Universidad Iberoamericana Ciudad de México
Mexico City's Jesuit university in Santa Fe, admitting on 60% school grades and 40% EXANI-II score.
- Students
- 12,378
- 11,391 undergraduates
- Tuition
- MX$367K
- From · 2026-27
- Founded
- 1943
- QS World Ranking
- 851-900
- 2027 edition
About IBERO
Universidad Iberoamericana (IBERO) was founded in Mexico City on 7 March 1943 by the Society of Jesus, first as the Centro Cultural Universitario. It is part of the Jesuit University System (SUJ) and of AUSJAL, the association of Jesuit universities in Latin America. Its red-brick campus in the Santa Fe district includes the Francisco Xavier Clavigero library, which holds more than 523,000 volumes.
In 2025 IBERO had 12,378 students (11,391 undergraduates and 987 postgraduates), 411 full-time academics and 2,001 part-time lecturers, and 88,270 alumni. Teaching is organised in departments, from Architecture, Design and Communication to Engineering, Economics, Law, Health and Psychology. 80% of its undergraduate programmes hold at least one accreditation, and 246 courses were taught in English in 2025.
Its alumni are prominent in communication, film, architecture, business and politics, and the university stresses Ignatian social commitment: undergraduates can take social-immersion courses, work in legal clinics and join community projects. It suits students who want a private, well-connected university in Mexico City and can meet its fees or qualify for one of its many scholarships; a third of students hold one.
La verdad nos hará libres
“The truth shall set us free” — university motto
Why students choose IBERO
A third of students (4,091 in 2025) hold a scholarship, and IBERO's tuition simulator shows discounts from 10% to 100%.
Admission is transparent: 60% your high-school average and 40% your EXANI-II score, with the exam taken online from home.
In 2025, 703 students went abroad and 312 international students came to IBERO, through partnerships with 207 universities in 35 countries.
Alumni include filmmaker Alejandro González Iñárritu, screenwriter Guillermo Arriaga, architect Frida Escobedo and former president Vicente Fox.
Admissions
Undergraduate entry for Primavera (January) or Otoño (August) 2027
Selectivity
IBERO does not publish an acceptance rate. Admission combines your high-school average (60%) and your EXANI-II (CENEVAL) score (40%). Graduates of schools on IBERO's pase directo list can be admitted without the exam.
Typical entry requirements
| Mexican bachillerato (preparatoria) | Transcript for at least the first two years of preparatoria (60% of the result) plus the EXANI-II score (40%); full bachillerato certificate at enrolment |
|---|---|
| Foreign secondary qualification | A bachillerato certificate or its revalidation (revalidación) for Mexico at enrolment; non-Mexican nationals must also present their Mexican immigration status |
| English language | IELTS 6 · TOEFL iBT 80 Teaching is mainly in Spanish, with English-taught Global Business and International Relations degrees, which require an English certificate at enrolment. All undergraduates must meet IBERO's English requirement before their 4th semester: TOEFL iBT 80, IELTS 6.0, Cambridge FCE A or B (174+), CAE/CPE 174+, IB English B at least 5, or a full high-school diploma taught in English. |
Deadlines
- Primavera 2027 entry (January) Non-bindingRolling; exam dates are released gradually
Register at least one week before your chosen EXANI-II date.
- Otoño 2027 entry (August) Non-bindingRolling; exam dates are released gradually
Pay the first tuition instalment after admission to secure your place (it can be split into two payments).
IBERO runs rolling admission with EXANI-II dates published in stages rather than a single deadline. Primavera starts in January and Otoño in August.
How to apply
Create an account on IBERO's online admissions portal, complete your profile (CURP, school, current average) and upload documents: birth certificate, high-school transcript and optional photo. Once admissions validates your file, pay the admission fee (MXN 2,050) and book an EXANI-II date. Results arrive 3 to 5 working days after the exam. Admitted students pay the first tuition instalment to secure a place, then hand in original documents at Servicios Escolares.
What admissions looks for
- A strong high-school average, which counts for 60% of the admission decision.
- A solid EXANI-II result (40%), covering reading comprehension, indirect writing, mathematical thinking and subject modules.
- For English-taught degrees (Global Business, International Relations), certified English proficiency.
- For scholarships, academic responsibility (average of 8.5 or more) combined with financial need.
Tips for applying to IBERO
- 1 Upload your full grade transcript: without it IBERO uses a 6.0 average, which weighs heavily at 60% of your score.
- 2 Check the pase directo list: if your school is on it, you can be admitted without the EXANI-II.
- 3 Take CENEVAL's optional practice exam on the same computer you will use for the real exam, since it is proctored online.
- 4 Use the tuition simulator and contact atencion.preuniversitaria@ibero.mx about scholarships before you enrol.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in MXN
IBERO offers scholarships of 10% to 100% of tuition to students with financial need and an average of at least 8.5, awarded by programme and grades, plus institutional financing (a loan at an initial 4% per semester, fixed once agreed) for students with need and an average of at least 7.0. Special programmes include Alianza Loyola (80% to 100% scholarships) and the Arrupe-BBVA scholarship.
