In 1898 Colegio Adventista del Plata was opening its eyes to a lifetime of excellence and service.  Guided by Divine Providence, Adventist pioneers worked hard to establish a small school to provide Christian education and spread the gospel to this vast continent.  Over time, the college became a university and today it is a conservative school where many students from all over the world come to enjoy a unique experience.

Universidad Adventista del Plata (UAP) is located in the province of Entre Rios, 450 kilometers from the city of Buenos Aires.  Gentle hills covered patch-like with green, golden and dark fields accompanied by winding rivers welcome the newcomer to the UAP campus.  As if wanting to break the monotony, the town of Libertador San Martín and the campus is highly forested with all kinds of trees.  It is a very peaceful place, far away from the hustle and bustle of the crowded city, an ideal refuge from the dangers and distractions of the big city.

UAP seeks to meet the needs of every student in spiritual, academic, physical and social aspects.  The institution's motto is 'Gateway to Excellence and Service.'  The university includes primary, secondary and university students with a total of 2800 students, 800 of which are living in the residence halls.  This is a very cosmopolitan campus seeing as how there are students from 40 different countries around the world.  There are four distinct schools of study and over thirty different specialized majors within them.

Weather/Temperature:  Both the seasons and academic calendar are opposite in Argentina from North America.  For example, while it may be winter in North America, students in Argentina are traditionally enjoying their summer vacation.  ACA Summer Language program students will be attending UAP during the winter (June to August) time.  Temperatures during these months range from  0 ̊C—18 ̊C (64 ̊F) / 5 ̊ C (41 ̊ F), even though it is the summer program.  Therefore, it is strongly recommended that students bring a heavy coat and some winter wear as both spring and fall can have chilly days and quite cold nights.

Classroom and residence hall facilities are modern in design and in a good state of repair.  Generally two or three students to a room is the norm in dormitories, with shower and restroom facilities located on each floor.  Rooms are spacious though closet capacity is limited.  Pillows, blankets and bed linens are provided and there is a laundry on campus where students can take their clothes to be washed.

Life at UAP is very spiritual and quite conservative.  Students may find things different from their colleges and universities in North America, but will    come to enjoy experiencing this new culture if they bring with them an open mind and an understanding of  cultural differences.  Students are required to attend daily worships and may find the dress code somewhat more conservative than they are used to.  They may only wear shorts to classes during the summer months and even then, the shorts must be knee-length, Bermuda shorts style.  No jewelry or piercing of any kind may be worn on campus and men are asked not to wear their hair long.

Sports activities are an important part of everyday life at UAP.  Not only are there facilities for tennis, volleyball, basketball and soccer but also an aerobics center.  Gymnasts will find all kinds of gymnastic equipment available and those who like running or simply walking will have vast green field and a pine-bordered field full of fresh air for exercising.  Throughout the year there are many athletic and sporting events.  UAP also has a swimming pool.

Social and cultural activities operate all year long, and active students can organize and enthusiastically participate in them.  During the year, students are invited to spend time together with their professors outside the classroom environment.  Opportunities such as these allow students, professors and their families to come together on a more personal and cultural level, providing an inside look into the family life of Argentina.

Libertador San Martín is quite self-sufficient.  A wide variety of goods and products can be bought in the university's supermarket and other stores in town.  The town has almost everything students might need. 

Visa is NOT required for US or Canadian citizens to enter Argentina.  However, you must have a passport that is valid for the duration of your stay in Argentina and return.  However, the Argentina government has a new rule according to which every student must pay a fee of USD 160 (in cash) at the airport.  This is solely the responsibility of the student. Do not request for a student visa.  Please remember to say you are a tourist when asked about the purpose of your visit.  

Important:  Married students WILL NOT be accepted in the program due to lack of accommodation.
Non-North Americans and Non-European students SHOULD NOT apply for this program because they will not be able to obtain a student visa.  

PLEASE DO NOT TRANSIT THROUGH BRAZIL WHEN YOU BUY YOUR AIRLINE TICKET.  IF YOU DO SO, YOU MUST HAVE A TOURIST VISA FOR BRAZIL.  THEREFORE, PLEASE  NOTE THAT THERE ARE STRAIGHT FLIGHTS TO BUENOS AIRES FROM HOUSTON.

Arrival Date:  Students must plan to leave the US on June 23 and arrive in Argentina on June 24 between 7:30 am and 12:00 noon.  School officials will be waiting to meet the students at the Ministro Pistarini (EZE) airport in Buenos Aires.  The airport is 6 hours away from Libertador San Martίn (name of the town where the UAP is located). Please remember to send the Notice of Arrival online so that you can be picked up at the airport.  You will find the form online on ACA website at www.aca-noborders.org 

Students or other visitors arriving at the university alone may reach the school with the following directions:  From the Buenos Aires airport, take the 'Manuel Tienda Leόn' bus which will take you to Rosario in the province of Santa Fe (there is a bus every two hours) in about 5 hours.  From the bus terminal in Rosario, one can travel by SAN JOSE (7:30, 13:00, 16:15) to reach Libertador San Martín (name of town where the University is located) in Entre Rios (this is the state) in about 3 hours.

Another option, which is a bit more complicated, is the following: From the airport in Buenos Aires, take the 'Manuel Tienda Leόn' bus which will take you to 'Terminal de Retiro' the Buenos Aires bus terminal in about 40 minutes.  From this bus station, one can travel by FLECHA BUS (9:20, 14:20, 23:00) to reach Libertador San Martín (name of town where the University is located) in about 6 hours.

Universidad Adventista del Plata can be reached by telephone at the following numbers:

From the United States and Canada: 011-54-343-4918000

From any place in Argentina: 0-343-4918000

The program director can be reached by E-mail at: aca@uapar.edu

When speaking with the receptionists at the University they will always speak in Spanish.  The university has an E-mail service available for all students with a large amount of computers in different buildings, which one can freely access at no charge. The UAP has a wireless network for the use of the internet.  Therefore, students are advised to bring their computers so that they can enjoy this service 24 hours a day, anywhere on campus.

Cultural Tours:  There are three tours that students will experience during the summer program in Argentina.  Tours include Buenos Aires, Iguazu Falls, and Córdoba/Victoria Falls. All students must participate in the outings designated as cultural tours.  Attendance will be taken and specific assignments will be given.