High School Student Exchange Programs in Costa Rica

Immerse yourself in the Spanish language of Costa Rica, the happiest country on the planet! Live like a true local in the traditional town of Atenas. Set in a tropical paradise, you will take Spanish classes in open-air classrooms on an orange and mango farm. Classes are small in size and perfect for truly learning the language. Gain a new level of confidence in your Spanish skills while toucans fly overhead. Live with a carefully selected homestay and enjoy home-cooked meals. The program is rich in activities and outdoor adventure. Experience the thrill of a zip-lining through the rainforest and the rush of white water rafting. Travel to Arenal Volcano, soak in hot springs and swim in the pool of a spectacular waterfall. Visit Manuel Antonio beach and the national park, which is full of native wildlife. Play soccer as well as participate in an art workshop, cooking class, and dance class while in Atenas. This program includes volunteering, which is a great way to use your Spanish skills while giving back to the community. Multiple summer sessions are offered. All levels of Spanish are welcome.

Our high school study abroad program in Costa Rica is filled with an immersive homestay and high school experience and an unbelievable tour of this stunning land. This is your chance to make lifelong friends across cultures and become a member of the community. Costa Rica is the place of pura vida (pure life), a contagious attitude of living life to the fullest. And it shows – Costa Rica is the world's happiest country according to the Happy Planet index. Costa Ricans call themselves Ticos, and you’ll often hear them demonstrate their national pride by describing something as muy tico, or “very Costa Rican.” Ticos are generally easy-going, so you’re likely to get along with most people you meet. With its tropical climate, biodiversity, fresh food, and relaxed lifestyle, going to school in Costa Rica is an enchanting way to discover a new culture. By living with a host family and attending a local high school, you’ll get an inside look at this idyllic society.

Spend a semester in Costa Rica discovering nature, building friendships, and speaking Spanish every day. Wake up to misty mornings, monkey calls echoing through the trees, and breakfast made from ingredients grown right on campus. In Monteverde, you’ll live steps from cloud forest trails and share a home with goats, gardens, and a close-knit group of fellow students. This semester-long program blends academic challenge with daily discovery, combining high school courses with hands-on learning and full cultural immersion.

GoEco offers a range of enriching volunteer programs abroad, specifically designed for teenagers aged 15-17. These adventures provide a perfect blend of meaningful volunteer experiences, cultural immersion, and exciting local explorations. With a higher level of supervision, these programs are ideal for teens interested in animal welfare, conservation, or humanitarian aid. Destinations include Costa Rica, Bali, Thailand, Kenya, and Ecuador, each offering unique opportunities to contribute to local communities and ecosystems while gaining invaluable life experiences. Teen Programs and Destinations Costa Rica: Educational projects, cultural immersion, and recreational activities in a picturesque setting. Bali: Marine conservation with a focus on rehabilitating and protecting sea turtles. Thailand: Humanitarian projects combined with cultural adventures for a comprehensive experience. Kenya: Engage in climate change initiatives, wildlife conservation, and community projects. Ecuador: Work at an Amazon wildlife center, caring for various animals and supporting conservation efforts.

Develop your Spanish skills in Costa Rica with the Maximo Nivel Spanish Camp. Maximo Nivel Summer Spanish Camp is a full-immersion experience that integrates the Spanish language into all aspects of the program, including community service, sports, cultural activities, and tourism. You receive 3 hours of Spanish classes per day before heading out to different cultural activities and tours in the afternoon. Activities include museum visits, national park tours, creative workshops, recreational games, and more. This unique experience helps you develop a better sense of the world and grow into a true global citizen. Spanish Camp is an experience you remember forever! Every day, Spanish campers immerse themselves in the Spanish language while participating in a variety of activities and events around the capital city of San Jose and the beach towns of Manuel Antonio and Quepos. During weeknights, planned activities include salsa lessons, bonfires, karaoke, game nights, and movie nights, as well as quality time and Spanish language practice with your host family. On weekends, you take part in exciting cultural adventures and nature tours led by our professional guides.

