Universidad ORT Uruguay : Rankings, Fees & Courses Details | TopUniversities
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About Universidad ORT Uruguay

Universidad ORT Uruguay is a private, not-for-profit university located in Montevideo, Uruguay, recognised by the Uruguayan Ministry of Education and Culture as a degree-granting university since 1996.

The institution originated in 1942 as a technical school and has evolved into one of the country’s largest and most prestigious private universities. ORT is the Uruguayan member of World ORT, an international educational network founded in 1880, which brings together non-governmental, non-profit institutions committed to expanding educational opportunity worldwide.

The university’s mission is to contribute to national development through applied research, strong links with the productive and social sectors, and the training of trustworthy professionals capable of performing effectively in a knowledge-based society.

Its educational philosophy emphasises quality, innovation, and adherence to ethical standards in professional practice. Graduates are prepared to adapt to change with flexibility and critical thinking, to work effectively in teams and to operate confidently in international environments.

Universidad ORT Uruguay offers more than 90 programmes at undergraduate, postgraduate and technical levels across a broad range of disciplines, including Architecture, Engineering, Biotechnology, Management, Economics, International Relations, Design, Animation, Communication, Education, and Dermatology.

Academic activity is organised into five faculties and two institutes: the School of Administration and Social Sciences, School of Engineering, School of Architecture, School of Communication, School of Design, Institute of Education and Institute of Dermatology.

The university has over 16,000 students enrolled, with approximately 7% in postgraduate programmes, 54% in undergraduate degrees and 39% in vocational programmes (ISCED levels 5–8). Each year, more than 1,400 students graduate, and the average employment rate for graduates in recent years is above 97%.

The alumni community exceeds 25,000 professionals, many of whom have created and lead their own companies or social enterprises. ORT employs more than 1,800 academic staff, including professors and researchers, a significant proportion of whom work in high-dedication regimes that combine teaching and research.

Teaching at ORT is strongly practice-oriented and complemented by laboratory work, independent study, literature review and fieldwork. The university has invested heavily in laboratories and specialised facilities for information technologies, electronics, biotechnology, audiovisual production, design, construction, 3D printing and prototyping, as well as TV production and videoconferencing. Students and staff have access to two libraries with extensive print and audiovisual collections, together with a virtual library providing full-text access to international academic databases.

Entrepreneurship and innovation are core elements of the institutional profile. The Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) functions as an innovation laboratory that brings together all academic areas, promoting entrepreneurial attitudes among students and graduates and supporting the creation of new ventures. ORT co-founded Ingenio, Uruguay’s first business incubator for IT and telecommunications, and operates incubation programmes and other initiatives that foster technology-based start-ups and industry collaboration.

The university is highly internationalised. It maintains academic cooperation agreements with more than 200 universities and organisations around the world, enabling student and staff exchanges, joint research and curriculum collaboration.

ORT is a member of leading international associations such as the International Association of Universities (IAU), the Unión de Universidades de América Latina y el Caribe (UDUALC) and the Asociación Universitaria Iberoamericana de Postgrado (AUIP). At faculty level it holds memberships in organisations including AACSB, EFMD, PRME, the Business Graduates Association and several discipline-specific international networks.

Universidad ORT Uruguay is widely recognised in international rankings and accreditation schemes. It participates in the MERCOSUR Academic Quality Accreditation Mechanism (ARCU-SUR) for several of its degrees and holds international accreditation for its MBA from the Association of MBAs (AMBA).

In rankings produced by QS, the university is placed among the top 800 universities globally in the QS World University Rankings 2024, ranks 82nd in the QS World University Rankings: Latin America & The Caribbean 2024, and appears among the top 550 institutions worldwide for graduate employability. ORT and its programmes are also regularly recognised in Times Higher Education rankings (World University Rankings, Latin America Rankings and Impact Rankings), as well as in regional business-school and subject-specific rankings.

The institution operates two main campuses in Montevideo —Campus Centro and Campus Pocitos— which together provide nearly 30,000 m² of space dedicated to teaching, laboratories, studios, and student services. These campuses house modern classrooms equipped with advanced educational technologies, collaborative workspaces and dedicated areas for innovation and entrepreneurship. The university also offers HyFlex and online learning environments that extend access and flexibility for students across Uruguay and abroad.

As a non-profit, private university with a strong emphasis on science, technology, management and design, Universidad ORT Uruguay positions itself as an innovative, entrepreneurial and socially committed institution.

Its combination of high academic standards, strong industry links, international orientation and value-based education underpins its contribution to Uruguay’s human capital development and to the broader Latin American higher education landscape. 

About Universidad ORT Uruguay

Universidad ORT Uruguay is a private, not-for-profit university located in Montevideo, Uruguay, recognised by the Uruguayan Ministry of Education and Culture as a degree-granting university since 1996.

The institution originated in 1942 as a technical school and has evolved into one of the country’s largest and most prestigious private universities. ORT is the Uruguayan member of World ORT, an international educational network founded in 1880, which brings together non-governmental, non-profit institutions committed to expanding educational opportunity worldwide.

