Located in the in the center of the country, in a valley that stretches five hundred miles, Santiago anchors the northern and more prosperous section of the central valley. The city is nestled in a valley surrounded by immense Andean peaks creating a spectacular backdrop.

Santiago the capital of Chile, is the fifth largest city in South America with over five million inhabitants and was founded in 1541. The city is bisected by the river (Rio Mapocho) which gently weaves through the city from East to West, before descending to the flood plain below. The very heart of Santiago is the Plaza de Armas, which lies about five blocks south of the river.

The city has a distinctly European flavor, which is evident in its buildings and the Parque Forestal, designed by a French landscaper on the model of Parisian parks. Visitors can walk down tree-lined paths along the Mapocho, past small squares and the Museo de Bellas Artes. Across the river, the Bellavista neighborhood is home to many restaurants, street vendors and cafes. The Parque Metropolitano is Santiago's playground, with walking trails, picnic areas and a zoo. For stunning views of the city, students should head to the top of Cerro San Cristòbal, accessible by bus, funicular, or by a vigorous hike.

Santiago is the central point of a region filled with attractive sites and activities. Only 60 km away are the main South American ski centers, and the beautiful beaches of the Pacific are only an hour's drive to the northwest. Just south of Santiago lie the rich and beautiful vineyards of the Maipo Valley, one of the world's most esteemed wine producing regions. This is truly a stunning and exciting place to study Spanish!

It is the participant's responsibility to have a valid passport and any necessary visas and permits to study abroad. Visit G3Visas for comprehensive information on visa, passport, permit and general country entry requirements.

Santiago has a International Airport with good connections to the rest of South America. Comodoro Arturo Merino Benitez International Airport is located 17 km from the city.
[return to top]

Central Market (hundreds of individual booths)
Vina Concha y Toro (vineyard)
Cerro San Cristobal
Park and Cerro San Cristóbal
Isla Negra (coastal town)
Excursions to iña del Mar (beach resort),
Ski Resorts (1-2 hours from Santiago)
The Chilean Lake District (variety of lakes,
forests and snow-capped volcanoes)
[return to top]

Our school is located in one of the nicest residential areas (Providencia), near the city center and close to all facilities, it is easily be reached by subway or bus. The school is housed in a very beautiful modern building, is very comfortable with all the modern equipment required to study a new language.

The school has a friendly, yet professional atmosphere with 17 classrooms which are all air-conditioned, well equipped with video laser discs and TV's. The school also offers a common/social room for students to relax and they all have access to the internet and e-mail.

The school has many international students from around the world studying and the school holds about 60 students a day. The use of interactive DVDs is a major part of the teaching method used at the school. English is also taught to local students in the same school building, allowing you to meet and socialize with local students of all ages.
[return to top]

Standard: 4 Lessons daily (20 lessons per week) Max. 4 students per class.

Intensive: 7.5 Lessons of daily private instruction, a special curriculum is designed based on a combination of your language needs, goals and interests and the results of your written and oral exam.

Our programs cater for all language levels from absolute beginners to the more advanced, include the use of course materials and provide a variety of options to enhance your program. For more information please see Prices and Start Dates.

Each student will be expected to take a short placement test on the first Monday morning of the course (unless a complete beginner), to determine the students language level and ensure placement in the correct class. Lessons are usually held in the mornings, starting at 9 am, which leave the afternoons free for social or cultural activities, trips, workshops, short excursions or free time to relax or explore on your own.

Teachers are native speakers and many are University educated with years of teaching experience. Learning is based on the communicative approach, without losing sight of the need for grammatical accuracy. Spanish language courses are taught in Spanish and are designed to help students acquire fluency and sufficient communicative skills to cope with any situation that they are likely to encounter.

After classes are over for the day, our program allows you plenty of time to discover your new country, culture, traditions, customs and everyday life. Our optional cultural and social activities allow you to make new friends among your new international classmates, experience cultural and social activities together, and also practice your new language skills in real life situations. In some cases, a small additional fee will be charged to cover local transport and entrance costs.

At the weekend many students can arrange to take optional excursions to local cities or local places of interest. These excursions are slightly more expensive than the daily activities ($10-$40), as they are normally full day or full weekend excursions and could include (transport, meals entrance fees and even accommodation). If you are interested in sight-seeing by yourself or with other class mates, our school staff are more than willing to assist you with any questions you may have and help you book local travel or excursions.

NOTES: School is closed on all public holidays, private lessons and options can be added to any program, lessons normally last 50 minutes, you will be studying with students from around the world, lessons run from Monday - Friday , you will be expected to arrive early on the first Monday morning to take the placement test, a language proficiency certificate is available at the end of the program. Please see the program info and resource links, for additional information or please contact us.
[return to top]

Host Family: (private room) 2 meals daily.

Living with a host family is probably the best and most effective way to become fully immersed into the language and culture of your chosen country. All families are chosen after a careful selection procedure and are middle class. As many of our host families live in the surrounding neighborhoods, the trip to school, is usually not more than 30 minutes away.

Students have access to all living areas in the house and in most cases, will be expected to share the bathroom. All bed linens and pillows will be provided, however we suggest you bring your own towels. If your family does not provide a laundry service, they may allow you to use the laundry facilities for a small additional charge.

Staying in a family is a truly wonderful experience and many students make lifetime friends with their host family. However, you should also have realistic expectations and recognize that an element of flexibility is required to adjust to the local customs and way of life. Your host family may not have the same comforts as your own home but you will always be treated as a guest and free to come and go as you wish.

NOTES: Airport transfers to the accommodation may be included or available (at an additional cost, please check price page), the Sunday night accommodation before your course begins on Monday, is included. All meals will be local custom and meal times may be different to what you are used to, however you are not obligated to eat your meals with the family, just notify them when you will not be returning to eat at home. Extra nights are available at extra cost. Please see the Accommodation link for additional information.
[return to top]

"This is the best study abroad I have done! The host family was lively and loving, the teachers were professional and sympathetic, and the weather cooperated too! My thanks to Language Learning Abroad. I recommend this program to anyone considering a study abroad experience."
Angel Woodward (40) an American student who studied in Santiago, Chile

"I must thank you for arranging the initial details for me because I had a fantastic time during my home stay experience in Santiago. They were an incredible family to stay with and I still stay in touch with them."
M. Samuel
[return to top]