The University of San Carlos of Guatemala (Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala, USAC) is the country’s public university. It was founded by royal decree in 1676 and has its main campus in Guatemala City.[1] Wikipedia reports about 230,000 students in 2021.[1] In the QS World University Rankings 2027 it sits in the 1401+ band, and in QS Latin America & The Caribbean 2027 it is listed at 121 (tied).[2][3]
USAC’s fee page lists an enrolment fee of Q101 for first-entry students and Q91 for the annual enrolment of continuing students. Foreign students are listed at Q1,800 (Central American), Q12,000 (Latin American) or Q24,000 (rest of the world). The page carries no date or academic year, so confirm the amounts with the university.[4] Admission runs through a vocational-orientation test, basic knowledge tests and faculty-specific tests.[5]
Key facts
| Official name | Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala (USAC) |
| Location | Ciudad Universitaria, Zona 12, Guatemala City, Guatemala[6] |
| Type | Public university; the only public university in Guatemala (per Wikipedia)[1] |
| Founded | Royal decree of King Charles II of Spain, 31 January 1676, in Santiago de los Caballeros de Guatemala (today Antigua); classes began on 7 January 1681[1] |
| Autonomy | Granted after the revolution of October 1944 by Decree No. 12 of 11 November 1944[6] |
| Students | About 230,000 in 2021 (English Wikipedia); 235,212 in 2019 (Spanish Wikipedia)[1] |
| Academic units | Registry portal: 10 faculties, 14 centres, 9 schools and 3 institutes; English Wikipedia counts 40 units (10 colleges, 10 schools, 19 regional centres, 1 technical institute)[7] |
| Degree programmes | More than 100 programmes in 22 professional fields (entry-test leaflet)[5] |
| QS World University Rankings 2027 | Band 1401+[2] |
| QS Latin America & The Caribbean 2027 | 121 (tied), score 43.1[3] |
| Enrolment fee, first entry | Q101 (Guatemalan students); Q1,800 / Q12,000 / Q24,000 for foreign students from Central America / Latin America / rest of the world; no academic year stated[4] |
| Vocational-orientation test | Q70 (2023 leaflet; passport number required for foreign applicants)[5] |
| Official website | usac.edu.gt |
Checked against the sources listed at the bottom of this page on 8 November 2026.
About the University of San Carlos of Guatemala
USAC was established by a royal decree of Charles II of Spain on 31 January 1676 in Santiago de los Caballeros de Guatemala, the colonial capital that is now Antigua. Classes began on 7 January 1681, and Pope Innocent XI gave papal consecration on 18 June 1687.[1] Spanish Wikipedia calls it the third royal university of Hispanic America.[6]
The university received its autonomy after the revolution of October 1944, through Decree No. 12 of 11 November 1944.[6] English Wikipedia describes it as the only public university in Guatemala.[1] The main campus is the Ciudad Universitaria in Zone 12 of Guatemala City; the university also runs regional centres across the country.[6]
Counts of academic units differ between sources. The registry portal lists 10 faculties, 14 centres, 9 schools and 3 institutes.[7] English Wikipedia gives 40 units: 10 colleges, 10 schools, 19 regional centres and 1 technical institute.[1] Neither page is dated, so treat the numbers as approximate.
How is USAC ranked?
In the QS World University Rankings 2027 (published 18 June 2026) USAC is placed in the 1401+ band, so no individual position is given.[2] A Panamanian newspaper report on the 2027 edition lists it as “Rango 1401+” and describes it as a new entry.[8] The XuanXiao profile of USAC, however, shows 1201–1400 for the 2023 to 2025 editions, so the sources do not agree on whether the university is new in the ranking.[9]
In QS Latin America & The Caribbean 2027, XuanXiao lists USAC at 121 (tied) with a score of 43.1, among 517 institutions.[3] Rankings differ by publisher and year, so treat one position as one view. How we compile rankings. Back to the Guatemala ranking.
What can you study at USAC?
The university’s entry-test leaflet speaks of more than 100 degree programmes grouped in 22 professional fields.[5] According to English Wikipedia, the colleges (facultades) include Agriculture, Architecture, Economic Sciences, Law, Medicine, Pharmacy and Chemical Sciences, Humanities, Engineering, Dental Medicine, and Veterinary and Animal Studies. The schools include Psychology, History, Social Work, Communication Sciences, Political Sciences, Language Sciences, Art, and Physical and Mathematical Sciences.[1]
We could not read USAC’s own programme catalogue: the main website usac.edu.gt did not respond when we tried it on 8 November 2026. The registry portal lists the faculties, centres, schools and institutes.[7] Check the website of the faculty or centre for the exact degrees on offer.
How much does USAC cost?
