Intensive Spanish Immersion Program in Heredia, Costa Rica

Intensive Spanish Immersion Program in Heredia, Costa Rica

Location
  • Costa Rica
    • Heredia
Length
1 to 24 weeks
Language
Spanish
Payment plans

Program Details

Language Level
BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced
Immersion Level
Intensive Standard
Class Size
Private Lessons Small Class (1-7)
Weekly Classroom Hours
20
Housing
Host Family Hostel Hotel
Age Min.
18

Pricing

$390
Price Details
The starting price of $390 USD covers one week of the Intensive Spanish Immersion Program and includes 20 hours of small group Spanish classes.

Included in every program:
• Written and oral placement exam
• Airport pickup from SJO
• Guided orientation and walking tour of Heredia
• All class materials
• Unlimited coffee, tea, and high speed WiFi at the school
• 24/7 local support in Heredia
• Free weekly cultural activities such as dance or yoga
• Language exchanges with local Costa Ricans
• Official certificate of course completion

Homestay accommodations, private lessons, and weekend tours can be added to customize your experience.
What's Included
Accommodation Activities Classes Some Meals Wifi
What's Included (Extra)

Written and oral Spanish exam
Airport pickup from SJO Airport
Orientation tour with map of Heredia
All necessary class materials
Free internet access at school and in homestays
Fresh coffee and tea each morning
Conversational classes with locals
Official certificate of course completion

What's Not Included
Airfare Domestic Airfare Some Meals SIM cards Travel Insurance Visa
Jan 12, 2026
Mar 30, 2026
104 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

Tico Lingo’s Intensive Spanish Immersion Program offers a deep, authentic way to learn Spanish in Costa Rica. Located in the traditional, non touristy city of Heredia, the program combines small group Spanish classes with a maximum of six students, immersive homestay options, and cultural activities designed to build real world fluency.

With a strong focus on oral communication, students practice Spanish daily both inside and outside the classroom while engaging with locals, visiting markets, and navigating everyday life in Heredia. Classes are taught by experienced, native speaking teachers who tailor lessons to each student’s level and goals. The school atmosphere is relaxed, social, and welcoming, with free local coffee, optional weekend excursions, and a strong sense of community.

Whether you are a beginner or an advanced learner, Tico Lingo offers a personalized path to Spanish fluency through cultural connection, academic structure, and pura vida hospitality.

COMMUNITY REVIEWS SUMMARY

Students praise the program’s personalized, immersive Spanish classes and supportive, welcoming host families that boost confidence and fluency.

Program Highlights

  • Start any Monday and choose your program length from 1 to 24 weeks
  • All levels welcome, from complete beginners to advanced speakers
  • Small group classes with a maximum of six students
  • Free cultural activities including dance classes, yoga, pilates, and guided city tours
  • Optional weekend trips to volcanoes, beaches, and wildlife rescue centers

Teen Spanish Camp Update | Camp #2 and #3 | Still Open!

Video and Photos

Diversity & Inclusion 💙

Tico Lingo is a diverse and welcoming space committed to creating respectful and inclusive environments where BIPOC students feel seen, safe, and supported. We encourage open dialogue around cultural identity and social equity, and we work with local partners who share our values of diversity and inclusion. Our community includes students from all over the world, representing a wide range of races, religions, and economic backgrounds, and our team is always available to listen, support, and empower every learner.
Tico Lingo is proud to be an inclusive and welcoming space for LGBTQIA+ students. We work with homestay families and staff who value respect, safety, and open-mindedness, and we are happy to accommodate housing and classroom preferences whenever possible. Our team is here to support each student’s identity and ensure a comfortable, affirming immersion experience in Costa Rica.
Tico Lingo is committed to supporting neurodivergent students by fostering a flexible, patient, and understanding learning environment. Our small class sizes, personalized instruction, and calm school atmosphere allow us to adapt to a variety of learning styles and sensory needs. We encourage open communication before and during the program so we can work together to create a positive and supportive experience for every student.
Tico Lingo welcomes students of all abilities and is happy to accommodate participants with physical disabilities or chronic conditions whenever possible. While our historic building in Heredia has some physical limitations, we work closely with students in advance to assess individual needs and make personalized arrangements for housing, transportation, and classroom access. Our team is committed to creating a safe, supportive, and inclusive environment for every learner.

