Universidad de los Andes
A Catholic-inspired private university on Santiago's eastern edge with more than 20 direct-entry routes beside the national PAES exam.
- Tuition
- CLP 5.7M
- From · 2026 published fees (subject to change for 2027)
- Founded
- 1989
- QS World Ranking
- 901-950
- 2027 edition
- Campus
- Suburban
- 52 hectares (128 acres), per Wikipedia
About Uandes
Universidad de los Andes (Uandes) was founded in 1989 in Santiago by a group of academics and professionals inspired by the teaching of Saint Josemaria Escriva, founder of Opus Dei. It describes itself as a Christian-inspired university whose mission is to seek and transmit truth through teaching and research and to serve society. Its campus is in Las Condes, on the eastern edge of Santiago, and includes the Clinica Universidad de los Andes and the ESE Business School.
The university reports more than 9,000 undergraduates, more than 2,400 postgraduates and more than 1,600 teaching staff, 67 percent of the full-time professors holding a doctorate. Faculties cover Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing and Obstetrics, Engineering and Applied Sciences, Law, Economics and Business, Communication, Social Sciences, and Philosophy and Humanities. New for the 2027 admission round are Architecture, Political Science and Sociology, which admit first-year students only.
Uandes is a member of Chile's centralised PAES admission system, but it also lists more than 20 direct-entry routes for all degrees except Medicine. Those routes include international bachillerato diplomas, transfers, prior-year test scores and an intercultural route for foreign students. It suits students who want a private campus in eastern Santiago and who can study in Spanish.
Why students choose Uandes
More than 20 direct-entry routes for 2027 (all degrees except Medicine), including an IB Diploma route (for example 26 points or more with at least a 4.0 in Individuals and Societies for some degrees) and a route for foreign students.
Health degrees are taught on a campus that includes its own Clinica Universidad de los Andes.
The bachillerato programmes let students enter a broad first stage in Law, Nursing, Engineering, Business, Medicine, Dentistry, Psychology or Obstetrics before committing to a degree.
The university says 30 percent of undergraduates study with some type of scholarship, and it lists academic and needs-based awards covering 15 to 100 percent of tuition.
Admissions
Admission 2027 (classes start March 2027)
Selectivity
Uandes publishes no overall acceptance rate. Each degree page shows the previous year's cut-off score on the PAES (for example 797.40 for Ingenieria Comercial in 2026) and minimum weighted scores for applying (610 for Ingenieria Comercial).
Typical entry requirements
| PAES (centralised admission, mainly Chilean school-leavers) | Weighted score at or above each degree's minimum (for example 610 for Ingenieria Comercial, 630 for History) plus a minimum average of Lectora and Matematica (500 for History, 600 for Ingenieria Comercial) |
|---|---|
| Foreign students and Chileans who graduated abroad (Direct Admission) | Average school grade (NEM) at least 6.0 on the Chilean scale for degrees such as Political Science; 5.8 for Sociology |
| IB Diploma (Direct Admission) | At least 26 points with a minimum 4.0 in Individuals and Societies for Political Science; 25 points for Sociology; thresholds vary by degree |
| Other international school-leaving certificates | For example the German DIA (2.6 or lower for Political Science) and Italian ECS (75 or higher plus NEM 6.0) |
Deadlines
- Direct Admission 2027: first stage Non-binding Passed11 August to 11 September 2026
Applications for all degrees except Medicine, subject to vacancies.
- Direct Admission 2027: second stage Non-binding PassedOpens 14 September 2026 (subject to available places)
Closing date not stated on the page fetched; Uandes lists places by degree.
- Centralised PAES admission 2027 Non-bindingApplications through DEMRE after PAES results (5 to 8 January in the previous cycle)
PAES winter 2026 sat 15 to 17 June 2026, with results on 17 July 2026; the dates for the main PAES and postulation for 2027 are set by DEMRE and not listed on the Uandes page fetched.
The Direct Admission 2027 dates are from the current Uandes page. For the centralised route the page still describes the 2026 cycle, whose application window was 5 to 8 January 2026, so treat January 2027 dates as unconfirmed until DEMRE publishes them.
How to apply
Chilean school-leavers apply through the centralised system at demre.cl after the PAES results. Direct Admission applicants apply on Uandes's own platform between 11 August and 11 September 2026 (first stage), with a second stage from 14 September 2026 subject to vacancies. Foreign students choose the Intercultural (foreign student) route, and can apply for a fast-track temporary residence permit for study that Uandes says takes up to 40 working days.
What admissions looks for
- A strong PAES weighted score and school grades (NEM and class ranking), or an equivalent merit route for Direct Admission.
- A distinguished record (leadership, sport, talent or social commitment) under the Trayectoria Destacada route.
- For foreign applicants, a high school grade average on the Chilean scale and a recognised school-leaving certificate such as the IB Diploma.
- Fit with the university's Christian-inspired character, which its website describes as part of its mission.
Tips for applying to Uandes
- 1 Use the Vocacion Uandes three-day programme, which Uandes offers to help applicants confirm their vocation before choosing a degree.
- 2 Check the bachillerato programmes if you are unsure between related degrees such as Medicine, Dentistry or Nursing.
- 3 Apply for the temporary residence permit early: Uandes says its CRUCH agreement can shorten processing to up to 40 working days.
- 4 Do not count on PAES winter 2026 scores for Direct Admission 2027; they are explicitly excluded.
- 5 Contact the admissions team (admisionpregrado@uandes.cl is listed on the official site) if you study abroad; the site has an online booking link for personal advice.
