FAQ · Education 30

Korea's Ministry of Education said Colombia would offer its first Korean-language classes for middle and high school students starting in August. The classes are at three schools in Bogotá, Instituto Pedagógico Arturo Ramírez Montúfar, Colegio Nueva Granada, and Fundación Hogar Nueva Granada, and they are open from the seventh grade through the ninth or tenth grade, depending on the school. Korean classes already existed through the King Sejong Institute, local language institutions, and Colombian universities, but those programmes were largely aimed at adults or overseas Koreans. The new programme is described as the first official Korean-language classes for young students at authorized schools in Colombia. It was arranged through the Korean Education Center in Paraguay and the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Colombia, because Colombia has no Korean Education Center of its own. Korea's Ministry of Education has funded overseas Korean classes since 1999 by covering class costs and providing textbooks and teachers, and more than two hundred thirty thousand students were learning Korean in forty-seven countries as of 2025.

Resolution 003 of 2026, issued through the Special Administrative Unit for School Food, adjusts the School Food Programme so meals in the official education system are fairer, healthier, and suited to each territory and culture. It places more than five hundred fifty thousand children in the second cycle of early education, meaning pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, and transition, at the centre of the programme. About three hundred thousand children and adolescents in hard-to-reach rural sites are to receive a lunch-type food complement. The resolution phases down industrialised meals, and territorial entities are to dismantle that modality by 2030 at the latest, in favour of food prepared on site or hot food that is transported in. In 2026, fifty percent of the people who handle the food are to be linked through formal contracts on a progressive basis. School shops tied to the programme must reduce ultra-processed food and drink, especially while the school complement is being eaten, and must restrict products high in sodium, fat, and sugar.

For enrollment in early-education grades, official schools may request only a copy of the birth record, proof that the child is enrolled in a social-security system, proof of a comprehensive health assessment, and a copy of a vaccination card that is up to date for the child's age. That limit is set by the education regulatory decree of 2015. If the family does not bring those papers at enrollment, the school must still complete the enrollment and then work with the family and the relevant authorities to obtain them promptly. For basic education of a child under six, a copy of the Carné de Salud Infantil is also required. The health regulatory decree of 2016 requires educational institutions to ask for that card, commonly known as the vaccination card, at enrollment every year until the child completes five years of age. A 2023 opinion of the Ministry of Education treats this list as a reference, says a certified territorial entity may add requirements only without blocking access to education, and notes that such consultation answers are not generally binding.

Private-school tuition and pension fees in Colombia depend on an institutional self-evaluation that places the school in a fee regime under article 202 of Law 115 of 1994. A school with a high self-evaluation score, or with a quality certification such as the NTC ISO 9000 family or another quality-management model recognised by the Ministry of Education, is placed in regulated freedom. Intermediate scores go to supervised freedom, and low scores, a failure of basic requirements, or a sanction place a school in the controlled regime. Each year, before enrollment, the education secretariat issues a classification and fee resolution for each private school. Enrollment is the sum paid once a year, in advance, when the student first joins or renews, and the pension is the annual sum paid for the right to take part in the formative process during that school year, under Decree 2253 of 1995 as compiled in Decree 1075 of 2015. The enrollment charge may not exceed ten percent of the annual fee the school adopts, and pensions are generally collected in ten monthly payments, although the coexistence manual may set another interval no longer than quarterly.

A Colombia Basics guide last checked on 31 October 2026 describes the Visa V Estudiante as the student visa for in-person, online, or distance study at any level, and also for student internships and academic exchanges. The guide says a visa-exempt passport does not need that visa for a stay of one hundred eighty calendar days or less, while a longer course, or a nationality that needs a visa even for a short trip, does require it. Requirements it lists include a certificate of admission or enrollment that names the programme or grade and how long it lasts, and, for an internship, a school letter that approves the placement and gives its length. Health insurance must cover the person in Colombia against accident, illness, maternity, disability, hospitalization, death, and repatriation for the whole stay. The guide says the visa lasts up to two years, and unless the study is online or at a distance an absence of more than ninety calendar days ends it automatically. Only a postgraduate university student may work on this visa, and only up to twenty hours a week, after the employer reports the job to Migración Colombia and the Ministry of Labor.

The Biblioteca Nacional de Colombia questions page says a user card for the reading rooms is free, needs no researcher letter, and is issued in person at the information point. The applicant shows a citizenship cédula, a foreigner cédula, a passport, or an identity card plus a higher-education student card, and completes the affiliation form. Personal data are taken and a photograph is made, and a minor must also show the university card of the institution where that minor studies. Affiliation lasts six years, and after that time the holder must renew it and update the data. Reading-room entry is for people over 18 and for minors who are enrolled in higher education and have finished affiliation, while other minors may enter temporary exhibitions and join guided visits, workshops, and cultural activities. Public hours on that page run Monday through Friday from eight in the morning until five in the afternoon and Saturday from nine in the morning until four in the afternoon, with no service on Sunday or a holiday.

