Study abroad in Costa Rica
Costa Rica is an ideal place for a semester abroad or gap year due to its high-quality education and endless travel opportunities.
Asia Exchange semester abroad programs allow you to study in Costa Rica and try something different every day. Even those who do not speak Spanish can study in Costa Rica. Attend one of the finest private institutions in Central America and interact with local and international students, Explore the natural beauties of Costa Rica while studying in one of the world’s happiest nations!
Asia Exchange, which was founded in 2007, has sent over 10,000 students abroad, and we are pleased that our students have rated our services with 4.8/5.
In addition, Asia Exchange has garnered numerous honors and recognitions globally, establishing us as the leading provider of study abroad programs worldwide.
These reviews are more than plain words. These reviews, honors, and recognitions represent the sentiments and global experiences of our students and partners. We are thrilled that over 10,000 students and partners from over 100 countries have placed their trust in Asia Exchange and allowed us to positively touch their lives beyond their wildest dreams.
Just fill out an online application form and submit it with a few attachments.
Your study placement can be confirmed as quickly as in day.
Once you get the confirmation, it’s a done deal!
Our fees are more affordable than applying directly to the university
Our team helps you get the most out of your time abroad
Share life-changing experiences together
Latin American university of science and technology
only bilingual university in costa rica
#1
private
university in
costa rica
top 5%
best
universities
worldwide
#1 reputation with employers in costa rica
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
SEMESTERS
Spring (January – April)
Summer (May – August)
Autumn (September - December)
LEVELS OF STUDY
Bachelor, GAP year
MAX. CREDITS
24 ECTS /
12 US credits per trimester
Fees
3,800 USD / Semester
+ 97 USD application fee
PROGRAM CONTENT
Project-based learning
STUDY FIELDS
Economics, Business Management, Latin American culture and history, International Relations, Political Science, Social Sciences, Humanities and Spanish language
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
- Study in the best private university of Costa Rica with highly competent professionals and innovative teaching methods
- Expand your knowledge with a range of interesting courses from many different study fields
- Live in one of the happiest countries of the world and experience the worry-free lifestyle of Costa Ricans called “Pura Vida”
- Explore the endless travel opportunities – all the adventure in short distance from the capital
- Improve you language skills and learn Spanish with the locals
- Enjoy the easiest possible application process and have the full support of AE team during your program
How to apply
CHOOSE A DESTINATION, UNIVERSITY, AND PROGRAM
Choose a destination, university, and program that suits you best. To help you choose, you can check our study abroad guide or look at this comparison chart.
Get prepared
After receiving your confirmation email and initial acceptance letter, you can begin your travel preparations.
APPLY EASILY ONLINE
Get the required attachments for the university or program of your choice. Please fill out the application for the university or program of your choice through our application form.
PAY TUITION FEE, GET AN OFFICIAL ACCEPTANCE LETTER & VISA
You'll get the invoice for the tuition fee about 2.5 months before the start of the semester. You'll also get the host university's official acceptance letter a month before the semester starts.
CONFIRMATION OF STUDY PLACEMENT
We'll process your application in 1-3 working days, after which we will send you an email with a confirmation of your study abroad placement and further instructions.
ARRIVAL AND ORIENTATION
Ready, set, go! Once you have your student visa in hand, you're good to go! Pack your bags, throw a farewell party and step into the best adventure of your life!
Studying at ULACIT IN COSTA RICA
The Latin American University of Science and Technology – ULACIT – has been ranked as the best private university in Costa Rica for ten consecutive years (2011-2021) in the QS rankings. It is also one of the global campuses of the University of Arizona. The teaching strategies in ULACIT are project-based, with no traditional exams. Learning is based on research, case studies, problem-solving and service-learning experiences under the Teaching for Understanding (TfU) framework, developed by Harvard University’s Project Zero.
Who is this Courses & Studies program for?
- You are a university student or have recently finished high school.
- You want to study abroad and better understand global topics combined with a unique life experience.
- You want to improve your language skills and learn Spanish.
- You enjoy a tropical climate and want to explore the incredibly diverse nature of Costa Rica in your free time
- You want to make new international friends and build a career-benefiting multicultural network.
| SPRING 2023 | |
| Semester dates | January 16th, 2023 – April 28th, 2023 |
| Orientation | January 16th, 2023 |
| Application deadline | December 12th, 2022 |
| SUMMER 2023 | |
| Semester dates | May 15th – August 25th, 2023 |
| Orientation | May 15th, 2023 |
| Application deadline | March 21st, 2023 |
| AUTUMN 2023 | |
| Semester dates | September 11th – December 22nd, 2023 |
| Orientation | September 3rd, 2023 |
| Application deadline | August 15th, 2023 |
Please note that the course selections are made on a first-come-first-serve basis!
