Universidad de Costa Rica (San José)

Universidad de Costa Rica (San José) is a universitywide partner in San José, Costa Rica.

Student experiences	Download the student experiences
Webpages	General information for exchange students Course information scroll down to STUDENT VISITOR > then look under "Enrollment Intent" Fact Sheet for more information
Social media	Facebook Instagram Get to know Universidad de Costa Rica (YouTube)
Academic calendar	Semester I: 1^st week of August - 1^stweek of December Semester II: 1^st week of March - 2^nd week in July Orientation generally commences end July for Semester I and end February for Semester II. Exams take place the 1^st week of December for Semester I and the 1^st and 2^nd week of July for Semester II.
Requirements	GPA (Average Grade) The GPA requirement at this university is 8.00 out of 10 but a little bit lower is usually allowed (not lower than 7.5). Spanish Language Requirement A B2 certificate in Spanish is required at the time you complete your application at Costa Rica, a few months prior to the start of your exchange. Any course that provides a certificate is sufficient (e.g. Cervantes) It is recommended you start your language course early! Other Minimum credits: 12 Students must arrive on time for Orientation Sessions and for enrolment process. Visa procedure is quite expensive (around €600).
Areas of study open to exchange students	Arts: performing, musical, plastic. Sciences: biology (limited to Biology students and to space), mathematics, physics, chemistry. Education: teaching, orientation, physical education, administration in education. Economic Sciences: business management (limited), public administration, economics/financial, statistics. Social Sciences: psychology, political sciences, social work, sociology, anthropology. Engineering: electrical, civil, mechanical, chemical, industrial. Agronomy: agribusiness, food technology.
Courses at Master’s level	No
Language of instruction	Almost all courses are in Spanish, a limited amount of courses in English is available
Housing assistance	The university coordinates a home stay program, with Costa Rican families. The cost is $425 per month, which includes room and board, meals (twice a day on weekdays, and three times a day on weekends), laundry, and orientation. A$75 fee is charge for family selection procedures. Students can opt to find alternative housing.
Estimated living costs per month	Average living costs are around $850 per month. (Estimate from 2020). Accommodation: $425 per month Transportation (local): $2.00 per day (approximately) Meals (once a day): $4.00 at the Campus cafeteria Books and reading material (approximately): For sciences, engineering, and economics $100 per course For Social sciences and others $80 per course
Credits	You can find information on this university’s credits in the credit conversion table
Number of places available	2 places per year
Selection	Selection was not necessary in the past few years.