Volunteer Programs in San Jose, Costa Rica

Maximo Nivel is a locally based organization in Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Peru. Volunteer abroad—get involved, make an impact, and learn to serve by working on local projects: - Working with Kids - Teaching English - Conservation - Construction - Animal Care - Eco-Agriculture - Medical and Healthcare To qualify: - Volunteers must be 18+ years of age or accompanied by a parent or guardian. - We require background checks from our volunteers. - Come with a great attitude and a willingness to pitch in. Since 2003, Maximo Nivel has been a leader in educational travel and study abroad. Our work-study-travel programs host more than 4,000 people per year. We are a professional, ethical, and hard-working organization that is completely dedicated to providing a great experience to every participant, student, traveler, and client! Every day, we strive to set ourselves apart and provide the best volunteer, education, and cultural experiences in Latin America, along with top-notch client service and great home-based facilities. Live it!

Join the Sloth and Wildlife Rescue Center in Costa Rica, a renowned wildlife organization dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation, and release of local animals. The center includes an on-site hospital and comfortable living quarters for volunteers. The enclosures, surrounded by nature, provide a habitat-like environment for the animals as they recover. As a volunteer, you'll work in a team to provide care for over 100 animals – including sloths, birds, and monkeys – in a sanctuary nestled in nature's lap. You'll take on a hands-on role that involves tasks like preparing food, feeding animals, maintaining clean enclosures, and assisting the on-site vet when possible. You'll also take part in educational community projects, raising awareness about wildlife conservation.

This is an ideal childcare placement if you love working with and giving attention to children. Volunteer at a center in San Jose that offers daycare services to families with limited resources. Your presence is integral in running the center and ensuring the children are properly cared for. Your exact responsibilities as a volunteer depend on your interests and experience as well as current project needs. Generally, you help make the kids feel safe and loved. You make sure they receive high-quality and engaging classes, including basic English, complemented with one-on-one support. You can also lead arts and crafts activities and organize recreational activities. The center encourages you to share creative ideas. Eligibility requirements for this internship include good communication and organization skills. The center highly values volunteers with experience in a preschool or educational setting or with TEFL certification. A basic level (Independent User Level B1 of CEFR) of Spanish is necessary. Your placement starts with one week of intensive language lessons, with the option to add more weeks for an extra cost.

Take on an 8-month trip of adventure, community service, and community development across the globe. Join a gap year program that will take you to enchanting destinations filled with cultural immersions, impactful volunteering, and an unforgettable summer experience. Your journey will begin in Costa Rica, where you will work with local communities in addressing social and economic challenges. You will then travel to South Africa to help lead sports development, followed by a summer of learning and practicing the Spanish language in Spain. Finally, you will volunteer in teaching and community building and development in Thailand and Cambodia while enjoying the sun, sand, and sea. Eligibility requirements: - Must be in good physical and mental health - At least 18 years old during travel - Have a fluent understanding of English - Have a clean background check if working with minors Don't miss out on this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make a meaningful impact on the communities you will serve. Visit our website or inquire today for complete details about this program.

Joining a Raleigh Costa Rica Expedition is a truly unique experience that allows you to take part in different projects, equip yourself with new skills, create lasting change with the communities we work with and take urgent action on environmental issues. Work with local initiatives and organisations to help preserve Costa Rica's natural resources, as one of the most biodiverse countries in the world. You will improve access to national parks by working with park rangers. On the Community project you will work with local indigenous communities to improve access to education for some of Costa Rica’s most marginalised children by improving educational infrastructure. Lastly, build your skills on the adventure leadership trek. Challenge yourself on trek and help lead your team through a variety of stunning routes.

Join young volunteers on a life-changing expedition and support their health and well-being as they seize the opportunity. This is a unique opportunity to gain valuable youth empowerment and counseling support helping young people through a transformative expedition. You’ll work with an organization dedicated to arranging volunteer expeditions where young people can gain the skills and confidence they need to become future global citizens and leaders. These expeditions are designed to test and challenge volunteers to foster their development and growth. Your role as an intern will be to support volunteers through this journey. This will include taking responsibility for volunteers' health and well-being, offering one-to-one counseling, and deploying conflict-resolution or behavioral management strategies. This versatile program offers broad career development with learning opportunities in an array of transferable skills, ideal for careers in social work, education, or sustainable development.

