Universidad Austral
A private university on a 90-hectare Pilar campus shared with its own teaching hospital and the IAE Business School.
- Students
- 6,488
- International
- 8%
- of students
- Student–faculty
- 6:1
- ratio
- Founded
- 1991
About Austral
Universidad Austral is a private university founded in 1991. Its main seat is a campus of more than 90 hectares in Pilar, north-west of Buenos Aires, which also houses the IAE Business School, the Parque Austral business park, sports fields and the Hospital Universitario Austral. There are also sites in Buenos Aires city (Cerrito 1250) and Rosario.
Undergraduate teaching is organised in faculties of Biomedical Sciences, Law, Business Sciences, Communication and Engineering, plus a School of Government, a School of Education, a Faculty of Family Sciences and an Institute of Philosophy. The university describes its identity as Christian, offering Christian formation activities while respecting people of different faiths.
Austral is small and intensive. It advertises one professor for every six students and says 97% of its graduates find work within their first six months. Entry is by an entrance course with exams plus a personal interview, and 51% of students receive a scholarship, grant or other incentive. It suits students who want close supervision, a campus-based experience and links to a teaching hospital or a business school, and who are comfortable living in suburban Pilar rather than central Buenos Aires.
Why students choose Austral
Medical students do hospital placements from first year at the Hospital Universitario Austral on the same campus, and the university reports that 90% of its medical graduates get residency places.
The university reports one professor for every six students and says 97% of graduates find a job within their first six months.
51% of students receive a scholarship, grant or other incentive, including the need-based Beca Austral that can cover up to 100%.
The campus is shared with the IAE Business School, which holds EQUIS, AACSB and AMBA accreditation.
Admissions
Entry in March 2027
Selectivity
Austral publishes no admission rate. You must complete a programme-specific entrance course (curso de ingreso), sit its exams and have a personal interview. In Medicine you need an average of at least 7 across the two course subjects, with no subject below 5. Scholarships depend on your entrance-course results and are subject to quotas.
Typical entry requirements
| Argentine secondary school | Copy of your DNI plus proof of final-year enrolment or your secondary school certificate. Complete the entrance course and a personal interview. |
|---|---|
| IB Diploma | Direct entry is possible: at least 30 points, and for Medicine also Biology at 4+ (HL) or 6+ (SL). You still attend the entrance course as an auditor and have an interview. |
| Cambridge AICE Diploma | Direct entry is possible; Medicine requires an AICE score of at least 225 plus an interview. |
| International applicants | Valid passport (or national ID for Mercosur citizens), validation of your secondary school qualification, and residence and an Argentine DNI arranged with the National Migration Directorate. Contact your nearest Argentine consulate early. |
| English language | Undergraduate degrees are taught in Spanish, and no English test is required for degree admission. For exchange students, Austral asks for Spanish at C1 (DELE) for regular classes, or English at B2 (TOEFL iBT 72 or IELTS 6.0) for its English-taught international programme. |
Deadlines
- Medicine entrance course (October-November cohort) Non-binding Next deadline · In 8 daysClasses from 14-15 October 2026; exams on 2 and 3 December 2026
Pilar campus or Espacio Nordelta (online if you live more than 45 minutes from campus). Subjects are Biological Sciences and Introduction to Academic Life. Course fee ARS 250,000.
- Law entrance course (October, Pilar) Non-binding In 14 daysClasses 20-29 October 2026; exam on 5 November 2026
Further Law cohorts: December (classes 1 and 3 December, exam 10 December 2026) and February (classes 10 and 12 February, exam 19 February 2027).
- Engineering free exams Non-binding In 57 daysPhysics 2 December 2026; Mathematics 9 December 2026
Further sittings on 5 February (Mathematics) and 18 February 2027 (Physics). The February entrance course runs from 25 January to 25 February 2027 at Pilar.
- Medicine entrance course (February cohort) Non-binding In ~4 months1-22 February 2027
Pilar campus, in person. Exams on 17 February (Introduction to Academic Life) and 22 February 2027 (Biological Sciences).