Education in the city is regulated by the District Mayor and the Ministry of Education. The system offers primary and secondary education levels along with university studies. There are also multiple technical and technological institutions available to students. The city is home to several universities known for high academic standards and research. These institutions offer various undergraduate courses including engineering and health sciences.

In Colombia, children usually enroll into grade 1 at the age of five. Elementary school consists of five years of formal education. Before this stage, most children over one year old are provided with daycare and nursery school. These services are often found in community homes sponsored by the National Institute for Family Welfare. There are also many private kindergarten facilities available for young children.

Education in Colombia is regulated by the Ministry of National Education. The system begins with Transition, which includes Pre Kinder and Kinder for children aged 4 to 6. Primary School follows for children between 7 and 11 years old. Secondary and Middle School, also known as Bachillerato, covers students from 12 to 15 years old. Higher education includes both private and state owned universities and colleges.

Both public and private universities in Colombia use the ICFES examination score as the main criterion for admissions. This standardized test, also known as Saber 11, is administered annually to high school seniors to evaluate their academic readiness for higher learning. The exam measures aptitude in subjects such as mathematics, critical reading, social studies, science, and English. Students seeking admission to more competitive programs, such as medicine, are required to achieve a higher score. While typically taken in grade 11, students who have already graduated may also take the exam to improve their results.

In the early 1950s, funds for tuition expenses in the United States were provided by various sources. These included Colombian industries like Avianca and Paz del Río Steelworks, as well as American philanthropic institutions like the Rockefeller Foundation. Private individuals from Colombia, Canada, and the United States also contributed to these funds. To manage these assets, the university hired ICETEX, which is a government agency. This agency was established to promote Colombian students abroad through grants and scholarships.

Marymount School Barranquilla is a private, Catholic, co-educational bilingual K–12 school serving the Barranquilla metropolitan area. Founded in 1953, it is part of the international RSHM Network of Schools. The institution operates a preschool campus in Barranquilla and an elementary and secondary campus in Puerto Colombia. It holds accreditation from the New England Association of Schools and Colleges as well as the Council of International Schools. The school operates under authorization from the Colombian Ministry of Education.

The ICFES exam is available twice every year, typically in March for June graduates and in August for December graduates. The exam is divided into two sessions, each lasting four hours and 30 minutes, and is always held on a Sunday. Students are qualified using percentiles and a global score ranging from 1 to 500 points. Each individual subject score ranges between 1 and 100 points. The English section is evaluated during the second session and consists of seven parts of increasing complexity. ICFES manages the logistics and assigns students to testing centers at schools throughout the Colombian territory.

Bogotá has a diverse system of both public and private universities. Many of these institutions are partially or fully accredited by the National Accreditation Council. Notable examples include the National University of Colombia, University of the Andes, and the District University of Bogotá. Other prominent schools include La Salle University, University of La Sabana, and Pontifical Xavierian University. The National University of Colombia campus also features a University City in the Teusaquillo sector. This campus is the largest in Colombia and one of the largest in Latin America.

International students have two main options for attending the university. They can join as visiting students, which requires enrollment in at least three courses per semester. Alternatively, they can participate as exchange students, allowing them to take between two and six courses per semester. Los Andes maintains academic exchange programs with more than 119 universities across 34 countries worldwide. This provides various opportunities for students to engage with the institution's academic environment.

Vocational training in Colombia began with the apprenticeship model introduced by Henrique París Zamudio. After discussions at a national congress, Rodolfo Martínez Tono proposed that vocational training should be mandated by law to allow companies to contribute to worker instruction. His vision led to the establishment of the Workers' Training Institute at the National University. This idea eventually materialized under the government of the Military Junta, which created SENA through Decree 118 in 1957. The institution was promoted by Martínez Tono and the Minister of Labor to provide vocational training.

The literacy rate among adults in Colombia has shown a general upward trend over the years. In 1993, the rate was recorded at 91.06 percent. By 2010, this figure had increased to 93.37 percent. Recent data shows the rate reaching 95.66065 percent in 2021. As of 2024, the literacy rate is 95.34 percent.

The educational experience for many Colombian children begins with attendance at a preschool academy until age five. This stage is known as Educación preescolar. Following preschool, children enter basic education, which is compulsory by law. This mandatory period includes primary education for children aged six to ten. Preschool serves as the initial step before students move into the formal primary and secondary stages.

