Duke in Chile
Language and Culture of Entrepreneurship in Latin America
Program Alert
Duke in Chile is currently on hiatus and will not run in Summer 2020.
Earn credit for Spanish 204 and 303 in one summer session
Apply NowIn this six-week, two course program in the cities of Valparaiso and Viña del Mar, Chile, students will complete the equivalent of Spanish 204 and Spanish 303 with an eye towards the development of linguistic skills in Spanish and cultural awareness related to entrepreneurial themes in Latin America. Valparaiso, whose historic quarter is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a major educational center home to several universities and technology-based start-ups and social entrepreneurship ventures.
PROGRAM FAST FACTS
Location: Valparaiso, Chile
Term: Summer
Dates: May 15 to June 27, 2020
Application Deadline: February 1
Academic Theme: Language and Culture of Entrepreneurship in Latin America
Credit Type: Duke Credit
Prerequisites: Must have completed Spanish 203 or have the consent of the Director of the program.
Open to Non-Duke Students? Non-Duke students are welcome to apply.
Duke Affiliation: Duke Department of Romance Studies
Housing: Homestays
Physical Requirements: Ability to walk hilly terrain and take public transportation
GEO Advisor: Abigail Grubbs
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Students take a tour of Valparaiso during orientation
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Valparaiso is known for its colorful murals
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Located on the coast, the city is comprised of more than 40 different hills
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The historic quarter of Valparaiso, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
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Chile's main passenger and commercial port is in Valparaiso
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A container ship leaving the port of Valparaiso
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Touring the bay near Valparaiso's port
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Students learn how to make Chilean food, like pebre and empanadas
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Students live with Chilean host families in nearby Viña del Mar
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Students get paired with entrepreneurs to complete a 32 hour practicum
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Students on excursion to Isla Negra, home to Pablo Neruda
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Students take an excursion to the Chilean capital, Santiago
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The program includes an excursion to the Atacama Desert in Northern Chile
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The Atacama Desert is the driest desert in the world
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On the excursion to Northern Chile, students visit El Tatio geyser field in the Andes
ACADEMICS
You’ll enroll in one course worth two Duke credits. No pass/fail option or auditing is permitted. The course may be used to satisfy one course requirement toward the Spanish major and minor in the Romance Studies Department, and will also count toward the FL graduation requirement.
SPANISH 315A / I&E 315A
Language and Culture of Entrepreneurship in Latin America
(CZ, FL, CCI), 2.0 Credits
Instructor: Lisa Merschel
Pre-requisite: Spanish 203
The course focuses on learning culture through social and for-profit entrepreneurship in Latin America, and aims at developing students’ proficiency in Spanish through linguistic, social, and cultural immersion in Chile. The course builds on elements of the language acquired in Spanish 101 through 203. Therefore, students will continue to develop listening, speaking, reading and writing skills, improve the range and sophistication of grammar usage and vocabulary, and be exposed to an immersive Spanish-speaking environment in Chile by interacting with the entrepreneurial community. Students will be exposed to an immersive Spanish-speaking environment in Chile by participating in 32 hours of practicums at assigned entrepreneurial non-profit and for-profit businesses in addition to classroom and home stay experiences.
EXCURSIONS
The program includes activities in Valparaiso, including tours of the city as well as visits to several entrepreneurial organizations. There will be a day trip to the capital of Santiago as well as a three-day, two-night trip to the northern region of Chile. An itinerary of the program’s activities will be provided to students during the pre-departure orientation at Duke.
HOUSING & MEALS
During orientation, students will stay in shared-occupancy hotel rooms. For the duration of the program, students will live with program-approved host families in single-family dwellings, one student per family. Students will have their own bedrooms, with a desk, good lighting, and a place to store their clothing (closet or wardrobe). Students may have to share a bathroom with other family members. Laundry service is provided once per week, and bedrooms and bathrooms are cleaned weekly. Internet access is provided.
Host families will provide three meals per day, except on days when students have program activities. On these days, host families will provide breakfast and dinner and the program will provide students with a stipend to purchase lunch. During orientation, the program will provide students and faculty with two lunches, two dinners and snacks. Additional meals will be provided on some group excursions.The program will arrange a farewell meal the last night of the program, to which two members of the students’ host families will also be invited to attend.
COSTS
These costs are estimated based on previous years’ programs and the current exchange rate. All costs are subject to change.
Summer 2020
| Duke Students | Non-Duke Students | |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | $7,158 | $7,158 |
| Program Fee | $2,300 | $2,300 |
| Transcript Fee | N/A | $40 |
| Other Costs | Other costs | Other costs |
| TOTAL (Estimated) | $12,208 | $12,248 |
Explanation of Costs
The program fee for this program includes:
- Airport pick-up upon arrival and drop-off upon departure for participants arriving/departing on the program start and end dates
- Accommodations
- Most meals (see housing and meals for details)
- A local cell phone and SIM card
- International SOS Coverage
- Program-sponsored activities and excursions
- On-site orientation program
- Internet and Wi-Fi access
- On-site accident and health insurance policy
What is not included?
Use the following list to assist with budgeting for expenses outside the program fee. This list contains common examples but should not be considered exhaustive.
- Airfare
- Out-of-pocket medical expenses
- Immunizations
- Visas (if needed for non-US students)
- Passport
- Textbooks and class materials
- Independent travel and entertainment
- Items of a personal nature
- Incidentals
U.S. citizens do not need a visa for this program. However, if you are not a U.S. citizen, you may need a visa. Please be sure to research the cost of obtaining a visa for Chile, including any required travel to a consulate or embassy.
