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GSD International School Costa Rica

Costa Rica, San Jose

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The school at a glance
Instructs in English, Spanish, Mandarin
Fees Fees not listed
Ages 1 - 18 years
Pupil numbers 800
Type Co-educational
Opened 2018
Bus Service No
Academic offering
Curriculum IB (DP)
Taught languages Mandarin, English, Spanish
Strengths Sport, STEM, Languages
Clubs Arts and Creative, Cultural and Language, Leadership and Professional
Stages Preschool, Primary School, Secondary School
Introduction

GSD International School Costa Rica is part of GSD cooperative network and serves students from 1 to 18 years old, offering Pre‑school to Secondary. It is authorized to deliver the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB DP), with two DP years, six subjects from the IB groups, and core Theory of Knowledge, CAS and the Extended Essay. The DP groups include Language and Literature (Literature), Language Acquisition (English B), Individuals and Societies (Business Management), Sciences (Chemistry), Mathematics (Mathematics: Applications and Interpretation), and Arts (Music). The school emphasizes technology in learning and aims to foster international inquiry and higher education. Opened in 2018, the campus spans 30,000 m2 and features science, computing and robotics laboratories, a pool, football pitch, a sports center, auditorium and green spaces. Extracurricular activities include GSD Sports, GSD Music and Dance, and GSD Culture. A Mandarin immersion program partners with Greentown Yuhua School Hangzhou and Keystone Academy Beijing.

C. Guácima, Provincia de Alajuela, Guácima, Guácima Abajo, 20105, Costa Rica

The Essentials

GSD International School Costa Rica has 800 pupils, instruction in English, Spanish, Mandarin.

Location
Located in Ciudad Hacienda Los Reyes, a residential neighborhood in La Guácima, Alajuela, Costa Rica. It is just a few minutes from the capital, San José, and not far from the Juan Santamaría International Airport. The center is within the Ciudad-Hacienda Los Reyes area, offering access to nature with sports and recreational facilities and private security.

Stages
Pre-school; Primary; Secondary

Type
Private, day

Additional learning support
Orientation and attention to diversity

Country affiliation
Spain (Gredos San Diego cooperative)
Diving Deeper

Uniform Requirement
The school has a uniform; it makes students easily identifiable and avoids differentiating brands or status symbols to prevent discrimination.

Food Options
The school has in-house cooks and kitchens; a chef is part of the management team and local and international foods are offered; menus can be tailored to allergies or food intolerances.

Governance and Ownership
GSD International School Costa Rica is part of GSD Cooperativa (Gredos San Diego Sociedad Cooperativa Madrileña); teachers, administration and service staff are members of the cooperative.
Fees
Application fees

- No publicly published application or admission fee amount for GSD International School Costa Rica for the 2026/27 or 2025/26 academic years could be located in the school's public materials.

Tuition fees by school year (per term / per year group)

- No publicly available, grade-by-grade tuition schedule (per term or per year) for the 2026/27 or 2025/26 academic years was found for GSD International School Costa Rica. There are no posted tables of tuition broken down by year group for those academic years in the school's public pages or admissions form.

- Note on network practice (example from GSD group material used elsewhere): GSD group schools publish annual fee components in other jurisdictions that commonly include an annual reservation/registration payment, an annual tuition amount paid either as a full annual charge or split into a fixed number of monthly installments (examples show 9 monthly installments plus a reservation payment), and separate small annual charges for services such as health/insurance and digital services. These published group examples are for GSD schools in other countries and describe policies (reservation paid at enrolment, option to pay in installments, pro rata treatment for mid-term joiners) rather than Costa Rica-specific price levels. Use of these group examples is for procedural context only; no Costa Rica-specific tuition numbers were found.

Billing schedule and payment terms

- No Costa Rica–specific billing schedule or payment-terms document (dates, due dates, term/semester billing, late-payment penalties) was publicly posted for 2026/27 or 2025/26.

