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Lycée Franco-Costaricien

Costa Rica, San Jose

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The school at a glance
Instructs in French, Spanish
Fees Fees not listed
Ages 2 - 18 years
Pupil numbers 1000
Type Co-educational
Opened 1967
Bus Service No
Academic offering
Curriculum French Curriculum, Bespoke Curriculum
Taught languages French, Spanish, English
Typical class size 23
Strengths Languages, Performing Arts, STEM
Clubs Arts and Creative, Cultural and Language, Social and Hobbies
Stages Early Years, Primary School, Secondary School, Senior Secondary School
Introduction

Located in Tres Ríos near San José, Lycée Franco-Costaricien is a bilingual French international school for ages 2 to 18. It is homologated by the French Ministry of National Education and AEFE and is managed in tripartite collaboration with the Costa Rican Ministry of Public Education (MEP) and the AFCE. The school offers a cross-border curriculum that combines the French national program with the Costa Rican system, from Maternelle to Terminale, and enables a double diploma: the Costa Rican baccalaureate and the French baccalaureate. Diplomas include the Diplôme National du Brevet (DBND), the Baccalauréat, Costa Rican diplomas, and DELF–DALF. The Terminale year includes a 20‑minute oral exam and orientation toward higher education with personalized guidance via Parcoursup France. The American Section strengthens English and US history and literature and supports the International French Baccalaureate (BFI). The campus offers on-site dining (Grill & Fresh), lodging with host families, and door-to-door transport across 25 routes. Two libraries—the BCD for primary and the CDI for secondary—support reading and research, with project-based learning across sciences, arts, music and the environment.

De la casa de Pepe Figueres, 5, Ruta Nacional Franco-Costarricense km Noreste, Provincia de Cartago, Concepción, Costa Rica

The Essentials

Lycée Franco-Costaricien has 1,000 pupils, typical class sizes of 23, instruction in French, Spanish.

Location
Tres Redos, Costa Rica, on the road to Concepcif3n. The address is described as from the house of Jose9 Figueres, 5 km northeast, on the road to Concepcif3n de Tres Redos.

Stages
Maternelle (preschool) from TPS to GS; Élémentaire (elementary); Colle8ge (middle school) with the American Section and the Sports Section; Lyce9e (high school) including La Terminale.

Type
French international school, homologated by the French Ministry of Education and conventioned with AEFE; offers a double diploma: the Costa Rican baccalaureate and the French baccalaureate.

Country affiliation
France

Bus service
Bus service is provided by Transportistas Independientes Franco F.C.S. SA. It runs 25 routes to San Jose9, Heredia, and Cartago. All vehicles have a student transport permit from MOPT, INS insurance, and RTV license, and are equipped with seat belts. Door-to-door service is available, with an assistant accompanying students; kindergarten students are taken to their classrooms. The providers office is opposite the schools main entrance. A contract is signed directly between each family and the provider; the school does not set tariff policy. A Transport Committee handles transport-related feedback.
Diving Deeper

Uniform Requirement
Uniform policy: It is mandatory to wear the complete uniform and maintain a neat appearance for all activities (Article 18). Pre-school students wear color-coded gabachas (aprons): yellow for TPS, red for PS, blue for MS, and green for GS, each bearing the school crest and the child's name. Primary: gray polo shirt with the crest; blue pants or equivalent (shorts or long pants with skirts or leggings allowed in blue); socks in black/gray/blue; closed-toe shoes in black/blue/white/gray; the official sweater becomes mandatory from the 2026 school year, with 2025 as a transition year allowing a blue/dark gray sweater. Secondary: white polo shirt with crest; long pants in black (blue or black allowed in 2025 transition; by 2026 only black); socks in black; closed-toe shoes in black/blue/white/gray; the official sweater becomes mandatory from 2026 (2025 a transition year). The official PE uniform must be purchased at the school bookstore and includes the official T-shirt and shorts; substitutions with blue or black sweatpants are allowed for the bottom piece per Annex 7. Article 26 states the uniform is not mandatory, allowing clothing that is appropriate, though the school may deny entry for inappropriate attire; the 2026 sweater requirement remains in force.

Food Options
Grill & Fresh is the school's meal provider. The school uses a virtual wallet called G&F Pay to load funds for meals, and payments are handled exclusively through the wallet (with a cash or physical card option available via a linked card). The wallet enables online recharges and real-time monitoring of purchases. The daily menu is available in the dining hall and via a WhatsApp line; SINPE Móvil payments were discontinued as of August 30, 2025.

Governance and Ownership
Managed in tripartite fashion by the French Ministry of Education and AEFE, the Costa Rican Ministry of Public Education (MEP), and the AFCE (Association Franco-Costarricense de Enseñanza). The Liceo Franco-Costaricense offers a double diploma: the Costa Rican Bachillerato and the French Baccalaureate.
Fees
Application / registration fees
- Cuota inicial (pago único anual por matrícula): CRC 292,000.00.
- Cuota de gastos anuales (pago único anual): CRC 11,000.00.
- Cuota materiales especiales (aplicable a Preescolar): CRC 65,500.00 (único).

Tuition fees by year group (amounts shown as per the 2026 aranceles)
- Preescolar (desglose):
- Cuota inicial (única): CRC 292,000.00.
- Cuota gastos anuales (única): CRC 11,000.00.
- Cuota materiales especiales (única): CRC 65,500.00.
- Total cargos de matrícula (único): CRC 368,500.00.
- Primaria (desglose):
- Cuota inicial (única): CRC 292,000.00.
- Cuota gastos anuales (única): CRC 11,000.00.
- Total cargos de matrícula (único): CRC 303,000.00.
- Secundaria (desglose):
- Cuota inicial (única): CRC 292,000.00.
- Cuota gastos anuales (única): CRC 11,000.00.
- Total cargos de matrícula (único): CRC 303,000.00.