Find out why more and more people are choosing to become a Love Volunteer! Love Volunteers is the most affordable way to volunteer and help local communities in developing countries! Why are we cheaper than other organisations? Firstly, we are just a handful of passionate people working hard to help volunteers and local communities around the world. We don't have huge overheads - no company cars, no downtown office - we're just volunteers who knew we could do a better job. Secondly, we work with local organisations wherever we can to keep administration costs to a minimum and also to feed as much money and skills into the local communities where we operate. All of Love Volunteers partner organisations have been fully vetted to ensure that, not only does a genuine need for assistance exist, but that the environments that we place our volunteers are safe and of high quality. Choose from one or more of our 200+ amazing community-based programs in 37 developing countries around the world. Every program has been personally visited by one of our dedicated staff members and is regularly audited to ensure it meets our high standards in terms of safety, sustainability, and local impact.

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.

Join us in Costa Rica for unforgettable memories and valuable service work! We will have the unique opportunity to perform 20 hours of valuable service work in two different communities. In La Fortuna we will work alongside the local association of Boy Scouts with various projects like planting trees to promote a better ecosystem, light construction, and clean-up projects. TFT feels strongly about the impact of this organization and we contribute every year to help them continue their mission in the community. In Sámara we work with another local association that provides supplemental educational, recreational, and career opportunities for youth with limited resources in the rural beach communities of the surrounding area. We will be helping run one of their many programs focusing on academic and artistic education, environmental consciousness, health, and socio-cultural development. Projects vary but our service work typically consists of working on art projects with the children, reading to them, teaching them English, and general upkeep of the school such as painting and light maintenance.

Volunteer in Costa Rica and discover one of the most sustainable countries on earth. Save baby sea turtles or work with Costa Ricas unique wildlife. It is the home of lush jungles and the most exotic animals on earth. Find the best places to see toucans, sloths, capuchin monkeys and even the critically endangered jaguars that live in high trees in the tropical rainforest. Most of the teaching and community projects are typically based in and around the capital city, San Jose. Experience numerous volunteer opportunities while living Costa Rica's 'Pura Vida' - the pure life!

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.

Travel to Costa Rica with GoBeyond to help improve the harsh conditions of the local community and its people. GoBeyond students participate in variety of humanitarian projects led by Gail Nystrom, head of the Costa Rica Humanitarian Foundation. As an ex-Peace Corps worker, Gail has established herself and her organization in communities all around Costa Rica. Through her partnership, GoBeyond students will work to empower impoverished communities through cultural immersion and meaningful service, all while experiencing the "Pura Vida" lifestyle that Costa Rica is known for! Adventure, service, and cultural immersion blend seamlessly in this three week excursion from coast to coast.

San José, the capital city, is in the central valley of the Costa Rican rainforest. As the cultural, economic, and political center of Costa Rica, this is where most people live, work, and play. Here, you can experience a vibrant and busy Latin American metropolis while also having the rest of the country's pristine natural wonders nearby. We provide opportunities to serve dozens of local NGOs, schools, clinics, and businesses through structured programs offered all year round. Program participants can work with host organizations in a variety of fields and areas: museums, local schools, youth and disability centers, health clinics, and several others. Through service at a local organization and guided reflection-based curriculum, our goal is to help you gain a better understanding of the local language, culture, and community. Each service-learning placement is unique, so visit our website to learn more about the specific program options available. We especially recommend San José for students interested in education or working in museums.

Study Spanish and volunteer in one of a variety of projects in Costa Rica with The National Registration Center for Study Abroad. Volunteers spend 20 hours per week for two or more weeks in 50-minute group Spanish classes with a maximum of five students. Although volunteers may enroll for as many weeks as they desire, beginner Spanish learners need to study for four to 12 weeks, while intermediate and advanced learners need to put in about two to 12 weeks. After spending at least one week in Spanish classes, volunteers will work on a placement for a minimum of two weeks. In San Jose, the capital of Costa Rica, they can contribute to projects at national parks, orphanages, retirement centers, drug rehabilitation institutions, special education schools, hospitals, and museums. Recycling and English teaching positions are also available.

