Study in Argentina

Argentina is considered to be the best destination for higher education in Latin America. It has 40 national universities and 45 private educational institutions in the country. The country is known as the Paris of South America and hence is one of the popular places for international students. In 2017, around 88,000 international students were studying in Argentina and this rate keeps increasing year after year.

One of the most important features that students focus on when choosing Argentina is the cost of studying here. Education in this country is free to all in the state universities for undergraduate programs and hence international students mostly apply to such institutions. State universities also offer master's and doctoral programs at extremely cheap rates to all candidates. The only problem that students might encounter while applying to universities in Argentina is that the programs are taught in Spanish. English-taught programs are rare in the universities here.

Popular Programs for International Students

A few of the most popular fields of study in the country include-

Life Sciences
Natural Science
Engineering

Major Universities in Argentina

International students will be able to study in the 95 different universities the country has. Most candidates opt for undergraduate programs since they are tuition-free. The universities here do not conduct entrance examinations and hence procuring admission is relatively easy when compared to other international study destinations.

A few of the best universities in Argentina include-

University of Buenos Aires

This university was established in the year 1821 and is a publicly funded institution. It has a student population of 328,000 along with over 28,000 academic staff. It has been ranked as the best university in Argentina and is the 6th best university in Latin America. The best programs offered here are in subjects like surgery, agricultural sciences, food science & technology, physics, etc.

National University La Plata

This university was established in the year 1897 and is a public university. It has a student population of around 91,000 along with over 10,000 academic staff. It is one of the most popular educational institutions in the country and has 17 different departments offering undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs. It has been ranked as the second-best university in the country and the 18th best university in Latin America. The best subjects offered here include food science & technology, space science, agricultural sciences, etc.

National University of Cordoba

This university was established in the year 1614 and is the oldest public educational institution in the country. It has a student population of around 111,000 along with over 8,000 academic staff. It is the 3rd best university in the country and has also been listed among the first 50 global universities in Latin America. There are 14 faculties here which include fields like law, social sciences, economics, agriculture, medicine, languages, dentistry, etc.

National University of Rosario

This university was established in the year 1968 and is a public university that focuses on research. It has a student population of over 96,000 along with over 6,500 academic staff. The university has been ranked as the 4th best in the country. The colleges here are for fields like medicine, biochemistry, architecture, psychology, law, veterinary sciences, fine arts, etc.

University Nacional Cuyo Mendoza

This university was established in the year 1939 and is a publicly funded educational institution. It has a student population of 44,000 along with over 4,000 academic staff. This university has been ranked as the 5th best university in the country. It provides around 125 undergraduate programs, 87 postgraduate programs, 53 diplomas, and 134 other short-term courses.

National University of Mar del Plata

This university was established in the year 1962 and is a publicly funded university. It has a student population of around 25,000 along with over 4,500 academic staff. It has been ranked as the 6th best university in the country. The faculties in this university include engineering, humanities, law, health sciences & social work, agricultural sciences, etc.

National University of the Littoral

This university was established in the year 1919 and is a public university. It has a student population of 35,000 along with over 4,700 academic staff. The university has been ranked as the 7th best in the country.

National University of the South

This university was established in the year 1956 and is the largest public university in the country. It has a student population of around 20,000 along with over 3,700 administrative staff. It is the 8th best university in the country. The departments here include agronomy, chemistry, computer science, geology, law, health sciences, physics, engineering, economics, etc.

Universidad Nacional de Tucuman

This university was established in the year 1914 and is a public university with 13 schools. It has a student population of 62,000 along with over 5,500 academic staff. The university has been ranked as the 9th best in the country. The faculties here include agronomy, architecture, arts, economics, natural sciences, social science, physical education, medicine, dentistry, etc.

Working While Studying in Argentina

Being the third best economy in Latin America, Argentina offers students with excellent work opportunities they can pursue during their studies. Universities here provide part-time jobs to students with the jobs provided based on the field of study the candidate has chosen. Students will also be able to work in the service industry with most job opportunities being targeted at postgraduate and research students.