- Representative GSD group billing practices (from published GSD group materials) note: the place reservation is paid at enrollment and is non-refundable if the family later renounces the place; annual tuition is normally charged for the full course and the group offers the possibility to fraction payments across a fixed number of monthly instalments; students who join after the start of the course are ordinarily charged pro rata or required to pay the full course depending on timing; returned payment fees and administrative costs may be charged. These points describe the group's standard policy approach as published for other GSD centres.

Boarding fees (if applicable)

- GSD International School Costa Rica does not list boarding as a program on the publicly available school pages and there are no published boarding fees for the Costa Rica campus. The school presentation and program links describe Pre-school, Primary and Secondary education without boarding provisions.

Other costs or fees (uniform, materials, transport, meals, extracurriculars)

- A school uniform requirement is indicated as part of the educational offer, but no published uniform price list or expected uniform cost for Costa Rica was found.

- No Costa Rica–specific published amounts were found for school meals (canteen), transport, extracurricular activity fees, or learning materials for 2026/27 or 2025/26.

- For context, GSD group published materials for other countries show separate annual charges for services such as a health/insurance fee and a digital-service fee and also detail menu/meal and transport monthly charges; those items illustrate how fees can be itemised within the GSD network but do not provide Costa Rica price points.

Refund information

- No Costa Rica–specific refund policy or precise refund amounts for 2026/27 or 2025/26 were published in publicly available school materials.

- Representative GSD group policy language (published for other GSD centres) states that the reservation/seat-holding payment is non-refundable on renunciation, and that payments already made are generally not returned in normal circumstances; the group documents also describe pro rata credits for complete and unbroken weeks in specific mid-semester withdrawal scenarios. These are network-level policy practices as published for other campuses.

Fee payment options (credit card / bank transfer / other)

- No Costa Rica–specific payment-method list (e.g., which credit cards are accepted, ability to pay by bank transfer, local POS, or online portal) was published in the school's public materials for 2026/27 or 2025/26. The school's admissions form includes a contact email for administrative correspondence.

Brief summary of searches and availability of information

- I searched the school's public pages and the school's admissions/pre‑registration form but could not locate a Costa Rica campus fee schedule, tuition-by-grade table, published application fee, published uniform or meal prices, boarding fees, explicit refund rules, or a published list of accepted payment methods for the 2026/27 or 2025/26 academic years. The GSD network publishes detailed fee-and-policy documents for other GSD schools that outline common policy elements (reservation payment, installments, non-refundable clauses, annual service charges), but those documents do not contain Costa Rica price levels.

- For contact and confirmation, the school's Costa Rica pages and admissions form provide institutional contact details that families typically use to request an official, Costa Rica–specific fee schedule and invoice terms. Third‑party school directories also list the campus contact numbers.
Academics

GSD International School Costa Rica teaches IB (DP) for students aged 1 to 18.

Curriculum
GSD International School Costa Rica offers Pre-school, Primary, and Secondary education within its Educational Project. It is authorized to offer the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB DP) and has joined the IB World. The Diploma Programme spans two academic years in which students take six courses, one from each of the six IB subject groups, and complete three core components: Theory of Knowledge, Creativity, Activity and Service (CAS), and the Extended Essay. The DP subject groups offered are Language and Literature (Literature), Language Acquisition (English B), Individuals and Societies (Business Management), Sciences (Chemistry), Mathematics (Mathematics: Applications and Interpretation), and Arts (Music); the proposed educational offering may be subject to modifications. The school emphasizes the use of technology in learning and aims to foster international-minded inquiry within its curriculum. Countries and universities recognize the IB, and the Diploma Programme is designed to prepare students for higher education.