USAC publishes the fees below on its registry portal (Departamento de Registro y Estadística). The amounts are in Guatemalan quetzales (Q). The page shows no academic year and no date; other panels on it refer to 2021, so confirm the current amounts before you plan.[4]
| Enrolment fee | Amount (GTQ) |
|---|---|
| First entry | Q101 |
| First entry, foreign student from Central America | Q1,800 |
| First entry, foreign student from Latin America | Q12,000 |
| First entry, foreign student from the rest of the world | Q24,000 |
| Continuing student, annual enrolment | Q91 |
| Continuing student, second semester | Q61 |
| Continuing foreign student (Central America / Latin America / rest of the world) | Q1,800 / Q12,000 / Q24,000 |
The page does not say how it defines “foreign student” or how often the foreign-student amounts are charged. Its fee list also shows Q110 for a teaching diploma (profesorado) and Q115 for a bachelor’s-level degree certificate (licenciatura).[4]
Costs before enrolment
The vocational-orientation test, the first step of the admission process, costs Q70 according to the 2023 leaflet of the placement system (SUN).[5] A guide published in 2026 by a third-party site says the basic knowledge tests are free of charge; it adds that the cost of the optional preparatory programme (PAP) is announced only on the SUN’s social media.[10]
We found no source that states living costs or a full cost of study. For rent and daily costs in Guatemala City, see our Guatemala guide.
How do you apply to USAC?
New students follow the placement system SUN (Sistema de Ubicación y Nivelación). The leaflet describes these steps:[5]
- Vocational-orientation test (Prueba de Orientación Vocacional): an online interest inventory. Applicants must be graduates or in the last year of upper secondary school, have a personal Gmail address and an ID number; foreign applicants give a valid passport number. The test costs Q70.[5]
- Basic knowledge tests (Pruebas de Conocimientos Básicos, PCB): taken online after you create an account on the SUN portal. Which subjects you need depends on the faculty or school you choose. A satisfactory result is the condition for the next step.[5]
- Specific tests (pruebas específicas): organised by the faculty or school, only after satisfactory PCB results. Ask the unit directly what it requires.[5]
- Enrolment: handled by the Registry and Statistics department. See its portal for process, requirements and calendar.[5]
The registry portal lists separate first-entry requirement profiles for “persons with studies and nationality abroad” and for “persons with studies in Guatemala and foreign nationality”. The requirements are published as images that we could not read; the contact given is primeringresorye@adm.usac.edu.gt.[11] A 2026 third-party guide confirms the same four steps and says the exact tests per programme should be checked in the current table.[10]
We give no deadlines here because they change every year. The SUN leaflet is from 2023 (its test table covers the 2024 cycle), so check the SUN and registry sites for the current cycle.
Which language do you need?
The admission materials we read are in Spanish, and the basic tests for many programmes include a Spanish language test (“Lenguaje”).[5] We found no page on which USAC states a language of instruction or a required Spanish certificate (for example a CEFR level) for foreign applicants, and the foreign-student requirement pages are images.[11] Ask the faculty before you apply.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is USAC a public university?
How much do foreign students pay at USAC?
USAC’s fee page lists first-entry enrolment fees of Q1,800 for Central Americans, Q12,000 for Latin Americans and Q24,000 for students from the rest of the world, against Q101 for other first-entry students. The page has no date or academic year.[4]
What is the USAC entrance test?
There is no single exam. Applicants take a vocational-orientation test, then the basic knowledge tests (PCB) set by their faculty, and then any specific tests the faculty requires.[5]
What is USAC’s QS ranking?
More about studying in Guatemala
- Guatemala: best universities
- Cost of Studying Abroad
- International Student Scholarships
- University Ranking Methodology
More university profiles in Guatemala
Sources
[1] Wikipedia: University of San Carlos of Guatemala (history, type, size and academic units; secondary source, page without a date)
[2] XuanXiao: QS World University Rankings 2027, page 30 (QS publishes the ranking at topuniversities.com, which blocks automated access) (aggregator; edition published 18 Jun 2026)
[3] XuanXiao: QS Latin America & The Caribbean Rankings 2027, page 3 (aggregator; table listed as published 1 Oct 2026)
[4] USAC Registro y Estadística: Cuotas estudiantiles (page without a date or academic year; other panels refer to 2021)
[5] USAC SUN: Proceso de ingreso USAC 2023 (leaflet) (uploaded April 2023; test table for the 2024 cycle)
[6] Wikipedia (Spanish): Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala (autonomy, campus location and student count; secondary source, page without a date)
[7] USAC Registro y Estadística: home page (portal) (page without a date)
[8] La Estrella de Panamá: UTP, única universidad de Panamá en el ranking mundial QS 2027 (national press, timestamp 06/07/2026 (day/month))
[9] XuanXiao: Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala (university profile) (aggregator; page without a date)
[10] Living in Guatemala: USAC pruebas básicas y específicas (third-party guide, published 24 Sep 2026, updated 7 Oct 2026)
[11] USAC Registro y Estadística: Requisitos de primer ingreso (page without a date; footer 2021; requirements are shown as images)
Figures may change; check official sources before you decide. How we compile our data · Found an error? Tell us.