Details

• Chile
• BaWiSo-23
• Undergraduate
• SoSe 2026
• Time spent at the partner university: 4 months
• Contact: Login to see contact information

1. Preparation

So, I decided on South America because I had never been there and always wanted to learn Spanish. There are two options when you get accepted by the UAI: Santiago and Viña del Mar. Even though I didn't know anything about Santiago or Viña del Mar, I decided to live by the sea. It is a decision I never regretted, and I would recommend everyone choose Viña del Mar over Santiago. Because I wanted to see South America before my exchange semester and had a couple of weeks of free time, I looked for the cheapest flight to or near Chile and booked it. I was super flexible with the timing, which is why my flight to South America was cheap and uncomplicated. In the end, I flew to Córdoba in Argentina, which is close to the border with Chile and around a 16-hour bus ride to Viña del Mar. I would recommend being as flexible as possible because that makes getting there much cheaper. In addition to that, don't pack too many things. On the one hand, you don't need that much there, and on the other hand, you can buy everything in South America. Plus, it is always cool to buy clothes or stuff that reminds you of your exchange semester. Just focus on the most important stuff.

2. Accommodation

An international experience was really important to me, so I decided not to live with people from WU. Of course, it would have been easier, but I wanted to live with people of different nationalities. It was not easy to find other students or exchange students. I was in a lot of WhatsApp groups and asked people, but I didn't find anything, or I texted with people who only wanted specific nationalities or girls in their apartment. I didn't have an apartment one week before coming to Viña, so it was a bit stressful, but luckily two guys were looking for a new roommate and already had an apartment. I had some calls with them, and we got along really well and became really good friends. I lived in the Torres towers in Viña, where basically all of the exchange students live. It is super safe and really nice. We had a pool, a gym, and were living directly by the sea. The bus to the uni is a 10-minute walk from the apartment, and the ride takes around 15 minutes, so it is really easy to get there. The Torres towers are really nice and not that expensive, and if you search in advance, you can get a really nice apartment for a good price. Our apartment was also nice, but we could have had a better apartment for the same price if we hadn't been so late. Even though it was a bit chaotic and it is more stressful not to live with people from WU, I would recommend it to everyone. You are living on the other side of the world, and I don't think you should live with similar people in one apartment. Of course, you will meet other people at the university and other places, but in the end, the apartment plays a bigger role, so I would recommend living with people from other countries and different backgrounds.

3. Academic life at host university

The university is really beautiful. It is on a mountain in a national park, so you can look out over Viña and the sea. I have seen the most beautiful sunsets there. It is really clean, and they have a gym, a climbing wall, a lot of sports courses, a football pitch... so there is a lot to do there. The library is also really nice with an amazing view. There are a few shops there where you can get something to eat, a coffee, and also vegan food. The academic culture is similar to WU. You have mandatory attendance, and the courses are really small, so you have a personal relationship with your teachers. The classrooms are different but really comfortable. We spoke a lot with our professors, not only about academic stuff but also about life, the people, and Chile. So, you not only learn academic things, but you also learn something about life. If you just take international courses, you will only be with exchange students, but you can also take courses with the locals. The buddies are always on campus and help you all the time. There are many events on campus, and you get in touch with the locals. I would recommend taking a course with Manuel Casanueva because he is not only a good professor but also a good person from whom you can learn a lot. I would also recommend Jorge Garretón as a professor because he teaches you a lot about Chile and Chilean culture. Socialism, Communism, and Capitalism is a really nice course where you can learn a lot about South America and understand more while traveling around the continent.

5. Every day life in the host country

In Viña del Mar, they have the best public transportation I have ever seen in my life. They are called micros, and those are tiny buses that drive you everywhere, and it is just 50 cents per ride. It is like a roller coaster and really an experience. I took those minibuses multiple times a day, and even though some of the buddies said it is dangerous, nothing negative ever happened to me. The people on the bus are really nice, and if you are lucky, you can speak with the bus driver about his daily life. It is a really nice local experience. There is a big fruit market in Viña del Mar every Wednesday and Saturday, and the fruit and vegetables are cheaper than in the supermarket, but the area around the fruit market—not the fruit market itself—is a bit dangerous. Nothing negative ever happened to me, and I was there a lot because my favorite empanada place, Ruben's Empanadas, was there as well. He is amazing and also really cheap. Valparaíso can be a bit dangerous as well, especially at night. I would recommend going there with an Uber. Uber is also really cheap, so if you don't like the micros, just take an Uber. Overall, especially the university and the area around the Torres are super safe. Concón is a nice surfer town nearby, and it is really chill and safe. You can do a lot in Viña del Mar. We were surfing basically every day in Concón or chilling at the beach, playing beach volleyball. There is also a nice forest for short hikes. Running by the sea is also highly recommendable, especially during sunsets. It will never be boring in Viña because the buddies are always planning stuff. There are dinners together, football matches, surf trips, ski trips, and, of course, parties.

6. Testimonial

My exchange semester was the best time of my life so far. We traveled a lot, not only in Chile but also in other countries. I visited nine countries during my time there. Also, life in Viña del Mar was amazing, and it is never boring. You will do so many cool things there and learn new things. I met so many nice people there that I would now call really good friends. We did a lot as a group—playing sports, studying together, surfing together, and traveling together—which made the time truly perfect. I am really sad that this time is over.