Study Abroad in Costa Rica this summer with IFSA

IFSA January in Costa Rica

Program Overview
Academics
Excursions
Housing and Meals
Dates and Fees
Program Counselors
IFSA Student Stories

Program Overview

Eco-minded? With stunning national parks, live volcanoes, pristine beaches, and 500,000+ species of plants and animals, this is the place to fill an elective or science requirement while you get in the field to see why ecological recovery matters—and what’s standing in the way.

Highlights: Visits to Irazú volcano, a sustainable cacao farm, and a tree reforestation project.

Details in a Glance

Application deadline

November 1

Minimum GPA

2.00

Credit load

3 U.S. Semester Credit Hours

Housing

Home Stay

Instruction language

English

Prerequisites

Class taught in English. No Spanish required.

Academics

Ecology and Sustainable Development in Costa Rica
(3 U.S. Semester Credit Hours)

Exploring environmental conditions in Costa Rica through practical field experiences, this course addresses the importance and challenges of ecological recovery, preservation, and protection. Using interdisciplinary approaches, students will confront the task of society to raise awareness for conserving natural resources long-term in Costa Rica and globally. Students will also expand theoretical concepts of ecology and its history in Costa Rica by examining the socio-economic and political relationships that promote—or sometimes prevent—sustainable goods and services such as ecotourism, development, and conservation research.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

Eligibility

You must be at least 18 years of age. Students under 18 may be accepted on a case-by-case basis.
You must be currently attending or recently graduated from a U.S. or Canadian community college, technical college, two-year college, four-year college, or four-year university. Students attending select Australian universities are also eligible.
You must have completed at least one (1) semester of study at your home institution before the beginning of the term.

Recommendation Letter

Not required.

Visa Requirement

Not required for U.S., Canadian, or Australian citizens. A visa may be required if you are a citizen of another country.

Start your application now by clicking the Apply Now button.

TRANSCRIPT

Upon completion of your program, IFSA will send an official Butler University transcript to your home university with your coursework converted to the U.S. semester credit hour system. You will also have access to an unofficial transcript in your IFSA Student Portal. The transcript reflects courses taken, credits attempted, and grades earned during your term abroad. This service is included in your study abroad program at no additional cost. See our Transcripts page for more information.

Excursions

Activities and excursions are designed to pull you into the communities you visit and encourage cultural connections of every kind. There’s no extra fee to participate in these optional outings—everything is included in your program fee.

Below are examples from previous terms; outings may be different for your program. We’ll make every effort to run them all, but sometimes things we can’t our control, such as local regulations and health protocols, get in the way. As result, we cannot guarantee activities and excursions.

A day trip to the Irazú volcano and a nearby coffee plantation.
Hiking in national parks and discussion of Costa Rica’s national park system and management.
A day trip to Sarapiqui to participate in a native tree reforestation project.
A visit to a sustainable chocolate farm and processing plant.
A meeting with owners of environmentally friendly hotels to discuss eco-tourism.

Housing and Meals

Housing

Home Stay

Meals

All Included

Details

Your homestay will be arranged with a carefully selected host family and located within a typical commute of the IFSA program center. Only one student is placed with each family. Students with limited Spanish skills will be housed with families that speak English. You will have a single bedroom with a bed, shared bathroom, and desk or other designated place to study. Laundry and three meals per day are included. You may occasionally want to buy snacks and eat at restaurants beyond what is provided by your host family.