Academic calendar
Fall 2026 runs Aug 15, 2026 – Dec 15, 2026. Calendar aliases that share a date range are grouped together, with every source term still shown.
- Fall 2026Relevant now
- Spring 2027
Campus language
Search the full glossary. Nothing is sampled or hidden when the search field is empty.
Showing 12 of 12 terms
C
- CAA
- Centro de Alumnos; the student association representing a specific academic department or major.
- Casino
- The general term for the campus cafeteria or dining hall.
- Casino Central
- The primary dining facility located at the Casa Central (Valparaíso) campus.
- Certamen
- The term used for major formal exams (usually three per semester) rather than simple quizzes or 'pruebas'.
D
- DEFDER
- Departamento de Educación Física, Deportes y Recreación; the department overseeing athletics and gym facilities.
E
- Echarse un ramo
- To fail a specific course or subject.
F
- FEUTFSM
- Federación de Estudiantes de la Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María; the student-led governing federation.
K
- Kioscos
- Small snack stands located throughout the campus for quick meals and coffee.
M
- Mechón
- A first-year student or freshman.
- Mechoneo
- The traditional (often messy) welcome activities and celebrations for incoming first-year students.
R
- Ramo
- A specific academic course or subject.
S
- Sansano
- The official demonym for students and alumni of the university, derived from the founder's name (Santa María).
Places and practicalities
Buildings, logistics, and other local references drawn from the approved campus snapshot.
- Aula
- The Moodle-based virtual learning platform used for course materials, assignments, and announcements.
- Aula Magna
- The university's grand auditorium used for graduation ceremonies and major concerts.
- comedor_universitario_sede_la_florencia
- Comedor Universitario (Sede La Florencia)
- Edificio A
- The iconic main administrative and academic building of the Valparaíso campus.
- Edificio C
- A major academic building often associated with industrial and civil engineering departments.
- Edificio P
- The building primarily housing the Department of Physics (Departamento de Física).
- Patio del Magnolio
- The central courtyard and most famous meeting spot on the Valparaíso campus, named after its magnolia tree.
- Semana Mechona
- Freshman week, a period dedicated to orientation, social events, and welcoming the new class.
- SIGA
- Sistema de Gestión Académica; the web portal used for course registration, checking grades, and official records.
- TNE
- Tarjeta Nacional Estudiantil; the government-issued ID card that provides students with discounted public transport fares.
Quick answers
Useful facts students can verify from the guide above.
- What academic term is relevant now?
- Fall 2026 runs Aug 15, 2026 – Dec 15, 2026.
- How much campus context is included?
- 12 approved campus terms and 10 local details are included in full.
- Are all approved campus terms included?
- Yes. The complete approved glossary is available in the scrollable, searchable campus-language section.
- Where does this guide come from?
- Calendar dates, campus terms, and local details come from DormWay's approved campus reference library.