*) dates still tentative
Costa Rica study abroad program Courses & Studies
Students can choose up to 4 courses during their study abroad semester. If you would like to take more than 4 courses, you will be charged 425$ USD per additional course. These fees will be payable directly to ULACIT upon semester start.
Students can choose courses from all the following study programs:
- International Relations and Latin American Studies
- Business Management and Economics
- Liberal Arts and Humanities.
Please see below for detailed syllabi of Bachelor-level courses offered at ULACIT:
- Cost Accounting
- Costa Rican Political System
- Diplomatic and Consular Law
- Elements of Microeconomics
- Environmental Sustainability and Development in Latin America
- Financial Accounting
- Financial Reporting and Analysis
- Human Resources Management
- International Public Law
- International Relations Theory
- International Trade
- Latin American Cultural Identity
- Management of non-profit organizations
- Managerial Decision Modeling
- Math for Business and Economics
- Peace and War in International Relations
- Poverty, Economics, and Development in Latin America
- Principles of Marketing
- Quality Management
- Theory of the State
- Western Civilization
All courses from these programs are taught 100% in the English language. If you wish to attend courses taught in Spanish, please contact info@asiaexchange.org.
See the course list and course summaries
See the course offering and summary – Autumn semester
See the course offering and summary – Spring semester
Students can also enroll in some of the master-level courses during their exchange semester at ULACIT. Please note that currently, the master-level programs are only available in Spanish. Therefore, students need to have at least the B1 level proficiency in Spanish.
please contact info@asiaexchange.org if you wish to enroll in master-level courses taught in Spanish
SPANISH LANGUAGE COURSES
If you are interested in improving your Spanish skills, there is a possibility to attend the additional Spanish Immersion Program at ULACIT. According to their Spanish proficiency level, the students will be recommended enrollment in any of the entry-level courses:
- Introductory Spanish
- Basic Spanish
- Low-Beginning Spanish
- High-Beginning Spanish
- Low-Intermediate Spanish
- high-intermediate Spanish
- Advanced Spanish
See the summary for the Spanish courses.
Spanish Immersion language courses cover 60 contact hours, consisting of 3-hour lessons four times per week for five weeks, each Spanish course will earn students 4 US credits or 8 ECTS. The cost per course is 688 USD.
There is also a possibility to take up to three consecutive Spanish courses per season, earning a total of 12 US credits or 24 ECTS credits per academic period. The price for attending three Spanish courses is 1695 USD.
ULACIT will contact the students and ask about their interest in attending the Spanish Immersion program about 1-2 months before the semester start.
eCampus
In addition to the courses mentioned above, you have the chance to attend additional distance learning courses in the fields of Economics, Marketing, Sociology, and Politics. All the courses are taught from a distance and can be joined independently from place and time. This gives you the ultimate flexibility to combine your study abroad experience with various academic courses.
All information about the eCampus can be found here.
You have the chance to opt for distance learning courses during your application process. Please note that each distance learning course is worth 5 ECTS and comes at an additional charge of 149€ / 167USD.
After completing your eCampus courses, you will receive an academic transcript issued by Undiknas University. Additionally, you will receive a participation certificate for each completed distance learning course.
Costa Rica study abroad: ULACIT Credit & Grading
ULACIT works with the US credit system. Each academic course covers 45 contact hours per season (1 lesson each week, for 15 weeks), representing 6 ECTS or 3US credits per course.
You may choose up to4 courses, which amounts to a maximum of 24 ECTS. ULACIT works annually, with three 15-week academic periods (Spring, Summer, and Fall), with two-week sessions in between. By enrolling in ULACIT, you can cover more credits within a year.
To apply to Costa Rica study abroad program you need to have at least
- Minimum age of 18 years
- A high school diploma or similar certificate.
- You are not required to be enrolled at an institution of higher education.
Costa Rica study abroad Program Required Documents
- A scanned copy of the identification page of your passport. Please note that the passport must be valid 6 months after the semester ends.
- An official transcript of records, or if you are not currently enrolled at an institution of higher education, a copy of your high school diploma. This should preferably be submitted in English, but we also accept these documents in German, French, and Spanish.
Apply to Costa Rica study abroad program at ULACIT
DOCUMENTS
Get the required documents (see list below)
APPLICATION
Fill out and submit the online application form together with the required documents
CONFIRMATION
You’ll get a confirmation of your study placement within one week, at best as quickly as one day.
- When you apply for two semesters: 100 EUR discount on the second semester
- Get access to comprehensive information materials such as a Beyond Abroad Guide and an interactive orientation webinar after you apply
INSTRUCTIONS
- Scan all the required documents (1–2) to your computer.
- Finally, fill out the online application form below and submit it with all the documents.
Uploading and submitting the attachments
- Please upload the attachments in PDF format.