Studying abroad in Costa Rica offers you the adventure of a lifetime while learning Spanish during a trimester, semester, or academic year. Immerse yourself fully in a local high school and live with a host family for an authentic cultural experience. At the same time, participate in excursions and various activities to further explore the country and culture. This is an ideal program abroad if you: - Roll with whatever changes come your way - Are dedicated to learning and speaking Spanish, even if you're a complete beginner - Are passionate about the environment and its conservation and wish to learn from experts - Are okay with less screen time, considering that Costa Rica has a spotty internet connection

Live and volunteer in a rural Costa Rican community on this immersive high school service program. Begin at a rainforest ecolodge near Lake Arenal, where you learn about sustainability, explore jungle trails, and prepare for your project work. Settle into your host community to partner with local residents on meaningful construction and agricultural initiatives, practicing Spanish as you cook meals, play fútbol, and join local events. Cap your journey on the Pacific coast, where you celebrate your accomplishments while rafting, hiking, snorkeling, or surfing in warm tropical waters.

Enjoy a summer Spanish learning vacation in a typical "Tico" town on the outskirts of the capital, San Jose. Heredia is a small town located about seven miles from San Jose and offers a peaceful retreat from the busy capital. Surrounded by hills and coffee plantations, this summer vacation offers participants the chance to live with a local family. San Jose is on your doorstep and many of the activities will offer you the chance to visit the many museums and colorful markets, and enjoy the city, enjoying life away from the hectic city. Located in a beautiful, prestigious private campus with spacious grounds surrounded by coffee plantations and open fields, the campus has excellent study facilities, many social areas, several soccer fields, large outdoor swimming pool, tennis courts, and multipurpose sports area, including volleyball and basketball courts.

We provide regularly scheduled, private live Spanish sessions tailored to your proficiency level and language learning objectives. You can easily switch between learning Spanish in person and online, as the online curriculum progresses at the same pace as our in-person lessons. You will work through grammar points, vocabulary, and engaging themes in these conversation-based, interactive Spanish sessions to help advance your understanding of and proficiency in the language. Once you have an internet connection and a laptop or tablet, you may take live Spanish courses from anywhere. Direct from Costa Rica, your native-speaking instructor will be teaching the class. Even though you may be physically separated, your online courses will still offer the same warm, individual interactions and connections to the local culture you get when you visit our school.

Lakeside International School, located in Guanacaste, Costa Rica, offers a secondary education program designed to prepare students for university and beyond. Our curriculum combines national standards with an international focus, covering a wide range of subjects, including languages (English and Spanish), humanities, social studies, sciences, mathematics, arts, physical education, and technology. Our program emphasizes five key Areas of Interaction: approaches to learning, community and service, environment, group dynamics, and health and social education. These themes are included in all subjects, promoting overall development. Students work on personal projects, participate in community service, and receive support for university preparation. Lakeside International School is dedicated to helping each student reach their full potential, both academically and personally.

Discover Costa Rica is a flexible, intensive short-term educational program designed for academic institutions, organized groups, and individual students. It combines thematic learning, cultural immersion, language development, and exploration of Costa Rica’s natural environment—all within a fully guided and adaptable format. Ideal for academic breaks, spring break, summer sessions, or custom-designed weeks, the program welcomes high school and university-level participants seeking impactful global experiences. Participants engage in a wide range of activities, including Spanish classes led by Propella instructors, optional social impact projects in local communities, and eco-friendly field experiences such as visits to sustainable farms, protected rainforests, and conservation initiatives. Hands-on learning and cultural connection are thoughtfully integrated to ensure each journey is both meaningful and memorable. Propella handles every aspect of the experience—from program design, accommodations, and guided activities to transportation, language support, and operational safety—delivering a seamless, enriching, and personalized educational journey from start to finish.

Experience an unforgettable adventure with fellow Girl Scouts from across the United States! Our GSUSA Destinations courses in Costa Rica and Panama will give you an opportunity to visit remote rainforest villages with family homestays, serve local communities, scuba dive among the colorful coral reefs of the Caribbean Ocean, protect the region’s fragile ecosystem, catch waves on famous warm water breaks and offers many other adventure opportunities with each course. Immerse yourself in a new language and culture while discovering your inner strengths and leadership skills. Create life-long friendships along the way. Our GSUSA Destinations courses are open to current members of Girl Scouts of the USA. Girl Scouts must apply to participate through the GSUSA Destinations program and be between 13-18 years old at the time of course. *Please note that, for the health and safety of our participants, OBCR has made program adjustments to these courses. Please visit our website to view our COVID-19 considerations.*