Excerpt from The Tico Times’ Exploring Costa Rica guide:
Costa Rica’s academic and linguistic standards are reflected in its quality public and private schools, universities and language academies.
PRIVATE, ENGLISH-LANGUAGE, U.S. CALENDAR
American InternationalSchool (2293-2567, aiscr.com), Ciudad Cariari, PK-12.
Blue ValleySchool (2215-2204, bluevalley.ed.cr), Escazú, K-11, both programs (U.S./Tico calendars).
Centro de Educación Creativa (2645-5161, cloudforest school.org), Monteverde, Puntarenas, PK-11.
Country Day School (2289-0919, cds.ed.cr), Escazú, Daycare-12. Also Playa Brasilito, Guanacaste (2654-5042, cdsgte.com), PK-12.
European School (2261-0717, europeanschool.com), San Pablo, Heredia, K-12.
International ChristianSchool (2241-1445, icscr.net), Heredia, PK-12.
Liberty ChristianAcademy (2297-7533, directora@lca.
iglesiaunion.net), Moravia, PK-9.
Lincoln School (2247-6600, lincoln.ed.cr), Barrio del Socorro, Santo Domingo de Heredia, 1,200 students, PK-12.
Marian BakerSchool (2273-0024, mbs.ed.cr.com), San Ramón de Tres Ríos, PK-12.
PRIVATE BILINGUAL, C.R. CALENDAR
Anglo AmericanSchool (2279-2626, angloamericano.ed.cr), Concepción de Tres Ríos, 1.6 years-11th grade.
British School (2220-0131, britsch@racsa.co.cr), K-12, Pavas.
Canadian InternationalSchool (2272-7097, colegiocanadiense@ice.co. cr), Curridabat, Lomas de Ayarco Sur, French, English, Spanish (Latin after 7th grade), PK-11.
Centro Educativo Angloamericano (2279-2626, angloamericano.ed.cr), Concepción de Tres Ríos, PK-12.
Centro Educativo Bilingüe Pasos de Juventud (2237-4454, pasosdejuventud.ed.cr), Heredia, Daycare-5.
Ciudad BlancaSchool (InternationalChristianSchool branch) (2665-0007, cbscr@icscr.net), Liberia, PK-6.
Colegio Humboldt (2232-1455, humboldt.ed.cr), Pavas, German, English, Spanish, PK-12.
Colegio Internacional SEK-Costa Rica (2272-5464, sek.net), Curridabat, Daycare-11.
Complejo Educativo Royal (2215-1742, mirtabrito@royal.ed.cr), Escazú, PK-11.
Escuela Santa Mónica (2241-3287, informacion@santamonica.ed.cr), Guadalupe, Daycare-6.
Escuela Japonesa (2235-9528, escuelaj@racsa.co.cr), Moravia,
(7-15 years old), Japanese calendar.
Hebrew Day School (2296-6565, www.chabadcostarica.com), Rohrmoser, Daycare-6. English and Hebrew.
Instituto Educativo Moderno (2273-3414, iemonline.org), Concepción de Tres Ríos, PK-6.
Kiwi LearningCenter (2282-6512, kiwicr.com), Santa Ana, English, Spanish, German, violin, piano, Daycare-4.
Liceo Franco-Costarricense (2273-6373, franco.ed.cr), road to Concepción de Tres Ríos. Most classes in French, Daycare-12.
Montessori LearningCenter (2272-4997, montessoricostarica.com), Lomas de Ayarco Sur, Curridabat, Daycare-PK (1-5 yrs.).
Monteverde FriendsSchool (2645-5302, mfschool.org), Monteverde, Puntarenas, PK-12.
Pan American School (2298-5700 panam.ed.cr), San Antonio de Belén, Daycare-11.
St. AnthonySchool (saintanthony.ed.cr), Primary (2297-4500/01/02) PK-6, Tibás; Secondary (2236-6362), Guadalupe.
St. FrancisHigh School (2297-1704,sfc@stfrancis.ed.cr), Los Colegios, Moravia, K-11. English, Spanish, French.
St. GregorySchool (2279-4444, sgs.ed.cr), Curridabat, Daycare-11.
St. MaryPrimary School (2215-2133, admisiones@saintmary.ed.cr), Escazú, Daycare-11.
St. Paul School (2438-0818, infoesc@saintpaul.ed.cr), San Rafael de Alajuela, Daycare-11.
Sistema Educativo Saint Clare (2279-8816, saintclare.ed.cr), San Juan de Tres Ríos, Daycare-11.