The university’s mission is to contribute to national development through applied research, strong links with the productive and social sectors, and the training of trustworthy professionals capable of performing effectively in a knowledge-based society.

Its educational philosophy emphasises quality, innovation, and adherence to ethical standards in professional practice. Graduates are prepared to adapt to change with flexibility and critical thinking, to work effectively in teams and to operate confidently in international environments.

Universidad ORT Uruguay offers more than 90 programmes at undergraduate, postgraduate and technical levels across a broad range of disciplines, including Architecture, Engineering, Biotechnology, Management, Economics, International Relations, Design, Animation, Communication, Education, and Dermatology.

Academic activity is organised into five faculties and two institutes: the School of Administration and Social Sciences, School of Engineering, School of Architecture, School of Communication, School of Design, Institute of Education and Institute of Dermatology.

The university has over 16,000 students enrolled, with approximately 7% in postgraduate programmes, 54% in undergraduate degrees and 39% in vocational programmes (ISCED levels 5–8). Each year, more than 1,400 students graduate, and the average employment rate for graduates in recent years is above 97%.

The alumni community exceeds 25,000 professionals, many of whom have created and lead their own companies or social enterprises. ORT employs more than 1,800 academic staff, including professors and researchers, a significant proportion of whom work in high-dedication regimes that combine teaching and research.

Teaching at ORT is strongly practice-oriented and complemented by laboratory work, independent study, literature review and fieldwork. The university has invested heavily in laboratories and specialised facilities for information technologies, electronics, biotechnology, audiovisual production, design, construction, 3D printing and prototyping, as well as TV production and videoconferencing. Students and staff have access to two libraries with extensive print and audiovisual collections, together with a virtual library providing full-text access to international academic databases.

Entrepreneurship and innovation are core elements of the institutional profile. The Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) functions as an innovation laboratory that brings together all academic areas, promoting entrepreneurial attitudes among students and graduates and supporting the creation of new ventures. ORT co-founded Ingenio, Uruguay’s first business incubator for IT and telecommunications, and operates incubation programmes and other initiatives that foster technology-based start-ups and industry collaboration.

The university is highly internationalised. It maintains academic cooperation agreements with more than 200 universities and organisations around the world, enabling student and staff exchanges, joint research and curriculum collaboration.

ORT is a member of leading international associations such as the International Association of Universities (IAU), the Unión de Universidades de América Latina y el Caribe (UDUALC) and the Asociación Universitaria Iberoamericana de Postgrado (AUIP). At faculty level it holds memberships in organisations including AACSB, EFMD, PRME, the Business Graduates Association and several discipline-specific international networks.

Universidad ORT Uruguay is widely recognised in international rankings and accreditation schemes. It participates in the MERCOSUR Academic Quality Accreditation Mechanism (ARCU-SUR) for several of its degrees and holds international accreditation for its MBA from the Association of MBAs (AMBA).

In rankings produced by QS, the university is placed among the top 800 universities globally in the QS World University Rankings 2024, ranks 82nd in the QS World University Rankings: Latin America & The Caribbean 2024, and appears among the top 550 institutions worldwide for graduate employability. ORT and its programmes are also regularly recognised in Times Higher Education rankings (World University Rankings, Latin America Rankings and Impact Rankings), as well as in regional business-school and subject-specific rankings.

The institution operates two main campuses in Montevideo —Campus Centro and Campus Pocitos— which together provide nearly 30,000 m² of space dedicated to teaching, laboratories, studios, and student services. These campuses house modern classrooms equipped with advanced educational technologies, collaborative workspaces and dedicated areas for innovation and entrepreneurship. The university also offers HyFlex and online learning environments that extend access and flexibility for students across Uruguay and abroad.

As a non-profit, private university with a strong emphasis on science, technology, management and design, Universidad ORT Uruguay positions itself as an innovative, entrepreneurial and socially committed institution.

Its combination of high academic standards, strong industry links, international orientation and value-based education underpins its contribution to Uruguay’s human capital development and to the broader Latin American higher education landscape. 

Available programmes

University information

Admissions at Universidad ORT Uruguay are organised through a central online system that covers undergraduate degrees, short programmes, postgraduate programmes and executive education.

The university’s website provides information on upcoming intakes, early-enrolment discounts, tuition fees and payment methods, and links directly to the university’s online Admissions site, where applicants begin both their programme application and any scholarship applications.

For undergraduate and short-cycle programmes, admission is based primarily on completion of upper secondary education (Educación Media Superior, EMS) in a relevant track.

Programme pages specify the required EMS orientation and recognise equivalent tracks from previous plans, as well as technological or technical-professional baccalaureates in related fields, subject to approval by the academic coordination of each degree.

Many programmes also consider applicants who have already completed at least one university-level course at another institution, subject to evaluation of their academic record and the possibility of credit transfer.

