Location
  • Costa Rica
    • Heredia
Term
Academic Year, Fall, J-Term, Maymester, Short Term, Spring, Spring Break, Summer, Winter
Subject Areas
Animal Science Business Cultural Studies Education Film Hispanic Studies History Hospitality Humanities Language Studies Latin American Studies Liberal Arts Linguistics Literature Social Sciences Social Work Wildlife Sciences +7
529 Plan eligibility
Health & Safety

Program Details

Program Type
Provider
Degree Level
High School Diploma Associates Bachelors
Housing
Host Family
Language
Spanish

Pricing

Starting Price
3195
Price Details
Program Price Includes:
- Pre-Departure Advising
- Visa Advising
- International Medical Insurance
- Program Orientation
- University Tuition & Fees
- Onsite Directors & Staff
- Homestay & Meals
- Laundry
- Excursions
- Cultural Activities
- Volunteer & Community Service
- Transcript Processing
- Airport Transfers
- Reception & Farewell Activity
What's Included
Accommodation Activities Airport Transfers Classes Meals Wifi
What's Not Included
Airfare SIM cards Travel Insurance
Mar 03, 2025
Apr 15, 2025
7 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

Costa Rica consistently ranks as the happiest country on the planet. Travel to this tropical destination with Arcos and see why! Our study abroad program is based in the charming city of Heredia, known as the City of Flowers. It is perfectly positioned in the beautiful central valley with mountain views and cool temperatures. This ideal location allows us to easily embark on our excursions to explore the fascinating regions of this Central American country. Classes are held at a private university campus with lots of green space. You can choose from electives and Spanish language classes of all levels. Unique to Arcos are our internship courses and Animal Studies program based at a local wildlife rescue center. Our life-changing study abroad programs are known for the quality and personal care we provide our students. Step through the arch and into a world of growth and possibilities!

Video and Photos

Program Highlights

  • Excursions to the Pacific coast and Rainforest.
  • Intern or volunteer at a wildlife rescue center, teach English, or participate in an ecology and tree planting project.
  • Live with carefully vetted homestays specifically chosen for each student.
  • Enjoy a tropical and healthy diet, with lots of fresh fruits and vegetables (some unique only to Costa Rica!), and the world’s best coffee.
  • Experience the bountiful biodiversity of Costa Rica’s natural wealth of plants, animals, and ecosystems.

Program Reviews

4.90 Rating
based on 21 reviews
  • 5 rating 90.48%
  • 4 rating 9.52%
  • 3 rating 0%
  • 2 rating 0%
  • 1 rating 0%
  • Academics 4.4
  • Support 4.85
  • Fun 4.75
  • Housing 4.85
  • Safety 4.75
Showing 17 - 21 of 21 reviews
Quinlan
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Quin's Study Abroad in Heredia, Costa Rica

Traveling and studying abroad in Heredia, Costa Rica was such a fun and unique experience to have because of the people that I met along the way and because of the fun things that I did/the beautiful places that I got to see during my time in Costa Rica. The city of Heredia was a beautiful city, even though it is a smaller city, and the people that I met while I was there and that live in Heredia are amazing and I am so glad I got to know them, people from my host family to people at the university to locals I met while exploring the city of Heredia and other provinces/cities in Costa Rica. Overall, I had a great experience with Arcos Learning Abroad in Costa Rica and I would recommend this program to anyone who wants to study Spanish and for anyone that wants to go to Costa Rica.

88 people found this review helpful.
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Jake
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Arcos - Heredia, Costa Rica

This trip was a blast! To be short, there were a few health concerns with my housing in some bugs here and there, but other than that they were freaking awesome. The immediate area of the homestays felt pretty safe, but as you go out to places at night, there were some sketchy areas. Barrio Escalantes was a great part of town for bar hopping, but there were some other sketchy areas that you should avoid. All in all, it was a priceless experience that I will cherish forever (cliche I know). My advice to someone going on this trip would be to have an open mind. You are going to be pushed outside of your comfort zone in many different ways, some that you don't expect. Immerse yourself in the culture and the way of life and it will be a unique experience.

Pros
  • Food
  • Cultural Immersion
  • The education was fascinating and was not hard, the lectures were super interesting and engaging
Cons
  • Different standard of living
  • Sketchy areas - some local recommendations did not take safety into account
  • Fruit tasting made me sick for a few days
95 people found this review helpful.
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Karina
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Latin American Business Markets, Costa Rica!!

I LOVED going to Costa Rica! I especially loved staying with the host family, and couldn't say enough great things about Arcos as a whole. The program was very well coordinated, and I loved each person we interacted with. We got to do a variety of different activities and learned about the culture and local businesses. Brent even came to a cooking class with us and a lecture with a worker at the US Embassy. Overall, it was a diverse trip. The only thing I would recommend is looking into getting an extra day of free time! We had pockets of time during the week, but I wished we had a whole day to go travel somewhere else pretty instead!

Pros
  • Staying with a host family
  • Food
  • The people were all so kind! Especially the local business owners
Cons
  • Small pockets of free time
  • Didn't get to go to one of the prettier beaches
  • Some of the business lectures weren't the best
99 people found this review helpful.
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Karlie
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

An Amazing Experience

This was an amazing experience. I really enjoyed all the activities. Even though most of the activities were tied to talking to business owners, it never felt like a lecture or typical guest speaker talk you usually have back in the United States. It was always very interesting to hear about how each owner ran their business, especially their different approaches to things like being environmentally friendly. Overall, this trip was amazing and I would highly recommend anyone considering going to take the chance and go.

91 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Taylor
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Arcos Learning Abroad Costa Rica Winter Program

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Pros
  • Extremely safe area and housing
  • Very well-organized program that takes care of their customers
  • Exclusive opportunities and experiences with Arcos that could not be found elsewhere.
98 people found this review helpful.

Questions & Answers