Program Reviews

I stayed at Tico Lingo for 3 months and it was an experience I will never forget! I came to Tico Lingo knowing little to nothing when it came to speaking the language and left being able to hold conversations with my host mom and most of all, I had much more confidence in starting conversations and in continuing my studying of the Spanish language. I had Zaida as my teacher for most of my time at Tico Lingo and I cannot say enough wonderful things about that woman. She is such a light and pleasure to learn from. She has a gift of patience with her students, as she had to review things quite a bit for me. She makes you feel right at home and treats you like family. Freddy was my teacher for the rest of my stay and in the small amount of time I studied with him, I grew exponentially! He has a true gift of teaching Spanish and making it very easy to understand. I was able to visit many places while I was there and met some awesome people, as there are different people who come every week. I recommend the cooking classes, dancing and yoga that they offer, they were all great!! My host mom became like family and I still keep in contact with her as well as the teachers and staff at the school. I will definitely be back to visit! I can go on and on, but recommend you check it out yourself, you won't regret it!

This was a perfect experience and exactly what I was looking for. Heredia is great town and very safe! The fully immersed program is the way to go, including staying with the homestay family. It helps so much but also naturally frustrating. If I go back to learn more Spanish it will be with tico lingo. The best part of the class was that they taught you the basics then slowly worked their way (Freddy) into teaching the material you want to learn. I was seeking business travel and ways to get around owning a travel agency and it was targeted that way. 5/5 stars

I thought that the course was excellent. The teachers and the staff take care of you from the first contact until the last day. Good Costa Rican coffee every morning! There are optional tours, classes, and weekend activities. The teachers spoke only Spanish in the class for our level and never spoke English unless there was a complete misunderstanding. It was challenging but still at a good speed that I wasn’t left behind. The classes are really what you make it. I definitely improved my language level. I’d go there again!

If you’re looking for quality education, adventure, and to see Costa Rica through the eyes and experience of a local rather than a tourist, this is the place to go. I spent 5 weeks with an amazing family in Heredia, more specifically Mercedes Norte, and it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made in my entire life. They were so kind and helpful, made me food everyday, and introduced me to the beauty of Costa Rica. For such a priceless experience, it’s incredibly affordable. My professor Freddy was the best Spanish teacher I’ve ever had. He’s a great guy, and he speaks English exceptionally well, so you never have to worry about learning at a faster pace than you’re comfortable with. The owner, Chris, runs an amazing school, and pairs you with a family that’s right for you. He’s fair and a genuinely good person, and I feel lucky to have been able to participate in this wonderful program. What are you waiting for? The time is now! But be warned, once you get there, you might not leave. Buena suerte y pura vida!

Tico Lingo was amazing from start to finish. I did eight weeks at the school and had an incredible experience and learned a lot. The staff helped me with every need both concerning school and not. The teachers at Tico Lingo were too notch. I had the pleasure of working with three of them—Erick, Kevin and Freddy—all amazing and truly cared about our progress They were very adaptive to the needs of the students and met every expectation and more. Heredia was a great city to explore and the housing was very nice with good food. All in all I do not hesitate to recommend Tico Lingo!

I loved the style of living and it was a great place to develop as a person and give something back to the community. There were a couple of times when it rained and night which made it a little tricker to enjoy but overall a great life experience to have had, I'm so glad I chose to do it. The setting was excellent for learning Spanish as many of the workers there don't speak English. I also really enjoyed learning the local parts of the language. If I had more time in Costa Rica I would have loved to do it again

I was apart of the program for 1 month and it was truly an awesome time. I learned loads and met some seriously awesome people. I am stilling living in Costa Rica and I love going back to talk with the staff who are now friends of mine. This program is a great way to ease you into Spanish and the cultural differences you experience while traveling in Costa Rica. My Spanish is much improved and I credit a lot of it to TicoLingo. I am currently traveling around with friends I met there nearly two months ago! What a time it has been! I highly recommend TicoLingo!

Going to Costa Rico and being a part of the teen Tico Lingo camp was one of the best experiences that I will always remember. I was 16 when I went, so I was still young and not use to being away from my family for so long! The staff were all very supportive and understanding that Costa Rica was a new environment for the teens and went out of their way to make us feel like we were apart of the Tico Lingo family. The life time relationships I have made through this program is unforgettable! I absolutely would 100% recommend!

I did the immersive Spanish program for 8 weeks with group classes in the morning and private classes in the afternoon. I would highly recommend the program! I noticed a significant improvement in my Spanish level. The instructors were very helpful and supportive with teaching the language and customized the lessons based on our levels and interests. The administrators and staff were also very helpful and easy to work with. I also did the home stay with a local family which I would also recommend. The family was very accommodating and my stay there forced me to improve my Spanish. Overall a great experience!

I attended three weeks of Spanish classes at Tico Lingo in February 2021 and I had a wonderful time.

I was a total beginner, having never learnt any Spanish before, I knew hola and si, and not much else. Whilst it was very challenging at times, trying to learn as much as possible in the short amount of time I was there, Erick was a great teacher. He was very patient and helped me to grab a good understanding of the basics. I was able to make real improvement during my time at Tico Lingo.

We were also able to organise weekend trips with some of the other students, to the volcano and hot springs at La Fortuna and Manuel Antonio National Park. Some of us even met up later in Santa Teresa, for some fun and Spanish practice on the beach.

One of the highlights of the experience was my Homestay family, Sindy and Claudio. They welcomed me into their home and treated me like one of the family. They took a real interest in my Spanish progress, helping me outside of classes, over conservation at dinner and movie nights (in Spanish). They even celebrated my birthday, surprising me with a birthday cake, even though I had only been there for a few days.

It was a great place to learn and I highly recommend Tico Lingo. Thank you Chris, Yennifer and Erick!