University of Montevideo
Universidad de Montevideo
A small private university in Montevideo that grew out of a 1986 business institute and admits students by aptitude test and interview.
- Students
- 3,387
- 2,435 undergraduates
- Founded
- 1986
- QS World Ranking
- 851-900
- 2027 edition
- Campus
- Urban
About UM
The University of Montevideo began on 25 November 1986 as the Instituto de Estudios Empresariales de Montevideo (IEEM), in the building of Montevideo's stock exchange, teaching master's programmes in business law. In 1997 the Uruguayan government authorised it to operate as a private university, with faculties of law, business and economics, and engineering. Humanities, biomedical sciences, communication and psychology followed. It is a non-profit university with a Christian identity, inspired by the teachings of St. Josemaría Escrivá, the founder of Opus Dei, and open to students of all faiths.
UM is small: in 2025 it had 2,435 undergraduate and technical-degree students and 952 postgraduates. Teaching is organised in the Schools of Business Administration and Economics, Law, Humanities and Education, Engineering, Communication and Psychology, plus the IEEM Business School and the Center for Biomedical Sciences. Degrees range from economics, accounting and a Politics, Philosophy and Economics degree to law, notary studies, translation, data engineering and AI, and psychology.
Business and economics students can also earn a University of London degree taught at UM, under the academic direction of the London School of Economics. Classes are mostly in Spanish. UM suits students who want small classes, close contact with professors and strong links to Uruguayan employers.
Why students choose UM
According to UM's 2025 annual report, QS has rated it Uruguay's best private university for ten years running, and first in the country for employer reputation.
Business and economics students can take a University of London BSc (Finance or Business and Management) at UM alongside their UM degree, with content under LSE's academic direction.
A wide scholarship system: a competitive 70% Beca UM, academic excellence awards from 40% to 70%, and means-tested merit awards of up to 90%.
A strong exchange network with more than 240 partner institutions; 120 international students came for a semester in 2025.
Admissions
2027 entry (UM's 2027 calendar is not yet published; in 2026 classes began on 9 March)
Selectivity
UM does not publish an acceptance rate or applicant numbers. Admission is by application, an academic aptitude test and document review, handled by each faculty's admissions team.
Typical entry requirements
| Uruguayan bachillerato (EMS) | Completed secondary school, school transcript (escolaridad), pase and identity card, plus the UM aptitude test. |
|---|---|
| Secondary education completed abroad | Passport, secondary-school diploma and full transcript, apostilled (Hague Convention countries) or legalised at a Uruguayan consulate; secondary studies must then be revalidated by Uruguay's Board of Secondary Education. |
Deadlines
- Beca a la excelencia (50%) Non-binding Passed30 September 2026
Academic excellence award for applicants under 19 with an average of 8 or above and 80+ points on the UM test; nominated by the school's head. The 40% round closes on 30 November 2026.
- Beca a la excelencia (40%) Non-binding Next deadline · In 55 days30 November 2026
Final round of the academic excellence award (earlier rounds: 70% in April, 60% in July, 50% in September).
- 2027 undergraduate admissions Non-bindingRolling; applications open since 3 July 2026
Classes in the first semester of 2026 started on 9 March, so expect a similar start in March 2027.
UM admits on a rolling basis: 2027 applications opened on 3 July 2026. The competitive Beca UM (30 June) and Beca Interior (31 August) have closed for 2027; the excellence award closes in rounds on 30 September and 30 November 2026.
How to apply
Book an admissions interview with the faculty you are interested in (form on the UM website or admisiones.um.edu.uy), sit the UM aptitude test, and hand in the admission form, school transcript, pase and a copy of your ID to the faculty's admissions office. International applicants follow the same process through the faculty's admissions team and must have their secondary studies revalidated in Uruguay.
What admissions looks for
- Aptitude in language, maths and logic, as measured by the UM admission test (maths problem-solving for Engineering).
- A solid secondary-school record: excellence scholarships require an average of 8 or higher and 80 points on the UM test.
- Motivation for the chosen degree, discussed in the admissions interview.
- For merit (means-tested) scholarships, at least 60 points on the UM test and a declared family income and expenses.
Tips for applying to UM
- 1 Download the sample aptitude test from UM's admissions page, and the separate engineering test guide if you are applying to Engineering.
- 2 Apply for scholarships early: the 70% academic excellence award closes in April and the percentage falls with each later round.
- 3 International applicants should start apostilling or legalising school documents early, since revalidation by Uruguay's Board of Secondary Education is required.
- 4 If you want an internationally recognised business degree, ask about the University of London programmes taught at UM.
- 5 Degrees are taught mainly in Spanish, so plan to reach a strong level before you start.
Costs & financial aid
2027 · figures in UYU
UM does not publish tuition fees on its website; they are provided by each faculty's admissions team. Scholarships include the competitive Beca UM (70%), the Beca Interior (40%) for students from outside Montevideo, academic excellence awards (70% to 40% depending on the round), a public-school award of up to 80%, means-tested merit awards of up to 90% (renewed with an 8 average), sports awards of up to 80%, and awards of up to 100% for future teachers under the Programa Vocación.
