Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica is located in Central America. The country is especially known for its breathtaking nature with dense rainforest covering mountains and volcano ranges that separate the beautiful beaches of the Caribbean from the Pacific coast. Costa Rica is also one of the wealthiest and most stable countries in the region with a very limited crime rate.
Spanish and nature conservation studies in San Isidro de El General
The university is located in the town of San Isidro, between mountain and valley at an altitude of 700 metres above sea level and 130 kilometres south of the capital San José. San Isidro enjoys a pleasant highland climate, while stunning Pacific beaches are just a 45-minute drive away. The opposite coast and the Caribbean can be reached in five hours. Studies take place on the university's campus, located on the hillside above the green San Isidro Valley.
Environmental studies in Quepos
The university is located near the coast at the town of Quepos, 75 kilometres from San Isidro. Quepos is a charming small town located on the Atlantic coastline south of the capital San Jose. A few kilometres away is the famous Manuel Antonio National Park, located at Playa Espadilla, one of the finest beaches in Costa Rica. The beach offers unlimited opportunities for tropical sports and Quepos has a good range of services without being overrun by tourism.
Accommodation
The programme fee includes accommodation. The student houses are centrally located. The students share on suite bedrooms, with two or three other students, communal kitchen and living room.
Get to know Costa Rica
By living in San Isidro you have the opportunity of getting to know the locals of the city especially your local fellow students. Additionally, Kulturstudier offers a range of activities, which will give you in-depth knowledge of Costa Rica. Activities include introduction program with welcome party, a guided tour to historical and cultural sights in and outside of San Isidro and lectures on Costa Rican society, history and politics. During the stay we will also arrange different field trips. Kulturstudier has a broad network in San Isidro, which makes it possible for students to engage in different kinds of social activities, such as salsa and surf classes, movie and quiz nights, concerts, football and other physical activities. In San Isidro there are lots of options if you want to experience Costa Rica’s amazing nature, as beaches, rain forests, volcanos, waterfalls and lakes are located relatively close to the city.
Picture galleries
Climate
The climate in Costa Rica is tropical. San Isidro lies 700 meters above the see and enjoys a very pleasant climate. During the spring semester temperatures will rise steadily from comfortable to really hot, with little rain. The autumn semester offers comfortable warmth, but a more humid climate and occasional rain. Sometimes the monsoon coincides with the semester bringing days of hard rain. Click on the link below to see average temperature and yearly rainfall.
Flights
You arrange your flights yourself. But we recommend that you buy flexible tickets. Plans often change when you make new friends. Many students decide to combine their studies with travelling before or after their study period. Our travel agent can organise joint departures for those who wish to travel with fellow students. If you have registered for a course you will receive more information on this in due time. You should not buy tickets before you receive a go ahead for this from Kulturstudier.
Student insurance
To ensure that all our students are correctly insured throughout the semester, Kulturstudier arranges a group insurance with Gouda Travel Insurance. This insurance is mandatory for Nordic and German students. Students of other nationalities must buy equivalent insurance in their home country.
Facts on Costa Rica
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Official name:
República de Costa Rica
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Area:
51,100 sq km
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Population:
5,256,612 (2023 est.)
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Major Cities:
San Jose (capital), San Isidro, Liberia, Puerto Limon, Puntarenas, Golfito
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Location:
Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama
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Religion:
Roman Catholic 47.5%, Evangelical and Pentecostal 19.8%, Jehovah’s Witness 1.4%, other Protestant 1.2%, other 3.1%, none 27% (2021 est.)
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Official language:
Spanish
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Literacy:
98% (2021)
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Population below poverty line:
21% (2019 est.)
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Source:
CIA factbook
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