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Liceo de Cariari

Costa Rica, Cariari

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The school at a glance
Fees Fees not listed
Ages Not listed
Opened 1992
Bus Service No
Academic offering
Curriculum IB (DP)
Taught languages Spanish, English, French
Strengths Academic Enrichment, Languages, Service and Sustainability
Clubs Academic and Intellectual, Arts and Creative, Community and Service
Stages Middle School, Senior Secondary School
Introduction

Located in Costa Rica, Liceo de Cariari is an IB World School that offers the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (DP) within a rigorous, inquiry-based curriculum. The school supports student development through dedicated learning spaces, including the Omar Dengo Foundation Laboratory and the Educational Innovation Laboratory, alongside a Library as a Learning Resources Center called BiblioCRA. These facilities enable research, collaboration, and independent inquiry across disciplines. In the arts, the Once Upon a Time program provides creative engagement, while cultural and language development is supported by Conversational English Workshops in III Cycle. The school also runs several community and service initiatives, such as the High-Opportunity Schools Project, Equalizing Opportunities Program, and the National Plan Program, reflecting a commitment to inclusive education. Leadership and professional development are fostered through the Con Vos and Yo me apunto programs, and student wellbeing is supported by the Ponele a la Vida program for every student.

The Essentials

Location
The Liceo de Cariari is located in the canton of Pococí, in Limón Province, Costa Rica, about 80 km from the capital, San José.

Stages
Middle and high school (grades 7 through 11) with the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme.

Country affiliation
Costa Rica

School day structure
Monday through Friday, from 7:00 a.m. to 4:25 p.m.

Bus service
Student transportation (Transporte Estudiantil) is offered; a transportation form is required to request the benefit, indicating the route and mode of transport (contracted bus/minibus, public transport, formal taxi, or ferry).
Diving Deeper

Uniform Requirement
Permission for incomplete use of the uniform: The student submits the written permission request in the 'Permiso para el Uso Incompleto de Uniforme' section of the Communications Notebook with the signature of a parent or guardian. During hours Monday to Friday 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Food Options
The school has two kiosks and two cafeterias that provide meals during the school day.

Governance and Ownership
The school offers the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme and is an IB World School.
Fees
Application fees

- There is no application or enrollment fee required for standard public education at Liceo de Cariari. Public secondary education in Costa Rica is provided without tuition or mandatory enrollment charges.

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

- There is no tuition charged for attendance in regular grades at Liceo de Cariari for the academic year 2026/27 (or 2025/26). No per-term or per-year tuition schedule applies to standard public education at this institution.
- If a student participates in internationally graded programmes that carry external examination fees (for example the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme), those specific exam or registration fees are billed separately from regular school attendance and are charged according to the International Baccalaureate Organization's (IB) fee schedule. Such exam/registration fees are not the same as annual tuition and are charged per candidate and per examination/session. Exact IB exam charges vary by year and by subject.

Billing schedule and payment terms

- For standard attendance at this public school there is no recurring tuition billing schedule because tuition is not charged.
- For any chargeable items that may apply (for example IB examination fees, optional extracurricular program fees, materials for special courses, or voluntary services), billing frequency and due dates are set and communicated by the school's administration for each item; payment deadlines, late-payment penalties (if any), and installment options depend on the specific fee being billed. IB examination fees, when applicable, are invoiced separately and follow the IB/center payment arrangements.

Boarding fees (if applicable)

- Liceo de Cariari is operated as a public day school and no boarding (internado) programme or associated boarding fees are indicated in public listings for the institution. Therefore no boarding fees apply.

Other costs or fees (uniforms, supplies, transport, extracurriculars, exams)

- Uniforms and school clothing: families commonly meet costs for uniforms and clothing items, but public-education regulations prohibit conditioning admission on the purchase of specific items; the purchase of uniforms is a family expense when uniforms are used, not a mandatory school-imposed tuition charge. Expect an out‑of‑pocket cost for any required uniform pieces if the school implements a uniform policy.
- School supplies and textbooks: families are typically responsible for supplies, personal learning materials and any textbooks not supplied by state distribution programs. These are one‑time or periodic out‑of‑pocket costs per student.
- Local transport: eligible secondary students may benefit from student transport arrangements (including statutory student passes) depending on program and residence; families should expect potential costs for private transport or non‑subsidized options where free public student transport does not cover a route.
- Extracurricular activities, field trips and optional courses: fees for optional clubs, sports, workshops, materials for special electives or off‑site trips may be charged separately by the school or by third‑party vendors; these are not regular tuition items and are billed per activity.
- International exam/assessment fees (where applicable): students registered for IB external examinations are subject to IB/centre fees (per candidate and per subject), and these fees are billed separately from routine school costs. Payment arrangements and the currency for IB fees are set by the IB and by the administering centre.

Refund information

- For regular public attendance there are no tuition payments to refund because tuition is not charged. For any specific paid items (for example IB exam registration, extracurricular program fees or deposits for optional services), refund eligibility and conditions are determined by the policy attached to that specific fee (school or external provider policy) and by the rules of the external organization (for example the IB organization's exam refund/withdrawal terms). Refund timing, method and any administrative deductions depend on the specific charge and its stated refund policy.