Higher Education Progression
The Diploma Programme enhances opportunities for higher education and provides direct access to a growing number of international universities. It develops independent, confident learners and encourages cross-subject connections while strengthening time-management and research skills. IB recognition by universities worldwide supports graduates' progression to higher education.
Wellbeing

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)
The Center is established with a commitment to addressing diversity, offering solutions to the therapeutic needs of each child to promote their physical, emotional, and cognitive well-being. It is a multidisciplinary center specialized in pedagogical, educational, and therapeutic intervention. Together with the interdisciplinary team, the school focuses on enhancing socio-emotional, cognitive, communicative, and physical abilities, providing comprehensive and personalized support at every stage of development and offering the necessary help to face challenges and develop potential. The approach prioritizes the well-being of the child and their family, ensuring continuous and tailored accompaniment. This framework emphasizes collaboration with families and ongoing assessment to tailor interventions to each child.

Special Educational Needs (SEN)
We serve children with neurodevelopmental disorders; emotional and social difficulties; language, attention, learning, and behavioral difficulties; and those who need support to overcome academic challenges. We provide support at each stage through specialized programs in prevention, stimulation, and rehabilitation that cover cognitive, socio-emotional, language, and sensorimotor development. These programs involve the child and their family and social environment, ensuring a comprehensive and personalized approach.

Mental Wellbeing
Wellbeing is a central focus, with an emphasis on psycho-emotional well-being through individualized assessment of each child's needs to achieve holistic development. The Therapeutic Center supports socio-emotional development and emotional management, with a multidisciplinary team including psychology, language therapy, psycho-pedagogy, and occupational therapy addressing mental and developmental aspects. The aim is to foster personal growth and resilience within a supportive, integrated framework.

Safeguarding
The Health Plan promotes a secure environment and is coordinated by the Health Department in collaboration with the Counseling Department, division heads, and teachers to ensure health and safety. The plan includes care for unforeseen health issues during the school day, care on request for minor health issues, and support for students with chronic conditions requiring follow-up. It provides health education and prevention actions, including meetings with students, classroom interventions, health tips for families, and action protocols for emergencies with staff training on emergencies and health needs such as allergies, intolerances, and special nutritional requirements. Continuous health management and updating of medical information for students are ensured.
Parent Experience

History
GSD International School Costa Rica opened its doors in February 2018 as part of GSD's international expansion. Gredos San Diego was founded in 1985 by 18 founding partners who formed GSD Cooperativa after the owner retired. GSD Cooperativa currently manages eight schools in the Madrid area, reflecting a liberal and modern approach to education. The Costa Rica campus joined the global GSD network, offering experiences shared with sister schools worldwide and positioning itself as a center with a global mentality.

Community
An engaged GSD ISCR community hosts regular events and cultural activities for families and students. Open Houses invite families to learn about the educational project; the 2022 Open House featured workshops, talent shows, and guided tours for more than 90 visiting families. The community participates in health, cultural, and commemorative events, including Health Week in 2023 and the Santa Rosa battle commemoration in 2023. The school also conducts social responsibility activities, such as donating 90 diaries to needy families in La Guácima and Alajuelita in 2020.
Facilities

Facilities Overview
Facilities were built in 2017 and span 30,000 m2. They include classrooms and technology-equipped science laboratories, computing and robotics laboratories, and a heated, covered swimming pool. The campus features an 11-a-side artificial grass football pitch, a covered sports center, an auditorium, and green spaces. These spaces support both academic learning and extracurricular activities.

Sports Facilities
Sports facilities include a heated and covered pool, an 11-a-side artificial grass football pitch, and a covered sports center. The complex also encompasses an auditorium and surrounding green areas that support athletic programs. The facilities are designed to support physical education, competitive sports, and related activities.

Academic Facilities
Academic facilities include technology-equipped science laboratories, computing laboratories, and robotics laboratories. These spaces support science, technology, engineering, and mathematics learning across the curriculum. The campus layout integrates classrooms with specialized labs to enable hands-on learning.

