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SFS Study Abroad: Ecological Resilience in Costa Rica

Name: SFS Study Abroad: Ecological Resilience in Costa Rica
Brand: The School for Field Studies (SFS)
SKU: 15285
Rating: 5 (6 reviews)

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Location

Costa Rica
- Atenas

Term

Fall, Spring, Summer

Subject Areas

Agriculture American Studies Animal Science Biology Botany Conservation and Preservation Cultural Studies Earth Sciences Ecology Environmental Studies Field Studies Food Science and Nutrition Geography Global Studies Hispanic Studies Humanities Indigenous Cultures Latin American Studies Life Sciences Natural Sciences Public Policy Social Sciences Statistics Sustainable Development Tourism Wildlife Sciences +16

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Program Details

Program Type

Provider

Degree Level

Associates Bachelors

Housing

Dormitory

Pricing

Starting Price

Price Details

Program fees include tuition, housing, daily meals, field excursions, entrance fees, cultural activities, advising services, airport transfers, 24/7 mental health and well-being support, official transcript processing and more – check out our website. Need-based scholarships available.

What's Included

Accommodation Activities Airport Transfers Classes Meals Transportation Wifi

What's Included (Extra)

No Application Fee!

What's Not Included

Airfare Travel Insurance Visa

Last Updated: Aug 03, 2023

Last Reviewed: Jun 20, 2019

Wish List

14 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

SFS offers some of the best (and most adventurous!) hands-on study abroad programs. Spend a semester in Costa Rica, home to rainforests, volcanoes, rushing waterfalls, and a laid-back culture that reflects the national motto: “Pura Vida.” Immerse yourself in the country’s many national parks, farms, and tropical ecosystems full of incredible biodiversity. Design and conduct a rigorous field research project and learn how Costa Ricans are creatively addressing conservation and development issues.

Students live on a tropical farm waking to the sounds of birds while enjoying fresh local coffee before heading into the rainforests and mountainous landscapes of Costa Rica to learn. Despite the country’s small land size, it is home to 5% of Earth’s species and is known worldwide for its sustainable conservation strategies.

Click on Visit Site above to learn more about studying abroad in Costa Rica with SFS!

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Video and Photos

SFS Costa Rica - student in front of a volcano

SFS Costa Rica - student working with plants

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Program Highlights

Earn academic credit: 18 credits for semester programs and 4-8 credits for summer programs. Conduct a 4-credit research project during the semester program.
Take an expedition to Panama’s Chiriquí Highlands, a lush, forested region of volcanic peaks, coffee and vegetable farms, and perpetual spring-like weather.
Go behind the scenes at a local coffee and chocolate farms, fishing villages, and agroforestry projects to learn how Costa Ricans have successfully combined agriculture and conservation.
Study fascinating topics like tropical ecology, sustainable land management, climate change in tropical ecosystems, agroforestry and conservation, tourism impacts, food systems, and more!
Engage in the Center’s sustainable food efforts – gather fresh mangoes from campus trees, visit the chicken coop to gather eggs, harvest kale from the garden, master composting, and more.

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National parks and cloud forests become your classroom as you investigate issues of biodiversity, conservation, and sustainability from a community point-of-view. Explore diverse perspectives on controversial environmental management issues, learn to conduct community-based data collection, and assist community members in reaching their own solutions to natural resource management and protection.

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Scholarships

The School for Field Studies Scholarships

SFS works closely with your home school to help you fund your SFS program. Many applicants receive aid through their home institutions or other outside sources, so check with your financial aid office to see what aid may apply to an SFS program.

Value

$500 - $5,000

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Program Reviews

5.00 Rating

based on 6 reviews

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Academics 4.35
Support 4.7
Fun 4.7
Housing 4.2
Safety 4.85

Showing 1 - 6 of 6 reviews

I have wanted to go to Central America for a long time, so I jumped on this opportunity to go and learn about the leader of environmentalism. It was everything I wanted and more. I got there and spent three months in on a gorgeous campus learning hands-on about ecology and environmentalism. All the professors know about what they are talking about and are incredibly passionate about it. Every field trip they took us only much added in the learning as I was able to see what they were talking about instead of looking at pictures. We get free time to explore on our own and see places the program was not able to take us to. Loved getting to see many different parts of Costa Rica and get to know the people that live here. I can not imagine a better semester abroad for me.

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?

I would say be willing to do everything and go out of your comfort zone. Leave campus to explore whenever you can. There are so many places to check out that they are entirely worth it, and many are not expensive. Do not be scared to explore by yourself as sometimes you have the most fun that way.

After participating in this program, I can say that SFS offers students some really unique opportunities. Much of the semester was devoted to experiential learning. This meant hiking through the cloud forest and observing first-hand the ecological processes we had learned about in lecture days before. This meant conducting wildlife research on camping trips during the program’s initial weeks. This meant conducting our own research under the guidance of passionate and knowledgeable faculty advisors. Students leave SFS with a new depth and breadth of knowledge, as well as tangible projects and skills to show for it.

Beyond academics, the Center for Sustainable Development Studies is an incredible community. The staff genuinely care about the students' experience and played a big part in making the semester so amazing. I would caution that the program is not for everyone in that there are a strict set of rules (curfew, substances, company at the Center, etc.) and students should go in with that understanding. But the experience is in every way worth it.

What would you improve about this program?

The courses were interesting, but I didn't gain as strong of an understanding of actual paths to development as I would have liked. The professors are very knowledgeable, but often times information was not drawn together to teach actual solutions/paths of action.

