Adolfo Ibáñez University
Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez
A private university grown from a 1953 business school, with liberal arts built into every degree.
- Students
- 14,038
- 10,636 undergraduates
- Tuition
- CLP 6.8M
- From · 2027
- Founded
- 1988
- QS World Ranking
- #655
- 2027 edition
About UAI
Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez (UAI) grew out of the Escuela de Negocios de Valparaíso, founded in 1953 by the Adolfo Ibáñez Foundation, and was constituted as a private, non-profit university in 1988. The business school remains its best-known part, but UAI now has eight schools and faculties covering business, engineering and sciences, law, psychology, communications and journalism, government, design and architecture, and liberal arts.
Undergraduate teaching happens on two campuses designed by National Architecture Prize winner José Cruz: Peñalolén, in the Andean foothills of Santiago, and Viña del Mar, on the coast. In total UAI has 10,636 undergraduates and 3,402 graduate students. Every degree combines professional training with a liberal arts programme meant to build broad, critical thinking, followed by specialisation in the final years. Engineering students enter a common plan (Ingeniería Civil plan común) and choose among specialities such as industrial, computer, civil works, bioengineering, mechanical, energy and mining engineering.
UAI is selective within Chile's centralised PAES system: in Admisión 2026 its students' average weighted score was 821.4, the second highest in the country. It suits ambitious students aiming at business, engineering or law careers who want a private university with a strong alumni network, and who can pay its fees or qualify for its merit and need-based scholarships.
Veritas liberabit nos
“The truth will set us free” — university motto
Why students choose UAI
The business school holds triple international accreditation (AACSB, EFMD EQUIS and AMBA) and is the only one in Chile in the CEMS global alliance, which runs the Master in International Management.
International Management is a five-year route to two bachelor's degrees, the Ingeniero Comercial title and a master's, with more than 70% of the curriculum taught in English.
Selective intake: UAI's Admisión 2026 students had Chile's second-highest average weighted score (821.4), and about two-thirds scored above 800.
The Beca Total UAI covers 100% of tuition and enrolment fees for high-scoring students from the lowest-income 60% of families, matching the state gratuidad UAI does not take part in.
Admissions
Admisión 2027 (entry March 2027)
Selectivity
Chile's centralised system publishes no overall admit rate. In Admisión 2026 at the Peñalolén campus, the cut-off weighted scores were 811.4 for Ingeniería Comercial (465 selected), 815 for the Ingeniería Civil common plan (422 selected), 768.7 for Law (154), 892.5 for International Management (25) and 842.6 for the Law-Ingeniería Comercial double degree (30). Cut-offs at Viña del Mar were lower, e.g. 741 for Ingeniería Comercial.
Typical entry requirements
| PAES (regular admission) | A weighted score above the programme's cut-off; in 2026 these ranged from about 698 (Strategic Communication-Journalism, Peñalolén) to 892.5 (International Management, Peñalolén). |
|---|---|
| IB Diploma (special admission) | At least 28 points for most programmes (24 for Strategic Communication-Journalism), passed within the last 3 years. Places go to the highest scores. |
| SAT (special admission) | Total score of 1350 or more (1250 for Strategic Communication-Journalism) and a school grade average (NEM) of at least 6.0. |
| French Bac, Abitur, Italian Esame di Stato, Swiss Matura, A-levels | Bac 12, Abitur 500 points, Esame di Stato 80, Matura passed, or two A-levels at grade C or above (with NEM 6.0 or above) for most programmes; lower minimums apply for Journalism. |
| Secondary studies abroad (special admission) | A certificate recognising your studies or a secondary-school licence from Chile's Ministry of Education, plus transcripts for the last 4 years. Shortlisted applicants have an interview and may take UAI maths or writing tests. |
| English language | Most degrees are taught in Spanish, and no English test is required for admission. International Management teaches more than 70% of its curriculum in English. |
Deadlines
- PAES Regular (national exam) Non-binding Next deadline · In 55 days30 November to 2 December 2026
Registration closed on 27 July 2026 (extended deadline). Scores are published on 4 January 2027.
- Centralised application (Acceso) Non-binding In ~3 months7 January 2027, 13:00 (Chile)
Opens 4 January 2027 at 09:00. Selection results on 18 January 2027; first-stage enrolment 19-21 January 2027.
- Admisión Especial 2027 (direct admission) Non-bindingRolling (dates set by UAI)
For international diplomas, SAT and studies abroad, applications are evaluated as they arrive (about a month and a half each). PAES-linked special routes select from 4 January 2027.
PAES and Acceso dates are from DEMRE's official Admisión 2027 calendar. UAI's special-admission page does not list closing dates in its text; check the Admisión Especial 2027 page before applying.
How to apply
Chilean-system applicants register for and sit the PAES Regular with DEMRE, then apply on the national Acceso platform in January, listing UAI programmes in order of preference. Applicants with an international diploma, SAT, studies abroad, or talents such as sport apply directly to UAI through Admisión Especial, uploading documents for an evaluation that takes about a month and a half. Applicants in need of support complete the FUAS form for state aid and the Beca Total UAI.
What admissions looks for
- A high weighted score: school grades, class ranking and PAES results, with Mathematics 1 carrying 40-45% for business and engineering.
- For M2-requiring engineering programmes, a Mathematics 2 result on top of the core tests.
- For special admission, strong international diploma or SAT results and a good school average (NEM of 6.0 or more for many routes).
- For studies abroad, a solid academic record confirmed in a personal interview and, if needed, UAI's maths or writing tests.
Tips for applying to UAI
- 1 Compare your weighted score with the 2026 cut-offs: Peñalolén needed 811.4 for Ingeniería Comercial but Viña del Mar needed 741.
