Costa Rica San Jose Garden 125008199 Small

What's Included

We invite you to study abroad with API in San José, Costa Rica at Universidad Veritas! This exciting program offers you the opportunity to enroll in Spanish language classes alongside a wide array of courses (conducted in both English and Spanish) across a broad spectrum of academic disciplines, including art & design, business, environmental studies, social sciences and more!

Earn valuable academic credit toward your degree, improve your language skills, experience life in this exciting capital city, and explore all this beautiful country has to offer!

What's Included?

Highlights

Pre Departure Services

Advising

APIConnect Platform

Orientation Materials and Resources

Access to International Phone Plans

API Alumni Network

Social Networking

Scholarships

On Site Services

Airport Reception

API Center

On-Site Orientation

Excursions

Tuition

Medical and Life Insurance

Resident Directors

Social and Cultural Activities

Welcome and Farewell Group Meals

Volunteer Opportunities

Tutoring

Housing (including meals and laundry)

Language and Culture Tools

Re-Entry Services

Re-Entry Materials and Support

Post-Program Evaluation

Transcript

Alumni Network and API Ambassador Program

View all opportunities and amenities

Application Requirements

Open to sophomores, juniors, and seniors
No previous knowledge of Spanish is required, but one semester is recommended
Completed API application
University Approval Form
Official transcript
Additional supplemental materials
Entry requirement: valid passport with supporting documents (more information provided post-acceptance)

Dates & Fees

Session	Program Dates	Program Cost	Application Deadline	Extended Application Deadline	Payment Deadline
Academic Year Early Start	Aug, 2023 - Apr, 2024	$26,900	Aug 1, 2023	No Extension	Aug 31, 2023
Fall	Sep, 2023 - Dec, 2023	$12,900	Aug 1, 2023	No Extension	Aug 31, 2023
Academic Year	Sep, 2023 - Apr, 2024	$24,500	Aug 1, 2023	No Extension	Aug 31, 2023
Fall Quarter	Oct, 2023 - Dec, 2023	$11,500	Aug 1, 2023	No Extension	Aug 15, 2023
Winter	Jan, 2024 - Apr, 2024	$11,500	Nov 18, 2023	No Extension	Dec 18, 2023
Spring	Jan, 2024 - May, 2024	$12,900	Nov 18, 2023	No Extension	Dec 18, 2023

Excursions

API students participate in excursions designed to help familiarize them with the culture and surrounding areas of their host city and country. The following is a listing of potential excursions for API San José programs. API may need to modify the excursions offered in a given term due to travel restrictions or health and safety concerns.

Montezuma

Montezuma is a small but extremely beautiful beach, set amid exotic surroundings. Students can opt to explore the environment of the northern Costa Rica dry forest, visit the nearby creeks and discover the charming waterfalls in the area. The beach is great for swimming and snorkeling, and an ideal setting for taking some amazing photos!
Monumento Nacional Guayabo and Valle de Orosí

This is the largest archaeological site found in Costa Rica. Largely unexplored, the area contains ancient trails, bridges, water tanks and home sites, as well as petroglyphs estimated to be about 3,000 years old. San Jose Guayabo is thought to have been inhabited from about 500 B.C. to 1400 A. D. Archeologists believe that Guayabo was an important religious and cultural center. The picturesque Valle de Orosí was home to the first Spanish settlement in the Central Valley of Costa Rica.
Bocas del Toro, Panama - International Excursion

The archipelago of Bocas del Toro offers white-sand beaches, lagoons, and incredible opportunities for swimming, snorkeling, diving and sunbathing. It is also an area rich in wildlife. Students may visit the Bastimentos Island National Marine Park, featuring incredible coral reefs and marine life, and a nearby bird sanctuary with a variety of local and migratory species. Four species of endangered sea turtles still visit the waters of Bocas and the turtles come ashore in great numbers during certain seasons.
Volcán Arenal & Fortuna

Arenal Volcano National Park is located in central Costa Rica. The park is surrounded by rainforests and cloud forests with waterfalls and hot springs (heated by the volcano) nearby.
Volcán Irazú National Park and Valle de Orosí

At over 11,000 feet, Volcán Irazú is the highest volcano in Costa Rica. Its awe-inspiring height allows visitors standing at its peak to see both the Pacific and the Atlantic Oceans. The volcano’s name was taken from the name of an indigenous village that was built on the flanks of the volcano, Iztaru, which means “shaking thunder of the hill.” The picturesque Valle de Orosí was home to the first Spanish settlement in the Central Valley of Costa Rica.