Dates are from Austral's entrance-course calendars for each programme (Pilar campus, entry March 2027). Scholarship applications must be submitted before your entrance course begins. Rosario runs its own entrance courses in June, October and February.
How to apply
Book an admissions interview (online or at the Pilar campus), then register and pay for the entrance course for your programme through inscripcion.austral.edu.ar with your DNI and secondary-school documents. Attend the course, pass its exams and complete the personal interview. Apply for scholarships on the Becas y Ayudas platform before your entrance course starts.
What admissions looks for
- Passing the entrance-course exams; Medicine requires an average of 7 with at least 5 in each subject, and Psychology requires at least 5 in each subject.
- Good attendance and engagement: the Rosario course requires at least 80% attendance and all co-curricular activities.
- A personal interview with a programme director, in which you show that your vocation fits the programme.
- For scholarships, a strong school record (average of 7, 8 or 9 depending on the award) together with your entrance-course performance.
Tips for applying to Austral
- 1 Book the free admissions interview early; you can do it online or on the Pilar campus.
- 2 Submit your scholarship application before your entrance course starts, because applications that miss the deadline are not considered.
- 3 If you have the IB (30+) or Cambridge AICE, ask about direct entry, but still sit the entrance-course exams if you want a merit scholarship.
- 4 Medicine applicants who live more than 45 minutes from Pilar can take the October course online, but the exams are in person.
Costs & financial aid
2027 entry · figures in ARS
Austral does not publish its tuition fees online; applicants get them from their programme adviser, and fees in Argentina change often with inflation. Aid comes in three programmes. Performance scholarships reward school averages of 8 or more and 9 or more (for example 30% and 60% in Law). Need-based help includes the Beca Austral (up to 100%) and an interest-free university loan that defers part of the fee. Incentives include the Beca de Honor for partner-school graduates, a 20% Beca Federal for students from more than 120 km away, and sibling discounts.
- 51%
- Students receiving a scholarship or incentive
- Up to 100%, school average of 7 required
- Beca Austral (need-based)
- ARS 250,000 (Medicine), ARS 75,000 (Psychology), ARS 30,000 (Nursing, Nutrition)
- Entrance-course fees (2026-27)
- 20% for students living more than 120 km from the Pilar campus
- Beca Federal
Academics
Academic calendar: Academic year starting in March
Medicine
Six years on the Pilar campus with hospital placements from first year at the Hospital Universitario Austral; 90% of graduates obtain residencies.
Law (Abogacía)
Taught in Pilar and Buenos Aires city. The university reports that its Faculty of Law has been Argentina's top private law faculty in QS subject rankings for eight years, and there is a 25% Liderazgo Jurídico scholarship.
Engineering (Informatics, Industrial, Biomedical, AI and Data)
A new direct-entry route lets you start without an entrance exam, with a gradual first-year pathway.
Business (Administración de Empresas, Economía Empresarial, Contador Público)
Taught alongside the triple-accredited IAE Business School and the Parque Austral business park; also offered in Rosario.
Nursing
Taught by the Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, alongside Medicine, on the campus shared with the Hospital Universitario Austral; entrance course fee of ARS 30,000.
Psychology
Entrance course in Pilar or Nordelta; you need at least 5 in each subject to pass.
Research
- The Hospital Universitario Austral was the first hospital in Argentina to receive Joint Commission International's top certification as an Academic Medical Center.
- The Faculty of Biomedical Sciences runs an Institute of Research in Translational Medicine and a clinical simulation centre.
- The university says its Master's in Agribusiness has been ranked second in the world in its field by Eduniversal since 2019.
Schools & faculties
- Facultad de Ciencias Biomédicas
- Facultad de Derecho
- Facultad de Ciencias Empresariales
- Facultad de Comunicación
- Facultad de Ingeniería
- Escuela de Gobierno
- Escuela de Educación
- Facultad de Ciencias para la Familia
- Instituto de Filosofía
- IAE Business School
Austral reports that 97% of its graduates find work within their first six months, and that 90% of its medical graduates obtain residency places.