The university allows conditional admission to undergraduate degrees with up to two outstanding subjects from the required level of secondary education. These pending courses must be regularised during the first semester of study, before the student can obtain any academic credit. This policy applies across multiple undergraduate programmes in areas such as management, engineering, economics, communication, and design.

The admissions process for undergraduate and short programmes is structured and largely online. Prospective students are encouraged to first book an advisory meeting (online or on campus) to discuss their chosen degree, tuition fees and available scholarships, although this step is mandatory only for scholarship applicants.

They then register on the university’s Admissions website, receive a username and password to complete their online application, and, if they wish, submit an online scholarship application through the same system within the established deadlines.

Once the online application is completed, applicants receive a confirmation email and must pay 10% of the first tuition instalment within 72 working hours to secure their place; this amount is refundable if they ultimately decide not to start the programme. For certain merit- and need-based scholarships, applicants may also be required to sit an Academic Aptitude Test.

Postgraduate admissions are selective and typically involve both academic and professional criteria.

In the Graduate Business School the process is clearly formalised: candidates first schedule an individual interview with the academic coordinator of their chosen programme to confirm alignment between the programme and their professional development. They then register in person at the Student Services area, paying a refundable deposit that forms part of the total tuition and is reimbursed in full if the candidate cancels or is not admitted. Within 24 hours they receive instructions to complete an online application, after which an admissions interview is scheduled with a faculty member. For several business postgraduate programmes, an admission test is required at this stage.

Standard admission tests for business-related postgraduate programmes include the Business Admissions Test (BAT) and the Prueba de Admisión a Estudios de Postgrados (PAEP), both used as objective, standardised tools to identify candidates with strong potential.

The university also accepts GMAT scores as an alternative in the case of the PAEP. Specific programmes such as the MBA, the Master in Finance and the Diploma in Business Analytics explicitly require a recognised university degree, relevant professional experience and a minimum score in the BAT as prerequisites for admission, in addition to successful completion of the interview process and approval by the corresponding academic committee.

For other postgraduate programmes in education and related fields, admission similarly requires a recognised undergraduate degree and, often, relevant professional experience. Applicants whose previous university studies were completed abroad must normally present an apostilled degree certificate or a notarised copy, submitted to the relevant postgraduate office before they may begin their studies.

The university states that, for international postgraduate applicants, admission decisions are based on individual characteristics such as test scores, academic performance and other personal criteria, rather than on the institution of origin, mirroring the criteria it advises students to expect when applying to universities overseas.

International and exchange students are supported by the International Office, which coordinates mobility agreements and assists with academic and administrative processes. Incoming students can take advantage of a portfolio of courses taught entirely in English or in dual-language mode (lectures in Spanish, materials and assessment in English), offered each August semester to facilitate integration.

For international students enrolling in full postgraduate degrees, the university offers specific scholarships such as the “Beca International Student” and “Beca International Executive”, which provide tuition discounts to foreign students relocating to Uruguay or to foreign executives residing temporarily in the country, on condition that they complete the required admission test and the standard postgraduate application process.

Across all levels, admission is handled through central online platforms linked to the university’s websites, complemented by personal academic advising, structured evaluation of academic and professional backgrounds, and, in selected programmes, standardised admission testing.

This framework is designed to build student cohorts with strong academic potential, relevant experience and the ability to contribute actively to their peer learning environment. 

Universidad ORT Uruguay is an urban, multi-campus university located in Montevideo. Its facilities are organized around two main campuses – Campus Centro in the downtown area and Campus Pocitos in a residential, seaside neighbourhood – together with the ORT Rambla academic space on the coastal avenue.

The institution’s built academic infrastructure exceeds 29,700 m², concentrating teaching, research, student services and postgraduate activities in these three interconnected sites.

The university’s facilities also include the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center (Centro de Innovación y Emprendimientos, CIE), a cross-university hub that fosters an entrepreneurial and innovation-oriented culture among students, graduates and academic staff. The CIE develops training activities, mentoring and incubation programmes, and coordinates an ecosystem that links the university with companies, society and the financial sector, helping transform early-stage ideas into innovative ventures. Recognized at national level as an accredited business incubator, it supports pre-incubation and consolidation of start-ups and provides shared workspaces and laboratory environments where projects from all academic areas of the university can converge and collaborate.

Teaching and learning take place in more than 110 classrooms equipped for hybrid delivery, allowing simultaneous on-campus and remote participation through HyFlex-type technology. These rooms are complemented by project rooms designed for team work, fully equipped videoconferencing rooms that connect students and faculty with international guests, and lecture halls, auditoriums and seminar rooms fitted with modern multimedia systems.

Laboratory infrastructure is a central component of the university’s facilities. Across Campus Centro and Campus Pocitos there are numerous teaching and research laboratories in engineering, biotechnology, architecture, design and communication, including electronic and telecommunications labs, prototype design and construction workshops, and specialized biotechnology laboratories.

