Information for New Students

SPANISH LANGUAGE PROGRAMME

Spanish is the language of instruction at the Simón Bolívar United World College of Agriculture. Non-Spanish speakers must arrive at the college eight (08) weeks before normal classes begin to take an intensive Spanish course so that they may cope better when classes begin.

During these weeks, international students study and live together, improving their language skills and acquainting themselves with Venezuela. The school works to support non-native speakers by giving them special consideration in examination circumstances.

Most foreign students find the initial language experience one of their biggest challenges. Students are therefore strongly encouraged to take an intensive Spanish course in their own countries before arriving in Venezuela. Students should bring a bilingual dictionary of their Spanish and their native language and should also consider bringing books in their native language which might be of assistance in their studies.

GETTING TO THE COLLEGE (top of page)

International students, volunteers, and members of staff arrive at the Simón Bolívar International Airport, Maiquetía, an one-hour drive from the Capital of Venezuela, Caracas.

All first-year, non-spanish speaking students are met at the Airport by a member of the college's Caracas office's staff and should therefore inform the Admission Coordinator of the College and the Caracas office of all flight details beforehand. Once students are at the International Airport, there are two ways of getting to the college.

By Plane

A connecting flight to Barinas (the regional capital and the nearest city to the college) can be arranged beforehand from the student’s departing country or by the college. Flights should be booked with CONVIASA Airlines or AVIOR Airlines. The flight to Barinas costs approximately US$100 one way, lasts between 40 and 50 minutes.  There are some flights Caracas-Barinas which have an intermediate stop in the Airport of Acarigua City so travelers must not get out of the plane in this stop.  If a student needs to stay overnight in Caracas accommodation can be arranged in coordination with the College’s Caracas Office.  New students arriving by plane should inform the college’s Admission Coordination of their flight details so that they may be picked up at the Barinas airport and taken to the college by a member of the college’s staff. 

By Bus

There are buses from Caracas to Ciudad Bolivia regularly called by locals still as  Pedraza, its original name, (the nearest town to the College), although we DO NOT RECOMMEND that students arriving for the first time, and specially  non native Spanish speakers, travel by bus. For reference information ONLY therefore: from the International Airport take a taxi to Bandera Bus Terminal (Terminal de Autobuses La Bandera). The taxi driver should charge not more than $30 USD. Take the Expresos Los Llanos buses to Pedraza (also known as Ciudad Bolivia). This trip costs approximately $17 USD and takes ten (10) hours.  

You can also take any of the several bus lines that travel to Barinas City. Once you arrive in the Barinas Terminal, find the small buses that go to Pedraza. The total cost is approximately 20$US. The college is 2.5 kilometers from Pedraza. A member of staff can pick up the arriving students in Pedraza if the college is informed in advance.

Note: We advise students traveling for the first time to the College to come by plane all the way to Barinas, as the buses are a bit complicated and can be unsafe for those not familiar with the Spanish language.

STUDENT VISA INFORMATION (top of page)

A Student Visa —which allows International students, volunteers and staff, to remain in Venezuela for one year with the possibility of renewal each year of study or work— can be obtained from the nearest Venezuelan Embassy or High Commission to the student’s country of residence.

VISA REQUIREMENTS/ STUDENT VISA (TR-E)

1. Valid passport, minimum for six (6) months at the time of your request.

2. Acceptance letter from a Venezuelan Educational Institution.

3. Financial support letter from whoever is sponsoring you. It will cover: tuition, school fees, living expenses. Notarized authorization letter from parent if under 18 years old.

4. Police record.

5. Health certificates.

6. Two (2) photographs, passport size.

7. Fill the application form available at the Consular Office (It can be requested by Fax or e-mail).

GENERAL NOTES: • Once the visa has been approved, you should pay the consular fee  at the bank indicated for the Consular Office. The slip deposit is available at the Consular Office.

LEGALISATION OF DOCUMENTS (top of page)

The Venezuelan Ministry of Education requires legalized proof of the student’s high school diploma before they can award the SBUWC diploma in Farm Management. Therefore, each student must obtain a transcript of each year of secondary school, including the name of all the subjects taken with the marks awarded for each subject, and an original of their secondary school diploma.

It is necessary to present the subjects and marks obtained in 5 years of secondary education; so if  the student’s home country's system of education does not have a total 5 years of secondary education, the subjects taken in the last year of primary or basic education to complete the five years before tertiary education must also be brought legalized to the College. The scale of marks must be included in the documentation presented. Before leaving for Venezuela, the student must have these documents signed and sealed by the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Foreign Affaires, and the Venezuelan Embassy or consulate in their country or the nearest country. This documentation is required to receive the SB UWC diploma. The Venezuelan Ministry of Education will not award the diploma to students who have not provided the appropriate documents to prove their equivalence of a Venezuelan high school diploma (bachillerato).

