In short: A foreign-schooled student can apply to any of these four universities, but the costs are not what the common claim that Guatemalan university is almost free suggests. USAC, the public university, charges a first-year foreign student a matrícula of Q24,000 a year if they are from outside Latin America (Q12,000 Latin America, Q1,800 Central America), versus Q91 for the national student matrícula, and requires MINEDUC’s equiparación of the foreign diploma. UVG publishes its 2026 tariff: Q6,442.80 a month in course fees for most degrees, 5 payments a semester, plus labs, digital resources and Q2,810 enrolment each semester. UFM publishes an admission fee (Q525) and a Q500 monthly services charge but not its tuition. Landívar publishes its admission process but no tuition. Everything below comes from the universities’ and MINEDUC’s own pages, read on 23 September 2026.
This page is for a student finishing (or holding) a secondary diploma from the US, Canada or the UK who wants a Guatemalan degree. This is not about a university degree already earned abroad — for recognising that, see foreign university degree equivalency and MINEDUC and USAC recognition of foreign degrees. For the immigration side, see the student visa guide.
The decision table
| USAC (public) | UVG | UFM | Landívar (URL) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission tests | Vocational orientation + basic and specific knowledge tests | PAA, SAT or ACT | PAA (or send PAA/SAT report) + OTIS | URL’s own in-person evaluation |
| Apply from abroad? | Foreigners enrol in person at the Registro y Estadística office | Fully online, per its FAQ | Online application; one of the listed exam dates is virtual | Admission process is in person, Guatemala City campus |
| Foreign diploma paperwork | MINEDUC equiparación certificate; diploma legalised; sworn translation made in Guatemala | Not stated on pages read; passport as ID | Not stated on pages read | Not stated on pages read |
| Admission fee | Q15 admission within the foreign matrícula schedule (2018 guide) | Not current on pages read | Q525 ($68 per tarifario) | Not published on pages read |
| Tuition / matrícula published? | Foreign matrícula Q1,800 / Q12,000 / Q24,000 per year | Yes — 2026 tariff, first semester | No (per-UMA pricing, UMA value unpublished) | No |
| Something to know | 2026 free-enrolment announcement silent on foreign rates | Tariff covers first semester only | Q500 mandatory monthly services fee | One admission evaluation per year |
Step 1 — the MINEDUC step: equating the foreign diploma
Guatemala’s Ministry of Education (MINEDUC) recognises secondary studies done abroad through equiparación de estudios. For a student who has finished secondary school, it leads to exactly one Guatemalan qualification. MINEDUC’s instructivo: “Toda solicitud será equiparable únicamente por la carrera de Bachillerato en Ciencias y Letras”; its country table repeats that “Para estudios finalizados a nivel de educación media o secundaria, y obtenido el diploma, certificado o documento que lo acredite, se aplica la equiparación a un Bachillerato en Ciencias y Letras”. A US high-school graduate is therefore equated to a Guatemalan bachiller.
The procedure is free — “Todos los trámites del presente instructivo serán gratuitos en todas las instancias y entidades bajo la rectoría del Ministerio de Educación” — and is filed online. Expect to need the diploma apostilled if your country is in the Hague Apostille Convention; the document list, the apostille rule and the one-document sworn translation are set out in our guide to enrolling a foreign student with MINEDUC, and the US side of the apostille is in apostille US documents for Guatemala.
Why it matters: USAC will not enrol a foreign-diploma holder without it (next section). Start it before the university deadlines, not after.
USAC — Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala
What USAC requires from a foreign-diploma holder
USAC’s Registro y Estadística rules (reglamento, chapter III) list, for anyone who obtained the secondary diploma outside Guatemala:
| # | Requirement |
|---|---|
| 17.2 | The diploma “debidamente legalizado por los conductos diplomáticos que corresponden, con traducción jurada efectuada en Guatemala, si el documento estuviere en idioma extranjero” |
| 17.4 | A general certificate of secondary studies, legalised, listing subjects, exam results and grading methods, with a sworn translation made in Guatemala |
| 17.5 | “constancia o certificación de que los estudios realizados en el extranjero fueron equiparados a los planes de estudio de Guatemala”, issued by MINEDUC |
| 17.6 | Proof of nationality: for foreigners, the passport or a copy “legalizada por notario guatemalteco” |
USAC’s 2018 enrolment guide adds the Tarjeta de Orientación Vocacional and proof of passing the Pruebas de Conocimientos Básicos y Específicos, and says foreign students enrol directly at the Registro y Estadística office. USAC’s own news service summarises the order: first-year students may enrol “tras haber obtenido resultados satisfactorios en los exámenes de orientación vocacional, conocimientos básicos y específicos”.
