As high school students, one of the most worrisome aspects of higher education is the fact that you have to calculate your budget and choose your college accordingly. For this, not only do you have to excel in academics but you also have to take part in extracurricular activities so that your GPA would be quite good. Moreover, many students worry about getting a part-time job and studying side-by-side, since going for higher education means spending more time on studies. Therefore, there is this constant fear in students that going for a job and studying simultaneously will render them quite exhausted by the end of the day. However, you may get ecstatic to know that certain countries keenly offer free education to students! And one such country, among many others, is Costa Rica! Now, without further ado, let us dive deeper into this query and look at what universities offer in Costa Rica.let us know Is College Free In Costa Rica?
Costa Rica: Do Colleges Provide Free Education Here?
As mentioned above, Costa Rica is one of the many countries that offer free education to its students. However, how ‘free’ is this free depends on a lot of factors. The term free here does not mean that the universities in Costa Rica do not charge any fee whatsoever; it simply means that the universities charge a minimal fee. Moreover, what makes getting an education in Costa Rica more enticing is the fact that in Costa Rica, the illiteracy rates are quite low and more than 95% of the population is educated! Now, without further delay, let us have a look at how free education works in Costa Rica!
The structure of education in Costa Rica is not similar to that of other countries in the United States of America.
Preschool
In Costa Rica, children up to the age of four are mandatorily admitted to preschool. The preschool level consists of a three-level program, where students are taught at different levels for three years. This three-level system makes it easier for students to be admitted into elementary school.
Primary School
In Costa Rica, the primary school includes grades first to sixth and this level of education is also compulsory in Costa Rica.
Secondary School
The secondary school education in Costa Rica is further divided into two distinctions: The Basic and the Diversified. The Basic Secondary School comprises grades seventh to ninth. This Basic Secondary School level is one of the most important ones since most employers in the future demand that the employees have their basic secondary education completed. Diversified Secondary School education involves grades tenth and eleventh. However, in some schools in Costa Rica, grade 12th is also counted in the Diversified Secondary School.
The Schools
The country is home to various schools, both public and private. And although the education in public schools is of high quality, most parents prefer to get their children enrolled in private schools because of less class strength and focus on extracurricular activities.
Higher Education
Besides these, higher education is promoted in the country. The country is home to more than 5 public universities where quality education is provided at affordable costs. Moreover, the country is also the ground for many private institutions. No doubt the education provided in such universities is quite expensive, however, these universities also offer student loans and scholarships to those in dire need!
The Best Universities in Costa Rica for Higher Education
Some of the best universities in Costa Rica for higher education are as follows:
The University of Costa Rica
As a public university, the University of Costa Rica is one of the highest-ranking and well-renowned universities in the country. The University is known to offer more than a hundred undergraduate and postgraduate courses in the country.
Although the University does not provide free education as such, the total costs per year are relatively less than other universities. Thus, when it comes to tuition fees, the University charges $80 per credit hour for undergraduates and $140 per credit hour for graduates. Moreover, $100 will be charged by the University as a miscellaneous fee. In addition to this, when it comes to the total costs for an undergraduate and postgraduate course, for a course with 17 credit hours per semester, the fee amounts to up to $2800 per year, which is quite less when compared to the yearly costs of other universities. Besides this, since students are keen to know the living expenses of such universities, you should know that the University of Costa Rica charges around $500 to $1500 as living expenses!
The University for Peace
Another well-established university in Costa Rica is The University for Peace. This is another such university that charges a next to a minimal fee in exchange for providing education to students in Costa Rica. Located in Cuidad Colon, the University is also well-known for providing education to international students and offers classes in English while most universities in Costa Rica provide education in Spanish. The University, founded by the United Nations, promotes the ideals of peace building, harmony, and human rights to the students.
Now, when it comes to the costs, the undergraduate and postgraduate courses in this University cost up to $26000 per year. And although this does not seem as low a price as asked by the University of Costa Rica, the University for Peace is keen to offer student scholarships and student loans. Moreover, the University offers a 25% tuition fee waiver to the students who are in dire need of education and do not have enough money.
INCAE Business School
The INCAE Business School is another well-renowned university in Costa Rica that caters to the needs and wants of international students and offers to teach in English rather than Spanish. In the present day, the University offers four postgraduate programs, namely, a Master’s in Agribusiness Management, a Master’s in Business Administration, a Global Executive MBA, and a Global Real Estate Management course.
While Harvard Business School charges an annual tuition fee of $84000, the INCAE Business School charges an annual tuition fee of $57000 for its MBA program.
Conclusion
Now that you have ample information regarding the high-quality education in Costa Rica that can be done at affordable costs, it is obvious that you might be tempted to go there! When compared to other universities in the United States, the universities in Costa Rica offer quality education at costs that are quite affordable. Therefore, many students, in the constant fear of student loans and debts, opt for universities in Costa Rica, and you can too!
Frequently Asked Questions:
- What is the literacy rate in Costa Rica?
Around 95% of the population is educated.
- Is the University of Costa Rica a public university?
Yes, it is.
- Are private universities in Costa Rica affordable?
With the help of student loans and scholarships, yes.
