Universidad Santo Tomás

About Universidad Santo Tomás

Universidad Santo Tomás began in Santiago in 1988 and opened its academic activities in 1990. It gained full academic and administrative autonomy in 2003 before expanding into a national university network. The institution reports 13 locations from Arica to Puerto Montt, including Osorno, which is in the process of closing. Prospective students should therefore verify the current operating status of their intended location rather than assuming every historically listed campus remains available. UST is institutionally distinct from the Santo Tomás professional institute and technical training center, even though the three organizations share branding and some student-facing systems. This distinction matters when comparing credentials and admissions requirements: the university awards academic and professional university qualifications and participates in centralized university admission, while the affiliated technical institutions follow different entry rules. The university reports more than 27,000 undergraduate students, about 2,000 postgraduate students and six faculties. Its current institutional accreditation is at CNA-Chile’s advanced level for five years, through December 2030. The accredited dimensions cover teaching and educational outcomes, strategic management and institutional resources, internal quality assurance, and community engagement. The institution is also attached to Chile’s Gratuidad system. UST describes a Christian, Thomistic identity and places community engagement, applied professional preparation and regional presence within its institutional model. Applicants should compare programs at the campus level because subject availability, schedule and delivery format are not uniform across the network.

For 2026 entry, the principal route into regular daytime undergraduate programs was Chile’s centralized university admission process. Applicants needed valid PAES results, including Mathematical Competence 1, Reading Competence and at least one elective examination. Certain civil engineering programs also required Mathematical Competence 2. Selection calculations could incorporate PAES results, secondary-school grades and the school-ranking score, with the precise weighting determined by program. The university’s published general minimum for most UST applications was 458 weighted points for the 2026 cycle, with specified education programs subject to different rules. This is a dated 2026 condition and should not be assumed for 2027. Applicants also had to satisfy program-specific requirements and availability. Enrollment documents included identification or a passport, the Chilean secondary-school completion certificate, secondary-school grade records and relevant PAES documentation. UST also maintained special-admission pathways for eligible applicants, including applicants educated abroad, holders of specified prior technical qualifications, elite athletes, Indigenous applicants, women entering certain engineering and science fields, and applicants seeking entry with prior university study. Special admission accounted for no more than 20% of the planned 2026 daytime intake by program, campus and schedule. Evening, Advance and continuation programs use direct institutional processes. International applicants should confirm recognition of foreign secondary studies, documentation and Spanish-language expectations directly with admissions. The reviewed pages did not provide a universal English-test requirement.

UST organizes its academic activity across six faculties covering science; health; law; engineering and business; social sciences and education; and natural resources and veterinary medicine. The official 2026 register shows regular undergraduate programs alongside continuation routes and different delivery patterns. Examples at the Santiago location include law, psychology, social work, commercial engineering, civil engineering fields, geology, agronomy and veterinary medicine. Health and education offerings are also represented, but applicants must consult the current campus-specific register because programs are not offered at every location. The Santiago location reports 22 university programs, eight continuation plans and one licenciatura program. Some continuation programs are distance-based or blended, while most regular Santiago programs in the official register are daytime offerings. The university’s admissions information says its professional programs confer a licenciatura and normally last eight to eleven semesters. Program length, timetable, professional title and academic degree should nevertheless be checked on the individual program page. Postgraduate study includes master’s degrees, doctorates, post-título programs and diplomas. The university identifies doctorates in biodiversity conservation and management and in psychological and social studies of well-being. Its Santiago facilities include libraries, computer laboratories and research laboratories connected with several institutional research centers. Professional preparation also uses specialized settings and external placements; the Santiago campus identifies clinical partnerships and facilities including psychological, legal, veterinary, kinesiology and ophthalmology services. Availability and placement arrangements depend on the discipline.

Key Highlights

• Founded in Santiago in 1988 and academically active since 1990
• Autonomous university since 2003
• Advanced-level CNA-Chile accreditation through December 2030
• National network with Osorno currently identified as being in a closure process
• University is legally and academically distinct from the affiliated IP and CFT Santo Tomás

Student Life & Environment

Student support is coordinated through the Dirección de Asuntos Estudiantiles and related academic services. The university provides campus-based guidance on benefits and financing, student activities, well-being and institutional procedures. Its Centro de Aprendizaje offers academic assistance through individual or group tutoring, while student services also include socio-emotional and self-management support. New entrants in 2026 were invited to the Programa de Introducción a la Vida Universitaria, which combined orientation, meetings with program staff, initial academic workshops and introductions to support units. The accompanying student-life fair presented services including the student-affairs office, mental-health and well-being programming, the learning center and library. A peer initiative, Herman@s Tomasin@s, is designed to help new students navigate the transition to higher education and connect with campus life. At the Santiago location, activities described by the university include volunteer work, leadership development, sport leagues and cultural and social programming. Students may also engage through the student federation and program-level student centers. These opportunities vary by location and academic schedule. The university’s official pages reviewed for this profile do not establish institution-operated student residences or a guaranteed housing service, so students moving to Santiago should plan to investigate accommodation independently and confirm any guidance directly with the campus.

Location & Surroundings

The university’s headquarters is at Avenida Ejército 146 in Santiago’s Barrio Universitario. The Santiago operation is not confined to one building: the university identifies the Ejército, Catemito and San Joaquín campuses, together with its Institute of Sports Sciences. Students should confirm where their own classes, laboratories or practical activities take place before selecting accommodation or estimating commuting time. The main Ejército location is near Los Héroes metro station, providing access to Santiago’s public-transport network and the services of the central urban area. Campus facilities collectively include teaching rooms, libraries, computer and research laboratories, cafeterias, dining facilities, recreation areas and spaces used by student organizations. Specialized activity may occur elsewhere within the Santiago network; veterinary education, for example, is associated with the Catemito clinical setting. This database record uses Santiago because it is the university’s headquarters, but UST is a multi-campus national institution. Academic offerings differ substantially across its locations. Applicants interested in another city should rely on that location’s current program listing, admissions contacts and practical-placement information rather than treating the Santiago profile as nationally interchangeable.

Costs & Career Outcomes

Tuition and enrollment charges vary by program, campus and schedule. UST’s official quotation tool states that the displayed amounts apply to academic year 2026 and that 2027 prices will be published when the 2027 admissions process begins. It also notes that quoted figures exclude scholarships and other benefits and that the annual tuition charge may be divided into as many as ten installments. Because the interactive tool requires a specific program and campus selection, no single institution-wide tuition figure is appropriate. The university participates in Chile’s Gratuidad system. Students may also investigate internal and external scholarships, agreements and discounts. Applications for applicable state benefits require the national FUAS socioeconomic form within the annually published deadlines. Eligibility is not automatic, and prospective students should obtain a personalized 2026 or 2027 quotation and written benefit assessment before making a financial commitment. No verified university housing charge is available from the reviewed official material. Career support includes the Crea Empleo portal, which publishes employment and professional-practice opportunities for the university community. It also provides workshops, talks, employment fairs and group or individual career guidance. UST publishes program-level first-year employment indicators using SIES methodology, but results vary considerably by field and should not be treated as a university-wide employment rate or a guarantee. Applicants should compare the latest figure for their specific program and understand the cohort and income-based methodology before using it in a decision.