The university hosts a 3D prototyping lab – the first of its kind in Uruguay – which complements design workshops for metal, wood, plastics and textiles, as well as the national Biotechnology Research and Innovation Center (CBI+I), a 300 m² facility with biosafety level 1 and 2 rooms, fermentation and protein purification equipment, and shared molecular biology spaces that support collaboration with industry.

Digital media and communication facilities include TV and radio studios with HD cameras, professional-standard control rooms and post-production suites, together with a comprehensive audiovisual production complex used for both teaching and external projects. These spaces are supported by design laboratories and specialist multimedia classrooms, enabling practical work in animation, video games, audiovisual production, journalism, and advertising.

The university’s library system operates as an integrated network composed of the Centro and Pocitos libraries, each located close to the main teaching buildings. Together, they provide tens of thousands of print volumes (over 87,000), more than 130 titles of specialized periodicals, and a film collection with over 3,500 titles. In addition, there is a virtual library with access to major bibliographic databases, journals, e-books, theses and other academic resources, complemented by services such as extended-hours return boxes and online help desks.

Information and communication technologies are embedded in the campus infrastructure. An advanced data network connects more than 1,800 computers to high-speed Internet through high-capacity fiber-optic links, providing campus-wide Wi-Fi coverage. These resources support computer labs, discipline-specific software environments and online learning platforms that are used across all faculties and schools.

Beyond academic spaces, facilities also support student life, sports and community engagement. The Sport and Social Activities area coordinates training and competition in basketball (including an over-35 team), men’s and women’s futsal, women’s handball and hockey, and men’s and women’s volleyball, providing the infrastructure needed for participation in local and international tournaments and for internal recreational leagues.

Sustainability considerations are increasingly integrated into campus management. The university’s Centro and Pocitos campuses cover more than 25,000 m² and are the focus of a structured environmental-management programme (ORT Recicla) that promotes waste separation, recycling and awareness among students and staff.

Together, these facilities – multi-campus teaching spaces, modern laboratories, professional media and design infrastructure, a robust library and ICT system and social areas, and sustainability initiatives – provide a comprehensive physical and technological environment that supports the university’s academic mission in science, technology, management, design and related fields. 

5,021
84%
16%
90
59%
41%
743
91%
9%

Student life

Student life at Universidad ORT Uruguay combines a strong academic focus with a wide range of co-curricular, sports, cultural and international opportunities designed to support students’ personal, professional and social development.

The university offers centralised access to services and resources through online systems for virtual classrooms (Aulas), student services (Gestión) and the institutional library network, giving students flexible support for their daily academic life on and off campus.

The university’s website brings together key aspects of campus life: international exchanges, language learning, entrepreneurship support, career guidance, mentoring, scholarships, regulations, and sports. Through this platform, students can find information about academic regulations, access the virtual learning environment, consult the libraries and connect with different support services that accompany them throughout their studies.

Internationalisation is a defining feature of student life at ORT. The university maintains more than 100 exchange agreements with universities in over twenty countries across four continents, allowing students to study a semester abroad while progressing in their degree and experiencing another culture.

Each year, many students from all over the world also choose Universidad ORT Uruguay for a semester-long exchange, language study or full degree.

An International Office provides dedicated advice and guidance to foreign students, helping them navigate academic options, administrative procedures, migration formalities and everyday life in Uruguay.

The university offers Spanish language courses for foreigners and is an authorised examination centre for international Spanish, English and Japanese language tests, further integrating language learning into student life.

Students at ORT have multiple opportunities to broaden their horizons through language study. Enrolled students can take courses in German, Chinese (Mandarin), Korean, French, English, Italian, Japanese and Portuguese, which not only support academic and professional goals but also enrich the cultural dimension of university life and prepare students for mobility programmes and international careers.

Entrepreneurship is deeply embedded in the student experience. The university’s Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) provides support to students and graduates who wish to develop innovative ideas and transform them into high-potential ventures.

Through mentoring, training, networking and links with the entrepreneurial ecosystem, the CIE creates a collaborative environment where students from different faculties can work together on projects, interact with companies and investors and participate in competitions and incubation processes.

Career development is supported by a specialised career guidance service that targets advanced students and graduates. This service offers individual counselling sessions focused on improving job-search strategies, CV and interview preparation, and understanding labour-market opportunities. The aim is to facilitate students’ transition into professional life and help them design realistic and coherent career plans while they are still studying.

Community and peer support are strengthened through the university-wide Mentoring Programme. This initiative links senior students with first-year students to help them adapt to university life, understand academic expectations and build their social and support networks. The programme is coordinated by student counsellors in each faculty and operates within the Directorate of Student Affairs, indicating an institutional commitment to accompany students not only academically but also in their integration and well-being.

Student life at ORT is also characterised by strong participation in sports and recreational activities. The university’s sports area offers competitive teams in men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s futsal, women’s handball, women’s hockey and men’s and women’s volleyball, with regular training sessions and participation in local, national and international tournaments, including events such as the Copa Taylor and the Copa Mercosur. These activities are coordinated by the Social and Sports Activities area, which has developed a robust programme that promotes health, teamwork, leadership, and a sense of belonging to the university community.

