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Colegio/Liceo Gregorio José Ramírez Castro

Costa Rica, Alajuela

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The school at a glance
Fees Fees not listed
Ages Not listed
Type Co-educational
Opened 1971
Bus Service No
Academic offering
Curriculum IB (DP)
Taught languages English, French
Strengths Visual and Creative Arts, Sport, Languages
Clubs Academic and Intellectual, Arts and Creative, Cultural and Language
Stages Middle School, Secondary School
Introduction

Located in Montecillos, Alajuela, Costa Rica, Colegio/Liceo Gregorio José Ramírez Castro teaches the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB DP) and has been an IB World School since 2011. The campus centers on Pavilion 7, which houses five IB Diploma classrooms, complementing early facilities such as Pavilion 5 for Visual Arts with Music Education and Pavilion 4 Science with a later Library atop Pavilion 4 and an on-campus amphitheater added in 2019. The gymnasium was expanded in 2011, and a second Computer Lab was funded by the Omar Dengo Foundation. The school emphasizes interculturality, service, and leadership, integrating arts, language study, and physical education into its broad curriculum. Its facilities support project-based learning through IB components and on-campus arts spaces, with a focus on community engagement and responsible citizenship in Costa Rica and beyond. The school emphasizes collaboration, critical thinking, and globally minded inquiry. Students benefit from arts, sports facilities and service.

Montecillos, Alajuela, Costa Rica — 200 meters north of the MOPT facility and 25 meters east of Escuela Maurilio Soto Alfaro

The Essentials
Diving Deeper

Food Options
The school has a cafeteria (comedor) on campus. It also has a snack bar (soda) on campus.

Governance and Ownership
Public; part of the Costa Rican Ministry of Public Education (MEP).
Fees
Application fees
- There is no application or enrolment fee charged for admission to this public institution; the enrolment (matrícula) process uses the standard school registration form for the 2026 course and does not require a tuition payment.

Tuition fees by year group (per term / per year)
- There is no tuition charged for any year group at this public MEP school; instruction and official enrolment are provided without payment of school tuition for the 2026/27 academic period. (No per-term or per‑year tuition amounts apply.)

Billing schedule and payment terms
- Because there is no tuition, there is no tuition billing schedule or tuition payment terms for any cycle or year group.
- Separate paid services (see “Other costs” below) are billed and collected independently of enrolment; billing timing and payment terms for those services are determined by the service provider or by the school's administrative board (Junta Administrativa) and typically occur at the point of sale or at the start of the school year for packaged services.

Boarding fees (if applicable)
- The institution does not operate boarding/internado facilities; there are no boarding fees.

Other costs and typical charged items
- School uniform: Families are responsible for the cost of the school uniform when required by the school's regulations.
- School supplies / "paquete escolar": The Junta Administrativa offers a packaged school‑materials service for sale to families; this package is a separate, one‑time purchase and is not a tuition charge.
- Comedor / canteen (food service): The school operates a comedor and/or concesioned soda; meals and snacks are charged separately (per meal or according to the concession or program in place). The Junta Administrativa manages meal scholarships for eligible students where applicable.
- Transport: Bus or transport services used by students are contracted or provided through external transport operators or lines; payment for bus services is arranged directly with those providers and is separate from school enrolment.
- Photocopying, materials and other incidental fees: Photocopy and certain material purchases (sold on campus) are charged directly when used or purchased.
- International Baccalaureate (IB) assessment / exam fees: The institution offers an IB programme; IB assessment/examination and related IB fees are set by the International Baccalaureate Organization and, when applicable, are charged for IB assessment services (these are separate from MEP tuition and handled according to the IB and school's arrangements).

Refund information
- Tuition: because there is no tuition, there is no tuition‑refund process.
- Paid services and purchases (comedor, paquete escolar, transport, IB assessment charges, etc.): refunds and cancellations for these paid items are handled according to the policy of the service provider or the Junta Administrativa; refund eligibility, deadlines and procedures are determined by those administrative rules and by the school's Normativa Interna.

Fee payment options
- Payments for optional, paid services (canteen purchases, packaged school supplies, bus fares, IB assessment charges, etc.) are made directly to the service provider, concessionaire or to the Junta Administrativa; the accepted payment methods (cash, bank transfer, card, or other) depend on the individual provider or the Junta Administrativa and are communicated at the time of collection or sale.
Academics

Colegio/Liceo Gregorio José Ramírez Castro teaches IB (DP).

