In order to enhance Chile's presence on the global education map, Imagen de Chile and Learn Chile signed a collaboration agreement that will allow them to coordinate efforts and strengthen the arrival of international students to the country.
In the 2026 edition of QS Quacquarelli Symonds (QS World University Rankings), 20 Chilean universities ranked among the best in the world (more than 1,500 institutions in 106 countries).
This alliance, formalized at the Universidad de los Andes, will allow the articulation of joint actions with the 19 universities and higher education institutions (HEIs) that make up this network, enhancing Chile's international presence as an attractive, reliable and quality academic destination.
"Today we are launching a project with Learn Chile to project the image of Chile from the classroom. It is a path that we will travel collaboratively to make more strongly visible the contribution that Chilean education makes to the world, and thus continue to position Chile as a country that inspires, innovates and shares its talent with the global community," said the executive director of Imagen de Chile, María Teresa Saldías.
"International education not only transforms lives and career paths, it also energizes local economies and strengthens global ties. Every student who comes to Chile is an agent of cultural and economic change. And that is the virtuous circle that we want to continue to nurture. We believe that internationalization is a contribution for Chile," said Cristina Muñoz, director of Learn Chile.
In this way, the alliance will help not only to attract more foreign students, but also to position Chile as a quality and reliable academic destination, aligned with the international standards reflected in the rankings.
In the 2026 edition of QS Quacquarelli Symonds (QS World University Rankings), 20 Chilean universities ranked among the best in the world (more than 1,500 institutions in 106 countries). The Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile is ranked 116th in the world, followed by the Universidad de Chile (173rd), and the Universidad de Santiago de Chile (490th).
Chile attracts more and more international students
According to a recent study by Learn Chile - conducted with data from the Higher Education Information Service (SIES) - foreign enrollment in Chile has shown sustained growth in recent years: regular foreign students increased 39.8% between 2020 and 2023, while exchange students grew 67.4% in the same period.
Likewise, in 2024, Learn Chile's HEIs received more than 47 thousand foreign students, including regular and exchange students.
There is also a direct economic impact associated with the payment of fees by international students at Learn Chile institutions, an amount that in 2024 reached US$ 119 million, without considering living expenses such as lodging, transportation or food.
Most of the foreign students who came to Chile on exchange in 2023 were from the United States, Spain, France, Mexico and Colombia.
An attractive academic destination
The study also reveals that international students rate their experience in the country positively. Some 89% rate it as good or very good, and more than 87% would recommend Chile as an academic destination.
A variety of natural attractions, quality academic programs and the possibility of living an integral experience are part of the perception that foreign students have of Chile.
In addition, the main motivations for choosing the country are its quality institutions, diversity of programs, tourist attractiveness and unique landscapes.