Financial and welfare aspects of student life are addressed through a comprehensive scholarships and discounts scheme. Students can access information on scholarships for undergraduate and postgraduate studies, renewal procedures, discounts and specific funds such as those managed by the Student Welfare area, which supports students who need financial assistance to pursue their programmes. These mechanisms help sustain inclusiveness and equal opportunities within the student body.

The university also encourages student participation in initiatives with social and global impact. ORT is part of the international “Projects for Peace” programme, which invites young adults to design and implement innovative, community-centred projects addressing pressing global challenges. Each year, students can compete for funding to carry out peace-building and development projects around the world, positioning them as proactive agents of change. In parallel, the institution’s sustainability strategy links campus management, teaching and outreach with values such as social responsibility, environmental stewardship and student well-being, promoting healthier, safer and more equitable environments and fostering critical, socially engaged citizens.

Finally, day-to-day student life is supported by additional services and resources: recommendations on cybersecurity and safe use of technology, clear academic regulations that govern the rights and responsibilities of the university community, and integrated access to the library system and digital resources that underpin independent learning.

Taken together, these elements create a student experience at Universidad ORT Uruguay that is academically demanding, internationally oriented and strongly focused on personal development, employability, social commitment and well-being.

Cost of Living

Montevideo offers a safe, human-scale and welcoming environment for international students. The city is walkable, has reliable public transport, and combines European and Latin American influences in its architecture, culture and daily life.

Uruguay is known for its political stability, strong institutions and high levels of safety by regional standards, which makes Montevideo a practical and accessible place to live and study.

For a typical international student sharing accommodation in Montevideo, most independent guides converge on an estimated monthly budget of about USD 600–1,000, excluding tuition fees.

This assumes a modest lifestyle (shared housing, cooking at home most of the time, using public transport). Students living alone in a private flat or with a more consumer-oriented lifestyle will need a higher budget.

A typical monthly breakdown for a student might look like this:

  • Accommodation (shared flat or student residence): approximately USD 250–600 depending on location, room type and whether utilities are included. Guides for international students in Uruguay usually give ranges between USD 200–700 per month for student housing. A recent university-based estimate for Montevideo suggests that a room in a student residence or in a family home is commonly around USD 400–600 per month.

  • Food and groceries: around USD 150–300 per month if most meals are prepared at home and eating out is occasional. Official-style education portals aimed at international students recommend that roughly USD 300 per month on food is a realistic benchmark.

  • Public transport: Montevideo is well served by city buses. An urban bus ride costs a little over USD 1; with frequent use and student discounts, monthly spending on public transport is typically in the USD 20–50 range.

  • Utilities and internet: if not included in the rent, students should allow about USD 50–100 per month for electricity, water and home internet in a shared flat.

  • Health insurance: international students are normally required to have health coverage. Depending on whether they use a local student health plan or private insurance, costs typically range from USD 30–70 per month.

  • Personal expenses and leisure: mobile phone, clothing, study materials, sports and social activities can add USD 50–120 per month, depending on lifestyle.

For a single adult in Montevideo, total monthly expenses including rent often fall between about USD 1,500–1,900, though student budgets are usually lower because of shared housing and more frugal consumption patterns.

These figures are indicative and can vary significantly with exchange rates, inflation, personal habits and the specific neighbourhood chosen.

Applicants are therefore advised to treat the ranges above as a planning reference rather than a fixed budget, and to review updated cost-of-living information when preparing their study plans.

Accommodation
$3,710
Food
$2,990
Transport
$520
Utilities
$2,310

Tuition fees

Funding at Universidad ORT Uruguay is organised within a comprehensive, merit- and need-based financial aid system that operates inside a private, not-for-profit institutional framework. The university is run by the non-profit Asociación Uruguaya ORT and is recognised by the Uruguayan Ministry of Education as a private, not-for-profit, degree-granting institution.

Each year, the university awards more than 1,000 scholarships to new students whose personal or family income does not allow them to fully finance their studies. These institutional funds are complemented by agreements with public bodies, NGOs and private companies that provide additional tuition benefits. Scholarships are structured around three main groups of programmes – for full undergraduate degrees, short-cycle programmes and postgraduate studies – and are explicitly designed to reflect both the applicant’s academic profile and their economic circumstances.

Scholarships may cover a significant percentage of the total tuition cost and, in most cases, are granted once for a period equivalent to up to 1.5 times the formal duration of the programme, without annual renewal requirements during that period.

For undergraduate degrees, ORT offers a broad portfolio of funds. The Excellence Scholarships are the flagship merit-based and need-based scheme for new entrants. One track is targeted at students requiring financial support: awards are allocated based on performance in the PAA plus a sworn declaration of family income; the maximum coverage is 60% of tuition for the entire degree, without renewal, subject to satisfactory academic progress. Within this track, special excellence awards can cover up to 80% of tuition for candidates with very high PAA scores and low per-capita family income. A second track is purely merit-based for students who do not need financial assistance; in this case the maximum scholarship is 35% of tuition for the full nominal duration of the programme, also with no renewal requirement but conditioned on maintaining an acceptable academic record.

