About Medellín
Where is Medellín located?
Medellin is capital city of Antioquia, located northwest of Bogotá, about half an hour by plane. It is at an altitude of 1500 above sea level, and is of mild temperature. If you travel within the country, you should take a plane. Distances can be measured by the time it will take to get to another city. Flying to Bogotá will take half an hour, while going by car can take up to 9 hours. Cartagena is one hour away by plane, and a little more you will want to get to the Amazonia. Cali is 35 minutes away flying, and San Andrés Island is one and a half hour away by plane.
Which is the real safety condition in the city?
If you know where you are going, and you avoid being alone on the streets at night, you are safe. There is pick pocketing activity like in any other big city, and going out of the city by car could be dangerous. We recommend consulting your Consulate or Embassy before taking a trip. Students are recommended to get acquainted and go to places where other students go, not to talk to strangers and not to carry lap-tops or big backpacks while walking on the streets so as not to draw attention. Call a taxi of a company recommended to you, rather than taking anyone that passes by, especially at night.
Where can I live in Medellín?
Unless you have friends or relatives who offer you housing, it is advisable to stay with a family at first, until you decide whether you want to share an apartment with other students or be on your own. The International Relations Office has a number of places and can help you out. Renting an apartment is not an easy option, since a co-signer is usually required. We also advise to be close to a Metro Station, since it is the best public transportation facility. Neighborhoods like El Poblado, Laureles, Estadio, and the town of Envigado are nice places to inhabit.
About the University
What does EAFIT stand for?
When it was founded in 1960, it was the Escuela de Administración y Finanzas, Instituto Tecnológico (School of Management and Finance - Technological Institute). When it became a university in 1971, the directors decided to keep the name, as it was highly positioned in the community.
Where is EAFIT located?
It is in the neighbourhood of El Poblado, a part of town with more than 10 thousand inhabitants, lots of tall and modern buildings, and where most of the financial institutions are. There are plenty of malls, and the Parque Lleras which is the most popular meeting place for the student population.
What is EAFIT’s mailing address?
Universidad EAFIT
Carrera 49 N° 7 Sur – 50 Av. Las Vegas
Medellín - Colombia
Can I find statistics on line?
The Direction of Planning is in charge of the publication of statistics.
You may find those in our Website:
http://www.eafit.edu.co/eafitcn/planeacion/
For candidates to Graduate Programs 
How long is a Graduate Program?
There are two types of graduate studies: The equivalent to Graduate Certificates in one Field, like Finance or Marketing, which require one year of studies, and the Master’s Degrees Programs, like the MBA which usually take two and a half years, and require a Thesis.
Is work experience required to apply for the MBA?
To enter the Program, two years work experience is required. Our MBA Program follows the structure of an Executive MBA, for people that work during the week. Classes are given Fridays from 17:00 hr. until 21:00 hr., and Saturdays from 08:00 to 12:00. This system allows a person to hold a full-time job. The Master of Science in Business Administration is a full-time program, geared to prepare researchers and consultants. It is offered mainly to teachers and independent Management Consultants.
Is an on campus interview required?
Usually, the score of the PAEP is enough for entry to the introductory courses. An interview is required only in special cases.
What is the PAEP?
PAEP stands for Prueba de Admisión a Estudios de Posgrado. It is administered by LASPAU, a non-profit organisation affiliated to Harvard University. You can see all the details (in Spanish) at the following Website:
http://www.laspau.harvard.edu/laspau
Can I apply for a scholarship?
Scholarships offered for graduate courses are available through the ICETEX (our government’s agency for studies abroad). Please visit their Website:
http://www.icetex.gov.co
For Undergraduate candidates
How do I apply for Admission?
If you want to be admitted as a regular student, please refer to our section Study at EAFIT, or the Admissions Office's Web page (in Spanish). You can also contact us for more information.
http://www.eafit.edu.co/eafitcn/admisiones/
When do I know whether I have been accepted?
For the students entering for the first time, the list of accepted candidates is printed out and posted in visible places on campus, two weeks prior to Registration due each session. Any person can come and look at those lists, so that you will know what to do next. If you come as an exchange student, your own University will select you.
How long is an Undergraduate Program?
Most our undergraduate programs have duration of eleven semesters, including one or two internship terms, depending on the program. Classes are taught from 6:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m., giving a wide opportunity to make up individual schedules.
How can I check the course schedules?
The Admissions Office publishes, prior to registration days, the list of courses and schedules for students their registration. You can visit the Web page at:
http://www.eafit.edu.co/eafitcn/admisiones/
Is the semester of study abroad required?