- If possible, please submit all the attachments together with the application. If you’re missing some attachment(s) when you apply, you can later send the missing document(s). However, please note that we won’t process applications without any attachments whatsoever.
- All attachments must be sent to us by the application deadline at the very latest, preferably as soon as possible.
- You can submit all the documents electronically. Please don’t send anything via regular mail.
- There is a late application fee for applications or attachments submitted after the application deadline.
Confirmation
You’ll get a confirmation of your study placement in 1-7 days, starting when your application is complete with all the required documents.
Fees
The application fee invoice will be sent to you soon after the initial acceptance letter. This fee will be due within 10 days of receiving your confirmation. The application fee is non-refundable even if you decide to cancel (see below).
Cancellation
If you’re unable to participate in the study abroad semester, you have the right to cancel your participation up to 1 month before the semester starts with no extra cost (the application fee will not be refunded, however). Let us know about your cancellation by writing us an email at info[at]asiaexchange.org. Cancellations notified via phone, SMS, or by any other means will not be considered. For more detailed information on our cancellation policy, please see the terms and conditions for cancellation. We also reserve the right to cancel your participation if any of your fees becomes overdue. For more information, please see our terms and conditions.
Travel insurance
You are required to have a valid accident and health insurance from your home country for the whole duration of the program. The university may request a copy of the insurance certificate at the beginning of the semester. See our recommended travel insurance providers.
About Costa Rica study abroad program at ULACIT
The Latin American University of Science and Technology -ULACIT- is an innovative and entrepreneurial university. ULACIT strives to prepare its students for leadership positions in science, technology, and other fields of human endeavor, with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes they will require to serve the world in the 21st century. At ULACIT, positive social coexistence and interpersonal relationships are promoted and the establishment of contact networks, always within an area of respect and appreciation of the cultural, political, ideological, religious, ethnic, and identity diversity of gender.
Campus and facilities
ULACIT makes its top-of-the-line facilities available to all international students, including access to fully equipped computer labs, use of high-tech multimedia equipment, cafeteria and student lounge areas, library, printing and copy center, our student health center, and on-campus wireless connection.
Location
ULACIT has its campus in central San José, the capital of Costa Rica. The exact location is 800 meters north of the Central Park of San José, or 150 meters south of the newspaper La República, in the Tournón neighborhood. It is located in the banking district of San José, just 20 kilometers (20 minutes) from the Juan Santamaría International Airport. The Center for Innovation and Technology Transfer is located in Escazú, Plaza Tempo.
Costa Rica study abroad: Accommodation
You can live in San José at one of the accommodation options provided by ULACIT or choose to find accommodation independently. ULACIT will contact the students to ask about their accommodation choice about 1-2 months before the semester start and provide more information about the accommodation options.
Host family
Living with a local host family is the perfect way to immerse yourself in the local culture and practice Spanish. Costa Ricans are famous for their friendliness and warmly welcome you as part of the family. The host families are carefully selected and have been cooperating with ULACIT for years. All the selected families live in the capital area, in a convenient location from the university. The monthly cost is 772 USD, including meals.
Individual accommodation
You can also look for accommodation within the city or nearby the campus independently. There are many hostels and bed-and-breakfasts available, and it is also possible to find fully equipped apartments for a short-term lease. Airbnb and VRBO are also an option in Costa Rica. If you decide to rent accommodation from private owners before signing a contract, it is good to see the place with your own eyes to avoid being scammed. The online announcements often do not match reality and the location markers might be misplaced, especially when out of the metropolitan area. While you’re checking out your future accommodation, or at the latest when signing, little hassling is a normal part of finding your accommodation. This is mainly due to cultural differences and different ways of doing business. A good sense of humor, a little patience, and some effort to understand a different culture will help sort things out.
CO2 OFFSETTING
Unfortunately, traveling by plane to study abroad increases the carbon footprint of each student. Over the past years, it has become more apparent than ever: we face a climate crisis and air transport is responsible for up to 10% of humankind’s contribution to global warming. But should students stop pursuing their dreams of studying abroad and sacrifice their future goals? We don’t think so!
We see it as our responsibility to preserve our environment, live a sustainable life, and minimize the carbon footprint of each of our students. Consequently, Asia Exchange has chosen to work with Atmosfair, a non-profit organization that actively contributes to CO₂ mitigation and offers Co2 offsetting. You can now easily donate a free amount of money to Atmosfair’s projects dedicated to offsetting Co2 emissions. During the application process for your study abroad program, you have the opportunity to donate and mitigate your flight emissions.
Simultaneously, Asia Exchange will support your efforts to reduce their carbon footprint when studying abroad by doubling your donations and contributing equally. Let’s make this world a better place!
Click here to find out more about offsetting your flight emissions
Fees
FAQ
Q: How do I select my courses?
