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Universities in Costa Rica

Getting a degree in a university of Costa Rica can be the best way to take advantage of your time spent here, of visiting, getting to know a new culture and enjoying the cultural exchange and the experience of learning in an alternative environment. There are four principal government sponsored universities:

• Universidad de Costa Rica (UCR)
• Universidad Nacional (UNA)
• Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica (ITCR- TEC)
• Universidad Estatal a Distancia (UNED)

In these universities you can study many different careers, take courses, or attend seminars open to the general public. There are about 70 000 students enrolled in either of these universities, with about 30 000 studying in the University of Costa Rica. However, not all universities in Costa Rica are public. There are also plenty of private universities and colleges. Find a university in san jose costa rica which is internationally recognized such as the Universidad de Diseño with students and graduates who have gone on to international fashion shows and have had award winning projects come out of their doors, or the UACA Medical school. Other universities may be just a way to get a quick degree, with not much attention placed on quality of education. Before applying at a University, make sure to investigate the background and try and contact students and graduates to see what their opinion is on the education they received.

However, most students come to study at a Costa Rica university to learn Spanish. At some programs you can obtain university credit you can transfer to your actual alma matter. To find out more about the programs, contact your university and check the requirements a school needs to comply with to be able to get your Spanish course validated. At the University of Costa Rica the Spanish language courses are semester long and usually meet two hours a day three days a week. They also offer intensive courses for one month or 6 week’s time. For advanced students, there’s also the possibility to take advanced Spanish literature, Latin American Literature courses and advanced conversation courses.