A little more than a month has gone by here in the “Pearl of the South” of Chile, and I couldn’t be happier with my choice! Right from the beginning, I’ve met incredible people among both the exchange students and the Chileans in my courses. All the professors were really understanding about the language difficulties in the beginning, and even now they continue to give me extra help. People are helpful and relaxed around here, and I definitely feel welcome! On top of that, the weather and the environment reminds me a little of the Finnish autumn, and just yesterday I found Finnish baking powder in the supermarket—it already feels like home.

In my major, Pedagogy in Physical Education, the classes are really versatile. One day we are swimming in a pool, and the next we’re practicing to rescue a drowning person from the freezing river. The program covers sports and courses that we don’t have in Finland, so I’m able to expand my capability as a teacher here and bring something new to my university back home.

Arriving to Valdivia and UACh all went very smoothly. The university has a great exchange program and staff to help all the incoming exchange students with whatever they need. When the first culture shock is gone and you get used to your daily rhythm, including traveling on the weekends, you will fall in love with Chile! All the local students love exchange students, so you can get to know them naturally and easily. That is how we share stories and experiences from our own cultures and learn from each other in a way that unites us.

One of the reasons that greatly influenced my decision to come and study at UACh was the fact that it is among the top six universities in Chile. In addition, Valdivia is an incredible city full of magic and many things to do and see. Chileans are quite friendly in general, and they make you feel very welcome.

I love studying at the Universidad Austral de Chile – it’s been one of the best experiences of my life. It is a great choice for Colombians and Latin Americans who are taking advantage of opportunities like scholarships or university agreements to come to Chile, which is a country with so much to offer.

I chose to study abroad in Valdivia for two semesters, and attending the Universidad Austral de Chile was undoubtedly an integral part of my experience. This university introduced me to a number of new opportunities and challenged me in ways that forced me to re-evaluate my understanding of higher education. Both students and faculty are easily approachable and always at the ready to answer questions, give suggestions, or converse about any matter. UACh is an institution that is different from any other that I have attended in that the majority of students are not only engaged in their individual academic responsibilities, but also are very much aware of and involved in current events at local, regional, and national levels—this especially stood out to me, and I admire that the student body is not socially isolated. I wanted to be in an environment that promoted education in a multitude of settings, and my time at UACh provided just that.

I arrived to Universidad Austral de Chile in 2017, traveling from my home country of Venezuela to carry out doctoral studies in law. Joining the student community at “the Austral” has been a great experience for me, first because of the quality and thoroughness of the doctoral program, second because of my participation in a very active and diverse university environment, and third because of the opportunity to live in Valdivia, a friendly and beautiful city.

UACh’s Isla Teja Campus has become my home. It is a magical place full of varying landscapes, and it is quite peaceful, making it a favorable environment for academic work and research. In addition, it is a good place to nurture personal and professional relationships. Here I have deepened my knowledge and acquired tools for the research and critical analysis of legal phenomena, guided by important researchers in my field. I am constantly learning.

Without a doubt, being here is a great privilege

I chose this university, because it is admired, well located in the beautiful small south of Chile and surrounded by unspoiled nature. Besides I wanted to improve my Chilean-Spanish and to get to know the culture and life of the people residing in and around Valdivia. For this I picked the Universidad Austral de Chile.

The stay of one semestre in this beautiful city helped me personally to obtain wonderful experiences, face problems, solve them and finally to get one step further in my life. I have learned much about the culture, the people and their language, the living, the nature as well as aspects of studying which are valuable for my carrer as a electrical engineer. The style of teaching in the UACh is very different to the manner of my University in Germany due to the difference in size. Therefore it is more school-like, but I also learned to like this way of teaching in this one pleasant semestre.

I recommend for the future exchange-generation to just enjoy the layover of their life here in Valdivia while there is sun and to go out for the nature because its impressing :).

For my wonderful time and stay here I want to thank all the organizing and helping stuff of the UACh – now my second Alma mater.

Best regards

Studying in Universidad Austral de Chile was indeed an incredibly chastening experience. Not only the system of studying was different for me but also the language and culture… new and full of tricks to learn. Anyhow, especially the staff of the international office at UACh, was extremely helpful and always got out of their way to help the exchange students to feel welcomed in the lovely town of Valdivia. Also, the people at the department of Geology were very flexible and made it possible for me to accomplish the courses I wanted and needed, even though the situation needed a bit of adaptation from them. Thank you UACh for a lovely semester!