Alto Paraná · Paraguay

Living in Ciudad del Este as a student

Start with your university: which medicine programs in the area are accredited, what paperwork you need, and how the city is laid out along Route PY02.

Find housing in Ciudad del Este Start with your university

Ciudad del Este sits across the Friendship Bridge from Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil, at the end of Route PY02, the highway from Asunción. The city and its neighbors Presidente Franco and Minga Guazú host 7 medicine programs evaluated by ANEAES, Paraguay's accreditation agency; 5 of them are listed as accredited in the report of 29 December 2025.

It is a city of foreign students: in 2024 the regional migration office estimated around 15,000 international students in Alto Paraná, most of them Brazilian. Nearly all of them arrive with a university already chosen, so housing comes after enrollment. That's why this guide starts with the university. We confirm available places and prices on WhatsApp, because they change every semester.

Start with your university

Which university will you attend?

Status of each medicine program according to the ANEAES report of 29 Dec 2025.

UPEHousing guideUniversidad Privada del EsteMedicine in Ciudad del Este and Presidente Franco: Accredited (National Model) at both sites
UCPHousing guideUniversidad Central del ParaguayThe university says it teaches medicine in CDE; in the ANEAES list, the evaluated (and accredited) program is the Pedro Juan Caballero one
UNIDAGuide in progressUniversidad de la Integración de las AméricasMedicine in Ciudad del Este: Accredited (National Model)Find housing near UNIDA
UninterGuide in progressUniversidad Internacional Tres FronterasMedicine in Ciudad del Este: Accredited (National Model)Find housing near Uninter
UNEGuide in progressUniversidad Nacional del EsteMedicine in Minga Guazú: Accredited (National Model)Find housing near UNE
UMSGuide in progressUniversidad María SerranaMedicine in Ciudad del Este: Accreditation postponed (National Model)Find housing near UMS
UNADESGuide in progressUniversidad del SolMedicine in Ciudad del Este: Diagnostic evaluation (National Model)Find housing near UNADES
UPAPGuide in progressUniversidad Politécnica y Artística del ParaguayMedicine in Ciudad del Este: Enrolled for accreditation (2025 call)Find housing near UPAP
UCGuide in progressUniversidad Católica (Campus Alto Paraná)Medicine in Campus Alto Paraná: Enrolled for accreditation (2025 call)Find housing near UC

See the full official list of medical schools

Schematic, not-to-scale map for orientation only. It shows no distances or campus addresses.

At a glance

Border: Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil, via the Friendship Bridge. Since Dec 2025 the Integration Bridge also links Foz and Presidente Franco
Medicine in the area: 7 programs evaluated by ANEAES in CDE, Presidente Franco and Minga Guazú; 5 accredited (report of 29 Dec 2025)
International students: Around 15,000 in Alto Paraná, mostly Brazilian, according to the regional migration office (Última Hora, Jul 2024)
Currency: Paraguayan guaraní (Gs., code PYG)

Documentation for international residents

ID document: A valid passport. For residency, the migration office also asks for a birth certificate and criminal record certificates, legalized or apostilled.
Temporary residency: Anyone moving in to study needs temporary residency. Citizens of Mercosur countries such as Brazil can use the Mercosur route (2 years, Gs. 2,230,040 as of May 2026); other nationalities use the general route (up to 2 years, renewable, Gs. 2,787,550). The application is made in person. Read the step-by-step guide.
Proof of enrollment: For students, it speeds up rental approval considerably. Bring it as soon as you have it.
Guarantor, deposit or guarantee: Requirements vary by agency and landlord. We confirm the exact, current list case by case on WhatsApp.

Where to live in the city

Microcentro: Where the Friendship Bridge lands: the commercial center, with shops and services packed together and heavy traffic from cross-border shoppers.
The PY02 axis: Km 4, Km 7, Km 10: Locals often name areas of CDE by the kilometer of Route PY02, the avenue that runs west from the Microcentro. Km 7 has the largest overpass in the country; from Km 8 on, the city thins out. Which block makes sense depends on where your classes are, and we can point you there on WhatsApp.
Presidente Franco: The neighboring town to the south. It is UPE's legal headquarters and one of the university's two medicine sites in the area. Since December 2025 it has its own link to Foz through the Integration Bridge.
Minga Guazú: The neighbor to the west along PY02. According to the ANEAES table, it is where UNE (Universidad Nacional del Este) runs its medicine program.

Find housing in Ciudad del Este

Frequently asked questions

Which medical schools in Ciudad del Este are accredited?

The ANEAES report of 29 December 2025 lists as accredited the medicine programs of UNIDA, Uninter and UPE in Ciudad del Este, UPE in Presidente Franco and UNE in Minga Guazú. Universidad del Sol is listed under a diagnostic evaluation and Universidad María Serrana with accreditation postponed. UPAP (CDE) and Universidad Católica (Campus Alto Paraná) enrolled in the 2025 accreditation call.

Do I need a visa to live in Ciudad del Este?

It depends on your nationality: Brazilians, for example, enter with a 90-day stay permit and no visa. To live and study, you need temporary residency. For Mercosur citizens it lasts 2 years and cost Gs. 2,230,040 as of May 2026, according to the migration office. Staying past 90 days without applying can lead to a fine.

Can I rent a place without being in Paraguay?

We generally don't recommend closing a deal sight unseen, but Golden Keys can visit and video-walk a property for you while you're still abroad, with the whole negotiation on WhatsApp.

Is it better to live near campus or in the Microcentro?

It depends on your routine. Early daily classes usually favor living near campus; shops and services within walking distance favor the Microcentro. Since the area's universities sit in different parts of CDE, Presidente Franco and Minga Guazú, the answer changes from one school to another. We help you weigh it for your case.

Can I live in Foz do Iguaçu and study in Ciudad del Este?

Yes, and many students consider it. You cross the border every day, over the Friendship Bridge or, if your classes are in Presidente Franco, over the Integration Bridge. Before deciding, check what migration paperwork your university requires. Our blog has a guide comparing both options.

Sources

Public sources checked on 13 Oct 2026. Program status and migration rules change: check each source's date.