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.

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.

On our Semester in Costa Rica program, you’ll live minutes from the heart of San José and study at Universidad Veritas. Use this capital city as your launch pad to explore the country’s biodiversity. At the University, you can take courses taught in English or Spanish, ranging from topics like Costa Rican culture to art studies. San José is the ideal place to enhance your Spanish skills, offering language classes for beginners to advanced speakers. In your free time, explore nearby volcanoes, venture into the rainforest, hit the beach, and embrace Costa Rican culture in this bustling capital. Pura Vida!

Learn Spanish and immerse yourself in Costa Rican culture at one or both of our two unique locations – Samara Tropical Beach Campus and/or Heredia Historic City Campus. Study Spanish in small, dynamic groups with students of all ages and nationalities. Live with a Costa Rican family or in a student apartment. Learn to dance salsa and bachata, cook local foods, learn to surf or do yoga. Travel to volcanoes, beaches & rainforests; make friends for life. Our caring and experienced staff & professors provide you with support every step of the way. Standard Group Immersion Course: 4 hours a day, Monday - Friday (20 hours a week) Private/Semi-Private Spanish Lessons: 10 to a maximum of 20 hours per week Intensive Spanish Course: Add a maximum of 5 private lessons per week to your standard group classes We offer a series of 18 courses designed by curriculum specialists, using interactive small groups in an environment of total cultural immersion. Our professors are dynamic, experienced, native speakers with minimum a BA, teaching certification and/or MA in Spanish as a Second Language. All are trained in the communicative approach, ensuring a fun and enjoyable learning experience!

Your Open Campus Block program in Monteverde lasts 6, 12, or 18 weeks and is designed to be completely customizable. You will enroll in CIEE courses and online courses taught through CIEE's global academic partner, ASU, with a wide range of subjects to choose from. Monteverde is Costa Rica’s eco-paradise in the clouds, offering an inspiring environment for students of all disciplines. Enhance your experience with co-curricular and extracurricular activities while immersing yourself in Costa Rican culture. Live and learn in Monteverde!

Spend six weeks in Costa Rica during summer 2026 earning university credit while studying Environmental Science and Biology. This program takes place at Veritas University in San José and offers students the chance to learn about one of the most biologically diverse countries in the world. With courses taught in English and optional Spanish language classes, you'll gain academic knowledge and experience life in a new culture. Classes are held Monday through Thursday, allowing students time to enjoy cultural activities and explore Costa Rica’s natural beauty. The program includes field-based learning, hands-on assignments, and weekend excursions. Whether you’re staying with a local host family or living with other students, you’ll have the chance to immerse yourself in Costa Rican life while earning 6 U.S. semester credits. No prior Spanish knowledge is needed, and a minimum GPA of 2.5 is required. The program welcomes students from freshman to senior year. Applicants must be at least 18 years old by the start of the program.

Explore rainforests, coral reefs, highland canopies, and mangroves while studying tropical conservation, marine ecosystems, and ecology. Conduct seven weeks of field studies in Panama and Costa Rica, gaining skills in biodiversity estimation, coral reef evaluation, mangrove carbon calculation, and species identification. In Panama City, a hub for international NGOs, study conservation topics like sustainable agriculture and ecotourism. Complete four weeks of independent research, participate in four homestays, and build Spanish skills through classroom learning, cultural immersion, and fieldwork. You may choose to do a minor in environmental science or conservation biology. MONEY MATTERS SIT has given an average of over $1.3 million in scholarships and grants to SIT Study Abroad students in recent years and is committed to ensuring you have the information necessary to apply for such funding. Our program costs include academics, excursions, accommodations, airport transfers, and health insurance. Meal arrangements vary by program. Be sure to discuss how study abroad costs are handled at your school with your study abroad advisor and read the website for more specific information.

Earn CEUs abroad while advancing your cultural competence in speech-language pathology! Therapy Abroad’s international CEU workshops are immersive, accredited programs for SLPs seeking to deepen their understanding of cultural and linguistic diversity. Held in global locations like Belize, Ireland, Costa Rica, and Thailand, these 7–10 day experiences combine hands-on learning, reflective practice, and expert-led workshops. Topics include bilingual assessment, cultural humility, and equitable service delivery. Participants gain practical tools for working with multilingual clients, connect with like-minded professionals, and engage directly with local communities. Designed for practicing SLPs, grad students, and faculty, these workshops meet ASHA standards and are ideal for those working in diverse or underserved settings. Join us to grow your practice, earn CEUs, and reimagine what inclusive care can look like—abroad and at home.

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!

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.

Venture through Guatemala and Costa Rica, exploring lush tropical rainforests, towering volcanoes, steep-sided mountains, and extended coastlines. Embrace the spirit of "pura vida" and learn from the unique crossover of individuals who call these nations home. Living alongside Indigenous communities and their contemporaries, explore opportunities to delve into social justice, sustainability, and the influence of colonization. From the Sierra Madre mountains of interior Guatemala to the sea turtle havens on the coast, from the tranquility and splendor of Lago Atitlán and its surrounding volcanoes to the breathtaking coral reefs offshore, Carpe Diem Education explores the merging complexities of socio-political realities with the hope of a more sustainable future. Cap your new knowledge with improved Spanish, honed during your homestay experience, and outdoor skills learned from the many treks, hikes, and adventure activities available in the region.

During the Seeds of Change Tropical Rainforest Research Program, students are immersed in a hands-on field research program that takes advantage of the immense biodiversity of the tropical rainforest. They learn how to apply the scientific method while collaborating with team members to establish their original research question as well as the experimental design for their project. Students work together to implement their research and learn how to work as a team to overcome challenges and rebound from failures within resource and time constraints, just as in any real-world project. They use statistics to validate the results of their experiments and give presentations showing the results of their work, just like any research scientist would! The Tropical Field Research program prepares students for university-level science. Students learn how to work as a team, handle differences, and take advantage of the ways others communicate best. Students use TypeCoach to help navigate team-member differences. They learn and apply the most appropriate experimental designs, apply key statistical analysis techniques, and present their research in Costa Rica and their community at home.

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.