Volcán Arenal & Fortuna

Arenal Volcano National Park is located in central Costa Rica. The park is surrounded by rainforests and cloud forests with waterfalls and hot springs (heated by the volcano) nearby.
Bocas del Toro, Panama - International Excursion

The archipelago of Bocas del Toro offers white-sand beaches, lagoons, and incredible opportunities for swimming, snorkeling, diving and sunbathing. It is also an area rich in wildlife. Students may visit the Bastimentos Island National Marine Park, featuring incredible coral reefs and marine life, and a nearby bird sanctuary with a variety of local and migratory species. Four species of endangered sea turtles still visit the waters of Bocas and the turtles come ashore in great numbers during certain seasons.
Volcán Irazú National Park and Valle de Orosí

At over 11,000 feet, Volcán Irazú is the highest volcano in Costa Rica. Its awe-inspiring height allows visitors standing at its peak to see both the Pacific and the Atlantic Oceans. The volcano’s name was taken from the name of an indigenous village that was built on the flanks of the volcano, Iztaru, which means “shaking thunder of the hill.” The picturesque Valle de Orosí was home to the first Spanish settlement in the Central Valley of Costa Rica.

Montezuma

Montezuma is a small but extremely beautiful beach, set amid exotic surroundings. Students can opt to explore the environment of the northern Costa Rica dry forest, visit the nearby creeks and discover the charming waterfalls in the area. The beach is great for swimming and snorkeling, and an ideal setting for taking some amazing photos!
Monumento Nacional Guayabo and Valle de Orosí

This is the largest archaeological site found in Costa Rica. Largely unexplored, the area contains ancient trails, bridges, water tanks and home sites, as well as petroglyphs estimated to be about 3,000 years old. San Jose Guayabo is thought to have been inhabited from about 500 B.C. to 1400 A. D. Archeologists believe that Guayabo was an important religious and cultural center. The picturesque Valle de Orosí was home to the first Spanish settlement in the Central Valley of Costa Rica.
Volcán Arenal & Fortuna

Arenal Volcano National Park is located in central Costa Rica. The park is surrounded by rainforests and cloud forests with waterfalls and hot springs (heated by the volcano) nearby.
Bocas del Toro, Panama - International Excursion

The archipelago of Bocas del Toro offers white-sand beaches, lagoons, and incredible opportunities for swimming, snorkeling, diving and sunbathing. It is also an area rich in wildlife. Students may visit the Bastimentos Island National Marine Park, featuring incredible coral reefs and marine life, and a nearby bird sanctuary with a variety of local and migratory species. Four species of endangered sea turtles still visit the waters of Bocas and the turtles come ashore in great numbers during certain seasons.
Volcán Irazú National Park and Valle de Orosí

At over 11,000 feet, Volcán Irazú is the highest volcano in Costa Rica. Its awe-inspiring height allows visitors standing at its peak to see both the Pacific and the Atlantic Oceans. The volcano’s name was taken from the name of an indigenous village that was built on the flanks of the volcano, Iztaru, which means “shaking thunder of the hill.” The picturesque Valle de Orosí was home to the first Spanish settlement in the Central Valley of Costa Rica.

Volcán Arenal & Fortuna

Arenal Volcano National Park is located in central Costa Rica. The park is surrounded by rainforests and cloud forests with waterfalls and hot springs (heated by the volcano) nearby.
Bocas del Toro, Panama - International Excursion

The archipelago of Bocas del Toro offers white-sand beaches, lagoons, and incredible opportunities for swimming, snorkeling, diving and sunbathing. It is also an area rich in wildlife. Students may visit the Bastimentos Island National Marine Park, featuring incredible coral reefs and marine life, and a nearby bird sanctuary with a variety of local and migratory species. Four species of endangered sea turtles still visit the waters of Bocas and the turtles come ashore in great numbers during certain seasons.
Volcán Irazú National Park and Valle de Orosí

At over 11,000 feet, Volcán Irazú is the highest volcano in Costa Rica. Its awe-inspiring height allows visitors standing at its peak to see both the Pacific and the Atlantic Oceans. The volcano’s name was taken from the name of an indigenous village that was built on the flanks of the volcano, Iztaru, which means “shaking thunder of the hill.” The picturesque Valle de Orosí was home to the first Spanish settlement in the Central Valley of Costa Rica.

Montezuma

Montezuma is a small but extremely beautiful beach, set amid exotic surroundings. Students can opt to explore the environment of the northern Costa Rica dry forest, visit the nearby creeks and discover the charming waterfalls in the area. The beach is great for swimming and snorkeling, and an ideal setting for taking some amazing photos!
Bocas del Toro, Panama - International Excursion

The archipelago of Bocas del Toro offers white-sand beaches, lagoons, and incredible opportunities for swimming, snorkeling, diving and sunbathing. It is also an area rich in wildlife. Students may visit the Bastimentos Island National Marine Park, featuring incredible coral reefs and marine life, and a nearby bird sanctuary with a variety of local and migratory species. Four species of endangered sea turtles still visit the waters of Bocas and the turtles come ashore in great numbers during certain seasons.
Monumento Nacional Guayabo

This is the largest archaeological site found in Costa Rica. Largely unexplored, the area contains ancient trails, bridges, water tanks and home sites, as well as petroglyphs estimated to be about 3,000 years old. San Jose Guayabo is thought to have been inhabited from about 500 B.C. to 1400 A. D. Archeologists believe that Guayabo was an important religious and cultural center.

