Chile has the oldest education system in the South America. The government has always partially financed this education system making it one of the cheapest student’s lives. The leading universities are Universidad de Chile and Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso.

Requirements for the PhD program often involve the student having already obtained a Master’s degree. Additionally, a thesis or dissertation primarily consisting of original academic research must be submitted. In some countries, this work may even need to be defended in front of a panel.