Program |
Duration |
Start/End Dates |
Tuition |
Availability |
More |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Semester Community Service Program - Fall | About 5 months | July 2012 - December 2012 | $9,000 | Closed | Read More + |
Age Range:
18 years 0 months - 25 years 0 monthsBirth Date Range:
07/06/87 - 07/06/94Travel Dates:
Jul 2-5, 2012 - Dec 10-13, 2012Application Deadline Extended! Apply By April 10, 2012
Costa Rica Semester Community Service Program - Fall Departure
Spend an entire semester making in difference in the lush tropics of Costa Rica. Live with a host family while giving back in your local community and improving your Spanish language skills.
Costa Rica offers several amazing options for community service work. In the past, AFSers have worked mainly with social, health and education projects. From conducting research at a marine science station to working with special needs students in the classroom, AFS will work with your interests to find a fitting project. You will be working on this project 5 days a week.
After your arrival orientation, your group will receive 10 days of Spanish instruction. Although this program offers host family accommodations, you may have to live onsite at your community project for extended periods.
Your local chapter may organize activities throughout the semester, which may include parties or excursions to other cities or regions in Costa Rica. Also, over the course of your program, AFS staff and volunteers will hold multiple AFS orientations to evaluate your experience and help with your cultural adjustment.
Learn More about Costa Rica Community Service Programs
| Semester Community Service Program - Spring | About 5 months | January 2013 - July 2013 | TBD | Apply now | Read More + |
Age Range:
18 years 0 months - 25 years 0 monthsBirth Date Range:
01/31/88 - 01/31/95Travel Dates:
Jan 27-30, 2013 - Jul 1-4, 2013Application Deadline: September 10, 2012
Costa Rica Semester Community Service Program – Spring Departure
Spend an entire semester making in difference in the lush tropics of Costa Rica. Live with a host family while giving back in your local community and improving your Spanish language skills.
Costa Rica offers several amazing options for community service work. In the past, AFSers have worked mainly with social, health and education projects. From conducting research at a marine science station to working with special needs students in the classroom, AFS will work with your interests to find a fitting project. You will be working on this project 5 days a week.
After your arrival orientation, your group will receive 10 days of Spanish instruction. Although this program offers host family accommodations, you may have to live onsite at your community project for extended periods.
Your local chapter may organize activities throughout the semester, which may include parties or excursions to other cities or regions in Costa Rica. Also, over the course of your program, AFS staff and volunteers will hold multiple AFS orientations to evaluate your experience and help with your cultural adjustment.
Learn More about Costa Rica Community Service Programs
Costa Rica: The Happiest Place on the Planet
We can’t stop talking about Costa Rica. Think about it: To live in a country with stunning coastlines hugging both the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean; To improve your Spanish while immersed in one of the safest, friendliest and most international of Latin American destinations; To visit cloud forests, watch tortoise migrations and learn about biodiversity all in one small country whose national saying is “Pura Vida?” Vamos!
Small Country, Big Heart. Mash the states of New Hampshire and Vermont together and you get a feel for the size of Costa Rica. Despite its dimensions, this country packs a punch. Friendly locals, fresh foods and a relaxed lifestyle make this country a dream in which to live. Throw in volcanoes, rainforests, cosmopolitan cities and sun-soaked beaches and you have yourself one incredibly diverse destination.
High Levels of Life Satisfaction. Costa Rica boasts some of the highest life satisfaction rates in the world. We're convinced that, over the course of your exchange to Costa Rica, your own personal happiness index may too increase drastically.
Tough Love. Costa Rican families watch closely over their children, so expect a curfew during your program. This is only because Costa Ricans take family very seriously, so these measures are for your safety! Also, get ready for city living, as 95% of placements are suburban and urban.
Student Quote
"Living alone in a foreign country really helped me figure out more about myself as an individual. I also learned how to be more self-confident and self-reliant. School was extremely different for me, much more laid back. The teacher-student relationship was also a lot more relaxed, and the teachers were more like friends to their students."
-Callie, Semester, 2009
>>Read more stories on our Study Abroad Blog
More on Costa Rica
View a Costa Rica Slideshow and see what it's like
Video: Traditional Costa Rican Dance, caught by AFSer
Read Student Testamonials from AFS Returnees in Costa Rica (pdf)