Cuba is like the largest ocean in the Caribbean with more than 60 Universities and colleges. Cuba, located in the northern Caribbean, where the Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and the Atlantic Ocean meets, has low tuition universities. For international students whose native language is not Spanish, may spend up to a year to learn Spanish.
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Admission Requirements
Students wishing to study in Cuba must meet the following criteria:
- Applicants must fall between the age of 18 and 25
- Applicants must be a High School graduate or hold a B.sc or BA degree from country of origin.
- Applicants must be free from substance abuse and must not have any criminal record.
- Must be from a low-income community
- Must obey the school’s rules and regulations
- Applicant must pass admission test
Language Requirements
Cuba is a Spanish-speaking country. This means the students must be fluent in Spanish. International students who are unable to speak Spanish would have to enroll in a 1-year intensive course in Spanish. You can consult the school’s website (which is written in Spanish) for more information. Since the websites are written in Spanish, you can navigate or change the language using the language change button.
Cost of Living in Cuba
The Cuban currency is Peso, but the U.S dollars is widely accepted for transactions in the country, hence curbing the problem of foreign exchange transactions. The cost of living in Cuba is quite affordable. You can eat a decent meal at a cheap restaurant for 5 dollars. Transportation around the city of Havana is just a dollar. A cup of coffee or cappuccino goes for 1 dollar. Healthcare is free in Cuba for everyone, including international students. As for accommodation, 1 bedroom rent outside the city center goes for about 115 dollars per month. Note that the prices can differ from one place to another. The overall expenses may differ from one student to another, depending on their lifestyles. Students with accommodation in school halls pay less.
Top Cheap Universities in Cuba
Universidad de La Habana
This university, which is the biggest and oldest university in Cuba, is located in Havana. Universidad de La Habana was formally a religious institute. However, it presently has 16 faculties offering different programs. The student population is about 60,000.
Universidad Central Marta Abreu de Las Villas
There are two main campuses of this university. One is located in Santa Clara, while the second is in Topes de Collantes. Recently, a journalism college was added to the 13 faculties of the university. The school offers programs for undergraduate and postgraduate students in Law, Sciences, and Humanities.
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Ciudad Universitaria Jose Antonio Echeverria
This university is located in the city of Havana, and is the best technical college in Cuba. It has a total of 7 faculties offering undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral in diverse technical fields.
Universidad de Oriente Santiago de Cuba
This university is located in the seaport city of Santiago de Cuba. The school has 11 universities offering several programs in Humanities, Social science, Agriculture, and Science.
Universidad de Cienfuegos Carlos Rafael Rodriguez
This cheap university in Cuba is located in Cienfuegos and was founded in 1970. The school has 4 colleges faculties in Social science, Enterprise science, Economics, and Engineering.
Tuition
There is actually no fixed tuition for these Cuban universities, though they are all public universities. However, tuition fee can range from $20,000 – $40,000 depending on the university and course of study. Note that this fees covers the whole amount to be paid for the duration of your choice course of study.
Visa Requirements
For international students wishing to study in Cuba, you must need to get your student visa, which can be obtained from the Cuban embassy of your country. The initial student visa must be valid for at least six (6) months. Three months to when you are to leave for Cuba for your studies, you are expected to submit the following items at the consulate:
- University of your choice
- Your full name and address
- Passport number with date of expiration
- Place of birth
- Name of parents
- Your duration of stay in Cuba
- Date of arrival
