100 Best Universities in Latin America for International Students 

Are you looking for the Best Universities in Latin America for International Students? Choosing a university career is one of the most critical decisions in life. So you should consider several aspects. 

Among those that stand out are the study program, the quality of teaching, and the institution’s reputation. That is why today we present the Best Universities in Latin America for International Students.

You may be already studying the career of your dreams and want to know your university’s position. If you are about to start university, you may be looking for an international experience and want to make sure it is one of the best institutions in Latin America.

Next, we present the QS Latin America Ranking. One of the most prestigious educational rankings in terms of higher education. So we will tell you the leading indicators it considers to qualify the universities.

What is the QS Latin America Ranking?

The QS Latin America Ranking is an annual ranking of universities in the Latin American region. Since 2011, the British organization Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings presented this 2022 as its list of the best Latin American universities.

This year, the ranking qualified 418 universities in the region, making it the most extensive list in Latin America. To qualify institutions, it has key global ranking indicators. 

Some are academic reputation, employer reputation, faculty-to-student ratio, and a set of performance indicators designed for the region.

First of all, the global indicators are the following:

  • Academic reputation (40%). It gathers the opinion of experts in the field of higher education on the quality of teaching and research.
  • Employer reputation (10%). Employers identify the institutions that produce the most competent, innovative, and effective graduates.
  • The ratio of teachers and students (20%). It measures the ability of institutions to provide students with meaningful access to teachers and tutors.
  • Citations per article (20%). It measures the quality of institutional research based on the total number of citations received by an institution within 5 years.
  • The proportion of international professors and students (10%). It measures the proportion of its international members, which suggests that it is an institution with an international profile, which is why it can attract international professors and students.

Due to the above and taking into account the percentages of said indicators, the universities accumulate a score. The university that is placed in first place has a score of 100.

Next, we will tell you which are the best-positioned universities in Latin America in this educational ranking.

Top 5 Best Universities In Latin America For International Students

Higher education institutions in Latin America, positioned as the top 5, have scores between 100 and 95.1—noted primarily for their international research network, academic reputation, and reputation among employers.

The Top 5 of QS Latin America comprise two Chilean universities, one Mexican, one Colombian, and a university from Brazil. First and second place is held by the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (UC) and the Universidade de São Paulo, respectively.

While in the following positions are at the University of Chile (Santiago, Chile), the Tecnológico de Monterrey (Monterrey, Mexico), and the Universidad de los Andes (Bogotá, Colombia).

The 100 Best best universities in Latin America

As we mentioned, the QS Ranking uses indicators specially designed for the region, with which it qualifies universities in Latin America. For this region, it used five essential criteria, such as the following: impact and productivity of research, teaching commitment, employability, online impact, as well as internationalization.

In addition, the ranking methodology retains key indicators from the global ranking. Therefore, to qualify the institutions of Latin America, the following metrics were used:

  • Academic reputation (30%). Based on the perceptions of academics worldwide on the quality of teaching and research.
  • Employer reputation (20%). It is based on responses to the QS employer survey, which asks to identify the institutions with the most competent graduates.
  • Teacher-to-student ratio (10%). It is an indirect indicator of the institution’s commitment to quality teaching.
  • Personnel with a doctorate (10%). Evaluates the quality of the training of academic staff. So it detects the proportion that has reached the highest level in their area of ​​expertise.
  • International research network (10%). Evaluates the degree of international openness in terms of collaboration in research.
  • Citations per article (10%)  It estimates the impact and quality of the scientific work carried out by universities. Likewise, it only evaluates institutions that produced more than 100 articles in the last 5 years.
  • Works by faculty (5%). It determines the average of scientific publications produced by faculty. Likewise, it evaluates the investigative productivity of the universities.
  • Website impact (5%). Evaluates the effectiveness with which universities make use of new technologies.

Within this list,  Brazil has the most universities in the top 100 places since it places 24 of its higher education institutions. Followed by Chile by placing 16 of its universities as part of this count. 