Students are allowed to work a maximum of 30 to 35 hours a week with the ideal number of hours being 20 while in the country. On-campus work opportunities can range from anything from being a research assistant to working in the college cafeteria. Students will also be able to do the internships that are provided by their university.

Student Visa in Argentina

International students will be able to get a student visa by applying to the Consular Office of the Argentine Republic. The duration of the visa will always be less than 365 days and will have to be renewed if the course exceeds 1 year.

Career Options in Argentina

Candidates who wish to pursue a career in Argentina after completing their education will have to get a job contract with an Argentine country before their program officially ends. They are required to convert their study visa to a work visa as soon as the study visa expires if they wish to stay in the country. Study visas generally remain valid only as long as the program is ongoing and expire with the completion of the course. Most of the jobs available for ex-pats in Argentina are in academia and the tourism industry.

Major Cities for Studying in Argentina

Argentina has over 90 educational institutions with most of the institutions being well known in Latin America. A few of the student cities in the country include-

Buenos Aires

This city is the capital of Argentina and is known to have 52 educational institutions in all. It is one of the few cities in the country where people will be able to communicate better in English even if they are not fluent in Spanish. A few of the famous universities here include Universidad de Buenos Aires, Austral University, University of Palermo, etc.

Cordoba

This city has 7 universities in all including the Universidad Nacional de Cordoba, Universidad Nacional de Rio Cuarto, Universidad Provincial de Cordoba, etc. It is the second-largest city in the country with the largest student population including both domestic and international students.

Mendoza

This city is known as the land of the sun and good wine. It has 6 universities including the National University of Cuyo, the University of Mendoza, the University of Aconcagua, etc. The place is known for outdoor activities and its nightlife both of which students will be able to enjoy to the fullest.

Cost of Studying in Argentina

The cost of studying in Argentina is mostly only the cost of living in the country if a candidate is enrolling in a public university. Accommodation and other living expenses that one can incur while staying in the country are 50-60% cheaper when compared to the US. Students will be able to get cheap housing based on the locality they are living in and especially if they avoid tourist destinations.

One will be able to comfortably live in the country with an amount of $500 or below without calculating accommodation expenses. Candidates who are willing to spend around $1,000 per month will be able to live comfortably in the country.

Tuition Cost

Public universities in Argentina offer tuition-free education to all for undergraduate programs. This is one of the reasons that attract a lot of international students to this country. While postgraduate and doctoral programs have a tuition fee, this does not exceed $200 to $600 per semester which is comparatively more affordable than most international study destinations.

Private universities, on the other hand, are allowed to charge a tuition fee for the programs they provide. The average tuition fee in private educational institutions is around $3,000 per year. But this can vary based on the institution one is going to and the field of study they have chosen.

Accommodation Cost

Accommodation is generally cheap in Argentina except for tourist destinations like the popular cities in Buenos Aires. Students will be able to live in different housing options like shared apartments, student housing, dormitories, etc. based on their budget. The rent for a single-room apartment in the country can range from $160 to $250 based on the distance of the location to the city center. Utility bills generally don’t exceed $50 per month though it is mostly dependent on the lifestyle of the candidate.

Grocery Cost

The price for basic grocery items is-

Milk- $0.70 per liter
Cheese- $6 per kg
Potatoes- $0.70 per kg
Tomatoes- $1.5 per kg
Onions- $0.70 per kg
Wine- $3 per bottle
Apples- $1.5 per kg

Transportation Cost

Students who live in Argentina will be able to commute to most places by using the local bus service. The buses connect major cities in the country and they are also known for the long-distance services they provide. The bus fare in the country varies according to the place and students will be able to pay for it using the coin machines on the buses or by purchasing tickets from kiosks. The general price for a one-way ticket on the bus is around $0.30.

The underground rail in Buenos Aires is also popularly used when one comes to the city. To use this subway, one will have to purchase a Subte smart card. Biking is another option students can choose though it is popular only in Buenos Aires as of now.