The Universidad de Montevideo (UM) was first founded in 1986 and is located in Montevideo, the capital of Uruguay. The main campus is located in the Parque Batlle area of Montevideo, a quiet residential neighbourhood close to the city centre. Montevideo is a vibrant city of 1.5 million people that is home to almost half of the country’s population.

UM is a small university and has just over 2,000 students and around 300 members of staff. It offers a wide range of international programmes in Business, Economics, Communications, Engineering, Humanities and Education. The Office of International Affairs coordinates a successful student exchange programme, with the number of international students increasing 130% in the past 12 years.

There are a variety of extracurricular opportunities available. One invaluable example is UM’s Buddy programme which gives each international student a ‘buddy’ upon arrival to help the individual integrate with the University’s community. There is also the opportunity for international students to participate in a volunteering scheme through the university community service club which has many links with projects around Montevideo. As well as this the University offers a variety of sports as well as the ‘Adventurer’s Club’ which organizes outdoor activities around the country such as hiking and canoeing.

Montevideo, the capital of Uruguay, has a surprising cultural diversity for such a small population, and the city is full of colonial Spanish, Italian, and Art Deco styles. Here are just a few of the things you can do both in Montevideo and slightly further afield:

• Visit the Old Town of Montevideo which is full of history and attractions, ranging from Teatro Solís, the second-biggest theatre in Latin America, to Palacio Salvo which stands on the Plaza Independencia.
• Taste typical Uruguayan food at Mercado del Puerto (the Harbour Market), including Uruguay’s traditional drink of yerba mate tea.
• Visit Colonia del Sacramento, a UNESCO World Heritage site nearby Montevideo which is lined with buildings from its time as a Portuguese settlement.
• Travel to Punta del Este, a famous coastal resort, only a short bus ride from Montevideo.
• Take weekend trips to major cities in other South American countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Paraguay. All of these countries are also within a few hours travel time.

UM has no on-campus housing and students can live in student residences or rent apartments. UM states that the estimated cost of housing per month ranges from £410 to £574. The estimated total cost of living per month ranges from £927 to £1090 (please see the attached fact sheet below).

By studying at UM, students will be able to study a range of subjects in small groups and have the opportunity to learn about both Uruguayan and Latin American culture. Students also benefit from having the thriving cultural scene of Montevideo on their doorstep, a city which is consistently rated as having the highest quality of life of any city in Latin America.