Partner Country of the Month: Chile
The name Chile has nothing to do with the chili plant. It probably means "land where the world ends", describing Chile's location at the south-western edge of South America quite well. Although it's less than 200 kilometres wide from East to West, Chile is the longest country in the world from North to South. It's similar to a distance from Denmark to the Sahara Desert. This creates an incredible diversity of climates and landscapes, with deserts, sunny wine-growing regions, the high mountains of the Andes, and Patagonia with fjords and glaciers. Culturally, Chile is shaped by its time as a Spanish colony, but indigenous cultures and - who would have thought it? - influences from Germany also contribute to an exciting mixture.
With the "Partner Country of the Month" campaign, we want to shine a spotlight on the countries, regions and partner universities of TU Dresden that aren’t necessarily the first to come to our students' minds when thinking about a semester abroad.
Table of contents
General facts and figures about Chile
Capital: Santiago de Chile, about 44% of the population live there
Population: 19 million
Official language: Spanish
National holiday: September 18 & 19, the Fiestas Patrias (Celebration of Chilean Independence) are the country's most important festivity
Currency: Chilean peso (CLP / $), 1€ = 924$
You can find further facts and figures on Wikipedia, on countryreports.org, or have a look at Wikivoyage.
Small language excursion:
Like most of South America, Chileans speak Spanish. As Spanish has been one of the most widely spoken languages in the world for centuries now, there are many regional peculiarities in today's Spanish. Colloquial expressions, everyday terms and names for fruit and vegetables often differ from country to country. Fortunately, they are unlikely to cause major communication problems. Since Chilean Spanish is particularly known for being special, we'll teach you a few useful chilenismos here.
- la wea - the thingy
- bacán - cool
- el carrete - the party, carretear - to party
- fome - boring
- al tiro - immediately
- Cachai? - Got it?
- pololear - to date, el pololo / la polola - the boyfriend / girlfriend
- la micro - the bus
Our partner universities in Chile mainly offer courses in Spanish. There are some courses taught in English as a second language of instruction. However, you will most likely need a certificate of proficiency in Spanish at levels A2 to B1 for an exchange. Please check the exact requirements before applying.
Studying Spanish will definitely pay off for an exchange in Chile. Even among younger Chileans, proficiency in English is not common. Of course, this will give you the opportunity to improve your Spanish skills quickly, as you will get to practice a lot.
In Dresden, you can study Spanish at TUDIAS or at VHS, starting from German. TUDIAS offers an advanced Spanish profile course specifically to prepare for an exchange. Inlingua also teaches courses in English.
Did you know that ....?
- the driest desert in the world lies in northern Chile? The Atacama Desert has been extremely dry for at least 10 to 15 million years. There are areas of the Atacama where life can only exist in the form of microbes below the surface, due to the dryness and strong UV radiation (caused by proximity to the equator, high altitude and lack of cloud cover) – ideal conditions for Mars rover tests. The Atacama is also the perfect spot for astronomical observatories, as the environmental conditions make for a particularly clear night sky. Therefore, some of the largest and most advanced telescope systems in the world are located here.
- snowboarding and skiing are popular sports in Chile? The Andes Mountains run through a large part of the country and offer excellent ski resorts. Surfing is also popular. Since the mountains and the sea lie close together in narrow Chile, it would be possible to ski and surf on the same day.
- Chile, like England, has tea-time as a meal in its own right? Once (eleven) is a snack and tea in the early evening. The strange name is said to go back to the time of alcohol prohibition in Chile. The word aguardiente (liquor) has exactly eleven letters, so people used to order once and get liquor served in a teacup.
- Chile is home to two extremely fluffy animals? Chinchillas and the alpaca-like vicuñas live here.