Montezuma

Montezuma is a small but extremely beautiful beach, set amid exotic surroundings. Students can opt to explore the environment of the northern Costa Rica dry forest, visit the nearby creeks and discover the charming waterfalls in the area. The beach is great for swimming and snorkeling, and an ideal setting for taking some amazing photos!
Bocas del Toro, Panama - International Excursion

The archipelago of Bocas del Toro offers white-sand beaches, lagoons, and incredible opportunities for swimming, snorkeling, diving and sunbathing. It is also an area rich in wildlife. Students may visit the Bastimentos Island National Marine Park, featuring incredible coral reefs and marine life, and a nearby bird sanctuary with a variety of local and migratory species. Four species of endangered sea turtles still visit the waters of Bocas and the turtles come ashore in great numbers during certain seasons.
Monumento Nacional Guayabo

This is the largest archaeological site found in Costa Rica. Largely unexplored, the area contains ancient trails, bridges, water tanks and home sites, as well as petroglyphs estimated to be about 3,000 years old. San Jose Guayabo is thought to have been inhabited from about 500 B.C. to 1400 A. D. Archeologists believe that Guayabo was an important religious and cultural center.

Program Details

What You’ll Study

TOTAL CREDITS - 12-22 U.S. semester credits per session (15-22 for early start quarter; 12-17 for regular quarter)

Students will complete a combination of intensive Spanish language courses and elective course offerings in English or Spanish. The number of Spanish language courses desired dictates how many elective courses students complete each term. Language courses are four weeks long and consist of 80 contact hours in the classroom. Elective courses generally range from 48 to 60 contact hours and most home institutions award between 3 and 4 U.S. semester credits per elective course.

All students will complete a Spanish placement test online prior to their departure to determine their Spanish level.

INTENSIVE LANGUAGE FOCUS

Students wishing to focus on language study can choose to complete as many as three, month-long intensive language courses during the quarter program option or four, month-long intensive language courses during the semester program option. In combination with the intensive language courses, students generally select 1-2 elective courses.

QUARTER OPTIONS

Students selecting a “quarter” program will complete 12 weeks of coursework, selecting a total of four classes. Even students from semester schools can select a “quarter” program, as they will have the opportunity to earn 14-18 semester credit.

SEMESTER OPTIONS

Students selecting a “semester” program will complete 16 weeks of coursework, selecting five classes in total. In the fall semester program, the first month will consist of an intensive language course. During the following three months, fall students will complete elective courses along with additional Spanish language courses if desired.

Spring semester participants will begin their elective courses immediately (in combination with any desired Spanish language courses) and conclude them by the end of March. During the fourth and final month of the program, all students will be required to complete an intensive language course.

ACADEMIC YEAR OPTIONS

Students who select the academic year early-start option complete the equivalent of the fall semester and the winter quarter programs. Students selecting the academic year option complete the equivalent of the fall quarter and winter quarter programs.

All academic year students will have a short break period between the fall and spring sessions of approximately two weeks. Students should plan to return home or travel during that time, as housing is not provided. Upon their return to San José, students will complete an additional three months of courses, until early April.

CERTIFICATE OPTIONS

The Universidad Veritas invites students to consider completing one of eight certificate options. If selected, students will complete select courses in a given area of study. A minimum of four electives in the subject area in question must be completed to earn the certificate. More information is available on the course information section.

The certificate option is best combined with a semester or academic year program.

TRANSCRIPTS

API students receive a transcript from the Universidad Veritas upon completion of their program.

Kayla Cole

Kayla Cole will be your Program Manager and will help prepare you for your API program.

(she/her/hers)
Francy Orozco

Francy Orozco will be your Resident Director in San Jose and a resource for you on-site.
(she/her/hers)

Courses

Click Here to Find Classes

COURSE OFFERINGS

Name: Zaengle
Price range: $

QUARTER PROGRAMS

Students may select a total of four courses. One of the courses must be an intensive Spanish language course or an additional course fee will be assessed.

SEMESTER PROGRAMS

Students may select a total of five courses. At least one of the courses must be an intensive Spanish language course, though students are welcome to complete as many as four intensive Spanish courses (one each month of the program). During the fall semester, an intensive language course must be completed during the first month. During the spring semester, the mandatory intensive language course must be completed during the fourth month.

ACADEMIC YEAR PROGRAMS

Students selecting the early-start program will begin their experience abroad with an intensive Spanish language course the first month and then continue with additional language or elective courses for the next three months. Students selecting the standard academic year program will begin their experience in late September with any combination of language and elective offerings

CERTIFICATE PROGRAM OPTIONS

Artistic Development
Environmental Policy and Sustainable Awareness
Global Leadership
Healthcare Approaches and Systems
Human Rights and Conflict Resolution
Latin American Politics
Tropical & Environmental Sciences

To earn a certificate, students must complete select courses in the subject area. For details on specific certificate requirements, please contact your API Program Coordinator.

CREDIT INFORMATION

The Universidad Veritas operates on the contact hour system; the number of credits earned depends on the time spent in class with a professor. To determine the conversion of Costa Rican contact hours to U.S. semester credits, divide the contact hours per course by 15. At the Universidad Veritas, elective courses vary between 3 and 4 U.S. semester credits and language courses can equate to 3-5 U.S. semester credits.