We help you to choose the level of Spanish

We offer Spanish courses on three different levels in Costa Rica:

Beginner - Spanish 0
Intermediate - Spanish 1  
Advanced - Spanish 2 

More on Spanish levels

Sustainability and Conservation in Costa Rica

Spanish makes up 3/4 of the semester. In addition you study a course Sustainability and conservation, to make a full time semester:

Exemplary policies and practices Based on theory and field experiences, students will analyse how to achieve long-term sustainability through policies and practices which focus on climate change mitigation; protection and restoration of ecosystems, and the enablement of local businesses to operate profitably in the present while envisioning a more eco-friendly future. Costa Rica’s environmental credentials are extraordinary. Being located within a biodiversity hotspot area, this nation has adopted one of the most consistent and ambitious plans to achieve a zero net emissions economy by 2050, in line with the Paris Climate Change Agreement. Already, more than 95 percent of Costa Rican energy is produced from renewable sources, and its forest cover now stands at more than 53 percent of its territory, after having reverted decades of deforestation. This background places Costa Rica as the perfect arena to learn about sustainability while exploring its impressive biodiversity.

Host family and student accommodation

11 out of 16 weeks everyone lives in a shared house with other Scandinavian students.

Included in the tuition fee is also a 5-week stay with a host family near the university. Here you live with 1 to 2 other students and breakfast is included. Our experience is that you learn a lot of extra Spanish during such a stay while also gaining a unique insight into the Costa Rican culture. Staying with a host family is of course voluntary.

The host families are organized by the women-led foundation ASOFEQUE (Asociación Femenina Quebradas) which focuses on circular and solidarity economy. One of their projects is the FUDEBIOL Reforestation project where you will also have an overnight stay. FUDEBIOL is, among other things, responsible for the forest where San Isidro's drinking water springs from.

Full academic year?

Would you like to take a full academic year with Spanish, you can continue on the next level in Costa Rica, or you can use the time between the semesters to practice Spanish while back packing your way through Latin America to Argentina where you continue the Spanish studies.

The structure of the semester

1. Self-study period (4 weeks): Before you travel to Costa Rica, you are expected to get acquainted with the subject and to write a short assignment.
2. The main period (16 weeks): Consist of four months of lectures, field trips, seminars, written assignments, oral and written exams in Costa Rica.

The students

Students are recruited mainly from Northern Europe. We also have Costa Rican students in the Latin American Literature course.

Students come from different backgrounds, both academically, professionally and personally, to the benefit of interesting discussions. About one third of the students come directly from upper secondary school, one third are in their early bachelor degree, and the last third are seasoned students.

Relevance

Spanish is the largest mother tongue language in the world, the second largest second language and the third most used language on the internet. You will not regret that you learned a language spoken by 500 million people.

The application process

To apply for the courses, you must be eligible for university training. 

Fill in the application form. If there are still places available, we will send you an offer with an invoice for the deposit of 250 Euro. By paying the deposit you confirm your place on the programme. Leading up to the start of the programme we will keep you informed about the preparations for travel and studies.

To apply for the courses you must be eligible for university training. 

Fill in the application form. If there are still places available we will send you an offer with an invoice for the deposit of 250 Euro. By paying the deposit you confirm your place on the programme. Leading up to the start of the programme we will keep you informed about the preparations for travel and studies.

Go to application form     About studying in Costa Rica