Fee payment options

- Because routine tuition is not applicable, routine school payments are uncommon. When payments are required (IB exam fees, paid extracurriculars, materials, or optional services), typical payment methods include bank transfer and other methods accepted by the school or by the external provider; international exam fees are commonly handled by bank transfer or institutional invoicing in the currency specified by the external examiner (for example the IB). Accepted local payment methods for optional school charges (cash, bank deposit/transfer, or card) are determined by the school administration for each billed item.

Summary of findings and limitations

- Liceo de Cariari is a public secondary school participating in the International Baccalaureate framework; as a public institution in Costa Rica it offers education without tuition for standard enrolled students. No publicly posted, itemized fee schedule (application, per‑grade tuition, term billing amounts or boarding rates) was found in available public listings for this institution; therefore there are no tuition amounts, per‑term fees or boarding fees to report for 2026/27 (or 2025/26). For chargeable items that do occur in practice—most notably IB external examination fees, optional extracurricular fees, uniforms and materials—billing, amounts and payment instructions are issued on a case‑by‑case basis by the school or by the external provider.
Academics

Liceo de Cariari teaches IB (DP).

Curriculum
The school is an IB World School.
Wellbeing

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)
The Con Vos program aims to reduce violence in schools and create spaces that support student success. The project will support 100 primary and secondary centers to lead prevention and response to violence in all its forms, with targeted actions tailored to each center's reality. The goal is to provide tools so schools become more supportive, respectful, inclusive, and responsive to student needs and diversity, promoting human rights, equal opportunities, and peaceful coexistence. Teachers, administrative staff, students, and families will work together to establish a student life committee, develop a participatory diagnosis of each center's reality, form a team to promote prevention and response to violence, incorporate preventive and responsive actions into the institutional plan, and document best practices. Centers will receive capacity-building to develop self-management and institutional development, identify needs, transform environments, promote participatory work, and maintain spaces of wellbeing free from discrimination with equal opportunities. The project is coordinated by the Ministry of Public Education's Directorate of Student Life and involves other directorates to support schools in close collaboration.

English as an Additional Language (EAL)
Conversational English workshops have been offered in the third cycle since 2011. The school runs English language programs through these workshops. Printed self-study guides for Conversational English are provided for seventh through eighth grade levels, with activities and instructions to practice speaking and comprehension. The self-study guides include tasks that reinforce conversational English and language skills. Additional English language resources support ongoing language development. Conversational English workshops and related self-study materials form part of the school's English language provision.

Mental Wellbeing
The Con Vos program creates spaces that support student wellbeing and academic success. The initiative emphasizes inclusive environments that respect human rights and non-discrimination. Student life committees and participatory diagnostics are used to tailor wellbeing and anti-violence measures. The orientation service provides individualized attention and family support to address risks that can affect mental wellbeing. Office hours and access to support vary by grade to ensure appropriate availability. The program is coordinated by the Ministry of Public Education's Directorate of Student Life, with collaboration from other directorates to promote wellbeing across schools.

Safeguarding
Orientation provides individualized attention, family support, and changes of section. If a student, parent, or guardian requires help for risk-related concerns such as pregnancy, drugs, dropout, or violence, they can attend in person to clarify inquiries or call to schedule an appointment. Confidential information is not shared by phone. Office hours vary by the student's level. The safeguarding and risk-support services cover seventh through eleventh grades and are designed to address those needs.
Extra-Curricular Activities

Academic & Intellectual
The Omar Dengo Foundation Laboratory has been offered since 1998. The Educational Innovation Laboratory has been offered since 2005. The International Baccalaureate Diploma has been offered since 2013. The Library as a Learning Resources Center, BiblioCRA, has been offered since 2013.

Arts & Creative
The Once Upon a Time program has been offered since 2016.

Cultural & Language
Conversational English Workshops in III Cycle have been offered since 2011.

Community & Service
The High-Opportunity Schools Project has been offered since 2015. The Equalizing Opportunities Program has been offered since 2016. The National Plan Program has been offered since 2016.

Leadership & Professional
The Con Vos Program has been offered since 2015. The Yo me apunto Program has been offered since 2015.

Lifestyle & Wellbeing
The Ponele a la Vida Program has been offered since 2014.
Admissions

Admissions
Enrollment for the 2021 academic year is conducted as a three-step process.

Step 1: Download and scan documents. Enrollment Commitment Agreement: download the file, print it, fill it with your information, then scan it and attach it to the form in Step 2. Photocopies of identifications: before filling out the form in Step 2, scan or photograph both sides of the student's and the parent/guardian's identification documents so they are legible.
Descriptive Achievement Report: required only for incoming seventh-grade students in 2021 and for students transferring from another secondary school; attach the file to the form in Step 2.

Step 2: Fill out the enrollment form at the provided link.
Note 1: If all you want to do is enroll, this is sufficient.
Note 2: A WhatsApp message will be sent to the phone number provided in the form to notify you of the enrollment status.

Step 3 (optional): If desired, you can download the following forms.
Scholarship forms: Cafeteria form 2021; Transportation form 2021.
Along with the Transportation Form, the following documents must be submitted:
• Copy of the parent/guardian's identification document
• Copy of the student's identification document
• A passport-size photograph of the student

The submission dates for these forms are from Monday 8 to Monday 22 February, from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
School Events
The school has not added events
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