Program Details: Universidad del Bio Bio
Is this program for me?
With two primary campuses, Concepcion and Chilian, UBB offers a wide-range of curricular options. UBB has approximately 13,000 students and two primary campuses: Concepcion and Chillan. The Concepcion campus houses Engineering, Architecture, Business and Sciences. The Chillan campus houses Health and nutrition, Education, graphic design, and English. UBB is most suitable for Spanish majors and minors, but it is also a great location for those interested in English education. The vast majority of courses at UBB are taught in Spanish, with the exception of the courses taught in the English Department. Students must have a minimum of 5 semesters of college-level Spanish to participate in this program. UBB is a premier regional University in the Bio Bio region. Students typically stay in homestays which offers students a full immersion into the host culture.
Dual-Degree Opportunity for Integrative Studies Majors (formerly Liberal Studies): UBB and GVSU have created a dual-degree option for students at both institutions. The program is designed for GV students majoring in Integrative Studies. GVSU students must have an intermediate level (or higher) of Spanish proficiency and have declared a major in Integrative Studies. Upon completing degree requirements at GVSU, and after completing program requirements at UBB, GVSU students will be eligible to earn a Bachelor's degree in Humanities from Universidad del Bio Bio. The Bachelor in Humanities focuses on the study and analysis of different areas of the humanities with an emphasis in the language, culture, history and tradition of the Latino American culture in a social Latino context..
SUMMER OPTION: Students interested in the UBB Summer program should scroll to the bottom of this page. Summer program features are different from the semester. exchange.
Location
The city of Concepcion, where UBB’s main campus is located, offers a lively environment with bustling plazas, pedestrian streets packed with local shops, and restaurants serving a wide range of local and international cuisine. Concepcion is 20 minutes from the coast and is centrally located for those who have an interest in exploring other parts of Chile. Concepcion is the second largest city in Chile, second only to Santiago, the capital.
Chillan is an hour east of Concepcion and is near the Andes Mountain range. It is a smaller city with a lively market place and downtown area. Chillan is the ideal location for full immersion into everyday Chilean culture.
Cultural Information
When studying abroad, it is important to learn about the culture of your host country.
For information on music, food, language, history, news and more; view Cultural Information
Cost
2017-2018 Estimated Semester Budget
2017-2018 Estimated Budget for Dual Degree Program
A PIC Partnership Grant is available ($500 each) 2 available per year for this program.
Any student studying abroad for a semester is automatically considered for the Study Abroad Semester Grant, click here for grant guidelines.
The cost of any study abroad program depends to a large extent on the participant's personal spending habits and lifestyle.
Visa Information
Students applying for one semester (or more than 90 days) at Universidad del Bio Bio will be required to secure a student visa from the Chilean Consulate in Chicago. The student visa guide provides information regarding the application process. Please note that the appropriate consulate or embassy must be consulted for the most up-to-date visa information.
Students applying to study at UBB for a semester or year will be required to secure an FBI background check in order to apply for the student visa. The FBI background check may take any where from 2 - 10 weeks for processing. We recommend that students apply for the FBI background check at least 5 months prior to your intended departure. Students may also choose to apply for their FBI background check through a service called Fieldprint. The cost for this service is currently $50 and can be processed in Kentwood, as well as other locations around the country. Students are required to present ink finger prints to the Consulate to obtain their visa, live scan prints will not be accepted.
Housing and Meals
Concepcion campus: homestay, shared house with other international students, or a pension (renting a room in a local home).
Chillan campus: homestay or shared house with other international students.
Most housing placements are in walking distance to campus or within a short bus ride. All payments for housing is paid directly to landlord or family.
Program Dates
NOTICE: During the past several years, UBB has experienced student strikes which caused significant delays in the semester completion in several faculties. Due to these delays, the UBB calendar is now operating with different semester start and end dates based on the faculty you plan to take courses in. Participants will be required to exercise a great deal of flexibility while UBB continues to regularize operations after the disruption of the strikes. Dates listed below are all estimates and subject to change.
Fall: August—January (students may be eligible to return home in December provided they are passing all of their classes)
Academic Year: March—January (students may be eligible to return home in December provided they are passing all of their classes)
Winter: March—July (recommended) During the 2017 academic year, many programs are starting in early April and ending in mid-August.
Summer Option
UBB offers GVSU students an 11-week summer Program in Chillan that runs from early May - July. A minimum of 10 GVSU students are required in order for UBB to run this program; which in the past has always been met. Students will be met at the airport in Santiago, and travel as a group to Chillan. There are a few excursions included in this program. See summer flyer for more details.