A: We will send you a pre-course enrolment form along with a list of courses being offered approximately one month before your semester starts.
Q: Are the courses organized and taught in English?
A: Yes, ULACIT offering of courses taught in the English language is ample: 68 courses taught regularly 100% in the English language at ULACIT San José campus in the fields of Liberal Arts, Business Management, Economics, Accounting, Marketing, International Trade, Finance, Political Science, International Relations and Latin American Studies.
Q: Can I enroll in courses taught in Spanish?
A: Yes, you can, please notify us if you’d like to enroll in courses taught in Spanish.
Q: Do I need to have any language certificate?
A: There is no English language certificate required. However, if you’d like to enroll in courses taught in Spanish, you have to submit a minimum of B1 Certificate of Spanish Language Proficiency.
Q: What is the required course attendance?
A: The official course attendance requirement is 85%. Students who have 3 absences will fail the course.
Q: When do exams take place?
A: Exams are included in the semester dates, and they take place in the middle and at the end of the semester. We will send you a class schedule along with semester dates in it one month before your semester starts.
Q: What type of VISA do I need to have to study abroad in Costa Rica?
A: We recommend students enter Costa Rica with a Tourist VISA.
- For this migratory status, no previous process is required, the tourist visa is automatically issued by Migration Authorities for any international traveler entering the country by land or air.
- Visitors to Costa Rica must have a valid passport as well as proof of their intent to exit the country before their visa or entry stamp expires. All non-resident travelers must possess a return ticket or a ticket as proof of when they intend to exit the country, commonly referred to as an outbound exit or onward ticket.
- So, either a dated or open-ended return ticket for an international flight or bus transfer service is needed when entering Costa Rica. The immigration officer will ask for it upon your arrival.
- The departure plans from Costa Rica must be shown to Migration Authorities at the airport with a return ticket, but that the ticket can be open-ended, so incoming exchange students need a return ticket but not necessarily with a set return date.
- Once in Costa Rica to maintain their legal migratory status after 90 days students can either exit any land border (a quick weekend trip to Panama o Nicaragua) to renew their tourist visa or request a student visa through ULACITs migration lawyer with a cost of $200 which will automatically suspend the expiration of their 90-day tourist visa until Migratory Authorities process their student visa request which takes over 6 months in average. This is a common practice for short-term exchange students and would be sufficient to maintain their legal migratory status while the short-term exchange student completes their 115-day academic period stay.
Q: What type of accommodation options are available?
A: ULACIT’s central campus does not offer traditional student residence (on-campus dorms). Exchange students are expected to live with a local host family (Homestay Program).
- Host Family: ULACIT work with host families in San Jose who have welcomed international students into their homes for years. Each home has been carefully selected by ULACIT program administrators to ensure comfort and safety for international students. To obtain a homestay application form or to inquire about housing at ULACIT, please contact: studyabroad@ulacit.ac.cr
- For reservations and access to benefits please use the Reservation Code “ULACIT”, and request information on availability on any of their locations in San José, Jaco, Tamarindo, Monteverde, Puerto Viejo, or La Fortuna.
Q: How can I get to the campus?
A: Students may rent a car in Costa Rica if they have an international driving license. Regular cabs are accessible in San Jose, however, we recommend you download the UBER taxi application to your phone. It’s the safest, cheapest and easiest way to travel in San Jose.
Q: Do I need insurance?
A: Yes, all international students coming to ULACIT are required to purchase an international student health insurance plan with coverage in Costa Rica (no student will be accepted without it). Students must present a copy of their international health insurance ID card or written verification of coverage to be admitted and send a copy of this form for our records.
International Health Insurance Coverage must meet three essential requirements: cover medical expenses generated by the COVID-19 disease, hospital admission fees for the required duration, and minimum coverage of 14 days for accommodation expenses in case of delivery of a medical isolation order. If you choose this modality, you must have a certificate in English or Spanish from the international insurer that indicates the following:
- Validity of the insurance when visiting Costa Rica.
- Coverage of medical costs in the event of a Covid-19 pandemic in Costa Rica of at least $ 50,000.
- $2,000minimum coverage for lodging costs due to pandemic illness.
Please see here for our most recommended insurance https://www.insubuy.com/costa-rica-expatriate-health-insurance/https://www.insubuy.com/costa-rica-expatriate-health-insurance/
Q: I need to have my learning agreement/certificate of enrolment signed. What should I do?
A: Please fill the document and send it to info@asiaexchange.org.
Q: When will I receive my Official Acceptance Letter?
A: The official letter of acceptance (Offer Letter) will be sent to you by email 2–3 months before the semester starts.
Q: When will I receive my Transcript of Records?
A: The university prepares and sends the Academic Records, usually within 1-2 months after the end of the semester. We will send your Academic Records as soon as we receive them from ULACIT.
