Culture Study Abroad Programs in Costa Rica

Spend a semester or academic year in the lively capital of San José with AIFS Abroad! You’ll earn up to 20 credits per semester from Universidad Veritas through various courses and internship opportunities. Courses are taught in English and Spanish. No previous Spanish language study is required for most programs. Universidad Veritas offers an internship program and volunteer opportunities that’ll help you make the most of your semester abroad. Their Spanish Language and Internship Program welcomes students with an advanced level of Spanish and a minimum of 2 years of college-level Spanish. It combines a 4-week Spanish language course with a 12-week internship placement within local companies or NGOs based on your major. You’ll also enjoy cultural and social activities, including: • Costa Rican cooking classes • Visits to local museums and historical sites • A 3-day trip to Arenal Volcano, hot springs, and Monteverde Cloud Forest • A 3-day trip to the beautiful Manuel Antonio National Park • Day trip to Poás Volcano, Doka Coffee Estate, and Sarchi artisans Optional excursions include a 2-day trip hiking and rafting in Sarapiquí.

San José – or Chepe, as it is lovingly called by locals – is the political, economic, and cultural hub of Costa Rica. It is where most Costa Ricans live, study, and work. The city allows you to experience a bustling and cosmopolitan Latin American metropolis while also having the rest of the country's pristine wonders at your fingertips. Sign up for our program in San José and study at Veritas University, a well-respected institution in Costa Rica. This is open to all Spanish proficiency levels - beginning, intermediate, and advanced. Depending on your language skills, you can choose to take classes in Spanish together with Costa Rican students or in English with international students. While in Costa Rica, take the time to visit our office situated one block away from the Universidad Veritas. It is within walking distance of small neighborhoods, shopping centers, and cafés, so rest assured, you will find something fun to do. We have a computer lab with internet access, a meeting room, a travel resource library, a kitchen, and a resident director's office.

CULTIVATE FLUENCY IN SPANISH, INDULGE YOUR LOVE OF THE OUTDOORS In Heredia, it’s easy to combine an interest in sustainable living and passion for nature with aspirations to take your Spanish language skills to the next level. Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica (UNA) offers top-ranked academics taught in Spanish, in a country known to put education first. After class, explore the Mercado Central or go for a hike. This small, walkable city sits in Costa Rica’s central valley, surrounded by beautiful mountains and coffee plantations, with trails a 15-minute bus ride from UNA.

Live and study in Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Peru. Maximo Nivel offers the most intensive and professional Spanish immersion program in Latin America. Our Native Spanish Program emphasizes oral communication and integrated skills development to truly help build your Spanish language proficiency - this is a great immersion experience! Our native-speaking Spanish teachers are highly qualified professional instructors with years of experience. Our Tandem Conversation program pairs Spanish program participants with our local English students for free conversation practice.

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!"

In addition to our Spanish programs, we offer volunteer projects throughout Costa Rica for anyone 18 or over. Volunteer in the areas of social work, education (most popular: teaching English to local kids in public schools & kindergarten), nature and environment, and wildlife and animal protection. Our volunteer program is eligible for all students who have completed a Spanish course with Intercultura. You can take as many Spanish classes as you wish (minimum two weeks), before starting off with your project. Our locations: You can take our Spanish & Volunteer Program in Heredia at our city campus, at our beach campus in Playa Sámara, or you can combine both locations. At both campuses, we offer cultural activities every day, which you can attend for free during your Spanish and volunteer program. You can also rely on the school's infrastructure (full-time, multilingual support staff, and our volunteer coordinators on-site). Please inquire for more details!

San José, the capital of Costa Rica, blends urban life and natural beauty with more than 800 miles of coastline and acres of lush rainforests lying just a short drive from this diverse metropolitan center. Study a wide range of subjects with CEA CAPA’s partner university: Veritas University. It boasts a large international student body and diverse curriculum including international business, intensive and medical Spanish language, environmental sciences, and health sciences. Courses are available in both Spanish and English. Get the most out of your time in Costa Rica by taking advantage of the numerous cultural and learning opportunities CEA CAPA provides. Whether you enjoy concerts, sports, cooking classes, language exchanges, or something entirely different, our resident staff will get you involved in the local culture. Interested in going abroad with CEA CAPA? Contact us to get started!