A library park is an urban complex that combines a library building with large surrounding green spaces for public use. These spaces are strategically located in the periphery of Medellín to provide cultural, educational, and public services to less affluent neighborhoods. They serve as cultural centers for social development that encourage citizen encounters and recreational activities. These parks also help people approach new challenges in digital culture and strengthen neighborhood organizations. The success of these sites in improving outer city neighborhoods has even inspired similar projects in other Latin American countries.

The Marine and Coastal Research Institute José Benito Vives de Andréis, known as INVEMAR, is a nonprofit research institute linked to the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development. Located in Santa Marta, its mission is to conduct basic and applied research on marine and oceanic ecosystems. The institute works to provide scientific knowledge for the sustainable management and protection of coastal ecosystems. Additionally, INVEMAR is responsible for the inventory of marine and coastal biodiversity in the country. They also manage the Museum of Marine Natural History of Colombia Makuriwa.

A tragic incident involving school transportation was reported in Remedios, Antioquia. A school bus carrying students was returning from a field trip when it fell off a cliff. This accident resulted in the deaths of 17 people. Additionally, 20 other individuals were injured in the event. This news highlights a significant safety concern regarding student transport in the region.

The U-Sapiens ranking is provided by the Colombian consulting firm Sapiens Research Group, which has been legally established for about 15 years. This is the only Colombian ranking endorsed by the IREG observatory. Universities are evaluated based on three specific criteria: journals indexed by the National Bibliographic Index, the total number of available postgraduate programs including Masters and Doctorates, and the total number of research groups in Colciencias. The ranking uses information supplied by national indices, the Ministry of Education, and Colciencias. Unlike many international rankings, it does not account for academic reputation, publication citations, or the impact of research on social or economic sectors.

The Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana offers law programs across several of its campuses. The Bucaramanga campus features the Law and Political Science's School. Additionally, the university established a presence in the Atlantic region through its Montería campus, which offers academic programs in law. These locations provide various options for students interested in legal studies within the country.

Guillermina Uribe Bone was the first woman to receive a degree in civil engineering from the National University of Colombia in Bogotá, graduating in 1948. Her sister Rebeca was also the first woman to earn an engineering degree in Colombia. During their studies, there was another woman named Rosalba Pachón Gómez who completed some courses in 1944 and graduated in 1948. These women faced challenges as many teachers believed engineering was not a field for women. Even basic facilities like women's toilets were not provided in the engineering school until the 1980s.

The art collection was once part of the Museum of the School of Fine Arts of Bogotá. These pieces were held by the National University until they were returned to the National Museum in 1948. Although the National Museum was originally created to complement the School of Mining, painting has been a notable presence since the beginning. The collection includes various formats such as easel painting and mural painting. This history reflects the transitions from classical academic language to new aesthetic expressions of national art.

During the 1960s, there was a significant lack of updated mathematical knowledge and a need for teacher training at all levels. Many students at the National University of Colombia lacked the economic resources to purchase textbooks, which were also rarely available in Spanish. To address this, some educators focused on disseminating modern mathematics through seminars and workshops across the country. They even produced low-cost, handmade texts to ensure academic materials were accessible to the university community. The goal was to popularize mathematics through practical and affordable books.

Marymount School Barranquilla offers a bilingual curriculum that combines Colombian national requirements with international academic frameworks. Instruction is organized into five divisions ranging from Preschool to High School. The academic calendar consists of approximately 180 instructional days divided into three trimesters. Since 2019, the school has incorporated the Cambridge Assessment International Education curriculum for English, mathematics, and science. Students also engage with various other curriculum frameworks such as AERO Standards and ISTE Standards across different subject areas.

Marymount School Barranquilla provides students with both the Colombian Bachillerato diploma and a U.S. high school diploma. The instructional model follows additive bilingualism, with preschool students receiving about 90% of instruction in English. High school students complete four years of coursework and must take the national Saber 11 exit examination. Students can also choose emphasis tracks such as Advanced Mathematics and Engineering or Advanced Biology and Science. Additionally, the curriculum includes a senior capstone project and eighty hours of community service.

Marymount describes its instructional model as additive bilingualism. Preschool students receive approximately 90% of instruction in English. Spanish instruction increases in later grades to meet Colombian national examination requirements. High school students complete four years of coursework totaling approximately 35 academic credits. Graduates receive both the Colombian Bachillerato diploma and a U.S. high school diploma.

A research visa is intended for students who are conducting fieldwork in the host country. This type of visa is distinct from a student visa which is used for studying at an institution of higher learning. Research visas are generally more difficult to obtain than business visas. However, they are valid for longer periods of time. This category helps facilitate academic work through direct field investigation.