Beyond excellence scholarships, there is a competitive scholarships fund for new undergraduates, with awards typically up to 50% of tuition, and a specific Revalidation Scholarship Fund for students transferring from other universities, which can cover up to 35% of fees after considering academic performance and family income.

The university also runs high-impact full scholarships. The Charlotte de Grünberg Scholarship is a 100% tuition waiver for an entire undergraduate degree starting in March, complemented by a monthly stipend of UYU 30,000 to support other study-related expenses. In STEM fields, ORT awards a competitive “Beca Concursable Mujer” that funds 80% of tuition for women who obtain the highest PAA score and enrol in Electrical, Electronic or Telecommunications Engineering. Additionally, winners of the national Physics Olympiad and Mathematics Olympiad receive 100% tuition scholarships for any undergraduate programme at the university, recognising outstanding talent and promoting science and analytical skills among secondary-school students.

For short-cycle programmes and technical “carreras cortas”, ORT maintains a dedicated scholarship fund focused on employability and labour-market needs. These “Becas para carreras cortas” include specific Labour Training Scholarships that support students in high-demand, short programmes. Awards are allocated according to the applicant’s economic situation and cover the full duration of the programme without the need for annual renewal, allowing continuous support from enrolment to completion.

The university also operates social and extension scholarship schemes aimed at current students who encounter unforeseen financial difficulties. The Social Scholarships Fund (Fondo de Becas Sociales, FBS) provides need-based aid of up to 20% of tuition to enrolled students without another scholarship who require financial assistance; these awards are annual and must be renewed each year, with selection based on academic performance and a detailed assessment of household income. Additional extension funds (FBX) can complement existing excellence or competitive scholarships when students require further support, with renewal handled through the online “Gestión” system.

For postgraduate programmes, particularly in the School of Business, ORT offers a structured portfolio of scholarships for both national and international students. There are Excellence Scholarships for candidates with outstanding academic records in their prior degrees and strong admission test scores, typically providing a 35% tuition reduction.

Entrepreneur Scholarships target applicants with dynamic start-ups, also with 35% discounts that can be combined with other benefits, while Young Talents Scholarships support high-potential professionals under 35 with company sponsorship, again with up to 35% coverage. Social Scholarships for Postgraduate Studies offer up to 30% tuition reduction based on academic, professional and financial criteria, and a Mobility Scholarship supports candidates living outside the Montevideo metropolitan area with a 35% fee reduction to mitigate geographic barriers to access. International applicants have access to the same core schemes (Excellence, Entrepreneurs, Young Talents and Social Scholarships) and, additionally, to “International Student” and “International Executive” scholarships, each providing 35% tuition discounts for foreign students relocating to Uruguay or temporarily residing in the country as managers.

ORT’s International Office also publicises external competitive scholarships for study or research abroad (for example, Eiffel Excellence Scholarships in France and Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships), integrating them into its mobility and cooperation strategy.

Discount policies complement the scholarship system. ORT grants institutional discounts between 15% and 25% to current students, graduates and their immediate family members across degrees, postgraduate programmes and executive or continuing education. Siblings, children, parents or spouses who enrol simultaneously benefit from a 15% discount each; students enrolled in more than one programme at the same time receive a 25% discount on the shorter programme; graduates of ORT’s degrees and postgraduates are entitled to a 25% discount on a wide range of further studies; and children of graduates receive a 15% reduction on undergraduate, short-cycle and postgraduate tuition.

Tuition and payment conditions are structured to accommodate individual circumstances. The final tuition amount depends on the number of courses taken each semester, the existence of a scholarship, the application of discounts and any institutional agreements that may apply; these details are always communicated in a personalised meeting with academic advisors rather than via fixed tariff tables.

Scholarships

Selecting the right scholarship can be a daunting process. With countless options available, students often find themselves overwhelmed and confused. The decision can be especially stressful for those facing financial constraints or pursuing specific academic or career goals.

To help students navigate this challenging process, we recommend the following articles:

Employability

Universidad ORT Uruguay integrates career development into its institutional strategy, combining high graduate employability with structured support services, strong links to employers and a dynamic alumni network.

The university reports an average employment rate of 97% for its university graduates, with more than 25,000 alumni working successfully in Uruguay and abroad, often in enterprises and social ventures they have founded themselves.

Career support is coordinated through central and faculty-based services that accompany students from their advanced years of study through to their professional consolidation.

ORT provides dedicated support to facilitate labour-market insertion for advanced students and graduates, including information and contacts for job opportunities, management of paid internships, training in CV writing and interview skills, and advice for creating new businesses. These services are complemented by entrepreneurship support structures and mentoring, ensuring that students can explore both employment and self-employment pathways.

