This paper describes the characteristics of the autonomous learner, especially in the foreign language classroom and identifies the most common profiles observed in a particular group of students training to be teachers at the University of Pamplona. Structured observations, questionnaires and interviews were used as data collection techniques. The study reported on this paper takes its source from the research, “La autonomia en el proceso de aprendizaje del Ingles como Lengua Extranjera: Un estudio de perfiles y practicas de estudiantes y profesores”* , undertaken by the Grupo Interinstitucional de Evaluacion e Investigacion (GIEI), which consisted of six teachers from various universities in Colombia. It reports on the study carried out at one of the participating universities.