St. Patrick American School (2663-3839, saintpatrick.ed.cr), Puntarenas, PK-6.
Talarke School (2273-3353, talarkeschool.com), San Ramón de Tres Ríos, Daycare-6.
Teocali Academy (2666-0273, academiateocali.ed.cr), Liberia, Guanacaste, Daycare-11.
PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES
Costa Rican Technological Institute (ITCR) (2552-5333, tec.cr), Cartago, four-year, postgrad, also in San Carlos and San José.
Universidad Estatal a Distancia (UNED) (2224-1766, uned.ac.cr), Sabanilla, four-year, postgrad, study-at-home courses, postgrad, 30 centers around country, main campus in Sabanilla.
University of Costa Rica (UCR) (2511-4000, ucr.ac.cr), San Pedro, four-year, postgrad, doctorates, C.R.’s largest, campuses in San Ramón, Turrialba, Puntarenas, Guanacaste, Limón.
Universidad Nacional (UNA) (2277-3000, una.ac.cr), Heredia, four-year, postgrad. Also in Pérez Zeledón, Guanacaste.
PRIVATE UNIVERSITIES
Universidad Fidélitas (2253-0262, ufidelitas.ac.cr), San Pedro Montes de Oca, four-year, postgrad.
Escuela de Agricultura de la Región Tropical Húmeda (EARTH) (2713-0000, earth.ac.cr), Guácimo, Limón, agricultural engineering.
Business Administration Institute (INCAE) (2437-2000, incae.edu), La Garita, Alajuela, Harvard-affiliated MBA.
Inter-American University of Costa Rica (2277-8000, uinteramericana.edu), Heredia, four-year, postgrad.
International University of the Americas (UIA) (2255-3444, uia.ac.cr), San José, four-year, postgrad.
Latin AmericanUniversity of Science and Technology (ULACIT) (2257-5767, ulacit.ac.cr), San José, four year, postgrad.
Universidad Americana (UAM) (2207-7000, uam.ac.cr), Los Yoses, Heredia, Cartago, four-year, postgrad.
Universidad Autónoma de Centro América (UACA) (2272-9100, uaca.ac.cr), Curridabat, Santa Cruz (Guanacaste), San Ramón, Guápiles, Ciudad Neily, four-year, postgrad and doctorates.
Universidad Católica de Costa Rica (2240-7272, ucatolica.ac.cr), Moravia, four-year, postgrad and doctorates.
Universidad Centroamericana de Ciencias Empresariales (UCEM), (2440-2090, ucem.ac.cr), Alajuela, four-year.
Universidad Creativa (2283-6880, ucreativa.com), graphic design, fashion design, interior design, architecture, Sabanilla.
University for Peace (2205-9000, upeace.org), Ciudad Colón, Master’s.
Universidad Iberoamericana (UNIBE) (2297-2242, unibe.ac.cr), Tibás, four-year, postgrad: medicine, psychology, nursing, pharmacy.
Universidad Latina de Costa Rica (2283-2611, ulatina.ac.cr), Lourdes de Montes de Oca, four-year, postgrad.
Universidad La Salle (2290-1010, ulasalle.ac.cr), RouthSabanaPark, four-year and postgrad: law, education, business administration, doctorate.
University of Medical Sciences (UCIMED) (2296-3944, ucimed.com), west Sabana, four-year, postgrad.
Universidad Veritas-Instituto de Español para Extranjeros (2283-4747, ext. 132, uveritas.ac.cr), Zapote, four-year, postgrad.
LANGUAGE SCHOOLS
(Note: The following schools are listed according to ambience: City, Country/Rural, Beach, Mountain/Forest.)
City Schools
Academia Europea (2222-4307, academia-europea.com), San José, English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese.
Academia Latinoamericana de Español (2224-9917, alespanish.com), San José. Also dancing classes.
Academia Profesional del Idioma Mandarín (APIM) (2253-4098, api mcr@gmail.com), San Pedro de Montes de Oca.
Alliance Française (2257-1944, afsj.net), San José (2290-2705), Sabana Sur and Heredia, French.
Berlitz Institute (2253-9191, berlitz.cr), Santa Ana, San Pedro, San José downtown, Sabana.
Central American Institute for International Affairs (ICAI) (2233-8571, expreso.co.cr), San José.
Centro Lingüístico Conversa (2221-7649, conversa.net), San José (Ca. 38, Av. 3/5) and Santa Ana.
Centro Goethe de Costa Rica (2290-0958, centrogoethe.com), Pavas, German.