A key component of the university’s careers ecosystem is the Employment Portal (empleo.ort.edu.uy), relaunched in 2025 with expanded functionality for both companies and candidates. Through this platform, registered companies can autonomously publish job opportunities and manage applications, while students and graduates create profiles, indicate their interests and receive personalised alerts about positions aligned with their professional development. The portal centralises offers from a wide range of organisations and is promoted across all faculties and the Institute of Education, providing equal access to opportunities for the entire student body.

The Career Orientation Service provides free, individualised guidance to advanced students and graduates who need to improve their strategies for entering or re-entering the labour market. This service offers up to two one-to-one counselling sessions in which participants analyse different forms of labour-market insertion – personal entrepreneurship, freelance work or salaried employment – and receive feedback on their CVs, interview skills and job-search strategies. The service is framed explicitly as a space to equip students and alumni with tools that facilitate their insertion into work while simultaneously fostering an entrepreneurial and innovative mindset for long-term career development.

In addition to ongoing services, ORT organises large-scale events to connect students and employers. Since 2005, the Employment Month has linked companies with students and graduates through stands, presentations, workshops and networking activities in all faculties. This event, now extended to three in-person days across different campuses, aims to strengthen the connection between academia and the productive sector, create direct interaction between students, graduates and companies, and promote employability and professional growth.

Career development is also embedded at programme and faculty level. Faculties maintain graduate-coordination units that monitor employment outcomes, foster links with employers and promote career events. In the Faculty of Administration and Social Sciences, for example, the graduate community comprises more than 4,000 professionals, and the average employment rate over the last three years is 97%, with graduates occupying positions of responsibility, completing postgraduate studies abroad and often founding their own companies. Similar structures exist in the Faculty of Engineering, which reports an average employment rate of 99% for its graduates and maintains contact with more than 400 companies to facilitate job opportunities and internships. Faculty-specific graduate pages highlight where alumni work, the types of roles they occupy, and the services offered by the university to support their professional projection.

At postgraduate level, the School of Business (Escuela de Negocios) operates a specialised MBA Career Services unit. This service, aimed at MBA students and alumni, creates an environment where participants can, through reflection and personalised assessments, identify their main competencies, skills, and personal and professional interests. Activities include career workshops, individual coaching, employer presentations, networking opportunities and continuous learning initiatives through a structured alumni community, contributing to the positioning of graduates in key managerial and leadership roles in the business sector.

The university’s focus on employability is also reflected in its programme portfolio and funding schemes. Many short-cycle programmes and professional-development courses are explicitly designed to respond to labour-market demand, upgrading students’ skills in areas such as software process improvement, databases, business analysis and internet marketing. Training Scholarships for short careers aim to provide concrete tools for accessing better employment opportunities in the short and medium term, reinforcing the link between financial aid and career impact.

Overall, career development at Universidad ORT Uruguay rests on four pillars:

  1. High graduate employability, evidenced by consistently strong employment rates;
  2. Structured guidance and insertion services for students and alumni;
  3. Robust digital infrastructure in the form of a modern employment portal;
  4. Sustained engagement with companies and professional sectors through events such as the Employment Month and extensive faculty–industry networks.

Together, these elements create a coherent careers ecosystem that supports students and graduates in designing, launching and consolidating successful professional trajectories at national and international levels.

Universidad ORT Uruguay integrates internships and professional placements as a structured, institution-wide mechanism to support students’ transition into the labour market.

Through central services and faculty-based coordination, the university manages paid internships, curricular placements and international programmes that connect students and graduates with companies, public bodies and international organisations.

At institutional level, ORT offers a labour-insertion support service for advanced students and graduates, which explicitly includes the management of paid internships. This service provides information and contacts for job opportunities, coordinates internships, offers training in CV preparation and interview performance, and advises on business creation. In parallel, a dedicated support service for employers in the Faculty of Engineering formalises the internship framework: companies may request students under an internship contract, and all such internships must be remunerated.

Internships are also embedded in the curriculum of several programmes. These placements are explicitly designed to introduce selected students to the professional practice of their discipline, integrating them into work teams in their field so that they can acquire supervised experience and deepen and consolidate their knowledge.

The work methodology depends on the tasks assigned within the host team, and each student is supervised by a tutor or team leader who defines objectives, monitors progress and evaluates performance. Final evaluation is carried out by an academic board which considers the student’s written report on the work undertaken and a formal assessment provided by the workplace supervisor.

Faculty-level graduate offices reinforce this approach by supporting “prácticas profesionales o formativas” in companies. In the Faculty of Engineering, for example, the Graduate Coordination office lists support for the management of professional or training placements in companies among its core services, alongside CV optimisation, LinkedIn profile development, interview training and labour-market information. Similar wording appears in labour-insertion pages for other programmes, which explicitly include internship management as part of the support offered to students and graduates.

All internship and placement opportunities are channelled through the university’s Employment Portal, a central platform that aggregates offers for advanced students and graduates from all faculties. Companies and organisations registered as strategic partners can autonomously publish internship and job opportunities, while students and graduates create profiles and indicate their interests to receive personalised information about openings that match their professional development. The portal, relaunched in 2025, operates as the main interface between the university’s talent pool and the productive and social sectors.

