Attention all incoming International Exchange students: Please read for updated information regarding the upcoming semester at USM.

Considering that:
a) A large number of USM students come from the most affected areas and have suffered major damages
b) We have not heard from many of these students
c) There is still no regular transportation available from these areas,

The USM President and the Vice Chancellor have decided to change the academic calendar:
- Classes will start on Monday, March 22.
- The Orientation Session for exchange students will be held on March 17, 18 and 19

We assume you have already booked your flights and will be arriving earlier than march 17. If that's the case, please inform your student tutor of your arrival date and stay in close contact with him/her.

If you plan on traveling once you arrive in Chile, please keep in mind that Santiago airport is not working to its full capacity and that you should stay away from the most damaged areas, that is, Maule, Bio Bio, Araucanía and the lake district, etc.

You can look for flight updates on the SCL Airport website: http://www.aeropuertosantiago.cl/

We apologize for any inconvenience this change may cause and we thank you in advance for your understanding.

To all our friends and colleagues abroad,

For those of you who have seen coverage of the earthquake that struck Chile on February 27, 2010, we want to advise that all of us at the USM International Affairs Office are safe and sound. Valparaíso, Viña del Mar, and Santiago were not hit as hard as places further south, and these cities are beginning to return to normal operation. We send our thoughts and best wishes to our friends in Concepción and around, that they may be with their families and receive the help they need.

University Activities
The USM main campus in Valparaíso, the Viña del Mar branch, and both Santiago campuses have all resumed normal activities as of today, March 1st. Please be advised that our academic calendar has not changed. Classes for returning students will begin on Monday March 15. Orientation activities for international exchange students will take place as scheduled, beginning on March 10, 2010.

International Travel
Please check with your airline to confirm your flight, as the Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport (SCL) is operating with limited flights for the next couple of days.

Travel from Santiago to Valparaíso by bus or car may suffer some delays. Please confirm with your bus company if there have been any changes to their schedule.

If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact our office.

Sincerely,

Karol, Katie, July, and Andrés
International Affairs Office
Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María

The official language in Chile is Spanish. To study as an international student at USM, all students must have a sufficient command of Spanish in order to take regular courses, all of which are taught in Spanish.

During March 1-12 the USM will be offfering an intensive spanish course for those students wanting to improve their Spanish skills.
Application deadline is February 22, 2010

For those of you who have already arrived to Chile, or who will be coming before/before our Orientation Week on March 10-12, here are some things to do in the meantime...

*Please note that the USM will be closed for summer break between Jan 22- Feb 22*

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