What USAC charges a foreign student
This is the number that contradicts the idea that USAC is free. USAC’s registry portal (Cuotas Estudiantiles), read on 23 September 2026:
| Student | Annual matrícula (first year) |
|---|---|
| Guatemalan (national student matrícula) | Q91 |
| Foreign — Central American | Q1,800 |
| Foreign — Latin American | Q12,000 |
| Foreign — rest of the world | Q24,000 |
A student from the US, Canada or the UK falls, on the face of that table, in resto del mundo. The 2018 enrolment guide shows the same three foreign rates plus small fixed fees (student tax Q6, paperwork Q5, student welfare Q10, admission Q15, library Q20). The table does not say how dual nationals are classified; ask Registro y Estadística.
The 2026 free-enrolment announcement. USAC’s official bulletin announced “la inscripción gratuita para el ciclo académico 2026, beneficiando tanto a estudiantes de nuevo ingreso como de reingreso”. It does not say whether the foreign-student matrícula is included, and the registry portal still lists the foreign rates. Get the answer in writing before budgeting on it.
A fee waiver exists for foreign students. USAC’s scholarships office runs an Exoneración de Matrícula para estudiantes de nacionalidad Extranjera. Its published conditions include “No ser estudiante repitente.” and an academic average at or above the programme’s average; the application needs a copy of the receipt for the first foreign-student matrícula payment and proof of “trámite de nacionalización o permiso de estudiar en el país”, plus proof of the family’s income. So you pay first and apply after.
Transferring credits from a foreign university. USAC’s registry charges Q300 per equivalency application from a non-CSUCA foreign university and Q90 per course declared equivalent.
UVG — Universidad del Valle de Guatemala
Admission. UVG’s admissions FAQ says “Las pruebas de admisión aceptadas en UVG son PAA, SAT, ACT.” and that “El proceso de admisión es totalmente en línea, por lo que no hay inconveniente para lo puedas completar desde cualquier parte del mundo.” Its stated ideal score is 1,200 combined on the PAA’s numerical and verbal sections, though the decision also weighs school performance. Foreign applicants identify with a passport. Semesters run January-June and July-November.
Fees — UVG’s published 2026 tariff for first-year students. UVG notes that “Cada semestre de UVG tiene 5 mensualidades.” and that “La tabla incluye solo la inversión académica para el primer semestre.”
| Degree (examples) | Monthly course fee | First-semester courses | First-semester labs | Digital resources | Enrolment per semester |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| International Relations | Q6,442.80 | Q32,214 | Q1,440 | Q780 | Q2,810 |
| Computer Science and IT Engineering | Q6,442.80 | Q32,214 | Q3,022 | Q780 | Q2,810 |
| Business Administration | Q6,442.80 | Q32,214 | Q1,351 | Q780 | Q2,810 |
| Biology | Q5,369.00 | Q26,845 | Q3,022 | Q780 | Q2,810 |
| Civil Engineering | Q5,369.00 | Q26,845 | Q1,672 | Q780 | Q2,810 |
| Industrial Engineering (evening) | Q4,295.20 | Q21,476 | Q1,777 | Q780 | Q2,810 |
Adding UVG’s own line items gives a first semester of Q37,244 for International Relations (Q32,214 + Q1,440 + Q780 + Q2,810) and Q38,826 for Computer Science (Q32,214 + Q3,022 + Q780 + Q2,810). Those sums are our arithmetic on UVG’s figures; UVG does not publish a total, and does not publish the second semester in this table. No UVG page we read states a different rate for foreign students.
UFM — Universidad Francisco Marroquín
Admission. UFM’s process: apply online, pay the admission fee, then sit the Prueba de Aptitud Académica (PAA) and the OTIS general-intelligence test on the date you chose. Students who already have a PAA or SAT result send the report — “Si ya te sometiste a la PAA o SAT, envíanos tu informe de resultados” — but UFM is explicit that even with a satisfactory PAA the OTIS must still be taken. A PAA report is valid for 2 years, and the PAA can be retaken every two months. Depending on the degree, UFM adds further tests or a project and an interview. Exam dates published for 2027 entry: 9-10 October, 7 November (virtual), 13-14 November, 27-28 November and 4-5 December 2026, each with a payment deadline two to three weeks earlier.
Fees — what UFM’s Tarifario 2026 publishes, and what it doesn’t.
| Item | Published amount |
|---|---|
| Admission process (every faculty) | Q525 / $68 / €62 |
| Mandatory monthly services charge (technology, library, equipment, cultural activities) | Q500 / $65 / €56 |
| Course tuition | Priced per UMA — the value of a UMA is not published |
UFM’s admissions site quotes the admission fee as Q525 or $65, while the tarifario shows $68 for the same Q525 — use the quetzal figure. The tarifario is marked “SUJETO A CAMBIOS SIN PREVIO AVISO”. UFM does not publish its tuition; ask for a written quote in the programme you want.
Landívar — Universidad Rafael Landívar (URL)
Admission. Landívar’s page for the 2027 intake at the Guatemala City campus describes an in-person admission evaluation: pay and validate the admission voucher, upload an ID (passport accepted) and the “Certificado oficial de notas de los dos últimos años cursados y aprobados (2024-2025)”, then sit the evaluation on campus. Two rules to plan around: “Solo puedes realizar una evaluación al año.”, and electronic devices are not allowed in the room. Results appear on the candidate portal on the Thursday of the week after the evaluation. The admissions office (Centro de Orientación y Admisión) is on 2426-2626, extensions 2248 and 2249.