- 2 Your class ranking is weighted 25-30%, more than the school average (10%), so finishing near the top of your class matters.
- 3 IB students can apply with predicted scores if they meet the minimum and have a school average of 6.2 or more.
- 4 UAI scholarships only apply to students admitted through regular (Acceso/DEMRE) admission, apart from a few exceptions, so special admission may cost you merit aid.
Costs & financial aid
2027 · figures in CLP
UAI does not take part in the state's free-tuition (gratuidad) scheme, but its Beca Total UAI covers 100% of enrolment and tuition for students from the lowest-income 60% of families who are pre-selected for gratuidad and score 850+ (Peñalolén) or 840+ (Viña del Mar). Academic-excellence scholarships go to students admitted through the centralised system, and students can also use state scholarships and loans.
- More than 45% (over 1,000 students)
- First-year students with UAI or state support (Admisión 2025)
- 100% of tuition and enrolment for eligible students in deciles 1-6 with weighted score 850+ (Peñalolén) or 840+ (Viña del Mar)
- Beca Total UAI (Admisión 2026 rules)
Academics
Academic calendar: Academic year March to December (tuition paid in 10 monthly instalments)
Ingeniería Comercial (Business)
UAI's founding programme and largest intake (465 selected at Peñalolén in 2026), taught by a triple-accredited business school.
International Management
Offered since 2025: two bachelor's degrees plus a CEMS-linked Master in International Management in five years, with over 70% taught in English.
Ingeniería Civil (common plan)
One entry route to seven engineering specialities, from bioengineering to mining; 422 students selected at Peñalolén in 2026.
Law-Ingeniería Comercial double degree
One of UAI's most selective programmes, with a 2026 cut-off of 842.6 and 30 places in Santiago.
Ingeniería en Computer Science
A computing degree requiring the M2 maths test, in the Faculty of Engineering and Sciences.
Research
- UAI offers 8 doctoral programmes and reports 72% of its permanent faculty hold a PhD.
- UAI researchers logged 135,988 hours of research in 2023-2025, according to its published figures.
- UAI was ranked among the top 100 universities worldwide in Business and Administrative Sciences in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024, according to its programme pages.
Schools & faculties
- Escuela de Negocios
- Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias
- Facultad de Derecho
- Escuela de Psicología
- Escuela de Comunicaciones y Periodismo
- Escuela de Gobierno
- DesignLab (Escuela de Diseño y Arquitectura)
- Facultad de Artes Liberales
UAI reports 92.3% employment in the second year after graduation for Ingeniería Comercial (mifuturo.cl, December 2023), and places Industrial Civil Engineering among the top 3 universities for income four years after graduation.
Student life
UAI's campuses were designed by architect José Cruz, winner of Chile's National Architecture Prize, and are deliberately set away from the city bustle: Peñalolén sits in the Andean foothills east of Santiago, and the Viña del Mar campus is on a hillside above Viña del Mar. Buildings are arranged in rings so that every point can be reached by many routes, an idea the university links to freedom. Alongside their degree, all students take liberal arts courses, and exchange and double-degree students from partner universities abroad join classes each semester. A student code of honour sets expectations for academic conduct.
- Campuses designed by National Architecture Prize winner José Cruz; UAI is taking an exhibition on them to King's College, Cambridge.
- A liberal arts programme runs through every undergraduate degree.
- Exchange and double-degree partners include Queen's University (Canada) and the University of Trento (Italy).
- Summer and winter schools and the Espíritu UAI programmes for school students can add up to 15 points to a waitlisted applicant's score.
Location
Most undergraduates study at Peñalolén, on the eastern edge of Santiago in the foothills of the Andes. The Viña del Mar campus serves students on the coast, next to Valparaíso. Graduate and executive programmes are taught at sites in Las Condes and Vitacura, in Santiago's business districts, chosen for easy access for working professionals.
Nearest airport: Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport, Santiago (SCL)
Notable alumni
- EO Enrique OstaléChairman of Falabella and former Walmart regional executive for Latin America, the UK and Africa; Ingeniería Comercial graduate
- CM Claudio MelandriChairman of Banco Santander-Chile; Ingeniería Comercial and MBA at UAI
- DP Diego PaulsenFormer deputy and, since June 2026, Chile's ambassador to the United Kingdom; law degree from UAI
- AL Andrés LongtonSenator for the Valparaíso Region from 2026; law degree at UAI's Viña del Mar campus
- DM Daniel MansuyPolitical scientist and historian, member of the Chilean Academy of Social, Political and Moral Sciences; licenciatura in humanities
- FC Felipe CubillosBusinessman, philanthropist and yachtsman; postgraduate business studies at UAI
- RG Rodrigo GuendelmanJournalist specialising in cities and architecture; MBA from UAI
Frequently asked questions
How much does UAI cost per year?
For 2027, annual tuition is UF 170-240 depending on programme and campus (about CLP 6.8-9.5 million at January 2026 UF values), plus an enrolment fee of UF 21-23. International students pay the same fees.
What PAES score do I need for UAI?
It depends on the programme and campus. In Admisión 2026, cut-off weighted scores at Peñalolén ranged from about 698 (Journalism) to 892.5 (International Management), with 811.4 for Ingeniería Comercial and 768.7 for Law.
Can I apply to UAI with the IB or SAT?
Yes, through Admisión Especial. Most programmes require at least 28 IB points or an SAT score of 1350 plus a school average of 6.0; Journalism accepts 24 IB points or 1250 SAT.
Does UAI offer free tuition (gratuidad)?
UAI is not part of the state gratuidad scheme, but its Beca Total UAI covers full tuition and enrolment for eligible students from the lowest-income 60% of families who meet its score requirements.
Does UAI teach in English?
Most degrees are in Spanish, but International Management teaches more than 70% of its curriculum in English.
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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