- Up to 90%; under 23, 60+ on the UM test
- Beca al mérito (means-tested)
- 70%; under 19, closes 30 June
- Beca UM (competitive)
- 70% (April), 60% (July), 50% (September) or 40% (November)
- Beca a la excelencia
- Up to 80%, maximum 10 awards per period
- Beca liceos públicos
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters (March-July and August-December)
Economics (Licenciatura en Economía)
A four-year degree with internships and the option of a double degree in five years or a University of London BSc taught at UM.
Politics, Philosophy and Economics
An interdisciplinary degree run by the business and humanities faculties together.
Law (Abogacía)
QS subject rankings place UM's law school first in Uruguay for employability and academic reputation, according to UM.
Data Engineering and Artificial Intelligence
One of six engineering degrees taught in UM's building at the LATU Innovation Park.
Communication (Licenciatura en Comunicación)
Filmmaker and screenwriter Guillermo Amoedo is a graduate.
Translation (Licenciatura en Traducción)
Taught by the Faculty of Humanities and Education.
Research
- Research centres include the Centro de Investigación en Economía Aplicada (CRAE), the Centro de Innovación en Organización Industrial (CINOI) and the Centro de Producción más Limpia.
- The Centro de Documentación y Estudios de Iberoamérica (CEDEI) supports research on Latin America.
- Initium, UM's entrepreneurship centre, supported 24 start-up projects in 2025, and 580 students took its entrepreneurship courses.
Schools & faculties
- Facultad de Ciencias Empresariales y Economía
- Facultad de Derecho
- Facultad de Humanidades y Educación
- Facultad de Ingeniería
- Facultad de Comunicación
- Facultad de Psicología
- Centro de Ciencias Biomédicas
- IEEM Escuela de Negocios
- Unidad de Maestrías y Postgrados en Economía (UMPE)
UM's job portal had 4,515 users in 2025, with about 300 companies posting 772 job offers and 204 internships.
Student life
UM is a compact, city-based university spread over a few buildings in Montevideo rather than a single campus. Student life is organised through its University Life office, which says 1,300 people took part in its activities in 2025, including 68% of first-year students. There is a volunteer programme (240 volunteers in 2025), a chaplaincy, a library, and sports teams in football, futsal, basketball, hockey and volleyball with 340 players. International students have a buddy programme.
- 340 students play for UM teams in football, futsal, basketball, hockey and volleyball.
- Voluntariado UM: 240 volunteers in 2025 in schools, care homes and food and clothing drives.
- Initium entrepreneurship centre for student start-ups.
- Buddy programme and orientation weeks for international students.
Location
UM is in Montevideo, Uruguay's capital and largest city. Its central building is on Prudencio de Pena in the Parque Batlle area, and a newer building in the LATU Innovation Park houses engineering, humanities and business. The IEEM Business School and the CEDEI occupy their own buildings nearby in the city.
Nearest airport: Carrasco International Airport (MVD), Montevideo
Notable alumni
- GA Guillermo AmoedoScreenwriter and director, co-writer of The Green Inferno and Knock Knock with Eli Roth; bachelor's in communication
- JL Jorge Larrañaga VidalLawyer and National Party politician; law degree (2014)
- GG Graciela Gatti SantanaPresident of the UN International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals since 2022; master's in constitutional law and human rights (2018)
- DS Daniel SalinasNeurologist and Uruguay's Minister of Public Health 2020-2023; master's in health business management (2012)
- LR Laura RaffoEconomist and National Party politician; MBA
- AO Andrés OjedaLawyer and Colorado Party presidential candidate in 2024; postgraduate degree in economic criminal law
- MD Manuel DianaUruguay rugby international who played at the 2019 Rugby World Cup; attended UM
Frequently asked questions
Does the University of Montevideo have an entrance exam?
Yes. Applicants take UM's academic aptitude test: about 90 minutes online (language, maths and logic) for most faculties, or about two hours in person with maths problems for Engineering. You also have an admissions interview.
Can international students study a full degree at UM?
Yes. You apply through the faculty's admissions team with your passport and apostilled or legalised secondary diploma and transcript, and your secondary studies must be revalidated by Uruguay's Board of Secondary Education. Degrees are taught mostly in Spanish.
How much does the University of Montevideo cost?
UM does not publish its fees online; ask the admissions team of your faculty. Scholarships cover from 25% to 90% of fees, and up to 100% for future teachers.
What scholarships does UM offer?
The main ones are the competitive Beca UM (70%), academic excellence awards (70% down to 40% depending on when you apply), a public-school award of up to 80%, and means-tested merit awards of up to 90%.
Is UM the best university in Uruguay?
UM is Uruguay's top-ranked private university in QS and sits in the 851-900 band in QS 2027. UM itself notes that the public Universidad de la República scored higher on academic reputation in QS 2025.
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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