- there is an earthquake cocktail in Chile? The Terremoto (earthquake) is made from wine, pineapple ice cream and grenadine. Hopefully, its taste is as stunning as the name suggests. In addition to the standard 400 ml size, you can also find a smaller version called Temblor (tremor) or Réplica (aftershock), and a Cataclismo (cataclysm) is served in a very large glass. Due to Chile's location on the Pacific Ring of Fire, earthquakes and volcanic activity are common here. The good thing about it: buildings and infrastructure are adapted to the conditions, so earthquakes usually cause relatively little damage.
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Patagonia, the rugged southern tip of Chile, is home to the largest continuous mass of ice outside the two poles and Greenland? The Campo de Hielo Sur (Southern Ice Field) is a remnant from the Ice Age and is considered the largest freshwater reservoir of South America.
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the indigenous Mapuche people defended themselves against colonisation for centuries? In the middle of the 16th century, the Spanish began to claim what is now Chile for themselves. The Mapuche resisted so successfully that in 1641 they were recognised by the Spanish as a sovereign and independent nation. It's a unique event in the history of the Americas. Although not uncontested, this border remained in place until the 19th century.
- we have Chile to thank for our strawberries? It's a well-known fact that many crops established in Europe, such as potatoes or tomatoes, originated in the Americas. The strawberry is also one of them. It descends from a North American species and the Chilean strawberry, which is widespread in Chile, although not exclusive to it. The Mapuche already cultivated this strawberry in former times. They even used it for warfare. Lush strawberry fields were supposed to lure greedy Spanish soldiers into an ambush.
Cooperation with TU Dresden
You can find an overview of all cooperations of TU Dresden that you can use for your exchange in our database. It is also often worth your time to ask professors in your own faculty who might have direct contacts to your partner university of choice.
Our Danish partner university via Erasmus+
- Universidad de Talca - Interdisciplinary cooperation via TUDweltweit
- University website for international affairs
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Talca is a relatively small and cosy city in the sunny wine and fruit-growing region of central Chile.
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The University of Talca is considered one of the best public universities in Chile outside of Santiago. Its campuses are in different locations, depending on the subject.
- Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso - International Relations
- Faculty cooperation via the Center for International Studies (ZIS)
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Chile's second largest city Valparaíso, called Valpo, is also located in the central region. The colourful port city is known as the Jewel of the Pacific.
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This university is known for its international atmosphere and has several campuses as well. Fun Fact: As one of Chile's two Pontifical universities, it’s directly approved by the Pope.
Don't miss...
Valparaíso. Hard to miss for those spending their exchange here, but the colourful houses and alleyways of Chile's cultural capital are definitely worth exploring. With a World Heritage historic centre and municipally supported street art on every corner, Valparaíso is a complete work of art. Especially worth mentioning: the Open Sky Museum in the district of Bellavista. As the city is built on hills, stairs and old-fashioned cable cars lead to beautiful views – such as the view on the largest fireworks show in Latin America on New Year’s Eve.
The Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino in Santiago is considered one of the world's most important museums for the art of the American peoples before the discovery of the continent by Europeans. It houses more than 3,000 exhibits, some of them more than 5,000 years old, from a wide variety of ethnic groups. These include well-known ones such as the Incas and Aztecs, and of course peoples from present-day Chile. In addition to permanent and temporary exhibitions, the museum also organises events or workshops where you can try out the art techniques on display.
Due to the long distances in Chile, you can't do a day trip to the Atacama Desert, but it’s definitely worth a longer visit. Too monotonous? Not at all! You can find huge, encrusted salt lakes where flamingos live, bizarre lunar landscapes, hot springs and the third largest geyser field in the world. The starting point for exploring the desert is San Pedro de Atacama, accessible by bus from Santiago. Look for tours to the surrounding areas in San Pedro, it’s the cheapest way to get around. Here are some useful tips (in Spanish).
The Museo de la Memoria y los Derechos Humanos in Santiago commemorates the victims of the military dictatorship under Augusto Pinochet, which ruled Chile from 1973 to 1990. On display are testimonies of the disappeared, arrested and murdered, as well as the history of the dictatorship. Chile is still marked by that era. The constitution from dictatorial times is still in place, and its very economically liberal laws cause great social inequality. This led to nationwide protests in 2019, starting a process of constitutional reform.