It is desirable, but not required. The academic agreements with other universities will let students do that at a lower cost. On the other hand, undergraduate programs have internship sessions, which can be spent abroad if there is the opportunity to do it.
Is there a concentration field of studies in undergraduate programs?
Yes. Curricula structure allows students to choose a concentration area, called ‘Énfasis’, from their sixth semester on. In the MBA, students follow specialised courses during a year, as their concentration.
Are Internships required or available?
All undergraduate programs have internship semesters: two in the programs of Business Administration and Accounting (seventh and ninth semesters) and one semester -usually the ninth- in the other programs. The University places its regular students who qualify for the Internship in companies here or abroad (See “Departamento de Prácticas Profesionales - DEPP” in the Spanish website for more information).
How is the workload?
Usually, the number of credits given to a subject corresponds to the number of hours of class during the week. For Freshmen, full workload is required, that is, 24 to 26 credits should be taken the first semester, depending on the program. After that, a minimum of eight credits is required to be considered a regular student, and a maximum of 28 credits for the Business School and 30 credits for the Engineering School is allowed as a workload for one term.
How is the grading system?
EAFIT´s grading scale ranges from 0.0 to 5.0, being 3.0 and above the passing grades. Compared to the USA system, we could consider the following ranges:
A = 5.0 - 4.5
B = 4.4 - 4.0
C = 3.9 - 3.5
D = 3.4 - 3.0
F = 2.9 and below
What is the Minimum GPA required to stay at School?
GPA is calculated every session from the notes entered by each teacher into the system, and the accumulated note is given by calculating the average of all grades given throughout the time of permanence in the University. For the first semester of every undergraduate program, a GPA of 2.7 is accepted, but afterwards it is necessary to keep a 3.0 GPA in order to stay in the program. For the graduate programs, a 3.0 GPA is always required.
What is the academic calendar?
First semester of the year starts on the third week of January and ends mid-June. The second semester starts on the first Monday right after July 20th (Independence Day) and ends mid-November. Each year, the exact dates are published in the Admissions Office Web page.
How much does the tuition cost?
Tuition is paid according to the total number of UMEs you have each semester. The cost of each UME is $155.552 Colombian pesos, plus an non-refundable application of USD 21. Visiting students are subject to this payment, but it is waived for exchange students.
What is the cost of living in Medellín?
The following costs can be taken as a guide for a sixth-month stay:
Room and board USD 4200
Laundry 300
Transport (in the city) 200
Insurance 400
Books 200
TOTAL USD 5300
For more detailed information, please visit our Useful Information section.
International Students
How do I apply for admission as international student?
The first step is to contact the International Relations Office (international@eafit.edu.co) stating the program or subjects of your interest, and the approximate time you wish to come to EAFIT. Preliminary information for Undergraduate students is furnished there. For graduate studies, applicants will be referred to the appropriate academic department. All candidates to be visiting (i.e. fee-paying) student and candidates of exchange programs are taken through this office.
Can I apply to an Exchange Program?
If you are already studying at a University that has an Academic Agreement with EAFIT, you can come here to study a regular session without paying tuition, be registered as a normal student, take all the exams and be graded, and the grade report will be sent to your University. This is the core of the exchange programs. Please have the following documents ready:
- Passport and national ID Card
- Three (3) photographs 3x4 centimetres, full colour, white background
- Rh Factor of your blood
- All the papers required for your student visa. Please refer to our section “Useful Information” for more details.
Can I just come for a semester and take some courses?
Yes. You will then be considered a visiting student. After deciding the courses you wish to take, the International Relations Office will present your candidature to the Admissions Office, which will issue the Letter of Acceptance you will need to have the Student Visa. You will be charged tuition for the chosen subjects and the grade report if you need it, but for the rest, you will be treated as an international student.
How can I find a place to live?
Most students can be placed in rooms with Colombian families. The International Relations Office has a list of homes for the student to choose from, according to his financial possibilities. It is also possible to rent an apartment, which is rather more expensive and requires collateral and some advanced payment. EAFIT has no dorms, but it is near to all transport facilities. Public transportation is very common.
If I visit, can I talk to a professor? a student? sit in on a class?
Yes, while visiting, it is easy to make an appointment with a teacher, a student or an officer of specific area of interest. If previously arranged, sitting in on a class is also possible. The International Relations Office can be of help in making these arrangements.
Can international students receive financial aid?
Not from the University. Exchange students that come within an Academic Agreement benefit from having to pay tuition in their home university, instead of at EAFIT