University of the Republic
Universidad de la República
Uruguay's national public university since 1849: open entry and no tuition fees, whatever your nationality.
- Students
- 162,364
- Tuition
- Free
- 2027
- Founded
- 1849
- QS World Ranking
- #652
- 2027 edition
About Udelar
The Universidad de la República (Udelar) was formally installed in Montevideo on 18 July 1849, building on a law passed in 1833 that created its first chairs. It describes itself as Uruguay's main institution of higher education and research, working in every field of knowledge. Its undergraduate degrees are open entry and free: there is no enrolment fee or tuition, whatever your country of origin.
Udelar is very large for a country of Uruguay's size: 162,364 active students in 2024, with 21,085 new undergraduates starting that year. It offered 103 licenciaturas and equivalent degrees, 46 technical and technological degrees, and 37 doctorates and 101 master's programmes. Teaching is organised into 16 faculties, including Medicine, Law, Engineering, Economics and Administration, Sciences, Chemistry, Architecture, Design and Urbanism, and Psychology, plus institutes, a school and three regional university centres (CENUR) that take the university beyond Montevideo.
Because entry is open, the challenge is not getting in but keeping up: you register, choose your courses and progress through exams in each subject. Udelar suits independent, self-motivated students who are comfortable studying in Spanish, and who want a free degree from the institution that educated Uruguayan presidents such as Tabaré Vázquez and Luis Alberto Lacalle.
Why students choose Udelar
Undergraduate degrees are free and open entry: no tuition or enrolment fees, regardless of nationality.
Breadth: 103 licenciaturas and equivalent degrees plus 46 technical and technological degrees across 16 faculties in 2024.
Degrees are offered outside Montevideo too, through three regional university centres (CENUR), in places such as Salto, Paysandú and Tacuarembó.
In 2024 the university's welfare service supported 3,684 students with 7,233 grants for meals, housing, transport, study materials and laptops.
Admissions
Ingresos 2027 (academic year starting in 2027)
Selectivity
Udelar's undergraduate degrees are open entry: anyone who has completed secondary education (or has foreign studies accepted) can enrol. 21,085 new undergraduate students entered Udelar in 2024.
Typical entry requirements
| Uruguayan secondary education (ANEP bachillerato / UTU) | Completed secondary education, registered by your school in ANEP's system (private-school students submit Fórmula 69A or B). Then pre-register online. |
|---|---|
| Secondary studies completed abroad | A legalised or apostilled certificate of completed secondary studies, which the faculty evaluates within 40 working days after you register, or a revalidation of your studies by ANEP. |
| University studies started abroad | Enrol and then ask the faculty's Bedelía to revalidate the courses you have already passed. |
| English language | Teaching is in Spanish. No English test is required. Udelar has an information and support office for foreign and migrant students. |
Deadlines
- Fondo de Solidaridad scholarship applications Non-binding Next deadline · In ~5 months1 November 2026 to 28 February 2027
Online through the Fondo's student portal. Pays a monthly allowance (UYU 13,728 a month at 2026 values) to students who need financial support.
- Undergraduate registration (Inscripciones 2027) Non-bindingFebruary 2027
Udelar says registration for 2027 will take place during February. Exact dates are set by each faculty.
Udelar has announced that 2027 registration will take place in February 2027; exact dates per faculty have not yet been published.
How to apply
Check your chosen faculty's website for its requirements. Get a free digital identity (TuID or gub.uy), then pre-register at bedelias.udelar.edu.uy during the February registration period, uploading your ID, photo and valid health card (carné de salud). You can pre-register online for up to 4 degrees in 2 faculties. Once the Bedelía confirms, activate your Udelar user, register for your first courses and complete the compulsory statistical form (FormA).
What admissions looks for
- Proof that you have completed secondary education (or equivalent studies abroad accepted by the faculty).
- Complete documentation: valid ID, photo and a valid health card.
- For some degrees, specific documents or requirements set by the faculty.
Tips for applying to Udelar
- 1 Get your TuID or gub.uy digital identity before February, since you need it to pre-register online.
- 2 Have your documents scanned before you start: the system logs you out after 7 minutes of inactivity.
- 3 If you studied abroad, get your secondary certificate legalised or apostilled early; the faculty can take up to 40 working days to evaluate it.
- 4 Apply for a Fondo de Solidaridad scholarship before 28 February if you need financial support; you can apply while still finishing bachillerato.
Costs & financial aid
2027 · figures in UYU
Tuition is free. The Servicio Central de Inclusión y Bienestar Universitario (SCIBU) offers grants for meals, financial support, housing, transport, childcare, study materials, interior bus fares and laptops to students with socioeconomic difficulties. The separate Fondo de Solidaridad pays a monthly allowance of UYU 13,728 (2026 value) for up to 8 months in the first year, renewable each year.
