Study in Costa Rica

Who this applies to

Students at Costa Rican universities. Spanish-medium; 5 state universities + private.

Governing authority

Ministerio de Educación Pública; CONARE (Consejo Nacional de Rectores) coordinates state universities; SINAES accreditation.

Degree system

Bachillerato universitario (4 yrs) · Licenciatura · Maestría · Doctorado. Spanish-medium.

Admission

How

Bachillerato (secondary) + PAA (Prueba de Aptitud Académica) entrance exam at UCR/UNA/TEC; international students apply directly.

Language

Spanish.

Tuition

Public

Subsidized/income-scaled at state universities (strong public-investment tradition).

Private

Fee-paying.

Note

Costa Rica invests heavily in education; UCR top in Central America.

Student visa & residence permit

Student visa for non-nationals.

Scholarships

Government & university scholarships (becas).

Sources & references

• CONARE/5 state universities — https://www.conare.ac.cr/ (2026-06-12)
• UCR — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Costa_Rica (2026-06-12)