- 4,091 (33% of students)
- Students with a scholarship (2025)
- 10% to 100%
- Scholarship range in the tuition simulator
- MXN 2,050
- Admission process fee
- Initial rate 4% per semester; minimum average 7.0
- Institutional financing
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters: Primavera (starting January) and Otoño (starting August), plus a summer period
Communication
Alumni include Alejandro González Iñárritu, Jorge Ramos and Guillermo Arriaga, and more than 100 students collaborate daily at the university radio station, Ibero 90.9.
Architecture
The programme where Frida Escobedo, known for her Serpentine Pavilion in London, studied; ideal load of 26 hours a week.
International Relations (Spanish or English)
Also offered as an English-taught Bachelor's in International Relations; Salma Hayek studied international relations at IBERO.
Global Business
Taught in English as the Bachelor's Degree in Global Business, with the same 24-hour ideal load as Business Administration and Finance.
Law
Students work in IBERO's legal clinics, which ran 66 projects and served 481 people in 2025.
Engineering in Artificial Intelligence
Part of IBERO's engineering offer, alongside Data Science, Biotechnology, and Mechatronics and Cyber-Physical Systems.
Research
- 153 IBERO researchers belonged to Mexico's National System of Researchers (SNII) in 2025.
- IBERO funded 95 internal research projects in 2025 and ran 29 external projects worth MXN 42.6 million.
- The campus has 126 laboratories and 45 workshops, two audiovisual production studios and the Ibero 90.9 radio station.
- Ediciones IBERO published 115 books and 15 academic journals in 2025.
Schools & faculties
- Department of Architecture, Urbanism and Civil Engineering
- Department of Design
- Department of Communication
- Department of Engineering Studies for Innovation
- Department of Chemical, Industrial and Food Engineering
- Department of Physics and Mathematics
- Department of Economics
- Department of Business Studies
- Department of International Studies
- Department of Law
- Department of Health
- Department of Psychology
IBERO does not publish a graduate employment rate. In 2025, 923 students did professional internships, about 3,000 attended its job fairs, and 170 new companies registered with its job board, which posted 2,300 vacancies.
Student life
IBERO is a single-campus university in Santa Fe, in western Mexico City. It has 46 student groups, a radio station (Ibero 90.9) where more than 100 students collaborate daily, and 35,000 square metres of sports facilities; its teams, the Lobos, won 56 medals at the 2025 Jesuit inter-university games (Intersuj). Ignatian formation is part of campus life, with social-service projects, social-immersion courses and the Centro IBERO Meneses community centre. The university runs the Iberobus service and campus parking for students travelling to Santa Fe.
- 46 student groups with 903 members in 2025.
- Ibero 90.9 FM, the university radio station, with more than 100 student collaborators.
- 56 medals at the Intersuj 2025 Jesuit inter-university sports games.
- 1,805 students completed social service in 2025, with 330 partner organisations.
Location
IBERO's campus is at Prolongación Paseo de la Reforma 880 in Lomas de Santa Fe, in the Álvaro Obregón borough of western Mexico City, next to the office towers of the Santa Fe business district. The university runs the Iberobus service for students commuting to campus, and the city's companies and organisations provide a large market for internships: 923 IBERO students did professional internships in 2025.
Nearest airport: Mexico City International Airport (MEX)
Notable alumni
- VF Vicente FoxPresident of Mexico 2000 to 2006; bachelor's degree in business administration (1964)
- AG Alejandro González IñárrituAcademy Award-winning director of Birdman and The Revenant; studied communications
- GA Guillermo ArriagaScreenwriter of Amores perros, 21 Grams and Babel; BA in communications and MA in psychology
- JR Jorge RamosUnivision news anchor; graduated in communications
- SH Salma HayekActress and producer; studied international relations (did not graduate)
- FE Frida EscobedoArchitect known for her Serpentine Pavilion in London; studied architecture
- DS Daniel ServitjePresident and CEO of Grupo Bimbo; bachelor's degree from IBERO
Frequently asked questions
How much does IBERO cost per year?
There is no published annual fee, but IBERO's tuition simulator gives an estimate: at the ideal study load, about MXN 367,040 a year (20 hours a week, e.g. Law or Communication) to MXN 436,280 (26 hours, e.g. Architecture), paid as 5 monthly instalments per semester. Scholarships of 10% to 100% are available.
What exam do I need for IBERO?
The EXANI-II from CENEVAL, taken online and proctored. It counts for 40% of the decision, and your high-school average for 60%.
When can I start at IBERO?
Twice a year: Primavera starts in January and Otoño in August. Admission is rolling, with exam dates released in stages.
Does IBERO teach in English?
Most teaching is in Spanish, but Global Business and International Relations are offered in English, and 246 courses were taught in English in 2025. All undergraduates must reach an English level such as TOEFL iBT 80 or IELTS 6.0 before their 4th semester.
What is IBERO's QS ranking?
Universidad Iberoamericana Ciudad de México is in the 851-900 band of the QS World University Rankings 2027.
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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