Internships in Costa Rica

A year-round circulation of tropical and warm weather has made Costa Rica one of the world’s few remaining natural utopias. The country’s untouched beaches, majestic mountains and volcanoes, gorgeous waterfalls, and prolific rainforests are home to more than 500,000 native species. AIP’s award-winning international internship program ensures you meet your career goals and career aspirations as a result of a customized placement tailored to your needs and desires. Interning in Costa Rica allows you to grow your professional network of business contacts as well as expose you to an international work environment. AIP partners with a wide range of companies, from multinational corporations to rapidly growing startups and charitable NGOs, giving the assurance there is a placement opportunity available for anyone! Our experienced placement team makes sure to accommodate your needs. Apply today and take advantage of this incredible internship opportunity in Costa Rica!

Volunteer for wildlife in Costa Rica! This program works with three wildlife sanctuaries, in the Alajuela and Puntarenas Provinces. Many animals in the sanctuaries have been rescued from wildlife traffickers or found injured. These are nursed back to health and re-released into their natural habitat when rehabilitated. Sloths, tapirs, spider monkeys, green macaws, scarlet macaws, and different types of felines are just some of the animals rehabilitated and bred here. Volunteers play an important role in the conservation of Costa Rica's incredible biodiversity and take on responsibilities that are vital to the success of the wildlife rescue center. Requirements are: - Minimum age of 18 - Minimum 3 weeks stay: 1 week orientation/Spanish course + 2 weeks at wildlife project - Minimum of basic conversational Spanish - Able to cope with remote and basic conditions - Full travel and medical insurance - Immunizations (please consult your doctor)

CIEE offers the most extensive network of internship programs. Are you a U.S. college student looking to study and intern abroad? We have full-time and part-time placements across 40+ locations worldwide and in diverse fields, from AI and engineering to public policy and business administration. Find the right fit for you! Live, learn, and work abroad on an internship program with CIEE! CIEE Summer Internships CIEE Summer Global Internships are 6-credit, 8-week programs with full-time working hours (approximately 30 hours weekly) and a seminar. CIEE Summer Intern and Study Abroad are 6 to 7-credit, 6-week programs with a part-time internship (approximately 20 hours weekly), a seminar, and a 3-credit academic course. CIEE Semester Internships CIEE Semester Global Internships are 9 to 13-credit, 12-week programs that feature a full-time internship (approximately 30 hours weekly), a seminar, and an optional 3 to 4-credit academic course online. CIEE Semester Intern and Study Abroad Programs are 12 to 14-credit, 12-week programs that feature a part-time internship​ (approximately 20 hours weekly), a seminar, and two academic courses.

Be a part of the conservation and protection of sea turtles in Costa Rica! Join Kaya on its Turtle and Marine Conservation Project located near Bataan in the Limon Province of Costa Rica. This is an opportunity to help protect sea turtles and their eggs while learning more about these magnificent creatures alongside a dedicated marine biologist. You will assist a local team with the conservation and protection of up to four of the seven different species of sea turtles: loggerhead turtle, hawksbill turtle, green turtle, and leatherback turtle. As a turtle sanctuary volunteer, you will help in caring for injured animals, moving eggs to safe hatcheries, and collecting and processing biometric data. Your tasks will largely depend on your level of experience and the time of the year. This placement is aimed at those who have a good level of scientific knowledge. You must be adaptable, enthusiastic, and don’t mind getting your hands dirty. A basic level of Spanish is also helpful for this project.

Gain valuable international work experience while immersing yourself in the vibrant culture of Costa Rica through Expanish’s dynamic internship program. This hands-on opportunity places participants with local companies across various industries, allowing you to develop professional skills, expand your global network, and enhance your Spanish proficiency. Outside the workplace, you'll enjoy cultural workshops, language classes, and guided activities that offer deeper insight into Costa Rican life. With personalized support and a focus on professional growth, Expanish ensures a rewarding and enriching experience in one of Central America’s most biodiverse and welcoming countries.

Study abroad in the highlands of central Costa Rica, in the charming city of Heredia. Immerse yourself in the Costa Rican lifestyle while taking classes at the modern Latin University. Courses include Spanish for all levels, electives, certificate courses in English and Spanish, and internships. Costa Rica is a premier destination for study abroad due to its extensive national park system, beautiful landscapes, friendly locals, and clearly-spoken Spanish. The Arcos Learning Abroad program provides an all-inclusive study abroad experience with cultural activities on weekdays, excursions on weekends, on-site directors, carefully vetted homestays, tuition, and much more. Arcos invites you to step through the arch and into a life-changing experience abroad. Costa Rica awaits!

The programs carried out by GVI Costa Rica takes a holistic approach to the conservation of the area. GVI helps to monitor every ecosystem of this incredibly diverse area - forest, canal, beach, and sea. As with all conservation initiatives, numerous essential factors are involved to make and carry out informed decisions – trained personnel, resources, and accurate information. You have the opportunity to gain an internationally recognized qualification in Biological Survey Techniques in this internship program. Live and work with our research team in a remote environment, where you will gain vital skills and experience essential for future work in the field of conservation or beyond. Included in your training is a First Aid qualification course.

