Autonomous University of Santo Domingo

university, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

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July 13, 2026

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The Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (UASD) is a public university located in Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic. It holds the distinction of being the oldest institution of higher education in the New World, founded in 1538. Originally affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church, the university severed its religious ties in the early 19th century and is now primarily funded by the national government.12

The UASD is known for its low tuition costs, making it accessible to students from various socioeconomic backgrounds, provided they have completed the necessary primary and secondary education. The university has a history of political activism, and its operations have occasionally faced interference from the government or police. It serves as a significant center for higher learning and intellectual discourse within the Dominican Republic.21

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Dominican Republic
Education
The Autonomous University of Santo Domingo, founded in 1538, is the oldest institution of higher education in the New World. It was originally affiliated with the Roman Catholic church, but in the early 19th century its religious ties were severed; the university was reorganized in 1914,…
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The Autonomous University of Santo Domingo, founded in 1538, is the oldest institution of higher education in the New World. It was originally affiliated with the Roman Catholic church, but in the early 19th century its religious ties were severed; the university was reorganized in 1914,…
Read More

Santo Domingo
…in the Western Hemisphere: the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (founded 1538). The city’s other educational institutions include the Pedro Henríquez Ureña National University (1966) and a technological institute (1971). Among the noted cultural institutions are the National Theatre, the music conservatory and the National Symphony Orchestra, the Museum of…
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…in the Western Hemisphere: the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (founded 1538). The city’s other educational institutions include the Pedro Henríquez Ureña National University (1966) and a technological institute (1971). Among the noted cultural institutions are the National Theatre, the music conservatory and the National Symphony Orchestra, the Museum of…
Read More

university
First universities in the Western Hemisphere
…established by the Spaniards: the University of Santo Domingo (1538) in what is now the Dominican Republic and the University of Michoacán (1539) in Mexico. The earliest American institutions of higher learning were the four-year colleges of Harvard (1636), William and Mary (1693), Yale (1701),
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…established by the Spaniards: the University of Santo Domingo (1538) in what is now the Dominican Republic and the University of Michoacán (1539) in Mexico. The earliest American institutions of higher learning were the four-year colleges of Harvard (1636), William and Mary (1693), Yale (1701),
Read More