Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) logo

Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM)

Mexico City, MX · Ranking #93

The National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) is a public research university founded in 1910. Its main campus, Ciudad Universitaria in Mexico City, is a UNESCO World Heritage site. UNAM has over 373,000 students across preparatory, undergraduate and graduate levels, with 34 research institutes, 26 museums and 18 historic sites. It has multiple campuses in Mexico and presence in nine countries. Teaching and research are in Spanish across arts, humanities, sciences, engineering, health and social sciences. It is one of Latin America's leading universities and Mexico's top-ranked institution in most international rankings.

Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) logo

Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM)

About the university

The National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) is a public research university founded in 1910. Its main campus, Ciudad Universitaria in Mexico City, is a UNESCO World Heritage site. UNAM has over 373,000 students across preparatory, undergraduate and graduate levels, with 34 research institutes, 26 museums and 18 historic sites. It has multiple campuses in Mexico and presence in nine countries. Teaching and research are in Spanish across arts, humanities, sciences, engineering, health and social sciences. It is one of Latin America's leading universities and Mexico's top-ranked institution in most international rankings.

Key information

  • Location: Mexico City, MX
  • Ranking #93
  • QS #93
  • THE #801
  • National ranking #1
  • Institution type: public

Popular faculties

  • Medicine
  • Law
  • Psychology
  • Architecture
  • Nursing and Midwifery
  • Dentistry
  • Business Administration
  • Accounting
  • Veterinary Medicine and Zootechnics
  • Pedagogy

Programs (29)

  • Computer Science
  • Engineering
  • Electrical Engineering
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Medicine
  • Nursing
  • Pharmacy
  • Business Administration
  • Economics
  • Finance and Accounting
  • Marketing
  • Tourism and Hospitality
  • Law
  • Political Science
  • International Relations
  • Philosophy
  • History
  • Linguistics
  • Biology
  • Chemistry
  • Physics
  • Mathematics
  • Environmental Science
  • Psychology
  • Sociology
  • Anthropology
  • Education
  • Fine Arts
  • Music

Student body

  • Total students: 373,000
  • International students: 5%

Campus life

Ciudad Universitaria is a UNESCO site with libraries, museums, Olympic Stadium and pool, sports fields and gyms. The General Directorate of University Sports runs over 50 disciplines and the University Games. Culture, Sports and Recreation organize cultural and recreational activities, talent programs, swimming and physical activation. There are no traditional dormitories on the main campus; students typically rent in nearby areas (e.g. Pedregal, Copilco). The campus is a major cultural and sports hub for Mexico City.

Housing & accommodation

Housing cost: $100 - $1,000 / per month

Housing options

  • Shared rooms
  • shared apartments
  • full apartments
  • off-campus furnished rentals
  • private student residences with services

Student clubs and organizations

  • Culture and recreation (Department of Culture
  • Sports and Recreation)
  • talent and extracurricular activities
  • physical activation and swimming programs

Sports

  • American football (Pumas CU)
  • athletics
  • fencing
  • cycling
  • gymnastics
  • soccer
  • baseball
  • swimming
  • archery
  • and over 50 disciplines; University Games teams

Career & internships

Internships: UNAM supports internships and professional practice through faculties and the job placement system. The University Work Board (Bolsa Universitaria de Trabajo, but.unam.mx) offers job and internship listings for students and graduates. Research initiation scholarships (UNAM-DGECI) fund 6–12 week research stays abroad. International mobility agreements allow semester or year-long study and sometimes internships at partner institutions. Specific internship options depend on the degree program and faculty.

Admission requirements

Required documents

  • Valid passport
  • official academic transcript with GPA
  • letter of intention in Spanish
  • academic reference letter (Spanish
  • English or French)
  • current enrollment/course sheet
  • passport-size photo
  • Spanish certificate SIELE or DELE B2 (if not native)
  • nomination letter from home institution
  • commitment letter

Minimum GPA: 3

Tuition costs

  • $400 - $5,500 / per year
  • Acceptance rate: 8.00%
  • Scholarships available: UNAM offers mobility scholarships for undergraduates (tuition waiver at host institution; minimum GPA 8.5, 44% of credits completed, TOEFL iBT 80 or IELTS 6.5 or B2 in other languages). Graduate students can apply for long-duration national/international activity grants (approx. USD 3,850–30,000 depending on destination and length). Research initiation scholarships (UNAM-DGECI) support stays abroad (approx. USD 38,000–96,000 for 6–12 weeks). Requirements include valid passport, language certification, academic nomination and full-time enrollment. Details and calls at becas.unam.mx.

Quick facts

  • Founded: 1910
  • Teaching languages: Spanish, English, spanish
  • Study formats: offline

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