If you receive financial aid, and need assistance with travel costs, please contact your financial aid counselor.
Personal expenses can fluctuate greatly depending upon habits and preferences of the individual. It’s also wise to budget for unexpected expenses such as medical emergencies. You can use a cost-of-living comparison tool to get an idea of what daily life costs in the program host location.Content
Step 1: Upon acceptance to the program, you must submit the Summer Participation Agreement found in your MyGlobalEd application to confirm your enrollment. A parent/guardian’s co-signature is required. This form takes the place of a deposit.
NOTE: If you withdraw after March 15, you will be charged a cancellation fee for voluntary withdrawal. Fees range from $1,500-2,000.
Step 2: Summer invoices will be sent via email to your Duke email address and home email address. Remit payment to the Bursar per due date and address indicated on your online statement. Consult the Duke Bursar's office billing schedule for payment due dates.
Financial Aid
Duke students receiving institutional need-based grant aid are eligible for aid for this program; work-study funds are converted to grants. Students are individually responsible for making the necessary arrangements with the Karsh Office of Undergraduate Financial Support and the Duke Bursar’s Office.
Non-Duke students are not eligible to receive financial aid at Duke and should contact their home institutions for financial aid information.
Scholarships
This program offers the following scholarship opportunities:
DATES
Attendance is required at all classes, excursions, and group events. Given the intense nature of this program, late arrival and/or early departure is not permitted.
- Arrival: May 15, 2020
- Departure: June 27, 2020
Flights
You will make your own travel arrangements to and from the program site. You are expected to arrive on the arrival date cited above, which usually means departing the U.S. one day prior. Once you have a flight itinerary, log in to MyGlobalEd to update your travel registry.
Housing Before/After
You will need to make your own housing arrangements if you will be arriving before the program start date or leaving later than the program end date.
VISA & PASSPORT
VISA
No visa is required of U.S. citizens to participate in this program. Non-U.S. citizens should pay special attention to the visa requirements for their specific citizenship by contacting the country embassy to find out if any visa restrictions are in effect.
PASSPORT
All participants must have a valid passport. Make sure your passport has at least six months of validity beyond the program end date to avoid unintended disruptions. For instructions on obtaining or renewing your U.S. passport, visit passports.state.gov.
International Student Identity Card
An International Student Identity Card (ISIC) is optional. ISIC is the only internationally recognized form of student ID, endorsed by UNESCO. If purchased in the U.S., the card also carries with it a supplemental insurance policy, which can prove to be very helpful in the event of serious injury. You may purchase this card through www.myisic.com. Processing of the card takes between 4-15 days.
PROGRAM FACULTY & STAFF
Program faculty director(s) can assist with questions related to program academics, admissions, on-site needs, etc. For all other inquiries, please contact the GEO representative listed.
ADMISSIONS
Deadline: February 1
This program has rolling admission. Applications will be considered on a first-come, first-served basis until the program fills; after that, qualified students are added to a waitlist and notified of openings. Applications must be received by the deadline to be considered. Application opens November 1.
Priority: Priority is given to applicants who meet the language prerequisite and apply early.
Minimum GPA: There is no minimum overall GPA. However, students must have earned a minimum of a ‘B’ in Spanish 203 or previous level.
Non-Duke students: Non-Duke students are welcome to apply for this program. You must be a degree-seeking student in good standing at an accredited college or university. Consult your university’s registrar and/or study away advisor for assistance with transfer credit. Students who are not matriculated at a college or university are not eligible to participate in Duke’s study away programs.
GEO policy for graduating seniors who wish to apply for a Duke summer study abroad/away program:
Students must be active, matriculated students in order to participate in any Duke-in summer programs, including Duke’s domestic summer programs. All program courses must be taken for graded credit. If seniors plan to graduate in May of the year they plan to study abroad in the summer, they will not be eligible to participate on any of our summer programs unless they receive approval from their academic dean at Duke to delay their graduation until after the summer program has ended.
Non-Duke students planning to graduate in May in the year they plan to study abroad in the summer must provide approval to delay their graduation until after the summer program has ended from the appropriate official at their home institution. Such approval must be furnished in writing to GEO before the student will be allowed to participate in the summer program. This approval may be sent via email to the appropriate program assistant at GEO.
Duke students who defer their graduation to participate in study abroad should consult with their financial aid advisor in the Duke Office of Undergraduate Financial Aid to determine whether they are eligible for a summer aid package and/or a GEO summer scholarship.
APPLY
Start your application early to ensure that it is complete by the deadline! Incomplete applications will not be forwarded to the program directors for consideration.
Submit the following items using MyGlobalEd:
- Online application
- Official transcript(s) from all colleges and universities attended.
- A personal statement in Spanish, 1-2 pages (double spaced) including the following:
- Explain why you are interested in the program, what you think you will contribute to it, and what you hope to gain from it.
- Describe in detail your experience learning Spanish to date: how many years of Spanish, any tests taken (AP/SAT II) and their scores, what kinds of readings you have done in Spanish, and the length of papers you have written. You do not need to answer this question if you are currently taking (or have taken) a Spanish language course at Duke.
- Academic letter of recommendation, preferably from a Spanish language professor at Duke. If you have not taken a Spanish course at Duke, a letter may be requested from a professor who knows you well. Recommendation letters from high school teachers will not be accepted.
STUDENT STORIES
Meet with a GEO Advisor
Not sure where to start? Prefer to talk to someone? Schedule an appointment with a GEO advisor to get personalized recommendations and answers to your questions.