NOTICE: There is a cap of 18 participants for this program. Applications will be considered on a first-come, first-serve basis. Once the cap of 18 applicants is filled, the program will be closed to new applicants.
Housing: Students will live in a homestay.
Classes: Students can receive credit for: SPA 380: "Intermediate-High Spanish Language", SPA 321: Composition and Conversation, SPA 304: Spanish for Health Professions, and SPA 380: "Chilean Civilization and Culture."
Students can use any two of the above courses to fulfill their General Education Issues requirement with completion of the appropriate documentation.
Cost: Summer Estimated Budget
Visa: Participants of the summer program at UBB are not required to obtain a visa prior to travel to Chile.
There are a few excursions included with this program, as well as an airport greeting in Santiago. Excursions typically include: Termas de Chillan, Santiago, and Valpo y Vina del Mar
Courses
Courses available to GVSU semester exchange students at UBB
Access the UBB Course List for a list of available courses and course descriptions.
Dual Degree Participants will be required to complete two semesters of exchange at UBB. Most students will take courses in their Area of Emphasis during their year in Chile. Click here for a list of course requirements.
How will the courses I take at UBB transfer back to my GVSU Transcript?
If the course you wish to take at UBB appears on the "Existing Course Equivalencies" list, you do not need to secure course approval for that course. The courses on this list have already been approved by the academic department.
Note: This is not a full list of courses offer at this Partner Institution
Concepcion and Chillan Campuses
Undergraduate programs on the Concepcion Campus include: Architecture, Building Engineering, Industrial Design, Statistics Engineering, Civil Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Wood Sciences Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Automation Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Business Administration, Informatics Engineering, Computer Science and Informatics Engineering, Accountancy & Auditing and Social Work,
Undergraduate programs on the Chillan Campus include: Graphic Design, Early Years Teacher Education, Primary Studies Teacher Education, Language and Communication Teacher Education, Mathematics Teacher Education, Natural Sciences Teacher Education, History and Geography Teacher Education, English Language Teacher Education, Physical Education, Social Work, Psychology, Natural Resources Engineering, BA in Sciences, Business Administration, Computer Science and Informatics Engineering, Accountancy and Auditing, Food Engineering, Nursing, Nutrition and Dietetics, and Speech Therapy
Documents from UBB:
Chillan Campus - Malla Curricular Ingenieria Comercial
Chillan Campus - Castellano
Chillan Campus - Pedagogia en Historia y Geografia
Concepcion Campus - Formacion Integral (General Studies)
Dual Degree Program
GVSU students majoring in Integrative Studies may pursue a dual degree at the Universidad del Bio Bio (UBB) after completing two semesters of study at UBB in Chillan. The academic year begins in March and runs through December. It is ideal for students to begin their studies at UBB during GVSU's winter semester. The semesters will be from March - July and August - December. The Bachelor in Humanities is an academic program designed for GVSU students. The focus of the program is the study and analysis of different areas of the humanities, with an emphasis in the language, culture, history, and tradition of the Latino American culture in a social Latino context.
A list of compulsory and elective courses can be found in the course information section above. See brochure for additional information.
A PIC Partnership Grant is available ($1,000 each) 2 available per year for this program.
UBB Guides
UBB Pre-Departure Guide for Semester 2 2016 (July- December) This is for informational purposes only - this guide is updated each semester with the necessary information for that group of departing students.
Pdf Instructions for Incoming International Students (Fall 2016)
UBB Virtual Map of both Campuses
UBB Application Process
Step 1 - Students must apply and be accepted into the GVSU OASIS application system.
Step 2 - The Padnos International Center will provide all applicants with application instructions after the OASIS priority deadline.
Step 3 - Students must complete all required application materials for the University of Bio Bio. All application materials are turned into the Padnos International Center.
Step 4 - Students receive admission into the program and are provided with additional pre-arrival instructions from University of Bio Bio.
Travel Information
CHILLAN CAMPUS: Students will typically fly into Santiago as the port of entry into Chile. Students attending the Chillan campus may choose to take a bus direct from Santiago. Additional information will be provided by UBB in your pre-arrival instructions.
CONCEPCION CAMPUS: Students typically fly into Santiago. From Santiago, you can either fly on to Concepcion or take a bus. UBB will provide more detailed arrival instructions prior to departure. UBB does offer to meet students at the airport in Concepcion provided the appropriate documents are completed. Please check with UBB prior to making any flight arrangements if you would like to receive an airport greeting.