Join Toucan Abroad and other students from around the US in this highly enriching program. We aim to expand your perspective and grow into future leaders in the field of physical therapy through exposure to the work of licensed PT specialists. You’ll shadow them while they provide expert patient care. Evolve by developing a more holistic view of yourself, your future profession, and the world through immersion into a different society. For two or three weeks, you’ll engage in 40 hours or 60 hours of clinical observation in different PT specialties. You’ll also have time to bask in the breathtaking natural beauty of Costa Rica and experience its rich culture. Toucan Abroad gives you the opportunity to stand out among other PT school applicants through a unique, unparalleled experience abroad through this program.

CIS Abroad Study and Intern Abroad programs are some of the most affordable, comprehensive program packages available. We also don't cut any corners by offering everything you would expect from an overseas program: tuition, housing, support, insurance, excursions, social and cultural activities, and airport pick-up – all considered the core of our package. Some programs also include all or most meals, extensive off-site orientations/excursions, transportation passes, and more. Whether you want to study for a year, semester, or summer, intern for a month to a year, or take an intensive foreign language course for a couple of weeks, CIS Abroad has the perfect program for you at the best value! "You're Going Places with CIS Abroad!"

The ultimate adventure travel experience, gain high-quality training in Jungle Survival, Expedition Management, Wilderness Medicine, and Expedition Leadership on this unique and challenging personal development course! Since the first course in 2008, our Adventure Guide Training program has led the way in transforming aspiring and enthusiastic trainees from raw recruits in the jungles of Central America into highly competent Adventure Guides armed with the skills needed to plan, organize, and lead expeditions across the globe. A genuine once-in-a-lifetime adventure, kick-start your career and join the next generation of Gapforce Adventure Guides!

Sign-up for our medical volunteering programs abroad if you are a medical or healthcare student who is aspiring for a medical career but needs real-time training and mentoring. You don’t necessarily have to have a medical degree, as requirements are different for each program. There are even pre-med volunteer abroad programs specifically for school leavers who are considering studying medicine in the future. We also offer customised placements for those seeking medical electives or medical internships abroad. Most of our medical electives abroad placement require that you spend 5-7 hours at our partner hospital or clinic as an observer of the daily routines of medical staff. You will be assigned a doctor or a department who will mentor you and may call upon you to assist with basic tasks such as taking vitals and treating minor wounds under the supervision of the local doctors. Our medical electives are offered in developing countries such as Philippines, Vietnam, India, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Peru and Costa Rica.

At International Volunteer HQ (IVHQ), we unite people from over 96 countries who want to make a meaningful difference while exploring the world. With 300+ projects in 40+ destinations, IVHQ offers the widest selection of volunteer programs globally—from Teaching and Childcare to Wildlife Conservation, Medical Outreach, and Environmental Sustainability. Since 2007, IVHQ has supported over 147,000 volunteers on life-changing journeys. We specialize in fully-hosted volunteer trips that are safe, affordable, and accessible—starting from just $20 per day. Your experience includes airport pick-up, accommodation, meals, and round-the-clock support from our local teams. With flexible booking options and no change fees, planning your volunteer adventure has never been easier. Our programs run year-round and are available for 1 to 24 weeks across Africa, Asia, Europe, the Pacific, South and Central America, North America, the Caribbean, and the Middle East. Volunteering with IVHQ is about more than giving back—it’s about growing, learning, and building genuine global connections.

The Science Exchange is the only nonprofit organization offering affordable, customized, field-based sea turtle research internships for undergraduate and graduate science students worldwide. Interns travel to Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America, and other Latin American destinations, where they undertake a range of tasks. They can work at a sea turtle research center on the beach or in a lab, collect field data for research papers, and immerse themselves in the local culture! Upon successful completion, they can earn at least three university credits. We help them publish and present their work at professional conferences. Over 65% of our interns publish with their mentors, and many graduates have landed jobs with sea turtle or other conservation groups! To participate in this international internship program, participants must be at least 18 years of age. Conversational Spanish is desired, but not required. French speakers and Portuguese speakers are welcome. Our interns must be able to live in tropical climates with basic amenities.

This internship supports wildlife rescue, rehabilitation, and release at the Toucan Rescue Ranch in the rainforest of Costa Rica. The ranch has special expertise in toucan, owl, and sloth rehabilitation but also takes in monkeys, wild cats, weasels, otters, and more! You will help evaluate animals for release, focusing on the Saving Sloths Together program. You will most likely see several sloth electrocution cases, an unfortunately common occurrence because of power lines built across the rainforest canopy. This often brings in baby sloths to be hand-raised, which you will learn about from Ranch Founder, Leslie Howle. You will also study orthopedic surgery, eye medicine, and cell regeneration therapy for wildlife animals during this internship! Each week will comprise four video calls: two with the veterinarians at the ranch, one with the husbandry team, and one in the veterinary clinic observing treatments and procedures. This internship entails 60 veterinary hours, which includes about 20 hours of independent projects.