Semester Abroad in Chile

University of Chile Law School, Santiago

• Overview
• Location
• Course Offerings and Credits
• Language Proficiency
• Academic Calendar
• Application Process and Timeline
• Housing
• Contact Information

Overview

The University of Chile is the country’s oldest and largest public institution of higher education, and has more than 23,000 students at its 13 campuses that are located in downtown Santiago. The University of Chile School of Law has several renowned programs including the Center for Human Rights, the Center for Environmental Law, and the Center for the Study of Law and Information.

Location

Chile is a fascinating place to study law especially in the comparative Latin American context. Significant social debates in Chile are currently making world headlines: from human rights abuses to increasingly active demands coming from indigenous groups. At the same time, Chile is a stable democracy with one of the strongest economies in Latin America. It has recently signed free trade agreements with the United States (the only country in South America to have done so), the European Union, and numerous Asian countries. Santiago, the capital of Chile, is conveniently located one hour west of the Andes Mountains and only slightly one hour east of the Pacific Ocean. The University of Chile is located in the Bellavista area of Santiago.

HLS students at the University of Chile will have access to the support and resources of Harvard’s David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies (DRCLAS), which opened its Santiago office in 2002. The Center offers a range of support services to interested HLS students, including, an orientation program upon arrival. More information on the Center is available on its website.

Course Offerings and Credits

HLS students enrolled in the program can choose from hundreds of courses at the University of Chile. The University allows HLS students to take regular law school courses, as well as graduate courses. Please see the online catalogue for a listing of courses, which includes the number of credits per course and how often each class meets.

HLS students may receive a total of 10 to 12 ungraded classroom credits in relation to work done through the semester abroad program.  Please see the HLS semester abroad webpage for more information about semester abroad credits and course requirements.

Language Proficiency

Nearly all courses offered at the University of Chile are in Spanish. HLS students interested in spending a semester at the Law School are expected to have a level of Spanish fluency that will enable them to perform well in class and on exams. HLS students may improve their language proficiency and receive credit for foreign language courses at Harvard College in accordance with the HLS cross registration policy.

Academic Calendar

The academic year at the University of Chile is divided into two semesters. The first begins at the beginning of March and runs through mid-July. The second semester begins at the beginning of August and finishes in mid-December. The most recent available academic calendar is posted on the University of Chile's website.

Application Process

Students interested in the University of Chile exchange program should follow the semester abroad application process described on the HLS semester abroad webpage.

Students approved by the HLS Study Abroad Committee must also complete the University of Chile application form, available from Sara Zucker or Ben Cook (please see contact information below).

The exchange agreement with the University of Chile stipulates that one HLS JD student may study at the University of Chile each year. HLS may recommend more than one candidate but ultimately selection of the student will be made by the University of Chile. 

Housing

To enhance the cultural and linguistic experience of study abroad, HLS students may choose to live with local families in Chile. The DRCLAS Regional Office works closely with a local housing coordinator to facilitate home-stay opportunities. DRCLAS can also assist in finding other housing options.

Contact Information

For further information, please contact either Sara Zucker at (617) 495-9030 / szucker@law.harvard.edu or Ben Cook at (617) 496-0899 / bcook@law.harvard.edu.

DRCLAS Program Director, Steve Reifenberg, (sreifenb@fas.harvard.edu) and DRCLAS Student Coordinator, Pilo Mella, (mella@fas.harvard.edu) in Santiago are also available to help facilitate contacts at the University of Chile and to help with housing and other matters.