichincha volcano in the Andes at 2,850 metres, which makes it one of the highest capital cities in the world. The international airport is in Tababela, about 18 km east of the city.
Nearest airport: Mariscal Sucre International Airport (UIO), about 18 km east of Quito
Notable alumni
- JM Jamil MahuadFormer president of Ecuador (1998-2000); studied law at PUCE before a law degree at Harvard
- MR Mauricio RodasLawyer and former Mayor of Quito; Doctor in Law from PUCE
- EA Enrique Ayala MoraHistorian and political writer; BA (1972) and PhD (1975) in Education from PUCE
- ED Eugenia del PinoDevelopmental biologist and first Ecuadorian elected to the US National Academy of Sciences; licentiate degree from PUCE (1967)
- KS Karina SubiaEcuadorian politician and National Assembly member since 2023; studied law at PUCE
Frequently asked questions
How do I apply to PUCE in Quito?
Register on the university's application portal, upload your identity card or passport and your bachillerato title (or third-year certificate), then take the Academic Aptitude Exam 24 hours later. Registration carries no fee, and Medicine uses fixed exam dates.
How much is tuition at PUCE?
The 2026 table lists a matricula of US$395 and an arancel of US$3,950 per full-time period for most undergraduate programmes (US$5,500 for Medicine and Dentistry). With two periods a year that is about US$8,690 to US$11,790 a year before the student contribution and medical insurance.
Do I need to speak Spanish to study at PUCE?
Yes: teaching is in Spanish. The exception is International Engineering, which requires English level B1 and an English interview.
When does the PUCE academic year start?
In 2026, first-period classes started on 16 March and second-period classes started on 1 September. Dates for first period 2027 had not been announced when checked.
What is PUCE's ranking?
QS World University Rankings 2027 places PUCE in the 1001-1200 band, and THE World University Rankings 2026 places it in the 1501+ band.
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.
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