Teaser: Valparaiso / Viña del Mar Guide!
Not your typical study abroad pamphlet. This is the real deal — hillside parties, street art walks, and why everyone falls in love with this chaotic port city.
🏠 Housing (Preview)
One house in Cerro Alegre has become legendary among exchange students. Rooftop BBQs every weekend, 5-minute walk to the best bars, and roommates who actually become your travel crew. Another spot offers ocean views but costs more — we break down what's worth it, what's a trap, and why location trumps everything in Valpo.
"Casa Capilla was like living in a Netflix show. We were 6 exchange students, and every night was an adventure." — Emma, USM
📚 Uni Life
Want classes that don't kill your travel plans? Some courses at USM are basically discussion groups with cool professors, while others... well, let's just say we'll tell you which ones to avoid. Plus the secret to building a schedule with 4-day weekends.
"Teorías Feministas was amazing — felt more like hanging with friends than studying. And the teacher totally got that we were here for the experience." — Lucas, USM
🎉 Going Out
Calle Ecuador on Thursdays. La Terraza for free entry (yes, really). And those spontaneous house parties that start at 2am and end at sunrise. Valpo's nightlife isn't fancy — it's raw, authentic, and absolutely addictive.
"Matiz Bar became our second home. The bartender knew our orders by week 2." — Sophie, exchange student
✈️ Travel Tips + Weekend Escapes
Atacama Desert for sunrise? Patagonia for that Instagram shot? Buenos Aires for the weekend? We'll show you the night bus hack that saves hundreds, the hostels that don't suck, and why everyone does Argentina wrong (spoiler: skip the touristy stuff).
🚨 Safety Real Talk
The hills, the neighborhoods to avoid after dark, and why your iPhone needs to stay hidden. No fear-mongering — just the street-smart basics that locals wish they'd told you.
💰 Money Matters
€215/month can get you prime location with the right crew, or you can blow €400 on a lonely studio. We've cracked the code on where your euros go furthest and what's actually worth paying extra for.
Student Reviews
Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María
🇨🇱 Exchange in Valparaiso
🏠 Housing
Casa Capilla was the move — €230/month in Cerro Alegre. Living with 4 other exchange students from different countries was insane. The rooftop became our pre-game spot every weekend, and the owner actually joined our BBQs sometimes lol. Zero drama, just pure good vibes. Some rooms are tiny but honestly you're never inside anyway.
🚗 Getting to Campus
30-40 mins by micro (those crazy buses). Sounds long but made some of my best friends during those chaotic rides. Pro tip: learn which micros go to USM or you'll end up in random neighborhoods like I did week 1.
✈️ Travel Life
Went absolutely wild with travel. Atacama was mind-blowing — felt like being on Mars. Did the full Argentina circuit: Mendoza wine tours, Buenos Aires for steak and tango, then Córdoba just because. Also hit up Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia (book the 3-day tour, not the day trip). Night buses saved me hundreds of euros.
🎉 Social Life
Valpo's party scene is legendary. Started every Thursday at Calle Ecuador bar hopping, La Terraza on weekends (free entry for exchange students is clutch), and Woo Club when we wanted to go absolutely mental. The Casa Capilla crew always moved as a pack — safety in numbers and more fun.
📚 Classes
Took Marketing, Espíritu Empresarial, and Teorías Feministas. All super chill — teachers love exchange students and are super flexible about attendance. Honestly felt guilty how easy it was, but that meant more time for adventures. Build your schedule with long weekends!
🦙 Other
Always carry a dummy phone for going out — phone theft is real but not if you're smart about it. Learn basic Spanish ASAP, locals appreciate the effort. And seriously, say yes to every random invitation — best memories came from unplanned stuff.
🇨🇱 Exchange in Valparaiso
🏠 Housing
Casa Capilla for 5 months. Best decision ever. €245/month but worth every cent. The house has this magic where everyone becomes family super quick. We had this tradition of cooking together on Sundays, and somehow it always turned into a party. The location in Cerro Alegre is perfect walking distance to everything that matters.
🚗 Getting to Campus
About 35 mins with the micro transfer. Not gonna lie, those buses are chaos but you get used to it. Made a playlist specifically for the commute and actually started looking forward to it. Campus is beautiful though.
✈️ Travel Life
Did the classic Chile circuit plus some hidden gems. Atacama Desert was otherworldly, Patagonia was pure magic (expensive but do it), and crossed to Argentina for Mendoza wine country. Also discovered Chiloé Island — super underrated, feels like a fairytale. Pro tip: book internal flights early or you'll pay through the nose.
🎉 Social Life
Valpo's nightlife is addictive. Cervecería Chungungo became our secret spot, right by the water with local crowd. Matiz Bar for cocktails and good music, then La Terraza to dance until sunrise. The Casa Capilla rooftop pregames were legendary — neighbors probably hated us but oh well.
📚 Classes
Kept it chill with Marketing and Legislación Empresarial. Teachers are super understanding about exchange students wanting to travel. Missed a few classes for weekend trips and they were totally cool about it. Focus on courses that teach you about Chilean culture — way more interesting.
🦙 Other
Allways Uber at night, it's like 2€ and your safety is worth more. Join WhatsApp groups for exchange students ASAP that's where all the good plans get made. And pack layers, Valpo weather is bipolar.