Located in the central valley of Costa Rica, San José is a vibrant urban center in the heart of a serene and beautiful nation. Three volcanoes surround the city, and quaint villages, farms, and coffee plantations dot the hillsides. Though the metropolitan area is home to 36% of the nation’s population, one can easily explore the smaller central area of the city and discover its neighborhood markets and local restaurants. Cultural opportunities, including theater, music, cinema, and dance, are also abundant in San José. Students can visit the Museo Nacional, the Museo de Oro Precolombino with its sparkling collection of pre-Columbian gold, or the Museo de Jade, boasting the world’s largest collection of jade.

Our programs offer a unique combination of Spanish language training and cultural learning opportunity. Located near beautiful beaches on the Pacific coast, and adjacent to Manuel Antonio National Park. The park is one of Central America's most spectacular rain forests. This gives students a unique opportunity to improve their language skills and study one of the world's most fascinating ecosystems. About Manuel Antonio: Manuel Antonio is a part of the town of Quepos on the central Pacific coast of Costa Rica, and i less than 100 miles from San Jose. Quepos, is a former banana shipping port and the current sports fishing mecca of Costa Rica. Manuel Antonio, on the other hand, is famous for its national park, beautiful beaches, scenic drive and luxurious accommodations. Manuel Antonio National Park contains numerous short trails, all of which are easily accessible and well maintained, and they tend to follow the coastline, supplying beautiful views and easy access to the picturesque white sand beaches.

Are you a student or young professional looking to enhance your career prospects through international work experience and hands-on learning? At Intern Abroad HQ, we help students and young professionals turn career aspirations into reality. We organize affordable internships in 20 destinations across 24 career fields that are tailored to meet each individual’s academic, professional, or personal requirements. With over 200 internship programs across Europe, Asia, Africa, Central America and South America to choose from, and options to intern from 2 weeks to 6 months either full-time or part-time, in-country or virtually, we facilitate career-enhancing experiences that work for you, not just the host organization. Intern Abroad HQ is proudly brought to you by the team behind International Volunteer HQ. We have collectively supported over 120,000 program participants since 2007 and are the only B Corp certified provider in our field.

For those looking to combine training of the body and mind, NSI's Spanish & Yoga program combines the best of what Nosara has to offer. As a world-class yoga teacher training destination, Nosara has an abundance of expert yoga instructors and first-class yoga studios. In this program, students can participate in our 10 or 20-hour Spanish course and schedule their yoga classes before or after their Spanish classes. The Spanish classes will take place Monday-Friday at our campus, and the yoga classes at the beautiful, newly designed Bodhi Tree Resort, which is just a 10-minute walk along a nature trail from our campus. Yoga classes are offered at multiple times throughout the day, six days per week. This is truly a unique opportunity to take advantage of stretching both your body and mind.

Feed your love for the outdoors or gain the necessary skills to jumpstart your career in the outdoor industry. Earn seven internationally-recognized certifications, 10 academic credits, and complete an in-depth study of Outward Bound Costa Rica’s educational model to make you a desirable instructor or guide for various organizations around the world. From learning to set up belay systems and guiding rafts down whitewater rapids, to providing wilderness medical care, this course has you covered! This is a 65-day course divided into seven distinct phases: Multi-Element Leadership Training Wilderness First Responder Medical Course Surf Instructor Training Whitewater River Guide Training Waterfront Lifeguarding Technical Ropes Rescue Scuba Diving Top graduates of this Outdoor Leader Semester program may be offered a paid internship as a Field Instructor Intern for Outward Bound Costa Rica’s summer high season, with the possibility of staying on as a year-round instructor. *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.*

Spend a semester off the beaten path in Costa Rica’s lush rainforests, towering volcanoes, rushing waterfalls, and a laid-back culture embodied by the national motto: “Pura Vida.” Study conservation, development, and innovative strategies for sustainability, with the country’s many national parks, farms, and tropical ecosystems as your classrooms. Finish the semester by designing and conducting an in-depth research project, collecting data in the field, and presenting your results to peers and key community stakeholders. SFS students live and study at the Center for Sustainable Development Studies. The center is an active organic farm overlooking the vibrant Central Valley, where green is the predominant color as far as the eye can see. Dorms and classrooms intermingle with orchards and gardens, with our center dog, Hera, keeping watch over it all. The friendly town of Atenas is a 10-minute cab ride away, offering restaurants, shops, parks, and cultural events.