The program also could've benefited from more activities to foster cultural understanding, as well as coexistence among students living in such close quarters.

This was a eye-opening experience. It made me realize that every and all cations that we take has an impact one somebody else in the world. I learned that sustainability comes with many trade-offs but benefit the environment and humans in the long run. You are able to coexist in a tight knit community that enjoys being with one another and enjoy a life full of simplicity. The hikes, views, waterfalls and sunsets will always be in the back of your mind and in your dreams.

What would you improve about this program?

By providing more sensitivity training to the staff and sessions for the students

Not only is this program run by very intelligent and personable faculty and staff, but also the students that participate in this program are one of a kind. This program attracts individuals who are concerned about the environment and desire to make a positive difference in the world, but more importantly who realize that the best change can only occur collaboratively. As a result this program fosters an academic work and living environment like no other. Although the academic schedule can be rigorous at times, the expansive field lectures and field research keep you on your toes so that you remain energized and enthusiastic throughout the day. Practicing sustainability is as much a part of this program as studying it is. At the beginning of each semester the program participants create and sign a sustainability contract dictating how they will best attempt to live their daily lives while in this program, in order to live as sustainably as possible. The resulting simpler lifestyle coupled with the tight-knit community of peers and faculty creates an enlightening experience that SFS alumni will keep with them for a lifetime.

If you want to experience what living sustainably is like and explore a beautiful country, with amazing faculty and peers, then this is the program for you.

What would you improve about this program?

Sometime classes 6 days a week can become very tiring. A lengthening of the program to create more full-length weekends might really make the program that much more enjoyable and also keep students being 100% productive through the end. Otherwise I wouldn't change anything else, except you should campaign to get more male participants. My program was 23 girls and 6 guys. A more equally balanced community would be more fun and more constructive on both sides.

Read my full story

While I was in Costa Rica I lived with 34 other students, 3 of which shared a room with me. It got to be a lot being around people all the time, however, I made some of my best life long friends during this journey. SFS provided such an enlightening experience that I never could have created traveling on my own. We went on excursions every weekend and sometimes during the week too. I saw so much of Costa Rica while I was there & can't wait to go back!

The living situation is not like you're living at a 5 star hotel, but there is a pool surrounded by palm trees that if you go to early enough, you can see monkeys at in the morning. The actual house that we lived in was basically all concrete but it awesome because everyone became a family so quickly and we basically were our own social scene. The early curfew doesn't exactly allow you to develop routine of going out and exploring at night, but we definitely made due. I'd recommend this program to anyone, even if they were not interested in sustainability.

Questions & Answers

Alumni Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with verified alumni.

Male Headshot

Why did you decide to go abroad with your provider?

Seamus: Even before I graduated from high school I was determined to study abroad during my undergraduate career; however, as my sophomore year at Bucknell neared an end, my advisor informed me that I would not be able to both study abroad and complete my degree on time without taking summer classes.

I had no intention of forfeiting the chance to study abroad, nor did I want to give up the summer time I had set aside for work or research experiences. After numerous searches, I discovered this program from which I would not only receive course credits, but also from which I could fulfill several science requirements, keeping me on track to achieve my bachelor’s degree on time.

This program is a good option for students majoring in science or engineering that need to fulfill science course requirements while abroad, especially relating to environmental studies or biology.

What is one piece of advice you'd give future students traveling with your program?

Seamus: It is often nice to spend your free time relaxing on a beach, but because this is an intensive program with limited free time the best way to get to know the culture and to maximize your experience is to hang out with the locals.

I made some Costa Rican friends early on in the semester by going into town and participating in soccer games. From then on I spent the majority of my free weekends going on hikes with my local friends, playing soccer or basketball, and sharing meals with their families.

Gecko

From them I got a much better sense about what it is like for a person my age to live in Costa Rica and I was able to experience life in the town that I would never have seen through the academics of my program or by simply going to a beach on my free weekends.

Tell us about an experience you had that you could not have had at home.

Seamus: The greatest experience I had through my program that I could not have had at home was the overall lifestyle of the program. Because this program focuses on studying sustainability it is structured so that participants experience living sustainably as much as studying how to do so.

By minimizing our use of electricity, washing dishes by hand, harvesting fruit from the farm, having a limited water supply, working with Integrated Pest Management and green-housing we lived very primitive lifestyles compared to the average U.S. citizen.

This did not only increase my appreciation for my luxurious U.S. lifestyle, but also gave me a great sense of admiration for the nation of Costa Rica and it’s citizens, for maintaining such an environmentally healthy and aware country, despite their limited technologies. You will be hard-pressed to find a more valuable and enlightening study abroad experience elsewhere.

Lake Nicargua

What made this experience unique and special?

Seamus: What made this experience so special for me was the company. Not only was my program run by very intelligent and personable faculty and staff, but also the quality of the other students attending the program with me was top-notch.

SFS programs attract individuals who are concerned about the environment and desire to make a positive difference in this world. These individuals also realize that change occurs best through collaboration, which is accomplished by those who are willing to respect the views and ideas of others.

My program was attended by students from may areas of the U.S, but because of everyone’s enthusiasm to care for our planet and nonjudgmental attitudes the experience I had was that much better.

I thank SFS for maintaining the reputation that it has and for attracting such well-rounded individuals to its program, which gave me the best educational experience I have had in college.

About The School for Field Studies (SFS)

The School for Field Studies (SFS) offers field-based programs that revolve around environmental studies and research. The programs involve exploration of the human and ecological aspects of issues having to do with the local environments. Students assist SFS's global partners and host communities in their research, finding meaningful solutions to...