Radal Siete Tazas National Park, known for its many picturesque waterfalls, is located northeast of our partner city Talca. The Seven Cups, a series of low falls that give the park its name, can even be crossed by kayak by the adventurous. There is a variety of hiking routes, including the El Bolsón trail, which follows the river from the forested foothills to the Andean steppe. In addition to many bird species, the park is home to Pampas cats and the tiny Pudu deer. There is useful advice here (in Spanish).
Let's get cooking...
Typical ingredients of Chilean cuisine are corn, tomatoes, legumes and bread, as well as a lot of seafood and fish. Chilies, avocados and celery are also popular, as is the sauce pebre – it’s a must-have for many dishes. For social occasions, Chileans like to have barbecues. Let's not forget the drinks. Chile is proud of its national drink, Pisco, and it produces excellent wine.
What do they call fruit cake in Chile? That's right ... el kuchen. They also have apple estrudel and jam-filled berlines. Food is one of the areas where the influence of German immigration to Chile becomes apparent, especially when it comes to pastries. Also, beer is often brewed according to German purity rules.
Completos italianos
Completos are the typical Chilean snack, extremely popular and sold everywhere as street food. According to rumour, there is a whole street of just Completos stalls in Santiago de Chile. They are basically hot dogs jazzed up for the Chilean taste – avocados and tomatoes are a must, and apart from that, there are countless variations. The classic version also contains sauerkraut, but the most popular kind are Completos italianos.
Ingredients for 2 Completos:
- 2 buns, preferably soft hot dog buns
- 2 sausages (also vegetarian or vegan)
- 1 large avocado
- 1 large tomato
- some lemon or lime juice
- mayonnaise
- sauces according to taste: mustard, ketchup, barbecue sauce, hot sauce, ...
- salt
Preparation:
1. Boil the sausages in water until they’re done. Finely chop the tomatoes in the meantime.
2. Cut the avocado into pieces and mash them. Sprinkle the paste with lemon juice and salt.
3. Cut the buns open on one side and put everything in: First the sausages, then the chopped tomatoes, followed by the avocado paste and the mayonnaise. Add other sauces to taste at the end.
(Many thanks to recetasgratis.net!)
Contact and further contact persons
Have you had any great experiences in Chile? Did you successfully spend a semester abroad in Talca, did you have inspiring culinary experiences or do you have any tips for places and things that you shouldn't miss? We would be happy to share your experiences either here, on Facebook or, if you like, in a digital information event with other TUD students. Get in touch with us:

Advice on studying abroad
NameMs Federica Serra
Infocenter/ Study abroad; TUDworldwide: America
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Visiting address:
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Postal address:
TUD Dresden University of Technology International Office
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Office hours:
- Tuesday:
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- Thursday:
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Please register at the SCS (FOE, floor 0).
Office hours by phone:
Keine Sprechzeit zwischen 20. - 28.02.2025
Do you want to get first-hand information?
Would you like to know more about Chile? Ask our regional ambassadors - TUD alumni who are active in many countries around the world and can give you information and advice for your stay.
Getting in touch is very easy: On this interactive world map, markers indicate the cities where our regional ambassadors live. There is a short profile with contact information for each one.
Partner Countries Archive
Have you missed a partner country? No worries! Here are all the pages of our previous months for you to read up on:
Argentina Australia Austria Belgium Brazil Bulgaria Chile China Colombia Croatia Czech Republic Denmark Estonia Finland Greece Hungary India Indonesia Iceland Israel Italy
Japan
Kenya Latvia
Mexico Netherlands
Poland Portugal Romania Sweden Slovakia Slovenia
South Africa South Korea
Taiwan
Thailand
Ukraine Vietnam