Study in Colombia
Who this applies to
Students at Colombian universities. Spanish-medium; public (national/departmental) + large private (Catholic & secular elite).
Governing authority
Ministerio de Educación Nacional; SNIES registry; CNA high-quality accreditation; ICFES exams.
Degree system
Pregrado (licenciatura/profesional 4–5 yrs) · Especialización · Maestría · Doctorado. Spanish-medium.
Admission
- How
- Bachillerato + ICFES Saber 11 (national exam) + university admission test/cutoff; international students apply directly.
- Language
- Spanish.
Tuition
- Public
- Low/income-scaled at public universities (UNAL, Antioquia, Valle, UIS).
- Private
- High at elite privates (Andes, Javeriana, Externado, EAFIT, Rosario, Norte).
- Note
- 'Golden Triangle' = Nacional + Antioquia + Valle (top public research).
Student visa & residence permit
Student visa (visa tipo V) for non-nationals.
Scholarships
ICETEX loans; government & university scholarships.
Sources & references
- ICFES/Saber 11 — https://www.icfes.gov.co/ (2026-06-12)
- system — https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000131598 (2026-06-12)
Universities in Colombia
~300+ higher-education institutions (public + private; ~80 universities) registered in SNIES; Spanish-medium. institutions, 10 profiled
Universidad Nacional de Colombia (UNAL)
Bogotá
Universidad de los Andes (Uniandes)
Bogotá
Universidad de Antioquia (UdeA)
Medellín
Pontificia Universidad Javeriana
Bogotá
Universidad del Valle (Univalle)
Cali
Universidad del Rosario
Bogotá
Universidad Externado de Colombia
Bogotá
Universidad EAFIT
Medellín
Universidad Industrial de Santander (UIS)
Bucaramanga
Universidad del Norte (Uninorte)
Barranquilla