In addition, other countries that appear within the first 100 institutions are Colombia, Venezuela, Uruguay, Argentina, Cuba, Peru, and Costa Rica. Next, we present the 100 best-ranked universities in Latin America. You can also consult the complete QS Latin America Ranking on its website.

1. UC – Pontifical Catholic University of Chile

2. University of São Paulo

3. University of Chile

4. Tecnologico de Monterrey

5. University of the Andes

6. UNAM- National Autonomous University of Mexico

7. Unicamp – State University of Campinas

8. UBA – University of Buenos Aires

9. Federal University of Rio de Janeiro

10. National University of Colombia

11. University of Concepcion

12. UNESP

13. Pontifical Catholic University of Peru

14. University of Antioquia

15. USACH – University of Santiago de Chile

16. Federal University of Minas Gerais

17. Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro

18. Pontifical Javeriana University

19. the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul

20. Costa Rica university

21. UNLP – National University of La Plata

22. Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso

23. Federal University of Santa Catarina

24. Adolfo Ibanez University

25. IPN – National Polytechnic Institute

26. Austral University

27. University of Havana

28. University of Brasilia

29. Federal University of São Paulo

30. UAM – Autonomous Metropolitan University

31. UDP – Diego Portales University

32. UFPR – Federal University of Paraná

33. UFSCar – Federal University of São Carlos

34. USM – Federico Santa Maria Technical University

35. UNC – National University of Cordoba

36. Torcuato Di Tella University

37. UACH – Austral University of Chile

38. Rosario University

39. IBERO – Iberoamerican University

40. Central University of Venezuela

41. University of Puerto Rico

42. Udelar – University of the Republic

43. Pontifical Catholic University of Argentina

44. UDG – University of Guadalajara

45. Savannah College

46. ITAM – Autonomous Technological Institute of Mexico

47. USB – Simon Bolivar University

48. UANL – Autonomous University of Nuevo Leon

49.UFPE – Federal University of Pernambuco

50. UNIVALLE – University of the Valley

51. University of Talca

52. northern University

53. UDLAP – University of the Americas Puebla

54. UPCH – Cayetano Heredia Peruvian University

55. UFRO – University of the Border

56. EAFIT University

57. PUCRS – Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul

58. University of the Andes – Chile

59. UFC – Federal University of Ceará

60.USFQ – San Francisco de Quito University

61. UNR National University of Rosario

62. Fluminense Federal University

63. UV – University of Valparaiso

64. Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo

65. UIS – Industrial University of Santander

66. Bolivarian Pontifical University

67. UdeSA – University of San Andres

68. UERJ – State University of Rio de Janeiro

69. ULA Mérida – University of the Andes

70. Federal University of Bahia

71. Andres Bello University

72. Federal University of Pelotas

73. UAEM – Autonomous University of the State of Mexico

74. National University of San Marcos

75. university extership of Colombia

76. UCAB – Andres Bello Catholic University

77. Anahuac University Mexico

78. BUAP – Meritorious Autonomous University of Puebla

79. UM – University of Montevideo

80. Costa Rican National University

81. University of the East, Santiago de Cuba

82. COLMEX – The College of Mexico, AC

83. ESPOL – Higher Polytechnic School of the Coast

84. UP – Pan American University

85. University ORT Uruguay

86. ITBA – Technological Institute of Buenos Aires

87. Northern Catholic University

88. UDD – University of Development

89. Pacific university

90. TEC – Technological Institute of Costa Rica

91. UCU – Catholic University of Uruguay

92. UFV – Federal University of Viçosa

93. Federal University of Santa Maria

94. UP – University of Palermo

95. National University of Whose

96. State University of Maringá

97. Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte

98. ICESI University

99. UG – University of Guanajuato

100. National University of the Coast

According to the QS Latin America Ranking, this is the list of the 100 best universities. If this information has been helpful, we invite you to share it with your friends, family, and acquaintances who may find it useful.