Uruguay

There are three universities in Uruguay: the Universidad de la Republica, the only state institution of higher learning; the Universidad Catolica del Uruguay Damaso A. Larangaga, a Catholic university; and the Universidad ORT, a private secular university. There are also several postsecondary technical schools offering credentials in selected fields. Attendance at the Universidad de la Republica is free for Uruguayan citizens.

Instruction in Uruguayan universities is conducted in Spanish. The academic year begins in March and runs through December, with summer vacation in January and February. Programs of study are organized into different levels:

1. An "Intermediate Diploma," similar to a bachelor's degree in the United States, is awarded after two to four years of study in fields such as business, health professions, engineering, and public administration.
2. The Licenciatura is considered a higher level qualification and is given after a minimum of four years of study. A student may be awarded this credential for continued study in medicine, law, dentistry, psychology, sociology, and architecture. A licenciatura may take up to six years of full-time study to achieve, not unlike many similar programs at U.S. institutions.
3. A student in Uruguay may also seek the equivalent of a graduate degree, or maestrias, which takes two years of study beyond the licenciatura. A related option is the especialzacione, or one-year specialization, which is offered as a level between the maestrias and the licenciatura.
4. The highest level of study, the doctorado, is a research-based degree and requires a minimum of three years of study beyond the maestrias. The U.S. equivalent of this degree is the doctorate.

A number of existing bilateral agreements allow for the acceptance and exchange of students from recognized programs of study at institutions in other countries. Non-Uruguayan students wishing to study in the country are required to provide documentation of their previous course work and apply for a study visa.