Think of an animal cuter than a sloth. Hard, right? We agree! Here is your chance to help these iconic and adorable South American creatures. Our volunteer placement is with a carefully selected partner known for their incredible and impactful work. Make a genuine difference, not only for sloths but also for numerous other rescued exotic animals in need. Spend your days working in a rehabilitation center, taking care of incredible creatures on the road to recovery. The work will be hard but highly rewarding. You’re going to leave knowing that you truly made a difference. In your time off, discover a truly breathtaking part of Central America! With pristine beaches on both sides and rainforests, Costa Rica is utterly stunning from top to bottom. Make lifelong friends and memories while doing some truly meaningful work getting up close and personal with some amazing animals in this program with pretty much everything you can think of already included!

Uncover the spirit of Central America on a 10-week journey through Mexico, Guatemala, and Costa Rica. Trek lush rainforests, hike volcanoes, raft wild rivers, and explore ancient Mayan ruins. More than just adventure, this program invites you to live alongside local communities, learn Spanish through immersion, and engage in meaningful sustainability projects that leave a lasting impact. Designed for students and young adults seeking growth, clarity, and purpose, Pacific Discovery blends challenge with support. You’ll gain confidence traveling with a small group and experienced instructors who mentor you through guided reflection and leadership activities. Days balance cultural exchange, service, and personal exploration—so you’re not just passing through, but truly connecting. Whether you’re taking a gap year, looking for an alternative to study abroad, or craving a deeper cultural experience, this program helps you grow, give back, and discover your place in the world.

Volunteer in this program and work alongside local organizations to help children from underprivileged backgrounds, many of whom may have come from homes with little nurturing, poverty, or a lack of education. You will play a big part in teaching and inspiring these kids by giving them the care and attention they require. As a volunteer, you will work in childcare facilities, community centers, and schools. Your tasks will include supporting local childcare workers in caring for the kids, helping with the general running of the place such as lunchtimes and cleaning, providing individual attention and care for the children who most need it, playing games and sports, tutoring, teaching hygiene, and inspiring them to learn. You can also lead art, music, dance, and drama. This is a chance to get creative and integrate fun into the activities you provide. We have programs in San Jose and near the beach in Manuel Antonio.

Join us for the adventure of a lifetime! Volunteers For Peace (a Vermont-based nonprofit) can place you on a team of international volunteers who contribute to a meaningful community service project designed, planned, and hosted by local partners. We offer the most affordable projects and the best way to meet people from all over the world. Work project types vary by country but may include environmental and wildlife conservation, historic preservation, educational and language learning, archaeology, organic farming, and arts and festivals. We also have social services projects, which could involve working with children, the elderly, or refugees. Projects are designed to combine service with recreational activities and cultural exchange – whether by visiting local beaches, learning local dances, meeting local officials, or volunteering with residents at the place you’re visiting. Each project is unique, but all bring people together for the most meaningful travel experience imaginable. Please note that VFP can only place US Citizens. This is due to our agreements with our international partners.

Green Life Volunteers is a registered non-profit organization or association in Costa Rica. We just earn enough to cover operational expenses, like payments for office space, employee services, and basic organizational costs. We work hard to provide volunteers with an amazing experience, with a lot of hours thrown into administration, logistics, phone calls, Skyping, emailing, and so forth. The minimal fee to cover the basic operational needs will be covered through the higher program fee required in the first week. We have excellent projects throughout Costa Rica, which are a result of many years of collaboration and research. The projects we collaborate with are in actual need of help and have experience working with volunteers. This guarantees that you will have a great time and an awesome experience. The projects are always run by local members of the community, non-profit, and with a benefit for people, nature, or animals. The guest families have been handpicked by local staff, and all of them have years of experience hosting foreigners and volunteers. They are always happy to welcome you, and they will be your family away from home.