🏅 QS World Rank #84
Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA) — Full Profile & Ranking 2026
Argentina’s largest public university and the only Latin American university in the QS World Top 100 — QS World Rankings 2027 #84
The Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA) is a public university in Buenos Aires, Argentina, founded in 1821. In the QS World University Rankings 2027 (released June 2026), UBA ranked 84th in the world and is the only Latin American university in the global top 100. Undergraduate study is tuition-free for Argentine and resident students, and teaching is in Spanish. Rules for non-resident foreign students changed in 2025, so this guide explains what is established, what depends on residency, and what applicants should confirm directly with UBA. Every figure is labelled with its year or source.
UBA Overview
UBA is one of the largest and most influential public universities in Latin America, with a broad range of faculties spread across Buenos Aires — from Medicine, Law, and Economics to Engineering, Exact and Natural Sciences, Philosophy and Letters, and Architecture. It has a long record in science, medicine, and the humanities, and its graduates have included Argentine presidents, scientists, and writers. Instruction is in Spanish, and admission to most degree programs goes through a common first-year system (the CBC) rather than a single national entrance exam.
UBA Rankings — QS World University Rankings 2027
UBA is ranked 84th in the QS World University Rankings 2027, published by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) in June 2026, making it the only Latin American university in the top 100.
QS ranks universities using academic reputation, employer reputation, citations per faculty, student-to-faculty ratio, and measures of international faculty and students. This is a QS-specific result, not a universal ranking — Times Higher Education, U.S. News, and ARWU use different methods and can order the same universities differently.
Source: QS TopUniversities, QS World University Rankings 2027 (released June 2026).
Faculties & Key Strengths
- Medicine & Health Sciences — Faculty of Medicine and associated teaching hospitals
- Law — Faculty of Law, among the best known in Latin America
- Economics & Social Sciences — Faculties of Economic Sciences and Social Sciences
- Exact & Natural Sciences, Engineering — strong research tradition in physics, chemistry, and mathematics
- Humanities & Architecture — Philosophy and Letters; Architecture, Design and Urbanism
For the full list of faculties and degrees, see UBA’s international office website.
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Admission Requirements
UBA admission details below were checked in October 2026. Foreign-student rules changed in 2025, so confirm everything with UBA’s international office before applying.
Admission Details
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Language | Spanish — a strong command is needed for degree study |
| Entry System | Most degrees start with the CBC (Ciclo Básico Común) first-year common cycle; some faculties run their own entry courses |
| Documents | Secondary-school certificate, legalised/apostilled and recognised for Argentine purposes, plus identity documents |
| Residency / ID | Degree enrolment by foreign students generally requires Argentine residency and a national ID (DNI); confirm current rules with UBA |
| Exchange Students | Apply through your home university’s agreement with UBA; separate rules apply |
| Postgraduate | Each faculty runs its own master’s/doctoral admissions and fees |
Language of Instruction
Teaching is in Spanish. There are few full degrees in English, so Spanish proficiency (for example a DELE or SIELE certificate, or equivalent) is practically essential.
Official source: UBA International Relations.
UBA Acceptance Rate
UBA has historically operated an open, tuition-free entry model for undergraduates, so selectivity comes through the first-year CBC courses rather than a competitive admissions rate; many students do not complete the first year. UBA has not published a single official acceptance rate comparable to those of selective universities elsewhere.
Always check current entry requirements per program on the official admissions pages.
Practical Application Checklist
- Confirm with UBA’s international office whether your nationality and residency status allow degree enrolment
- Check whether your secondary-school certificate must be legalised and recognised by Argentine authorities
- Prove Spanish proficiency and plan a preparatory language course if needed
- Ask the target faculty about its entry course, calendar, and any fees
- Budget for living costs in Buenos Aires
- Check Argentine student-visa and residency requirements with the nearest Argentine consulate
- Verify every date, fee, and requirement on UBA’s official website before submitting
Tuition & Costs
Undergraduate study at UBA has traditionally been free of tuition for Argentine and resident students. In 2025 Argentina issued Decree 366/2025, which allows public universities to charge fees to non-resident foreign students; institutions were still working out their schedules at the time of checking, so non-resident foreigners should not assume free tuition. Some UBA programs publish fees — for example, UBA Law exchange fees have been listed at about US$1,000 for MERCOSUR students and US$1,500 for others (free under agreements). Living costs in Buenos Aires are commonly estimated at roughly US$500–900 per month (aggregated estimate, varies with lifestyle and exchange rates).
Source: UBA published information and press reports on Decree 366/2025, October 2026. Confirm exact fees with UBA and the relevant faculty.
Scholarships & Financial Aid
- No-tuition model — undergraduate study is tuition-free for eligible students, which is UBA’s main form of financial support
- Exchange and agreement programs — fee waivers and mobility grants through partner universities
- Argentine government and regional programs — availability changes; check with UBA and the Argentine Ministry of Education
Funding is not automatic or guaranteed. Confirm current options with UBA’s international office.
UBA for Pakistani Students
Pakistani applicants should treat UBA as a Spanish-language university with residency-linked rules for foreign students. Practical points:
- Spanish is required; there is no widely available English-taught undergraduate route
- Check with UBA whether you can enrol in a degree without Argentine residency and a DNI under current rules
- IELTS and similar English tests are available in major Pakistani cities, including Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad
- Applicants do not need a paid agent — applications are submitted directly to the university or the national portal
- Visa or residence-permit decisions are made solely by Argentine authorities, not by the university
- Always verify current deadlines, fees, and requirements on the official website before applying
Campus & Student Life
- UBA is spread across many faculties and campuses throughout Buenos Aires
- Buenos Aires is a large, culturally rich capital with theatres, bookshops, and cafés
- Student centres and cultural activities are central to student life
- Public transport is widely used by students
Research & Career Opportunities
- UBA graduates are widely recognised across Argentina and Latin America, especially in medicine, law, economics, and science
- UBA has a long research tradition in the sciences
- UBA does not guarantee employment, salary, or residence outcomes after graduation
Notable Alumni
- Several Argentine presidents and political leaders studied at UBA
- Argentine Nobel laureates in science and medicine have been associated with UBA — see UBA’s official site for the current list
- Leading Argentine writers, jurists, and scientists
Contact & Location
Universidad de Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires, Argentina
International office email: internacionales@rec.uba.ar
Official website: uba.ar/internacionales
Contact details can change — check the official website for the most current information.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Universidad de Buenos Aires is ranked 84th in the world in the QS World University Rankings 2027, released in June 2026.
UBA is the only Latin American university in the QS World Top 100 for 2027; other rankings may order Latin American universities differently.
Undergraduate study has traditionally been tuition-free for Argentine and resident students. A 2025 decree allows fees for non-resident foreigners, so confirm your own situation with UBA.
Teaching is mainly in Spanish, so Spanish proficiency is needed for degree programs.
UBA was founded in 1821.
Possibly, but degree enrolment generally requires Argentine residency and a national ID, and Spanish is required. Confirm the current rules with UBA’s international office.
UBA does not have a dedicated Pakistan scholarship that we could verify; exchange agreements and Argentine government programs may offer support. Check current options with UBA.
Check UBA’s official international office pages and the relevant faculty site, since rules and fees are reviewed regularly and can change.
Compare UBA With Other Top Universities
Disclaimer: This page is based on the QS World University Rankings 2027, UBA’s official admissions and fees pages, and other publicly available sources, last checked in October 2026. Fees, rankings, deadlines, and admission rules change, and no admission, funding, visa, or employment outcome is guaranteed. Foreign-student rules changed in 2025 and may change again. Always verify current details directly with UBA before applying.