Extra Curricular Facilities
All activities are programmed to educate in values and foster students' interest in healthy and creative activities, helping develop their physical, intellectual, and artistic talents. The Extracurricular Activities include GSD Sports, GSD Music and Dance, and GSD Culture. GSD Sports fosters sporting activities through the GSD Sports Club, emphasizing companionship, solidarity, cooperation, effort, responsibility, respect, and tolerance. GSD Music and Dance offers a wide variety of musical activities, and GSD Culture supports cultural training to develop skills and stimulate creativity.
Extra-Curricular Activities

Academic & Intellectual
GSD International School Costa Rica offers the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (DP) and is authorized to participate in the IB World. The DP is designed for students aged 16 to 19 who seek breadth and depth in knowledge and preparation for higher education. The programme spans two academic years and requires six subjects, one from each knowledge area, and is built around three core components: Theory of Knowledge, CAS (Creativity, Activity and Service), and the Extended Essay. The educational offering may be subject to modifications; for inquiries contact ib.costarica@gsdeducacion.com or +506-2201-94-67.

Arts & Creative
GSD Music and Dance offers a wide variety of musical activities and places strong emphasis on music training for children and adults alike. GSD Culture supports cultural training and creativity through the Cultural Association, enabling students to develop their artistic skills. Students also participate in performances and creative events as part of the school's arts program.

Cultural & Language
The Mandarin Chinese language and culture immersion program operates with Greentown Yuhua School Hangzhou and Keystone Academy Beijing. From pre-school (age 3) to 9th grade, students take classes included in the curriculum. The program emphasizes language acquisition through class work and cultural activities, immersion in Chinese culture through language and trips, and preparation to communicate effectively in professional and international settings.

Social & Hobbies
All activities are programmed to educate in values and foster interest in healthy and creative activities that develop students' physical, intellectual, and artistic talents. GSD Sports fosters sporting activities up to competition level and promotes companionship, solidarity, cooperation, effort, responsibility, respect, and tolerance. GSD Music and Dance and GSD Culture contribute to students' social and cultural development.

Community & Service
GSD Cooperative Learning underpins the school's project model, ensuring superb academic performance and students' integration into society. The pedagogical principles include integral and inclusive education, learning through living, critical thinking, democratic and cooperative education, emotional education, intercultural and multilingual education, co-education, teaching ecology and social responsibility, creativity and divergent thinking, and healthy lifestyle education. The school also emphasizes teaching ecology and social responsibility.

Leadership & Professional
The school provides leadership development through student debate and Model United Nations experiences. The Debate and Speech Club has participated in Model United Nations conferences, giving students opportunities to develop leadership, public speaking, and teamwork skills. These experiences help students grow in leadership and professional communication.

Lifestyle & Wellbeing
GSD Sports fosters sporting activities and physical well-being with values such as companionship, solidarity, cooperation, effort, responsibility, respect, and tolerance. The educational project includes Healthy Nutrition, and Health Week campaigns promote healthy practices among students and staff. The school emphasizes a healthy lifestyle as part of its educational approach.
Languages

Language Provision
The school teaches Mandarin Chinese through its immersion program (from pre-school age 3 to the 9th grade).

Immersion Programs
The school has a Mandarin Chinese language and culture immersion program carried out at Greentown Yuhua School Hangzhou and Keystone Academy Beijing. Starting in pre-school (age 3) to the 9th grade, students take classes included in the curriculum. The learning process is based on a three-pronged perspective: acquire the language in class and through cultural activities; immersion in Chinese culture through the language and cultural trips; and students are prepared to communicate effectively in professional and other international settings.
Admissions

Admissions
1. The admission and enrollment process remains open throughout the year, making possible the incorporation of new students as long as there are places available in the grade requested. 2. The admissions department has incorporated technological tools to carry out the entire process virtually. 3. Distance is not an impediment to joining GSD International School Costa Rica; the school is committed to develop integral citizens with open minds to face the global reality. 4. Start living the GSD EXPERIENCE through the Admission Process.
School Events
The school has not added events
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