Student life
Most undergraduates study on the Pilar campus, a green site of more than 90 hectares that also holds the university hospital, the IAE Business School, a business park and sports fields. Campus life includes sports, arts and culture, wellbeing and volunteering programmes, a dining hall and a chaplaincy. A Día del Campus community day brings the whole university together (next on 7 October 2026). Students coming from other provinces or from abroad can get help arranging accommodation, and there is a women's residence on campus.
- Hospital Universitario Austral, IAE Business School and the Parque Austral business park are all on the Pilar campus.
- Residencia Universitaria Altamira on campus: 40 single en-suite rooms for female students.
- Día del Campus, a community day of games and activities (7 October 2026).
- Mundi programme for Austral students going on international exchange.
Housing. The only on-campus housing listed is Residencia Altamira, which has 40 single en-suite rooms for female students, allocated subject to availability and an application; the admissions team helps students from elsewhere find accommodation.
Location
Pilar is a suburban district in Buenos Aires Province, north-west of the capital. The campus is green and spacious, and it is quieter than the city. Public buses and shuttles connect Pilar with central Buenos Aires and Ezeiza airport. Austral also teaches some programmes at its downtown Buenos Aires site on Cerrito and at its Rosario campus.
Nearest airport: Aeroparque Jorge Newbery (AEP) and Ministro Pistarini International Airport, Ezeiza (EZE), both in the Buenos Aires area
Notable alumni
- SP Sandra PettovelloArgentine Minister of Human Capital; licentiate in family sciences from Austral (2019)
- CF Carolina FalActress who studied medicine at Austral, graduating in 2014, and became a paediatrician
- NZ Nieves ZuberbühlerJournalist; undergraduate studies at Austral
- IS Inés San MartínJournalist and former Rome bureau chief of Crux; master's in communication from Austral
- AG Agustina de GiovanniFormer Argentine breaststroke champion and record holder, now a mental performance coach; MBA from Austral
- LN Liliana Negre de AlonsoNational Senator for San Luis (2001-2017); master's in business law from Austral (1993)
- MM Marcela MendonçaNurse working in humanitarian settings in Asia and Africa; nursing degree from Austral
Frequently asked questions
How do I get into Universidad Austral?
Book an admissions interview, register for your programme's entrance course, pass its exams and complete a personal interview. IB (30+) and Cambridge AICE holders can apply for direct entry.
How much does Universidad Austral cost?
Austral does not publish its tuition online; programme advisers give applicants the current fees, which change often with inflation. Entrance courses for 2027 entry cost ARS 250,000 for Medicine, ARS 75,000 for Psychology and ARS 30,000 for Nursing and Nutrition.
What grade do I need in the Medicine entrance course at Austral?
An average of at least 7 across Biological Sciences and Introduction to Academic Life, with no subject below 5.
Does Universidad Austral offer scholarships?
Yes. 51% of students receive a scholarship or incentive. Awards include merit scholarships for school averages of 8 or 9 and above, the need-based Beca Austral of up to 100%, a 20% Beca Federal for students from more than 120 km away, and an interest-free university loan.
Where is Universidad Austral?
The main campus is in Pilar, Buenos Aires Province, north-west of the capital. There is also a site in central Buenos Aires (Cerrito 1250) and a campus in Rosario.
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.
- Universidad Austral: Ingresantes de Grado (admissions)
- Universidad Austral: Inscripciones
- Universidad Austral: Medicine entrance-course calendar (JSON used by the Inscripciones page)
- Universidad Austral: Law entrance-course calendar (JSON used by the Inscripciones page)
- Universidad Austral: Engineering entrance-course calendar (JSON used by the Inscripciones page)
- Universidad Austral: Psychology entrance-course calendar (JSON used by the Inscripciones page)
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