Costa Rica for High School Students

Spend four weeks exploring the cultural and natural wonders of Costa Rica while improving your Spanish. Costa Rica Pura Vida is an intensive program designed for adventurous high school students with a desire to learn more about biology in the field and the "tica" language and customs, firsthand! Your Spanish classes are held during the week, and the weekends are reserved for biology-centered trips to the Caribbean Coast, a Pacific Biology Station, and the Cloud Forest. You will receive language instruction from one of the country's best language schools and presentations from experts in Costa Rican biology to help you prepare for your weekend adventures. This session is limited to 10 students; a U.S teacher and an IUSI staff assistant lead the group. Come study, travel, and explore the natural treasures of Costa Rica with us! DATES & INFORMATION   New features are being added--Costa Rica Pura Vida will be back Summer 2011!! Stay in touch with our newsletters. To sign up please click here

 PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
 •Four weeks in country
 •Spanish instruction at your level in small classes
 (not more than 5 students)
 • Home stay with a carefully chosen Costa Rican family
 • Travel to the volcanoes, cloud forests, the Caribbean and Pacific Ocean beaches
 • Field trips to 3 areas of Costa Rica to observe the biodiversity of this remarkable country
 • More monkeys, bird varieties, sloths, crocodiles and plant species, etc. than  you could ever dream of seeing in the wild

 Accreditation for participating in one of our programs may be worked out with your school.
 Here are two examples.

 How do you compare programs?
 Here are some ideas.

 COST
 Cost is $5,200, which includes tuition, lodging and meals with families, various activities in San José, and transportation,
 lodging and meals while on excursions. It also includes the services of the Resident Director, medical insurance, and
 round-trip airfare to San José from major continental US cities, as described on the application. Not included: lunches
 while in school, personal spending money.

 One partial tuition scholarship in the amount of $3,466 is available for each session. The scholarship will be awarded to a
 student with demonstrated financial need. Note: Scholarship Application deadline is December 5, 2008. See application or contact us for details.

 Small group size allows you to see nature and work in restricted areas off limits to tourists. Remember -- only 10 participants!

 DEADLINES
 •Priority application deadline is February 6, 2009.
 •Scholarship Application deadline is December 5, 2008.
Late applications will be considered only if space is available.
 Call us: 800-345-4874. 

 FORM DOWNLOADS
 PDF format, requires Adobe Acrobat Reader 5 or newer (click to download)

 • Join Us For Pura Vida 2009

 • Day by Day
        Session 1

        Session 2

 • Costa Rica ¡Pura Vida! 2009 Application

 • IUSI Scholarship Application

 • Housing Profile Form for Costa Rica

 • 2009 Resident Directors

 • 2007 Scholarship Recipient