This process of legalization of documents must begin as soon as the student is awarded a place at the SBUWC as it may take some months to complete. The cost incurred varies from country to country and is generally charged per page.

CULTURE AND CONDUCT IN VENEZUELA (top of page)

Venezuela is a Spanish speaking country on the northern coast of South America. Venezuelans are mixture of the descendants of indigenous peoples, Africans and European immigrants and are in general very lively and confident people. The college is situated in the plains near the foothills of the Andes. In the area around the college there is a high degree of poverty with high unemployment and many small farms.

At the college the majority of the students are Venezuelans from all over the country. The college has also been the home to many students from other Latin American countries, Africa, the Caribbean and some from Europe and Asia. Some members of staff and special volunteers at the college also come from many different countries. The cultural environment at the college is unique due to its diversity; the surrounding communities enjoy sharing their culture with the international students.

Students are expected to comply with the college’s code of conduct and the laws of Venezuela. Students should act as responsible citizens at all times, both inside and outside the college. Students are expected to respect peers, teachers, administrators, workers and members of the community, as well as the physical environment of the college.

Students should be aware that the National Guard of Venezuela routinely inspects vehicles and pedestrians. When students arrive in the country, they should have all official documents and identification easily accessible. Students should be prepared to explain the purpose of their visit to Venezuelan authorities; having official FUNDACEA documents on hand will help with this process.

Despite the fact that most students are over the legal age of consuming alcohol in Venezuela (18 years), the college has a policy of NO ALCOHOL on campus and discourages drinking off campus.

WEATHER AND CLOTHING (top of page)

The average temperature at the college is 30^oC but can fluctuate between 20^oC and 40^oC (68^oF and 104^oF). Venezuela enjoys both a rainy and a dry season, so students should bring clothing for warm temperatures and the rainy season. However, if the student plans to travel to the Andes (a few hours away by bus) during his or her stay in Venezuela, clothing for much colder temperatures will be necessary.

Dress at the college is casual, but students are required to wear long trousers and shirts with sleeves (short or long) in classes and in the dining hall. For farm work, students will need durable clothes and sturdy shoes. Most students use gumboots (or rubber boots) that can easily be found in Venezuela up to men’s size 43 (11). Students should bring dress outfits and an outfit of their national dress for international evenings. Storage space is generally limited, so students should bring only the essentials.

HEALTH CARE (top of page)

Students are asked to complete the medical profile with their family doctor before coming to the college. This information is needed for the college records to enable us to give students the best possible health care while in Venezuela. Students should bring this medical profile with them when they come to Venezuela.

The college offers basic medical services on campus with a doctor visiting weekly and a small clinic where basic medicines can be found. There are many clinics and a hospital in Pedraza that can handle more serious problems and also bigger clinics in the Capital city of the state of Barinas were the College is situated and which is also called Barinas. Students are covered for up to Bs. 3.000.000.00 (approx. $1.400 USD) for “Health Care” fund (hospitalisation and surgery) and Bs. 4.000.000.00 (approx. $1.900 USD) for “Personal Accident and Life security” in medical insurance.

MONEY (top of page)

The currency of Venezuela is the Bolivar (Bs.). The official current exchange rate with US Dollars is 2.150 Bs. per Dollar.

This is likely to change slightly due to inflation. This cost of living in the college is low—for example a can of carbonated drink costs Bs.1500 and a bus ride into the city (Barinas City, 1 hour from the college) costs Bs2.300.

At this time, it is practically impossible to change foreign currency at the banks near the college unless you have a bank account. Therefore, it is recommended that student's open bank accounts in Barinas with a minimum of $50 USD. Students can also change money at the international airport upon their arrival in Venezuela.

Many students use ZOOM (associated with Western Union) during the year to receive money from home. This service is only available in Barinas City and Socopo (a town one hour away by bus from the college).

There is also a parallel "black market" for currency exchange in which the rate is currently approximately 2.600 Bs. to the U.S. Dollar. 

LIST OF THINGS TO BRING (top of page)

• Five (05) or more sets of sturdy clothes for farm work

• Gum (rubber) boots

• Rain gear

• Five (05) more sets of tidy clothing for school and dining hall.

• Sports clothing and shoes

• Dress outfit for important occasions.

• National dress for cultural celebrations

• Musical instruments that you can play

• Tapes or CDs of music and lyrics for songs from your country.

• Photos of home to share with others.

• Maps and information about your country.

• Recipes for dishes from your country.

• Spanish-English (or your language) dictionary.

• Textbooks in your language.

• Completed medical profile.

• Passport valid for at least three years beyond your arrival in Venezuela with Venezuelan visa.

Note:

If you bring any electrical appliances you may need to bring adapters for them (Venezuela is on the 110-volt system; outlets require a two flat-prong plug with one large and one small prong)