Universities in Peru

Peru's universities are regulated by SUNEDU, the Superintendencia Nacional de Educación Superior Universitaria. A university may only operate with an institutional licence from SUNEDU, and its published list is the official place to check one. According to SUNEDU, 107 universities held a valid institutional licence on 25 August 2026, both public and private, and a small number of graduate schools (escuelas de posgrado) are licensed separately.

Spanish is the language of teaching. For international students the sector has two main uses: a semester or year abroad on an exchange, and full degree or postgraduate study, mostly in Lima. The Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, a public university, traces its history to 1551.

How it works

Peruvian degrees follow a sequence of academic grades: the bachiller (bachelor's degree) at the end of undergraduate study, then the maestro (master's) and the doctor (doctorate). SUNEDU keeps the national register of degrees, and universities ask postgraduate applicants for SUNEDU's record of their earlier degree. Undergraduate programmes are called carreras, and the academic year is divided into two semesters; admission rounds are named after the semester they lead into, such as 2027-I.

Public and private universities appear side by side on SUNEDU's list. In our directory, the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos (public, licensed in 2018) organises its carreras in five areas of knowledge. The Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú (PUCP, private, licensed in 2016) states that it offers 53 undergraduate degrees and 109 postgraduate programmes, and the Universidad del Pacífico (private, licensed in 2016) is a university in Lima founded in 1962. SUNEDU also publishes a list of universities whose licence was denied, so check the list before you apply anywhere.

Admission

Each university runs its own admission. For first-year undergraduate places this usually means an entrance exam: San Marcos holds its Examen de Admisión 2027-I from 17 October 2026, organised by area of knowledge. Other routes exist for specific groups. Students from universities in Peru or abroad can apply to San Marcos for an external transfer into the same degree once they have passed at least four semesters, two annual periods or 72 credits, and holders of scholarships under specific cultural exchange agreements are exempt from the entrance exam.

For a semester abroad, exchange is the simplest route. The PUCP accepts undergraduate exchange students for one or two semesters in any of its specialities; they must be selected and nominated by their home university. Students from universities without an agreement can come as visiting students and pay for their courses.

For a master's degree at San Marcos, applicants take a knowledge exam, a file assessment and an interview. Degrees obtained abroad must be revalidated or recognised under Peruvian rules. SUNEDU recognises official foreign degrees when the awarding institution is among the top 500 of the QS, ARWU, THE or Scimago rankings, or when a treaty signed by Peru provides for it; documents need an apostille where the issuing country is part of the Hague Convention, and SUNEDU answers within 30 working days at most.

Students coming for a short period apply from outside Peru for the temporary visa for study (formación) through the online agency of Migraciones, the national immigration authority. The stay is 365 days, extendable, for studies and 90 days, not extendable, for exchanges or internships. Requirements include a sworn statement of financial means for the whole stay and, for an exchange, a letter of acceptance from the receiving institution (checked October 2026).

Costs and funding

Peruvian universities set their own fees, and private universities charge monthly fees (pensiones). The PUCP, for example, uses a differentiated fee system so that students from different backgrounds can afford to study. Exchange students usually keep paying tuition at their home university under the exchange agreement, while visiting students pay the Peruvian university directly. The state scholarship programme PRONABEC awards scholarships and education loans through public competitions to talented Peruvians with limited means, so it is not a route for most international students.

How to choose

• Licence: check the university on SUNEDU's list of licensed universities
• Exchange agreement: ask your home university which Peruvian universities it has agreements with, since this decides whether you pay tuition in Peru
• Location: most universities in our directory are in Lima; regional universities are listed by department on SUNEDU's list
• Language: teaching is in Spanish, so plan your Spanish level before you arrive
• Degree goal: a semester abroad, a full bachiller or a postgraduate degree each follow a different admission route

Frequently asked questions

How many universities are there in Peru?

According to SUNEDU, 107 universities held a valid institutional licence on 25 August 2026. Both public and private universities are on the list.

Can I study one semester at a Peruvian university?

Yes, usually through an exchange agreement between your university and the Peruvian one. The PUCP accepts exchange students for one or two semesters and also accepts visiting students who pay for their courses.

Which visa do I need for an exchange in Peru?

You apply from outside Peru for the temporary visa for study (formación) through Migraciones. For exchanges and internships the stay is 90 days and cannot be extended; for studies it is 365 days and can be extended.

Will my foreign degree be accepted for a master's in Peru?

Universities such as San Marcos require degrees from abroad to be revalidated or recognised. SUNEDU recognises official foreign degrees from institutions in the top 500 of the main world rankings or under a treaty signed by Peru.