CIEE College Study Abroad in Monteverde, Costa Rica

CIEE has been an educational experience I will remember and cherish forever. The campus, located in the isolated mountains of Monteverde, became my home for six weeks. I made some life long friends, who seemed to love the experience as much as I did. Only a 30 minute bus ride from the town Santa Elena, our weekends were fun-filled; the town is a hub for tourists interested in exploratory and thrill-seeking adventurists. My group interacted with kind locals who showed us their farms and lifestyles, while we also got to participate in tourist activities like rock climbing, zip-lining, and more. The weather was extreme at times, but this just acted as a reminder that I was far from my home town. I would recommend this program to anyone who is willing to get out of their comfort zone and explore the landscape of beautiful Monteverde.

CIEE Monteverde is an amazing experience for students looking to be adventurous and study the natural environment. Located in tropical rainforest and nearby the cloud forest, there is so much life and biodiversity to see, along with lots of opportunities for adventure-tourism and agri-tourism. Sustainability is a major component of the daily lifestyle and the class offerings at CIEE are very interesting and current-event based. Depending on what you’re interests are, the Monteverde area has plenty of opportunities for you to get outside and try something new! The area surrounding Monteverde also has lots of great opportunities to experience authentic Costa Rican culture and get a taste of what life is like in Costa Rica. If you like being up-close with nature and learning about a different culture, this is a great program to look into!

The tropical ecology and conservation program with CIEE left a significant impact on my life. It challenged me physically, mentally, and emotionally in the best way possible, and I have grown a great deal because of it. The field trips to national parks opened my eyes to the natural wonders of Costa Rica and the independent project in the natural setting allowed me to exercise scientific critical thinking skills in a fully immersed tropical classroom. This all-encompassing program exposes students in the tropics while enriching our knowledge of another culture and helping us polish our Spanish skills. The staff members go above and beyond and truly make the group feel like family in a short two months. This was an experience I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

This program really gave me an appreciation for Tropical Ecosystems that you can't get from documentaries or books. It was amazing to experience the plethora of tropical habitats that Costa Rica has to offer, from the highland paramo to tropical coral reefs. This program really covers a wide range of subjects in biology and conservation, and I defiantly feel like a better biologist/ecologist by having this experience. The independent research was interesting and will probably do wonders for my future as a scientist. Besides the academic side I also had a great time exploring the forest and the Monteverde area, and did all the big things in the area: such as seeing quetzals and ziplining. Though I do not have good Spanish at all, I really enjoyed the homestay and felt I got a feel for Costa Rican life

This program offers an intense, rewarding experience in a beautiful country. Your schedule will be full - from field trips to homework to exploring to projects and everything in between - and you are really getting the most out of two months abroad. Although based in Monteverde, the field trips allow you to see all of the different ecosystems and areas Costa Rica has to offer. Throughout the summer you are experiencing the culture, but especially during the homestay. The classes are in depth and are beneficial for the future. Personally, I really appreciated the independent research course because it helped me understand the research process, which will benefit my future career pursuits. The staff were so helpful and were willing to go above and beyond to make sure you have an amazing time. Plus, you will make so many new friends and share so many memories. 10/10 would recommend this program!!

If you love biology and want to have an immersive, hands-on experience, this is the program for you. You will be having lectures in the middle of the rainforest and on boats in the middle of mangrove trees. You will also get to participate in field problems and independent research in one of the most diverse places on Earth. Everything is taken care of for you: living situations, food, transportation... so you can focus on getting the most out of your experience. You will be traveling along the Pacific slope, staying at a private biological station in Monteverde, and passing a few weeks with a local family. The staff is absolutely wonderful and so supportive. Since it is a group based experience you will make great friends with your fellow classmates. This is not a program for people wanting a typical study abroad experience. It is intense and you will be challenged mentally and physically. However, if you are ready to have an amazing adventure and open to whatever comes your way, you will have an awesome time. My advice is to just go with whatever happens and enjoy your time in this amazing country.

Amazing program if you’re looking for a balance of sustainability and development lectures/excursions and cultural/language immersion (mostly through homestays). So welcomed by my homestay family and felt like we had lots of time to get to know Monteverde while still having work and classes almost every day. Not academically “rigorous” but incredibly insightful- exposure to multiple places within Costa Rica and the cloud forest, perspectives on green issues, and the chance to do mini research survey projects.
Strong support and guidance from instructors. Would have liked more immersion activities, but able to be independent and find them on our own. Monteverde and Santa Elena all very walkable. So many hikes!
Will be dreaming of the amazing ficus trees and people here for years to come.

This is not the study abroad program for someone looking to hop around central america, or even Costa Rica. This is the study abroad program for the student who wants to find a second home. Monteverde and Santa Elena are two very quiet towns, with small populations. There is one bar and a handful of coffee shops scattered around the area, and lots of hilly sidewalks in between them. Since Monteverde is so far away from other cities, it is difficult to plan trips or excursions to other places from here, but, you really should not want to leave.

CIEE gave me an excellent school to work from, with an incredible staff who was dedicated, caring and excited. They connected me to a wonderful host family, where I got to learn what it was really like to live in Costa Rica. I spent so much time in the small town, learning it, and learning how to get around that I would feel comfortable showing it off to my family or friends back home; the coffee shop with my favorite smoothies, the best place to get pizza, or my favorite lookout spot. I felt incredibly safe here, I was worried that I would have an issue with Machismo culture but thankfully I experienced no such thing. People here are humble, gracious and friendly, and they love to share their town with you. I learned so much about my own culture, and what it is like to live in another country.

Monteverde is beautiful, I felt lucky getting to walk to class every day, in awe of the cloud rain forest that surrounds the city. I came during the rainy season, but thankfully I got to experience a different climate than I would at home. I have so many favorite memories to chose from here, touring the cloud forest with my class, going zip lining, learning Spanish, sitting in Stella's Cafe, watching a monkey climb on top of a building, seeing toucans in the tree by my house at dusk. Wear shoes you know you can walk forever in, bring a rain jacket, and a good attitude.