If there is any doubt in your mind about studying abroad in South America, I'd like to start off this review by telling you, GO DO IT!!! South America was an amazing place to study abroad, and Chile is perfect as a home base. Each weekend, I traveled to the mountains or the ocean or the deserts or the huge metropolitan hub of Santiago and experienced a new/vibrant/wildly different cultural immersion in the many communities and landscapes Chile has to offer. Although I did thoroughly enjoy studying with USAC, most of my cultural immersion experiences were of my own volition. USAC is an amazing stepping stone into the Chilean culture, but they also won't hold your hand (which I appreciated). USAC was, for me, the perfect balance of provided opportunities and freedom. I had amazing peers around me who were ready to travel at the drop of a hat, a program supervisor (shout-out to Jorge, Brenda, and Isabel!!) who was eager to act as a cultural liaison, and a homestay I was excited to get back to after a long trip.

If I can offer any advice for a student getting ready to go on this trip, it is to say "yes" as much as you possibly can. Say yes to a 12-hour overnight bus ride to a small surf town, say yes to going out with locals you may meet, say yes to taking part in as much "ordinary" life as you can while you are there. Explore markets with the same curiosity as museums, make friends with the Chileans you meet in hostels, and maybe deprive yourself of a little sleep if there is an asado (Chilean bbq) the night before you have a test.
Studying abroad is about so much more than what you experience in the classroom, and although USAC will give you incredible teachers for that portion of your experience, it's up to you to take the extra step in stepping out of the extranjero bubble.

I spent four months living in Santiago with USAC in the spring semester, and it was one of the best decisions of my life. Santiago is a marvelous, huge city that at times seemed a little overwhelming, but always offered a new experience and so many opportunities to learn.

I would recommend USAC Santiago to anyone who wants the best of both worlds. You have the opportunity to live in a city of 6 million, but be only a half hour from the most gorgeous nature and mountains you could ever see. You don't have to choose between mountains and the beach because you can get to either within two hours! Chile offers so many incredible travel opportunities. From the Lake District, the breathtaking scenery of Patagonia, and the out-of-this-world Atacama Desert, it truly does have something for everyone.

Academia wise, the program is based on Spanish language tracks, so you have the opportunity to earn four semesters of college Spanish classes in just one semester. I thought the classes were challenging enough that I felt like I was learning, but were not so demanding that I could not immerse myself in my host family/local culture. The campus is very urban (i.e. no central campus area), but there were many parks and places to hang out and eat nearby.

Overall, the four months I spent in Chile were probably the best of my life and I will always remember my experience here thanks to the incredible people I met and the exciting city I called my home.

I studied abroad with this program in the spring of 2017, and it was a fantastic experience! The coordinators of the program who live in Santiago and assist the students in their experiences (Jorge, Brenda, and Isabel) were outstanding individuals who were always willing to help in any situation. My Spanish language professor, Gabriela, was the best language instructor I have ever had, and I can say with confidence that I am conversational in Spanish (as well as the unique Chilean dialect) because of her instruction. Furthermore, there were only eight students in my Spanish class, which facilitated close relationships with the students and a fun and educational atmosphere. My homestay experience was instrumental in developing my skills in Spanish acquisition, and I had some fantastic home-cooked meals as well. One of the best parts about studying abroad in Santiago was learning how to live and thrive in not just a foreign country, but in an urban environment as well. Outside of Santiago, this program had excursions to Valparaiso, Viña del Mar, Pomaire, Isla Negra, and a field study in Patagonia, which can all be great ways to experience more of the vibrant culture and history of Chile.

Santiago was awesome! Lucho and the rest of the staff were great. I also definitely recommend a host family, mine was great. Having a host brother to show me around made all the difference in my experience. Also do the tour! USAC does a great job of organizing field trips and other events.

Chile was amazing!

I loved the chance to stay with a host family - most of the students lived with older couples or singles who didn't have children or whose children were older. I lived with a young family with a 7-year-old girl and a 3-year-old boy and I loved it!

The trip to the north was the highlight of the semester. I highly recommend it - Chile's north is incredibly beautiful, both naturally and culturally.

I also recommend taking the opportunity to travel around the country as you can - definitely take a weekend in Valpo or Viña, head up into the mountains for hiking or rafting, and go south if you can afford it. But don't miss out on Santiago! There is SO much to see within the city, and the metro makes it very easy to get around, so take advantage of that. Explore the city! Get out of your comfort zone.

As far as academics go, I didn't think that the courses were challenging at all. There was hardly any homework and the exams were easy. Honestly, I wished that they had been more challenging.

But overall, I had a wonderful experience in Chile and I highly recommend the program.

The USAC program allowed me to both immerse myself into a culturally rich foreign community while feeling as comfortable as I do at home. I was able to enhance my speaking proficiency of the Spanish language and travel to all corners of Chile. Santiago was the best access point for traveling to the desert in the north, the lake region in the south, the mountain range to the east and the coastline to the west. I could not have been happier with the housing accommodations and the hospitality and helpfulness provided by the USAC crew and Chileans. I have no regrets from this experience.

USAC Santiago is an amazing program! The on-site staff is incredibly friendly, knowledgeable and helpful. I learned a lot in my courses, but they still allowed time to travel and explore the city. Definitely take advantage of the field trips and tours organized by USAC because they were awesome. I would highly recommend staying with a host family; it was such a great experience and my Spanish improved so much!

USAC was both hands on and safe while giving students tons of freedom to travel and explore. I was able to make close friendships with locals and travel to other parts of the country each weekend. I learned Spanish fluently and learned a ton about the culture in my other classes. My teachers were committed and engaging and it was easy to get involved in extracurricular activities or just do my own thing.