Location
The Country: Costa Rica
Costa Rica is a small, tropical country that offers it all: beaches, volcanoes, and biodiversity: about a quarter of the country’s area is protected jungle, teeming with wildlife including spider monkeys and quetzal birds. Costa Rica is also a global leader in sustainability.
The City: Heredia
Heredia, also known as “the city of flowers” boasts a tropical climate with an average daily temperature of 80°F. The city is close to San Jose International Airport (SJO) and has easy to use public transportation. There is a university student ambience in nearby Heredia. For those interested in shopping, there are modern malls and artisan crafts markets.
Classes
You will be enrolled in six (6) credit hours of lower or upper division courses and will do a series of assignments, both orally and in writing, for your Georgia Southern professor. Additionally, as part of your immersion experience, each morning, Monday-Friday, in small groups, you will spend four hours practicing your language skills with native speakers who are trained in teaching their language to foreigners.
Partner Language School
CPI (Centro Panamericano de Idiomas) is a Spanish language and culture study abroad program located in Heredia, Costa Rica. CPI was founded in 1991 and is dedicated to providing a variety of intensive and flexible programs for those interested in acquiring functional fluency in Spanish while learning about the Costa Rican culture.
Excursions
- La Paz Waterfall Garden & Poas Volcano
- National Park Manuel Antonio
- Isla Tortuga Boat Cruise
Travel Documents
All participants need a valid passport to enter Costa Rica. If you do not have a passport, please secure one as soon as possible. Visit www.travel.state.gov to learn more. Medical and liability documents will be provided by the Study Abroad Office for each participant to complete prior to departure. International health insurance is included in the programs costs and is required by Georgia Southern.
Transient Students
Students from other accredited universities are invited to enroll in our Study Abroad programs. In order to receive credit at their home institutions, however, they must enroll as transient students at Georgia Southern for the summer.
Have Questions? Contact Us!
Youssef Salhi
Lecturer of Arabic
Interdisciplinary Academic Building 2071
Email: ysalhi@georgiasouthern.edu
Phone: 912-478-0254
Program Cost and Eligibility
Program Costs: $5,147
Includes:
- 4 weeks of intensive language training
- Housing with a Costa Rican family
- Two meals a day (breakfast and dinner)
- Excursions
- International health insurance
Does NOT include:
- Georgia Southern Tuition & Fees ($1,122)
- Airfare to San José (approx. $1,400)
- Lunches (approx. $300)
- Incidental expenses (public transportation, etc.)
- Souvenirs and personal spending money
- Application and Deposit: $500 Non-Refundable Application Fee due by February 15, 2026. (This amount will apply to the Program Fees. If application is accepted, deposit is non-refundable; if application is rejected, deposit will be refunded to student.)
- 1st Installment: $2500 Due March 5, 2026
- 2nd Installment and Required Insurance Payment: $2147 Due April 15, 2026
The $500 application fee is non-refundable. 80% of the remaining funds are refundable up to 40 days before the program start date, since program services are contracted in advance and must be paid whether or not the student is able to continue with the program.
- 2.0 Cumulative GPA
- Commitment to speak Spanish during the program
Many forms of financial aid can be applied to the study abroad program costs; please note that the Hope scholarship applies to your Georgia Southern summer tuition, although it cannot be used to pay the program costs themselves. Georgia Southern students who intend to pay all or part of the study abroad program cost with financial aid should meet with their academic and financial aid advisor ASAP and should apply for summer financial aid no later than March 1, 2026. Students from other University System of Georgia schools should contact their academic advisor and financial aid office at their home institution for instructions.