Curriculum
The school offers the International Baccalaureate (IB) program. The IB project began in 2011, and the school is an IB World School.
Facilities

Facilities Overview
The school began with six pavilions: Pavilion 1 Spanish, Pavilion 2 Mathematics, Pavilion 3 Social Studies, Pavilion 4 Science, Pavilion 5 Visual Arts with Music Education and Orientation offices, and Pavilion 6 Languages. In 1979, construction began on the Student Dining Hall. In 1982 the Prevocational pavilion and area were built and later repurposed for Music and Religious Education. In 1992 the parking area for teachers and administrative staff was opened. In 2011, ramp access was added, the gymnasium was expanded, Pavilion 7 with five IB Diploma Programme classrooms was opened, and a second Computer Lab donated by the Omar Dengo Foundation was established near the parking area. In 2019 the Library atop Pavilion 4 of Science was completed with study areas, three teaching classrooms, and one audiovisual classroom, and the amphitheater was completed that year. In 2020–2021, COVID-19 measures included signage and hygiene facilities such as handwashing basins, alcohol gel dispensers, and soap.

Sports Facilities
Gymnasium expanded in 2011 to enhance physical education facilities.

Academic Facilities
Pavilion 7 houses five IB Diploma Programme classrooms. A second Computer Lab near the parking area was equipped with furniture and technology donated by the Omar Dengo Foundation. In 2019 the Library atop Pavilion 4 of Science was completed, providing study areas, three teaching classrooms, and one audiovisual classroom with ramp and stairs access. Prevocational spaces were repurposed to house Music and Religious Education classrooms.

Extra Curricular Facilities
Arts facilities include Pavilion 5, which houses Visual Arts and Music Education, with Orientation offices. An amphitheater was completed in 2019 for school events. Pavilion 7 provides IB Diploma Programme classrooms to support academic activities that accompany extracurricular project work. The arts and performances are supported by the on-campus spaces described for Visual Arts, Music Education, and related activities.
Extra-Curricular Activities

Academic & Intellectual
The school offers the International Baccalaureate (IB) program. The IB project began in 2011 with the support of teachers who believed in it and worked fervently for the benefit of the student community. The school is described as a world school thanks to the contributions of the entire educational community, the Ministry of Public Education (MEP), and private sector.

Cultural & Language
Interculturality is a core institutional value, defined as the interaction between two or more cultures in a horizontal and synergistic manner. This implies that no culture is above another, fostering integration and harmonious coexistence, and it promotes respect for diversity through dialogue and consensus.

Social & Hobbies
Sports and physical activity are part of the school's holistic development. The mission states that the institution develops students' academic, sports, cultural, creative and technological skills to foster autonomy, responsibility, and commitment to the world.

Community & Service
Solidarity and service to others are emphasized as institutional values. The school aims to promote solidarity and the wellbeing of the student body through engagement with the community and responsible action.

Leadership & Professional
The institution envisions students who are leaders; it pursues the development of citizens who are innovative and capable of leadership to meet the challenges of society.

Lifestyle & Wellbeing
The school upholds values including order, perseverance, integrity, commitment, ethics, faith, love, honesty, respect, empathy, responsibility, tolerance and solidarity. It also highlights interculturality and inclusive, values-driven formation as part of its national and international educational approach.
Admissions

Admissions
Pre-enrollment for the 2026 academic year: This pre-enrollment information is for students who, in the 2025 academic year, were in sixth or ninth grade at another institution. The pre-enrollment form for 2026 will be enabled starting August 4, 2025. Access to the form is through the Formulario de pre-matredcula 2026 (Google Forms). This form is used to pre-enroll for the 2026 academic year. Enrollment for 2026: The Boleta de matredcula for new admissions and for reaffirmation of enrollment for regular students is for the 2026 academic year. The Boleta de matredcula for 2026 is also available at the institutional photocopier. This document is part of the enrollment process for the 2026 academic year.

Scholarships
Meal scholarships are provided for students in need, and the corresponding meal services are arranged by the Junta Administrativa. Meals are provided as part of the school's meal services. The Junta Administrativa oversees the distribution of these meal scholarships.
School Events
The school has not added events
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