Intensive Spanish Immersion Program in Heredia, Costa Rica

I had time off before I started my new job and wanted to learn Spanish. I looked at multiple different programs and decided on Tico Lingo because the weather was amazing and it was a country I had not visited. I took classes at Tico Lingo for 6 weeks and could not recommend going to learn and staying with a Familia Tica any more! It was amazing being fully immersed in the culture of Costa Rica. My classes, teachers, tutors, and learning environment were excellent. The best part of my time at Tico Lingo was spending time with my host family and having engaging conversations with them using what I learned in class. I progressed from having little to no Spanish knowledge to being around a B1 level. I also now have to knowledge to continue to progress in my Spanish learning on my own time.

My 3 weeks at Tico Lingo language school was AMAZING. From picking me up at the airport to my sadly saying goodbyes, I will never forget this experience. From the first day, Chris and his staff made me feel at home. Eric, my teacher was very knowledgeable, professional and friendly. Yenifer was great to work with. I learned a lot. I feel I can communicate so much better when I am in Spanish speaking countries now.
My host family was truly a family for me: Rita, Rafael and Alma. They helped me with Spanish and showed me around Costa Rica. Rita is an excellent cook!
Besides the Tico Lingo people and my host family, I met many fellow students who are now my friends.
I highly recommend Tico Lingo and hope to go back some day.
Thank you so much! Mona D

I absolutely loved this school and Costa Rica. I truly think I got the BEST host family to stay with. Absolutely amazing. I came to Costa Rica with my best friend from the Navy. We got to stay with the same great family. My family’s cooking was delicious, the house was beautiful, plenty of hot water, and great conversations! My group teacher, Karina was fantastic. She was tons of fun and I learned so much. I took private classes as well. All 3 of my private teachers were amazing. I highly recommend private classes. Muchas gracias y pura vida!

Tico Lingo was awesome!!! Was there for six weeks, and did the super intensive program all six. Definitely tiring, but worth the effort. I learned so much Spanish during my time, and will use it as my base as I go forward in life. I came with very little ability to speak, write, among others things in Spanish and left the ability to move around a city, talk with friends, and more. In addition to this, I stayed with an amazing family, one that I hope to visit if I come back to Costa Rica one day.

As a solo traveler, I say take the leap! Even if you're thinking about doing it with a partner or friend, I highly recommend. Chris, the owner of tico lingo, is there to greet you and interact. From the airport pick up, the day to day activities, the weekend excursions and the people you get to meet! Karina was an amazing teacher and had a beautiful way of teaching.

I loved the home stay experience ! My mama tica was an amazing host from breakfast to dinner to helping with laundry she made sure I was comfortable.

I really enjoyed all aspects of Tico Lingo. The class size was small providing me a lot of attention and specific instruction tailored to my level. I received private tutoring. My home stay Mom provided excellent meals and took care of all of my needs in the home. I truly enjoyed getting to know her. On the weekends tours/ excursions are available with other Tico Lingo students. Overall I got so much out of this experience and can’t wait to return.
A friend and I walked everyday through the city and practiced speaking to the locals.

I was at Tico Lingo Jan 6 - Feb 17, 2024. My professor was Zaida, a wonderful lady who met us where we were with our Spanish skills. I liked that my professor provided written instruction, as well as ample time to practice our speaking skills; my class jokingly called our time to speak “una hora de chisme.”

The weekly activities, such as lunch and dancing, are fun and a great way to interact with other students.

I chose the home stay option for my trip, which is what I recommend to further your Spanish skills. I lived with an adventurous family who liked to take weekend trips and who (kindly) corrected my Spanish as I spoke with them throughout the stay. To me, the home stay was a vital piece of the immersion program.

Now for the negatives:
First, be aware that some of the home stays are a 15-30 minute walk away from school. That wasn’t an issue for me, but I knew some people who weren’t prepared for walking that much every day.

Second, Heredia is a busy city. There’s lots of traffic on the streets, and generally a lot of people out and about. As with any city, keep a watchful eye for fast cars and dangerous situations, and use common sense to stay safe while exploring the city.

Overall, I had a fantastic time studying Spanish at Tico Lingo. The staff were friendly and helpful, the program was organized, and there were plenty of opportunities to explore outside of Heredia. If you’re looking to expand your Spanish skills, I suggest booking your spot at Tico Lingo ASAP.

I spent three weeks at TicoLingo as part of a professional sabbatical to improve my Spanish skills. I appreciated the communication in advance and Yenifer was very reassuring. I was assigned a homestay host that was perfect. They accommodated a medical issue of mine, and were so kind. I loved being in Heredia, specifically because it's not a tourist area. It's walkable and almost no one speaks English. I was able to practice Spanish all day. I was assigned a class that was perfect for my ability. It was challenging but not over my head. I made fast friends with my classmates and others in the school and we enjoyed going out to eat, Latin dancing, and going on tours on weekends. The school hosts great tours, and you can also make your own if you're so inclined, or just chill on the weekends. I enjoyed all the lunchtime activities, including homemade Tico lunches and dance class. I also added the private lessons in the afternoon two of my three weeks. It was intense but it helped me learn a lot more. Three weeks feels like the minimum amount of time to get a full experience. I wish I could've done more, but I had to get home to my kiddos! Chris was wonderful, my tutors Kevin and Zulma were very helpful and fun, and my primary teacher Zaida was the absolute best. She was committed to teaching us what we were interested in. We took field trips to learn street vocabulary, and had deep conversations in Spanish about our lives and world issues. She was hilariously funny and we had a weekly "hora de chisme" to gossip for fun. It was such a joy, and in addition to learning a ton, it lifted my spirit. I plan to come back again in a future sabbatical, I miss my whole Tico Lingo family.