Summer Multidisciplinary and Environmental Studies in Costa Rica

Costa Rica San Jose Statue In National Park
What's Included

We invite you to spend your summer with API in San José, Costa Rica at Universidad Veritas! This exciting program offers you the option to focus on improving your Spanish skills, complete courses in English or Spanish in the fields art & design, business, environmental studies, social sciences, or both!

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

Tuition

Medical and Life Insurance

Excursions

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

  • Minimum 2.6 G.P.A.
  • Open to sophomores, juniors, and seniors
  • Open to all levels of Spanish speakers
  • Completed API application
  • University Approval Form
  • Official transcript
  • 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
Summer 1 May, 2024 - Jul, 2024 $5,900 Apr 28, 2024 No Extension May 12, 2024
Summer 1 and 2 Combined May, 2024 - Aug, 2024 $8,900 Apr 28, 2024 No Extension May 12, 2024
Summer 2 Jul, 2024 - Aug, 2024 $5,900 Apr 28, 2024 No Extension May 28, 2024

Students who wish to enroll in 2 courses during the Summer 1 or Summer 2 sessions will be subject to an additional fee of $400.

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.

  • Monteverde

    Monteverde is the most famous cloud forest of Costa Rica. Located on the mountains in front of the Nicoya gulf, this area receives all the moisture from the ocean winds, creating truly unique weather. Under these conditions, nature is exuberant. Students will have the opportunity to hike on one of the natural reserves on the area and spot birds, like the quetzal; mammals, reptiles, frogs, and a very rare type of forest that is located on the continental division.

  • 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.

  • Monteverde

    Monteverde is the most famous cloud forest of Costa Rica. Located on the mountains in front of the Nicoya gulf, this area receives all the moisture from the ocean winds, creating truly unique weather. Under these conditions, nature is exuberant. Students will have the opportunity to hike on one of the natural reserves on the area and spot birds, like the quetzal; mammals, reptiles, frogs, and a very rare type of forest that is located on the continental division.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

Program Details

What You’ll Study

TOTAL CREDITS - 5-9 U.S. credits per session (up to 18 total)

Students can opt to focus on improving their Spanish skills, complete elective courses in English or Spanish, or both!

Course Option 1:

Students will complete one course during a summer session. This course can be an intensive Spanish language course (80 contact hours) or an elective course (45 or 60 contact hours) in English or Spanish.

Course Option 2:

Students will complete two courses during a summer session. Students can elect to complete an intensive Spanish language course in combination with an elective course in Spanish or English or complete two elective courses. Students selecting this option will be subject to the additional course fee of $400.

Summer 1 & 2 students can choose option 1 or option 2 for both sessions they attend. If a student chooses to take 3 or 4 courses over the entirety of the program, they will be subject to an additional course fee of $400 for 3 courses or $800 for 4 courses.

TUTORING

Tutoring is available for an additional educational fee.

TRANSCRIPTS

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

  • Headshot

    Kayla Cole

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

    (she/her/hers)

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    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

All courses listed below are available during both the summer 1 and summer 2 sessions, subject to minimum enrollment targets being met. Track 1 students will select one course and Track 2 students will select two courses. Students are not obligated to complete an intensive language course and may instead select 1 or 2 electives.

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.

Courses at Universidad Veritas (Summer Multidisciplinary and Environmental Studies)

For the most up-to-date course availability on this program, explore our Class Finder. Sort courses by term, area of study, and more!

Click here to find courses, syllabi, and more!

Courses at Universidad Veritas (Summer Multidisciplinary and Environmental Studies)

For the most up-to-date course availability on this program, explore our Class Finder. Sort courses by term, area of study, and more!

Click here to find courses, syllabi, and more!

Courses at Universidad Veritas (Summer Multidisciplinary and Environmental Studies)

For the most up-to-date course availability on this program, explore our Class Finder. Sort courses by term, area of study, and more!

Click here to find courses, syllabi, and more!

Highlights
  • Courses taught in Spanish and English
Housing

Students in San José live with local host families. Host families serve as a unique introduction into Costa Rican culture and may be a married couple with children, a divorced or widowed woman with or without children still at home, or a family with some members living at home and others living outside of the city during the work week. Students may be housed with other API or international students, and in all cases will have an individual room. Students are provided with two meals per day, as well as laundry service once per week.

San Jose Host Family 7775872492 O
San Jose Housing 32659840840 O
San Jose Housing 32915541141 O
San Jose Housing 32915645271 O