From the cosmopolitan vibrancy of Buenos Aires to the natural beauty of the Patagonia region to the political fervor of Santiago, the Chile Immersion Program affords a singular opportunity to experience the cultural, geographical, and political diversity of South America. Designed for students interested in developing advanced Spanish language skills, the program is centered at the top-ranked university in Latin America, the Pontificia Universidad Católica in Chile. The program runs during the summer and fall semesters. It begins in June with an optional intensive language course in Buenos Aires, Argentina. It continues in July with a three-week traveling seminar to Patagonia. It concludes with a fall semester in the capital city of Santiago, Chile.

The capital city of Santiago is located an hour from the Andes and an hour from the Pacific Ocean. The cultural and economic heart of Chile, Santiago is known for its thriving business sector and its vast array of museums, galleries, and festivals.  The city serves as a major Latin American travel hub, making it easy for students to visit other sites in Chile and Latin America.

Students in the program typically take 1-2 courses during the summer and 4-5 courses during the fall. SPA 329 Contemporary Issues in Chile and Latin America (3h), taught during July, is required and includes a three-week trip to Patagonia. All courses are taught in Spanish. Academic courses are generally scheduled Monday through Thursday, leaving three-day weekends for exploring the city or travel to other destinations. During the fall, students may elect to do an internship. 

*June – Pre-Program Language Preparation Course – Buenos Aires
    *Required if entering the program with the equivalent of three semesters of Spanish instruction; Optional if entering the program with the equivalent of
     four semesters

SPA 195: Spanish in Action, Intensive Intermediate Spanish

SPA 304: Interculturality, Diversity, and Social Justice in Contemporary Argentina – Elective credit towards the Spanish major/minor

July – Traveling Course – Patagonia / Santiago (required)

SPA 329/POL 242: Contemporary Issues in Chile and Latin America – Elective credit towards the Spanish major/minor

Fall Semester – Santiago, Chile

SPA 319: Cultura y sociedad latinoamericana – Elective credit towards the Spanish major/minor

SPA 329: Mitos y cantos prehispánicos – Elective credit towards the Spanish major/minor

SPA 366: Dictatorships, Human Rights, and Historical Memory in Chile and the Southern Cone – Seminar credit towards the Spanish major/minor

Remaining courses are chosen from a large selection of courses offered at the Pontificia Universidad Católica and the Universidad de Chile. Current list of approved courses can be found WFU/Chile: Santiago Immersion Program Approved Courses or by contacting studyabroad@wfu.edu.

All students participating in the WFU/Chile: Spanish Immersion program are required to live in program-provided housing. 

WFU/Chile: Spanish Immersion housing consists of homestays where students live with a local host family. This approach optimizes learning of language and culture. Typically, only one student is hosted per family. Students will have a private bedroom, but they may share a bathroom. Families are screened and matched with students before arrival. Homestays include 3 meals/day and weekly laundry.  NOTE: Accommodations you may have on campus do not automatically transfer to abroad and certain housing accommodations (single rooms and private bathrooms, for example) may not be available.
 
While on program excursions, students will live in shared accommodations.

The program includes a traveling seminar through the Patagonia region during the month of July. It also includes day- and overnight trips during the semester to places of interest such as the coastal resort city of Valparaíso, the desert city of San Pedro de Atacama (site of geysers, dunes, and observatories for stargazing), and a near-by Mapuche indigenous community.

Students must have the equivalent of 3 or 4 semesters of Spanish (SPA 153, SPA 212 or SPA 213) and a GPA of 2.5 or higher to be eligible for the program. 

For students entering the program with the equivalent of 3 semesters of Spanish, there is a required pre-program language preparation course (SPA 195) beginning in June in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

For those entering with 4 semesters of Spanish, there is an optional pre-program course in Buenos Aires, SPA 304, which can count as an elective towards the Spanish major/minor.

Applicants from all career paths are welcome. Preference will be given to those with a serious commitment to language immersion.

The application deadline is March 1. Students who apply early may be accepted on a rolling basis.

The program costs the same as a semester on campus. With the exception of the optional language course in Buenos Aires, all expenses are included: tuition, room, board, trips, and airfare up to $1500. The immersion experience is enhanced by homestays with carefully-selected, experienced host families.

Federal and institutional financial aid may be used. Additional funding is available through the Center for Global Programs and Studies with over half a million dollars in study abroad scholarships award annually.  Detailed information and applications can be found here.  Please note scholarship deadlines may be earlier than application deadlines.

Passport Information
Students going on the Chile: Spanish Immersion program need to check their passport’s expiration date and ensure that it will be valid through at least mid-June of the following year.

US passport holders who need to renew their passport should visit the U.S. Department of State’s passport website for information on this process.

Non-US passport holders who need to renew their passport should refer to their home country’s passport office.

Visa Information
Upon acceptance to the program students will receive specific visa information. This information will be sent by Syracuse University, Wake Forest’s partner for this program. If you have questions about this, contact your study abroad advisor.

Dr. Boston Woolfolk, Chile Immersion Program Applications Officer
Department of Spanish
Greene Hall 532
Email: woolfob@wfu.edu

Dr. Peter Siavelis, Program Director, WFU Chile 
Department of Politics and International Affairs
Kirby Hall 308
E-mail: siavelpm@wfu.edu

Cody Ryberg
Assistant Director of Global Abroad Programs
Center for Global Programs and Studies
Reynolda Hall, Room 116
E-mail: rybergcj@wfu.edu