Language. Landívar’s exchange programme for students from foreign universities requires a “Certificado de dominio de español (mínimo nivel B2)”. That rule is for exchange students, not degree applicants.
Fees. No Landívar tuition figure was published on the pages we read.
Timeline for a student graduating in the US in June
| When | What |
|---|---|
| Senior year | Order an extra official diploma and transcript; get them apostilled |
| On arrival | File MINEDUC equiparación (free); get a sworn translation of the documents in Guatemala |
| Autumn before entry | UFM’s exam dates for 2027 entry run October-December 2026; UVG says its admission tests are available every month |
| USAC | Orientation and knowledge tests, then in-person enrolment at Registro y Estadística with the MINEDUC certificate |
| January | Classes start (UVG: first semester January-June) |
| From arrival | Sort the immigration status: student visa and residency |
What we could not confirm
- Whether USAC’s free 2026 enrolment covers foreign students. The announcement does not say; the registry still lists the foreign rates.
- UFM’s price per UMA and Landívar’s tuition — not published on the pages read.
- The foreign-diploma document requirements of UVG, UFM and Landívar. Their pages we read do not state them.
- Language of instruction for regular degree programmes at the private universities.
Sources
All read on 23 September 2026:
- USAC Registro y Estadística: reglamento, chapter III; Cuotas Estudiantiles; Guía de Inscripción 2018. USAC news: Soy USAC, 15 January 2019; Boletín USAC, free enrolment 2026; Becas USAC, exoneración for foreign students.
- UVG: Tarifario 2026, first-year students; admissions FAQ.
- UFM: Tarifario 2026; admissions site.
- Universidad Rafael Landívar: Admisiones; exchange programme for foreign students.
- MINEDUC instructivo ACR-INS-01 Versión 5 and the Tabla de equiparación de estudios, via DIGEACE.
Related guides
- Student visa and residency in Guatemala
- Apostille US documents for Guatemala
- Enrolling a foreign student with MINEDUC
- MINEDUC equivalency for US studies
- Recognition of a foreign university degree
- Education hub
Frequently Asked Questions
Can an American student study at USAC, Guatemala's public university?
Yes, but it is not free for foreigners. USAC’s registry lists the annual first-year matrícula for foreign students as Q1,800 for Central Americans, Q12,000 for Latin Americans and Q24,000 for the rest of the world, against Q91 a year for the national student matrícula. A student with a foreign diploma must also present MINEDUC’s certification that the studies were equated (equiparados) to Guatemalan plans, the diploma legalised with a sworn translation made in Guatemala, and pass USAC’s vocational-orientation and knowledge tests. USAC announced free enrolment for 2026 but did not say whether that includes the foreign-student matrícula.
Do I need to get my US high-school diploma recognised in Guatemala before university?
For USAC, yes: its registry rules require a certificate from Guatemala’s Ministry of Education that the studies done abroad were equated to Guatemalan study plans. MINEDUC’s instructivo says a completed foreign secondary diploma is equated only to one qualification, the Bachillerato en Ciencias y Letras, and the procedure is free. The private universities’ pages we read do not say whether they require it — ask them in writing.
How much does UVG cost per semester?
UVG publishes a 2026 tariff for first-year students. Most degrees cost Q6,442.80 a month in course fees, and each semester has 5 monthly payments, so first-semester course fees are Q32,214. Biology and Civil Engineering are Q5,369 a month. On top come laboratory fees (Q1,440 for International Relations in the first semester, Q3,022 for Computer Science), digital resources (Q780) and ordinary enrolment of Q2,810 per semester. UVG’s table covers the first semester only.
How much does UFM cost?
UFM’s own Tarifario 2026 publishes the admission-process fee (Q525, shown as $68) and a mandatory monthly services charge of Q500 ($65), but it prices courses per UMA and does not publish the value of a UMA. So UFM’s tuition is not published, and any single annual figure you see for UFM is not UFM’s. Ask its admissions office for a written quote.
Do Guatemalan universities accept the SAT?
UVG accepts the PAA, SAT and ACT as admission tests and says its admission process can be completed online from anywhere in the world. UFM asks applicants who already took the PAA or SAT to send the score report, but they must still sit UFM’s OTIS general-intelligence test. USAC uses its own vocational-orientation and knowledge tests. Landívar runs its own in-person admission evaluation, once per year per applicant.
Are Guatemalan universities taught in Spanish?
None of the pages we read states the language of instruction for regular degrees. Landívar’s exchange programme for foreign students requires a Spanish certificate at level B2 or above. UFM lists English-named programmes (a Bachelor of Arts, a Computer Science degree) and UVG an International Marketing and Business Analytics degree. Ask each programme.