Impact 🌎

At Tico Lingo, we strive to minimize our environmental footprint while maximizing our positive contribution to Costa Rica’s ecosystems. We’ve eliminated single-use plastics across all programs, provide students with reusable drinkware and eatware, and promote low-impact travel throughout Heredia and beyond. In partnership with local animal rescue centers like Rescate and Toucan Rescue Ranch, we support wildlife conservation through financial donations, student engagement, and education.
Tico Lingo builds its programs around fairness, respect, and responsible community engagement. We work exclusively with local Costa Rican families, tours guides, and activity instructors, and Spanish teachers to ensure ethical pay and direct economic benefit to our local community. Students are encouraged to engage with Costa Rican cultural traditions thoughtfully and respectfully, using their Spanish to connect with the local community with openness and curiosity. The goal is to foster meaningful, positive experiences for both the student and the people of Heredia.

Program Reviews

4.98 Rating
based on 126 reviews
  • 5 rating 99.21%
  • 4 rating 0%
  • 3 rating 0.79%
  • 2 rating 0%
  • 1 rating 0%
  • Instruction 4.95
  • Support 4.95
  • Fun 4.85
  • Housing 4.9
  • Value 4.95
Showing 57 - 64 of 126 reviews
Anne
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Spanish immersion

An excellent, and professional experience I had at Tico Lingo. From the staff, and learning, to a supportive host family.
A step in the right direction, for people wanting to learn Spanish.
Have taken Spanish courses on two separate occasions, with Tico Lingo. First one I did, I did not stay with a host family, and I wish I did. Even though it is not home sweet home, with a little bit of flexibility on the students part, living with a Costa Rican family will benefit the learning experience. It will put more value into learning Spanish by having a taste of the culture behind it.

214 people found this review helpful.
April
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

I recommend Tico Lingo!

I studied at Tico Lingo for just one week, but it made such an impact on me! Not only did I refresh my rusty Spanish super fast in individual conversation classes with the amazing Erick, but I loved staying with my host family and also made some fun friends along the way. We were able to eat lunch together several times, take cooking and dance classes, and even go on some excursions together. Yenny, Chris, and Robert really made sure I had everything I needed before I arrived, and I received prompt responses to any follow up questions I sent. It was a cheerful, fun place to study, and I hope to come back. My Spanish is so much more on track after that week and then putting it to practice on traveling around CR afterwards. I highly recommend Tico Lingo for its hands on, helpful touches and for great instruction!

223 people found this review helpful.
Janá
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

My Favorite First

My trip to Costa Rica was my first time traveling solo out of the country. Deciding to make it a Learning Vacation was the best decision for me. Tico Lingo offered me a welcoming airport pickup, a caring home stay, and multiple educational experiences. My stay included 1 week of group Spanish classes and 4 free days; I wish I could've stayed so much longer. Additionally, I loved that I could continue my practice of yoga and dance classes while engaging in Spanish immersion. The ease of signing up for an adventurous excursion (that included breakfast, lunch, transportation, and a guide) was such a delight. My initial worries were eased the moment I met my Costa Rican family. They treated me like a longtime friend; they even accommodated my dietary needs. We enjoyed breakfasts and dinners together, talked and even played chess together. After my return to the states, we have continued to stay in touch. I also met other students at Tico Lingo with whom I shared fun times at a night club, farmers market, and hot springs. I had a lot of firsts on this trip, and all of it is because I chose Tico Lingo and I'm so thankful I did. I hope to visit Costa Rica AND Tico Lingo again soon.