- 3,684 students holding 7,233 grants
- Students receiving SCIBU grants (2024)
- 3,259 students
- Meal grants (2024)
- UYU 13,728 a month (2026)
- Fondo de Solidaridad allowance
Academics
Medicine (Doctor en Medicina)
Taught by the Faculty of Medicine with the Hospital de Clínicas, Udelar's university hospital; alumni include President Tabaré Vázquez, an oncologist.
Law (Abogacía / Notariado)
One of Udelar's founding fields of study; law and notary graduates include President Luis Alberto Lacalle and Vice-President Beatriz Argimón.
Engineering
The Faculty of Engineering trained Vice-President Carolina Cosse, who graduated in electrical engineering in 1991.
Economics and Administration
FCEA offers degrees from economics to accounting and has trained leading economists such as Enrique V. Iglesias.
Agronomy
Offered in Montevideo, Salto and Paysandú, with food and forestry engineering degrees, in a country whose economy relies on agriculture.
Research
- In 2024 Udelar's research commission (CSIC) funded 160 of 517 R&D project proposals and 1,363 academic mobility and exchange awards.
- Biochemist Rafael Radi, an Udelar medical graduate and professor, directs its Centro de Investigaciones Biomédicas (CEINBIO) and is a foreign associate of the US National Academy of Sciences.
- Udelar offers 37 doctoral and 101 master's programmes, including degrees run with national programmes such as PEDECIBA (for example the Master's in Mathematics).
Schools & faculties
- Facultad de Medicina
- Facultad de Derecho
- Facultad de Ingeniería
- Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y de Administración
- Facultad de Ciencias
- Facultad de Química
- Facultad de Arquitectura, Diseño y Urbanismo
- Facultad de Psicología
- Facultad de Ciencias Sociales
- Facultad de Humanidades y Ciencias de la Educación
- Facultad de Agronomía
- Facultad de Veterinaria
Student life
There is no single campus: Udelar's faculties and services are spread across Montevideo, from the historic central building on Avenida 18 de Julio to the Hospital de Clínicas, the university hospital, with regional centres in the interior. Students organise their own course and exam registrations through the Bedelía system. The welfare service (SCIBU) runs social, cultural, sports, food and health programmes, alongside grants for meals, housing, transport and laptops, and the university funds academic mobility and exchange calls each year.
- The SCIBU welfare service runs social, cultural, sports, food and health programmes.
- 3,259 students held meal grants in 2024.
- Three regional university centres (CENUR) offer degrees outside Montevideo.
- Exchange opportunities include AUGM's ESCALA undergraduate exchange programme.
Housing. Udelar does not house most students; 230 students held housing grants in 2024.
Location
Montevideo, Uruguay's capital on the Río de la Plata, is home to most of Udelar's faculties. The central building sits on Avenida 18 de Julio, the city's main avenue, while other faculties and the university hospital are spread around the city. Udelar also teaches in regional centres in the interior of the country.
Nearest airport: Carrasco International Airport (MVD)
Notable alumni
- TV Tabaré VázquezPresident of Uruguay 2005-2010 and 2015-2020; studied medicine and qualified as an oncologist
- LA Luis Alberto LacallePresident of Uruguay 1990-1995; law degree (1964)
- CC Carolina CosseVice-President of Uruguay; electrical engineering degree (1991)
- BA Beatriz ArgimónFirst woman elected Vice-President of Uruguay (2020-2025); notary degree (1989)
- EV Enrique V. IglesiasPresident of the Inter-American Development Bank 1988-2005; degree in economics and business administration (1953)
- RR Rafael RadiBiochemist; MD (1988) and PhD (1991) from Udelar
- IH Ida HolzEngineer who led the development of the internet in Uruguay; studied computing at Udelar
Frequently asked questions
Is Udelar free for international students?
Yes. All Udelar degree programmes are free, with no enrolment fee or tuition, whatever your country of origin.
Is there an entrance exam at Udelar?
No for most degrees: undergraduate entry is open to anyone who has completed secondary education. Some programmes set specific requirements, so check the faculty's website.
When is registration for 2027?
Udelar says 2027 registration will take place in February 2027, with each faculty setting exact dates. You pre-register online at bedelias.udelar.edu.uy.
Can I enter Udelar with a secondary diploma from another country?
Yes. Present a legalised or apostilled certificate, which the faculty evaluates within 40 working days, or get your studies revalidated by ANEP.
Does Udelar teach in English?
No. Undergraduate degrees are taught in Spanish.
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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