Liberal Arts in Buenos Aires, Argentina (CIEE)

  • Location: Argentina - Buenos Aires
  • GPA Requirements: 2.75 GPA
  • Other Requirements: 4 semesters of college level Spanish
  • Program Structure: Direct enrollment
  • Application Deadline: Fall: February 20 | Spring: September 20
  • Program Term(s): Fall, Spring
  • Official Website: Liberal Arts in Buenos Aires, Argentina (CIEE)
Program Dates
Term Start Date End Date
Spring 2024 February 27th, 2024 June 13th, 2024
Fall 2024 July 29th, 2024 December 14th, 2024
Spring 2025 February 25th, 2025 July 12th, 2025

*These dates are tentative. Confirm program dates before booking travel.

Eligibility

2.75 GPA, at least 4 semesters of college-level Spanish or the equivalent.

Where: Buenos Aires, Argentina

Have your pick of shops, vibrant neighborhoods, theaters, and cafes in “the Paris of South America”.  The city earned its nickname thanks to its stately architecture and a steady influx of European immigrants, giving visitors glimpses of Europe through architecture and neighborhood life.  A vibrant port city, Buenos Aires is also the world’s leading Spanish language publishing center.  With a population of 13 million, it has the cultural intrigue found only in cities of this size and prestige.

Academics

Established in 1993, this program is for motivated students with high-proficiency Spanish language skills who desire a complete cultural and academic experience.  It includes specialized CIEE courses and local university courses at the Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA), Universidad Católica Argentina (UCA), and/or Universidad Nacional de Arte (UNA).  All courses are taught in Spanish and CIEE faculty is associated with some of the most well-respected local universities.

The program gives students the opportunity to experience university life at UBA, UCA, and/or UNA, and the freedom to enroll in a vast selection of courses.  All students sign CIEE’s Community Language Commitment and agree to speak only Spanish to foster language proficiency and understanding of Argentina’s culture and society.

Every student is required to take a Spanish language course based on placement test results. The remaining courses are selected from a range of CIEE elective courses and host institution courses at the local universities.

Academic Structure

CIEE elective courses taken with other CIEE students. Host institution courses are taken with local students.

Course Credit

CIEE Spanish language courses: 3 U.S. semester/4.5 quarter credits; 45 contact hours
CIEE Elective courses: 3 U.S. semester/4.5 quarter credits; 45 contact hours
Host Institution courses: 2-6 U.S. semester/3-9 quarter credits

Courses

For a full list of course offerings, visit CIEE’s website here. Note that the courses listed are a representative sampling of recommended courses. Not all courses are available every semester.  Course listings and availability are not finalized until immediately prior to the start of university classes in each semester. 

Housing & Student Life

Students reside in a homestay with an Argentine family. Host options may be traditional and nontraditional, including nuclear families with young children, single professionals, young couples with no children, and older couples whose children visit but do not live at home. The typical commute between homestays and CIEE Buenos Aires can range from a 15-minute walk to a 30-minute public transportation ride.

Local home family stays include two meals per day: breakfast and either lunch or dinner.  Host families and students arrange their own meal schedules.  Students are responsible for the remaining meals, either preparing them at home or eating in one of many restaurants and cafés throughout the city.

Application Process

Allegheny students must apply for approval to study off-campus from the Global Education office AND apply directly to their chosen program. For this program, students should work on the Allegheny approval application at the same time as the host program application. The Allegheny approval application deadline is February 20 for fall programs and September 20 for spring programs. Study away approval applications will be reviewed immediately following the appropriate semester deadline. The separate application deadline to apply directly to this program will vary and could be before or after Allegheny’s approval application due date. Check directly on their website (linked at the top of this page) for deadline information. For more information about the study away application process, please visit the application steps page.

Visa & Immigration information

If you are a U.S. citizen, you will apply for a visa before leaving the U.S. to enter Argentina. CIEE will assist you with this process. If you are not a U.S. citizen, please contact the Argentinean consulate in your home country for visa requirements.

Fees & Costs

Below find information on estimated costs for a semester abroad. You will receive a bill from Allegheny College, as you normally would, for the amount shown under “Costs Paid to Allegheny College.” All other study away program costs will be paid directly to a non-Allegheny entity and are listed in part two below. These amounts are estimates and will vary depending on individual choices. A total estimated cost of attendance for this program is shown at the bottom.

All financial aid awards can be applied to study abroad costs with the exception of federal work study awards and certain tuition exchange scholarships. For more information, visit our page about Financing Study Away.

Part One: Costs Paid to Allegheny College

Tuition (12 to 20 credits)
Students do not pay tuition directly to CIEE. Instead, students continue to pay tuition to Allegheny College. This fee includes academic related expenses, CIEE iNext travel insurance, CIEE deposit.
$27,930
Housing – Double Room Rate
– Covers Standard Housing with CIEE
$3,675
Meals – Gator Blue Plan
– Two meals a day are included in the program if in homestay. If in independent housing, this cost is not billed and students pay for their own meals on-site
$3,375
Study Away Fee $800
SUBTOTAL Paid to Allegheny College $35,780

Part Two: Costs Paid to non-Allegheny Entity

Estimated Airfare $1,300
Estimated Local Transportation $170
Estimated Visa Fees $150
Estimated Personal Expenses
Personal expenses include: the basic expenses for laundry, toiletries and other incidental expenses. It does not include an estimate for personal travel, entertainment or social outings.
$250
SUBTOTAL Paid to NON-Allegheny entity $1,870

TOTAL COST OF ATTENDANCE

Subtotal Part One: Fees paid to Allegheny College (in section 1. above) PLUS $35,780
Subtotal Part Two: Fees paid to non-Allegheny entity (in section 2. above) $  1,870
TOTAL COST OF ATTENDANCE $37,650 ***
***Compare this to a semester at Allegheny in Meadville.

NOTES:

Study Away Fee includes: administrative support, transcript translation and processing, pre-departure orientation, and emergency travel insurance.