Beyond national placements, ORT has developed specific international internship schemes. Through a partnership with Talanta, the university offers a programme of international internships for students and graduates, enabling them to undertake remunerated professional practice from Uruguay with leading global companies. Participants receive training delivered by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and become part of a global talent network, combining international exposure, professional experience and structured skills development. In the field of education, international postgraduate students have also chosen the ORT Institute of Education as a destination for their own practicum, highlighting the university’s role as a host for international professional placements.

Institutional agreements further expand the range of placement settings available to students. ORT has signed cooperation agreements with public institutions such as the Presidency of the Republic and Antel, the national telecommunications company, for the implementation of academic or professional practice systems. These agreements formalise frameworks under which students from short-cycle, undergraduate and postgraduate programmes can undertake professional internships in these organisations, ensuring appropriate supervision and alignment with curricular objectives. In addition, the university disseminates calls for internship programmes in multilateral organisations, such as the internship sessions of the Organization of American States (OAS) in Uruguay, through its institutional channels, reinforcing international placement options for students.

The internship and placement ecosystem at Universidad ORT Uruguay is therefore multi-layered: a central labour-insertion service that manages paid internships and supports job search; curricular internship courses with clearly defined learning outcomes, supervision and assessment; faculty-based graduate offices that facilitate company placements; a modern Employment Portal connecting students, graduates and employers; international internship programmes with global partners; and cooperation agreements with key public and private institutions.

Together, these mechanisms ensure that students across disciplines have structured, supervised and remunerated opportunities to gain relevant professional experience and to build networks that strengthen their employability at national and international levels.

Rankings & Ratings

Universidad ORT Uruguay is one of the top Private not for Profit universities in Montevideo, Uruguay. It is ranked #1001-1200 in QS World University Rankings 2026.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Almost all degree programmes at Universidad ORT Uruguay are taught in Spanish. International students are therefore expected to have at least an intermediate level of Spanish (approximately B1) to follow lectures, complete coursework and sit exams successfully.


To support incoming students, the university offers Spanish language courses and a growing portfolio of courses taught entirely in English or in a dual-language format (lectures in Spanish with reading materials and assessment in English).


Every August semester, at least five English-taught courses are offered across different disciplines specifically to facilitate the integration of international students. 

International students can apply to Universidad ORT Uruguay as degree-seeking students, exchange students (from partner universities) or “free-mover” visiting students for one or two semesters.


Degree-seeking applicants apply through the Admissions Office and must meet the academic entry requirements for their chosen programme (recognised upper-secondary diploma or undergraduate degree, depending on the level), provide the required documentation and, in some cases, sit an admission test or interview.


Exchange and free-mover students are coordinated by the International Office: exchange applicants are nominated by their home institution under an existing agreement, while free-mover students apply directly and pay local tuition fees. In all cases, students must respect the published deadlines, meet the language requirements (usually intermediate Spanish) and organise their visa, housing and health insurance in line with Uruguayan regulations. 

ORT offers an extensive system of scholarships and discounts to widen access to higher education.


At undergraduate level there are competitive excellence scholarships, need-based funds and special schemes for students transferring from other institutions or enrolling in short-cycle programmes, with coverage that can extend across the nominal duration of the degree.


For postgraduate studies, the university maintains a structured portfolio of scholarships in areas such as business, communication, design, engineering, and education. These include Excellence, Entrepreneurs and Young Talents scholarships, as well as social scholarships and mobility support for students living outside Montevideo.


International students are eligible for several of these schemes and have specific options such as the “International Student” and “International Executive” scholarships, which grant partial tuition reductions to foreign students relocating to Uruguay or residing temporarily in the country.  

Universidad ORT Uruguay places a strong emphasis on employability: more than 1,400 students graduate each year and the overall job-placement rate is around 97%, with over 25,000 alumni working in Uruguay and abroad.


To support this, the university offers central services for job placement and internships. These include an Employment Support Service providing information on job openings, management of paid internships, training in CV writing and interview skills, and advice for starting a business. A specialised Career Orientation Service offers individual counselling sessions for advanced students and graduates who want to refine their labour-market strategies.


Each year, the Employment Month connects students and employers across all faculties through stands, presentations and networking events, and has been recognised by national ministries for its role in strengthening links between higher education and the labour market. 

Universidad ORT Uruguay places a strong emphasis on employability: more than 1,400 students graduate each year and the overall job-placement rate is around 97%, with over 25,000 alumni working in Uruguay and abroad.


To support this, the university offers central services for job placement and internships. These include an Employment Support Service providing information on job openings, management of paid internships, training in CV writing and interview skills, and advice for starting a business. A specialised Career Orientation Service offers individual counselling sessions for advanced students and graduates who want to refine their labour-market strategies.


Each year, the Employment Month connects students and employers across all faculties through stands, presentations and networking events, and has been recognised by national ministries for its role in strengthening links between higher education and the labour market. 

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