Bustling with diversity, Santiago is a cosmopolitan city that allures with its lively, urban atmosphere and a myriad of activities to partake in. It serves as the hub for the nation’s primary financial, administrative, commercial, and cultural endeavors. The majority of the population lives in Santiago and with that, the majority of university students as well.

Housing
Choosing a safe and enjoyable place to live while abroad is a very important part of a student’s international experience. For this reason, the International Office provides students with a Housing Guide that lists the different accommodations in Santiago used by former exchange students.

It is the exchange student’s responsibility to arrange their housing, as the Universidad de Chile nor FEN provides residence halls or dorms for its students. Housing arrangements and housing agreements are directly between the student and the property owner. The International office will share a Housing Guide with accepted international exchange students prior to their arrival.

Where to live in Santiago
Santiago is composed of 32 municipalities or comunas (think of boroughs). The most common comunas for exchange students to rent apartments are: Santiago Center (Santiago Centro), Ñuñoa, Providencia, and Las Condes, as many are geared for student rental and offer good connectivity with the rest of the city. Please refer to the map below.

However, this does not mean that there are no excellent neighborhoods in other communes that may also be very attractive. The choice will depend on your priorities: proximity to FEN’s campus, your social life, access to public transportation, walkable distances, heavy vehicle traffic, or preferring a quieter neighborhood farther away.

Tips for Renting an Apartment
✓ Start searching early. February is generally “vacation month” in Chile so many people and businesses are closed during this time. With everyone returning to work, and both schools and universities starting at the same time, March is quite chaotic so plan ahead.
✓ Do not rent sight unseen. Visit the apartment to get a feeling for the area and consider how long it would take you to get to class from there.
✓ Make sure you understand the terms and conditions of the rental agreement such as what is included in the monthly rent and how the rent is paid.
✓ Ask former exchange students from your university where they lived and its pros and cons.