Costs & financial aid
2026 published fees (subject to change for 2027) · figures in CLP
Uandes lists academic scholarships awarded automatically by PAES score (15 to 100 percent of enrolment and tuition), a needs-based Beca Uandes Economica (15 to 70 percent), a Beca Uandes NEM (70 percent of tuition with a 2 UF enrolment fee), a food grant, and a separate group of scholarships for exchange and foreign students. The university says 30 percent of undergraduates study with some kind of scholarship. Tuition figures are 2026 prices marked as subject to change for 2027.
- 30 percent (Uandes 'Nosotros' page)
- Undergraduates with a scholarship
- 15 to 100 percent of enrolment and annual tuition
- PAES score scholarship
- 1 UF = 41,057.20 CLP on 30 September 2026 (SII)
- UF conversion rate used
Academics
Academic calendar: Semester system; first semester classes for 2027 entrants start in March 2027.
Medicine
Annual tuition of 313 UF; admission only through the centralised PAES route (Direct Admission excludes Medicine).
Civil Engineering (Chemical, Industrial, Electrical, Computer Science, Civil Works)
Five civil engineering degrees at 230 UF a year, with Matematica 2 required on the PAES.
International Business
A business degree that requires Matematica 2 on the PAES and admits through three direct-entry categories.
Law and Philosophy (Derecho y Filosofia)
Combined degree at 200 UF a year, alongside standard Law.
Bilingual Basic Education (English-Spanish)
Teacher-training degree with English and Spanish as teaching languages, priced at 162 UF a year.
Architecture, Political Science and Sociology
New degrees for the 2027 admission round; the site says they admit first-year students only.
Research
- The campus hosts the Center for Research and Biomedical Innovation (CiiB), according to Wikipedia.
- The Clinica Universidad de los Andes is integrated into the campus, and the university also runs a health centre in San Bernardo.
- The university reports 67 percent of full-time professors have a doctoral degree.
Schools & faculties
- Faculty of Economics and Business
- Faculty of Engineering and Applied Sciences
- Faculty of Law
- Faculty of Social Sciences
- Faculty of Communication
- Faculty of Philosophy and Humanities
- Faculty of Medicine
- Faculty of Dentistry
- Faculty of Nursing and Obstetrics
- Bachillerato programmes
- ESE Business School
Student life
Uandes has a single campus at the foot of the Andes in Las Condes, with nine buildings (per Wikipedia), a library and its own clinic. Students from other regions and countries can use university-linked residences: Alborada (which has hosted regional and international students for 40 years), Araucaria (for women) and work-study residences for women aged 18 to 25. The university describes its identity as Christian and offers student services such as a health clinic discount of 20 percent on co-payments, mental health support and an ambassadors programme where students work in admissions.
- Buses connect the campus with Hernando de Magallanes metro station, and routes run from Los Dominicos station.
- Residencia Alborada has housed regional and foreign students in their early years for 40 years.
- Student ambassadors programme with paid part-time work in admissions.
- The Clinica Universidad de los Andes gives students a 20 percent discount on co-payments for clinical services.
Housing. The university does not run a single residence hall; it lists university-linked residences (Alborada, Araucaria, Residencias de Estudio y Trabajo) and a directory of homes offered by its own community.
Location
The campus is in Las Condes, on the eastern edge of Santiago where the city meets the foothills of the Andes. Uandes describes Las Condes as one of Santiago's safer districts. The nearest metro stops are Los Dominicos (Line 1) and Hernando de Magallanes, with buses to campus. Santiago is Chile's capital and the base for most of the country's universities and employers.
Nearest airport: Arturo Merino Benitez International Airport (SCL)
Notable alumni
- FW Felipe WardLawyer and politician; Bachelor of Laws from Uandes; served as Chile's Minister of Housing and Urbanism from June 2020 under President Piñera
- JA Jorge Alessandri VergaraDeputy since 2018; President of Chile's Chamber of Deputies since 2026; law graduate of Uandes
- LI Lorenza IzzoActress; was studying journalism at Uandes in 2007 when she moved to New York to study acting
- CE Catalina EdwardsJournalist and television presenter; studied journalism at Uandes
- GA Guillermo AmoedoFilm writer and director; master's in screenwriting from Uandes, where he also teaches
- JL Joaquin Lavin LeonChilean politician; studied business administration partly at Uandes (per Wikipedia)
Frequently asked questions
How much does Universidad de los Andes cost per year?
Annual tuition on the 2026 degree pages ranges from 140 UF (History, Philosophy) to 313 UF (Medicine), which at 41,057.20 CLP per UF (SII, 30 September 2026) is about 5.7 to 12.9 million CLP a year, plus an enrolment fee of 21 to 38 UF. Fees are quoted as subject to change for 2027.
Can international students apply to Uandes?
Yes. Direct Admission has an Intercultural route for foreign students (for example a Chilean-scale school grade average of at least 6.0 for Political Science), and international diplomas such as the IB, the German DIA and the Italian ECS are accepted for many degrees. Uandes also offers a fast-track temporary residence permit route for study.
What is the Uandes deadline for 2027?
The first stage of Direct Admission 2027 closed on 11 September 2026, and a second stage opened on 14 September 2026 subject to vacancies. Chilean school-leavers applying through the PAES apply through DEMRE after results.
Is Medicine available through Direct Admission?
No. Uandes offers more than 20 routes for all degrees except Medicine, which is admitted only through the centralised PAES route.
Is Uandes a religious university?
It calls itself Christian-inspired and says it was founded by academics inspired by the teaching of Saint Josemaria Escriva, founder of Opus Dei. Its mission statement mentions living in line with the teachings of the Catholic Church.
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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