I spent 5 weeks at Tico Lingo and can honestly say it helped my Spanish a ton! Chris and his crew run a great school and I highly recommend living with a home stay family. I spent time with 4 different teachers and they were all awesome. The classes are very relaxed yet engaging and the whole school has a very welcoming feel to it! I would definitely come back to learn more Spanish. I highly recommend Tico Lingo if you’re looking to improve your Spanish, meet some great people, and experience life in another country for a while.

Tico Lingo was a truly unique experience because it blended immersive language learning with deep cultural exchange. It wasn’t just about acquiring vocabulary; it was about living the language and interacting with native speakers in their communities. For any future Spanish learners, it’s a powerful mix of practical skill building, personal growth and a a window into a vibrant living culture.
Daily conversations,local traditions, and meaningful connections with residents accelerate language fluency while deepening cultural understanding. Surrounded by friendly , serious learners and teachers in a relaxed “ pura vida” life style can’t be beat. I highly recommend it.

I booked three weeks at Tico Lingo after being made redundant from my job. I had a bit of cash from my payout, I had time, and who wants to spend January in the UK if you can escape to Costa Rica?!

I spent a lot of time researching and thinking about whether Tico Lingo was right for me. Frankly, I kept trying to find something wrong with it, because it just seemed too good to be true: A place I already wanted to visit? Yes. Sunshine? Yes. Direct flights from my local airport? Yes. Safe and easy to get around? Yes. The option of homestay or Airbnb? Yes. Transparent about what's included and what extras are available? Yes. Extracurricular activities including yoga and dance?! Yes! And for free!

From the moment I enquired to long after I've left, the team have been friendly, fun and helpful. A special shout-out to Dani, who gives so much energy and care to every single student, going way above and beyond to make you feel welcome and included.

And, of course, you're there to learn Spanish - and mine improved massively.

I had the privilege to be part of Tico Lingos Spanish immersive course this year. My experience with Tico Lingo was nothing less than exceptional! Before starting with Tico Lingo, I spoke practically no Spanish. After four weeks with the school however, I feel confident in Spanish to talk with locals and express myself. It has really enabled me to travel more of South America confidently! The entire experience is incredibly well delivered, from the exceptional quality of professors , to the activities arranged by the School. I felt very confortable and taken care of by Tico Lingo. My professor was extremely caring and competent and I cannot thank her enough for all I have learnt. The absolute highlight for me however, was my experience staying with a homestay! The school matched me incredibly well with a fun, caring and beautiful family. The opportunity to stay with a local family is amazing. I felt I learned so much about the culture of Costa Rica, through the inclusion in their life and the delicious food which I still miss to this day. It truly was an experience like no other, and in which I am so great full for. Thank you Tico Lingo! If you are reading this review and wondering whether to make the leap and join, I could not recommend it enough !

I spent five weeks studying at Tico Lingo. I’m a middle-aged woman who left her husband and teenagers behind for a few weeks of Spanish language learning and discovery. I learned a lot during my time at Tico Lingo and met some very kind and interesting people from all walks of life (different ages, different cultures, different reasons for being there). I felt right at home. The teachers were super knowledgeable and accessible and the program was responsive to my needs. I loved Heredia and felt comfortable out and about. Highly recommend!

The Tico Lingo total Spanish immersion experience exceeded our expectations. Chris and his staff tried to meet all our requests when selecting our home stay family and frequently checked to ensure our time in Heredia was going well. We went from knowing only a few basic phrases, nouns and verbs to feeling more confident in conversations outside of the classroom. We still have much to learn, but now we can basically work our way through most interactions with locals. We can understand most of what they’re saying or asking and we can express our thoughts in words they can understand—though far from perfect. Our home stay Mama Tica (Elena) cooked many wonderful, traditional meals, but also accommodated any dietary restrictions needed. We learned we could easily tell her our favorite foods and ones we might not want to repeat without hurting her feelings. She was very kind, patient and spoke a bit more slowly to help us better understand each other during conversations. Our favorite time with her each week was going to the local Farmers Market (Ferria). We found some of the best fresh fruits and vegetables imaginable. And it was an additional way to interact with locals and practice what we were learning. Our instructors, YoBeth and Kevin used each lesson to build upon previous ones and introduce new subject matter. The levels of instruction were remarkable. Many days included homework. The learning process occasionally made our brains feel exhausted by the end of the day, but it was worth it. We originally planned for 4 weeks and after 2 weeks we were figuring out how to extend our stay for an additional week. Ideally, as beginners, I wish we’d have planned for 2 months. Tico Lingo provided opportunities for weekend excursions, but we have always enjoyed exploring places on our own time table. Some trips would include fellow students from class or give us time to meet other friends living in Costa Rica. Overall, this trip was wonderful. Even our most skeptical friends were impressed by how much we learned in a relatively short time. We’re continuing our language skills at home and are already planning a return trip. We would highly recommend the Tico Lingo immersion experience.

We spent a week in Heredia with Tico Lingo Spanish School. Our homestay experience was out of this world. Our “MamaTica” Vicki is a great cook and my wife Ani was able to get cooking instruction along with Spanish instruction. We have been to Heredia before and we enjoyed walking all over town to see the sights and visit old friends from previous visits.

Tico Lingo also was an excellent experience. We decided to take private lessons only this year and it really was great. My teacher Yóbeth and I were able to chat together for two hours straight without ever running out of things to talk about. I found it very comfortable and rewarding to talk about things that interested me rather than writing about typical “school subjects”.

All in all it was a great week where my wife and I both developed our Spanish conversation ability.

Dani, Chris, Zulma, and Yésica were also great.

I researched many emersion programs located in many countries. It was a hard decision to figure out where to go. My decision to pick Tico Lingo are as follows.

1. Not in a tourist area. Going to Tico Lingo in Heredia is not in a tourist area where the English is commonly spoken. When walking the streets of Heredia, you did not see tourist or hear english being spoken. That is a plus in my book.

2. The Homestay with a family. This feature that Tico Lingo offered was perhaps the most important part of this experience. Living with a a family within the community is an experience I will never forget. My Tico mother was wonderful. She cooked my meals twice a day and made sure I was comfortable. Living with a family gives you more Spanish speaking opportunities that I do not think other schools provide. Getting emerged into the culture by living with a family was one of the best experiences I have ever had in my life. Not only did I live with this family, they made me feel like family. We went on trips together, we visited other members of the family and just did things with them. I learned not only Spanish, but culture as well.

3. Airport transport. When arriving in a foreign country, it can feel very intimidating. Showing up in San Jose and having a person there to greet you and drive you to your host family was a bonus. only 20 min from the airport directly to your host family.

4. The Tico Lingo school staff were incredible. The instruction was great. While only spending 3 weeks, I do feel much more comfortable speaking and understanding Spanish. I do plan on coming back in about a year and repeat this experience.

This trip was also a scouting trip to make sure that this was something my family would want to do. Now that I know that this school is legit, my son and daughter will be attending in the near future. I highly recommend Tico Lingo.