IFSA-Butler Santiago, Chile

The staff in the university of for Butler (COPA) were great, very friendly and helpful. We had 4 excursions included in the fee, one overnight. Valparaiso is my favorite city in the world, but we had to live in Vin a del Mar because it's safer. I loved my host family. It was hard to make Chilean friends, but by the end I had 2. I suggest taking only the 1 mandatory class with international students, they are not challenging or fun. The ones with Chilean students at PUCV are both. If you go to Chile go to Valparaiso not Santiago. I got to Machu Pichu and Argentina while abroad.

My semester in Santiago was one of the most fantastic experiences of my life! It was mostly because of IFSA-Butler (also known as COPA, Cooperating Program for the Americas). They're well organized and well run, from when you first apply to when you get on the plane in Santiago to go back to the US. The staff are AMAZING! I agree with a previous review that they go above and beyond for students. With their friendliness, their responsibility, and their connections in Santiago, it really feels like there's no problem too big or too small for them.



There's a lot of latitude, of course-- your host family, academic challenge, and cultural immersion depend a lot on the situation and your own decisions (hence, all the "3" scores on the evaluation). But if you have host family issues, questions about registering for courses, or need a suggestion for a fun place to hang out, the staff are ready to help.



The program offers a mandatory Spanish class, an optional class on Chilean history or an independent research project, and the opportunity to take classes in 3 Santiago universities. Sometimes it's hard to find everything that fits your interests, Spanish ability, and schedule, but everybody I know had at least a couple classes they really enjoyed.



Santiago itself is not a breathtakingly beautiful city, a potential downside. But the rest of Chile is definitely worth exploring-- there are once-in-a-lifetime landscapes throughout the country! Overall, I highly recommend IFSA-Butler and Santiago to anyone who's interested in studying in Latin America.

Participating in the IFSA-Butler Santiago program was one of the best things I have done with my life so far. I learned a bit about other programs from meeting North Americans who were abroad with other programs and also from my host parents, who have been host parents for another program. My host parents switched to IFSA students and say that the quality of student is much better. In some programs, you don't even have the opportunity to take classes with Chileans. IFSA takes students from some of the best schools in the United States. The program is of the highest academic quality and the people who make it possible are amazing. The program coordinators and professors go above and beyond the call of duty to make your experience the best it can be. They will provide you with many unique opportunities to experience the country that you will not find with other programs. If you get the chance, go to Chile through IFSA. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me here: ashoresman@hotmail.com.

I loved this program. As others have said, I adored my professor for the required Spanish grammar class. I really enjoyed taking classes at various universities, and the other students and the program staff were just amazing. The program really does attract a wonderful kind of person. I had a great study abroad experience.

My Spanish, prior to this program, was pretty poor. The dedication of the staff and administration to creating an immersed environment resulted in my leaving with a very strong command of Spanish.

The system of placement in families was flexible and you can tell that a lot of effort was put in in order to ensure a quality homestay experience.

The program excursion allowed for an excellent insight into key areas of Chilean culture (which is SO unique) and enabled students to bond and get occasional breaks from the intense immersion.

Best of all, there is a lot of latitude in choosing you academic path. The academic intensity is really up to you. What you are guaranteed is that, with some personal effort, a great chance to become a skilled Spanish speaker.

Awesome program.