What was the most unfamiliar thing you ate?
There were so many exotic fruits that were new to me. My favorite was mamonchinos, or rambutan, or lychee.
Pros
  • Affordable wrap-around service
  • Safe location
  • Variety of educational experiences
Cons
  • Classes can be fast-paced
  • Excursions only once a week
210 people found this review helpful.
Ramona
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Total Immersion!

My experience at Tico Lingo was great! I participated in a 3-week program (1 week of group classes + 2 weeks of private classes) with two different instructors. My time in class was a good mixture of technical training, to include grammar and vocabulary, combined with conversational training to enforce the skills I had learned. I really enjoyed my group classes, but I learned so much in my private classes. They were personalized to the specific areas I needed to work on--challenging yet beneficial. My host family was hands down the best! They were so accommodating and really treated me like a member of the family. They did not speak English, so I had even more opportunity to practice speaking Spanish. I opted for a longer walk to school which turned out to be pretty nice because every day I could explore the different shops, restaurants, cafes, and landmarks of the city. I also love how central Heredia is as it makes traveling to other parts of Costa Rica so easy. The people are friendly, the food is so good, the area is safe, and Tico Lingo will always hold a special place in my heart.

Pros
  • Personalized Lessons
  • Patient and Knowledgeable Instructors
  • Great Location
Cons
  • Mosquitos -- I hate those things
216 people found this review helpful.
Tyrian
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Amazing holistic immersion experience

I absolutely loved my time at Tico Lingo, studying and taking classes and with my host family!! The combination of the two drastically helped accelerate my Spanish language skills! I completed 6 weeks (1 week of group only classes and 5 of private and group classes) I had two different teachers and loved the combination of both of their teaching styles. I was at an intermediate level coming here but could not fluidly have conversations as much and would confuse my Grammer tenses often. I can more fluidly have conversations now and have a better grasp on Grammer also! I also love my host family I was paired with and as someone with a lot of dietary restrictions I was worried but it was a great pairing! I would definitly visit again!

Pros
  • Host family
  • Taught in spanish, quality of teaching
  • Location of school and ambiance
Cons
  • Wet/rainy season can be a little intense
203 people found this review helpful.
Maaike
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

The best way to learn Spanish

During my three weeks at Tico Lingo (1 week group classes, 2 weeks both group + private classes) I have improved my Spanish significantly. Literally everything is taught in Spanish and also at my home stay family we would only speak Spanish, which I believe is the best way to efficiently learn/improve a new language. The staff are super kind and caring and make sure you feel at home. Heredia is not too interesting, but a safe city with some nice cafes/sightseeings and centrally located for weekend trips. I would definitely recommend Tico Lingo and sleeping at a Tico Family!

Pros
  • Everything is taught in Spanish
  • Amazing experience to sleep in a Tico Family
Cons
  • Next time I would visit in dry season
150 people found this review helpful.
Randall
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

A great Way to accelerate your language skills

First of all, I did the intensive. In my opinion it is important to maximize your time while there. I got two different professors--both great--with two different teaching styles, personalities and approaches. That really helped my understanding. I have been studying on my own for a while now. I really needed a total immersion. My own schedule (My wife and I travel a lot and are very involved with our grandchildren) limited me to two weeks. More would have been better. I am already enrolled for another two weeks, six months from now, and am really looking forward to it. Between now and then, I plan to review and expand upon what I learned so that I can really magnify it in my next two week session.

Pros
  • Highest quality of professors.
  • Very warm caring support by the staff. Good camaraderie with fellow students.
  • Virtually ALL is taught in Spanish--no crutches
Cons
  • In a perfect world, I would have liked to have had some evening learning as well.
152 people found this review helpful.
Sam
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Sam

I had such an amazing experience at Tico Lingo. I did 6 weeks. I ended up having 4 of the teachers there, and each teacher was amazing. They were patient, understanding, *funny*:) My host family was absolutely amazing. The meals were amazing, the conversations were amazing, the family itself was buena gentexD Before I came, I knew a little spanish but I wasn’t able to hold a conversation. But now I can hold a convo and get around CR with no problem. I’m definitely returning someday to improve my spanish/become fluent

138 people found this review helpful.

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