Colegio Victoria (2278-2536, colegiovictoria.com), Lourdes de Montes de Oca, Mandarin.
Costa Rica-Chinese Cultural Center (2834-7587, 2290-1247), Rohrmoser, Mandarin.
Costa Rican-North American Cultural Center (2207-7500, cccncr.com), San Pedro, North Sabana and Cartago.
Costa Rica Spanish Institute (COSI) (2234-1001, cosi.co.cr), Zapote.
Costa RicanLanguageAcademy (CRLA) (2280-5834, spanishandmore.com), San Pedro.
Escuela Dante Alighieri (2225-3796, dantealighierisj@racsa.co.cr), Sabana (tel/fax: 2231-4305).
Forester Instituto Internacional (2225-3155, fores.com),
Los Yoses.
ILISA Language Institute (2280-0700, ilisa.com), San Pedro.
Intercultura Language School (2260-8480, interculturacostarica.com), Heredia.
Instituto Británico (2225-0256, institutobritanico.co.cr), Los Yoses.
IECR Instituto de Español “Costa Rica” (2280-6622, iespcr@racsa.co.cr), homestays, Guadalupe.
Instituto Costarricense de Idiomas MPH S.A. (2431-0912, iciidiomas.com), Heredia.
Instituto di Lingua Italiana (2222-1990, istitutobologna@ice.co.cr), San José, Italian.
Institute for Central American Studies Mesoamerica Language Program (2253-3195, mesoamericaonline.net), internships, road to Sabanilla.
Instituto Profesional de Educación (IPE) (2238-3608), Heredia.
Instituto Universal de Idiomas (2257-0441, universal-edu.com), San José and Moravia.
Institute for Central Amer. Development Studies (ICADS) (2225-0508, icads.org), San Pedro de Montes de Oca.
INTENSA (2281-1818, intensa.com), Los Yoses, Escazú (288-4747) and Alajuela (442-3843).
Language Institute (ILERI) Escazú (2228-1687, ilerispanish
school.com), Escazú. Cooking/dance.
Lisa Tec (2239-2225, lisatec1@hotmail.com), Ciudad Cariari. Also in Northern Zone, Ciudad Quesada.
New LearningAcademy (2283-3385, newlearningcr.com), Guadalupe.
Philology & Linguistics (UCR) (2207-4703, lenguasmodernas.ucr.ac.cr), San Pedro campus.
Country/Rural Schools
Academia Centroamericana de Español (2444-6161, acce.co.cr), Grecia. Also, dance and cooking.
Centro Panamericano de Idiomas (CPI) (2645-5441, cpi-edu.com), San Joaquín de Flores, near San José. Also in Mountain
Schools (Monteverde, 2645-5448, montever@cpi-edu.com) and Beach Schools (Flamingo, 2654-5002, info@cpi-edu.com). Also, Chinese.
Centro Para el Potencial Humano (CPH) (2282-9920, spanishincostarica.com), Santa Ana. Also, cooking and dance classes.
Montaña Linda Language School & Hostel (2533-3640, mountanalinda.com), OrosiValley. Also, hotels & tours.
Rancho de Español (2438-0071, ranchodeespanol.com), La Guácima, Alajuela. Also, lodging, cooking/dance classes. Spanish Language & Environmental Protection Ctr. (SEPA) (2770-1457, sabalo@racsa.co.cr), San Isidro de El General.
Beach Schools
Centro Panamericano de Idiomas (CPI) (2654-5001, cpi-edu.com), Flamingo Beach.
Costa Rica Spanish Institute (COSI) (2777-0021, cosi.co.cr), Manuel Antonio. Also see City Schools. Cooking/dance classes.
Escuela de Idiomas D’Amore (2777-1143, escueladamore.com), 3 km., Manuel Antonio. Also dance classes.
La Escuela del Sol (8358-5312, spanishandsurf.com), Montezuma.
Horizontes de Montezuma (2642-0534, horizontes-montezuma.com), Montezuma.
Sámara LanguageSchool (2656-0954, 2656-0127, samara
languageschool.com), Sámara, Guanacaste.
Rey de Nosara (2682-0215, reydenosara.itgo.com), Nosara.
School of the World (2643-2462, schooloftheworld.org), Jacó, surfing, photography, art.
Wayra Spanish Institute (2653-0617, spanish-wayra.co.cr), Tamarindo, Guanacaste.
Mountain/Forest Schools
Centro Panamericano de Idiomas (2645-5441, 2645-6349, cpi-edu.com), Monteverde, homestays, volunteer programs.