Tuition recurring amount and annual totals
- Cuota mensual general (todos los niveles): CRC 302,500.00 por mes.
- Estructura de facturación estándar: diez (10) cuotas mensuales iguales por ciclo lectivo (febrero a noviembre). El pago mensual estándar total anual corresponde a CRC 3,025,000.00 (10 cuotas de CRC 302,500.00).

Descuentos y opciones de pago anual
- Descuentos por familia (hermanos concurrentes): segundo hijo 5%; tercer hijo 10%; cuarto hijo en adelante 15% sobre la cuota mensual. Ejemplos de cuotas mensuales con descuento y totales anuales constan en la tabla arancelaria.
- Descuento por pago anual adelantado: 3% sobre la anualidad (aplicable al monto equivalente a las 10 cuotas pagadas simultáneamente). El periodo para la cancelación de la anualidad con descuento vence el 28 de febrero (fecha indicada para 2026 en el arancel).

Billing schedule and payment terms
- Periodicidad de facturación: diez (10) cuotas mensuales (febrero a noviembre). Fecha límite de pago mensual sin recargo: día 10 de cada mes.
- Multas por mora: recargo del 3.5% mensual sobre el saldo adeudado en caso de demoras.
- Pagaré: la formalización de la matrícula incluye la firma de un pagaré que cubre el monto total de las mensualidades (de febrero a noviembre) para el curso siguiente.
- Recargo por pago de la cuota inicial fuera del período oficial de matrícula: recargo del 20% sobre el valor original de la cuota inicial si se efectúa posteriormente al período oficial; no aplica a nuevas inscripciones.

Payment methods (aceptados por la institución)
- Medios bancarios: depósitos bancarios, transferencias electrónicas, cheques del sistema bancario nacional emitidos a nombre de la Asociación Franco Costarricense de Enseñanza, y rebajos automáticos desde cuentas autorizadas.
- Tarjetas: transacciones con VISA, MASTERCARD y AMERICAN EXPRESS están aceptadas.
- Efectivo: no se realizan transacciones en efectivo dentro de la institución.
- Confirmación de pago: para depósitos o transferencias es necesario enviar comprobante al fax/WhatsApp o a las direcciones de correo indicadas por caja/gestión de cobros.
- Comedor escolar: el servicio de comedor opera con un monedero electrónico (recargas en línea) o con tarjeta bancaria; SINPE Móvil dejó de usarse como método de pago desde el 30 de agosto de 2025. Los pagos de comidas se realizan exclusivamente mediante ese monedero o tarjeta.

Boarding / hospedaje (si aplica)
- El Liceo facilita información sobre soluciones de alojamiento tipo “pensión” ofrecidas por familias externas, pero no gestiona internamente un internado con tarifa administrada por la escuela. Las condiciones y costes del hospedaje se acuerdan directamente entre la familia proveedora y la familia del estudiante; la institución no aplica una tarifa fija de internado.

Transporte escolar
- El servicio de transporte escolar es proporcionado por una empresa/proveedor independiente y se contrata directamente entre la familia y el proveedor; la institución no aplica la política arancelaria del proveedor ni fija las tarifas de transporte.

Otros costes y cargos adicionales
- Seguro estudiantil: a partir del período indicado en los documentos informativos, el rubro de póliza estudiantil ya no se cobrará de forma centralizada; cada familia debe adquirir la póliza a través del enlace autorizado indicado por la institución.
- Útiles, libros y uniformes: la compra de útiles y uniformes se realiza mediante la tienda/boutique escolar o por canales autorizados en las fechas dispuestas (compras en línea y entrega presencial según calendario). Los importes varían por nivel y lista de materiales; hay un canal de venta y calendario de retiro indicados en la información de matrícula.
- Comedor: tarifas de menús y consumos se gestionan a través del proveedor del comedor y el sistema de monedero; los pagos individuales de comidas se realizan mediante el monedero o tarjeta.

Refund and prorating policy
- Retiros antes del día 10 del mes en curso: no se cobrará la cuota ordinaria mensual por ese mes si el retiro definitivo se efectúa antes del día 10. Ingresos posteriores al día 10 se cobrarán de forma proporcional respecto a los días restantes del mes.
- No se efectuarán reembolsos de ciertos rubros (por ejemplo, cuotas iniciales, gastos anuales, materiales) en caso de que no se concrete la asistencia del estudiante; casos excepcionales podrán considerarse a criterio de la Gerencia Administrativa para rembolsar total o parcialmente.

Notas operativas sobre pagos
- El calendario comercial para la matrícula y la adquisición de materiales (fechas de apertura del proceso de matrícula, venta de uniformes y retiro de materiales) se publica junto a la circular de matrícula y las instrucciones para usar la plataforma de gestión de matrícula y la tienda en línea. Las familias deben seguir las indicaciones para la adquisición y registro de pagos.
Academics

Lycée Franco-Costaricien teaches French Curriculum, Bespoke Curriculum for students aged 2 to 18.

Curriculum
The school offers education from Maternelle to Terminale, combining the French curriculum with the Costa Rican system. It is managed in tripartite collaboration by the French Ministry of National Education and AEFE, the Costa Rican Ministry of Public Education (MEP), and the AFCE, and it offers a double diploma: the Costa Rican baccalaureate and the French baccalaureate. Diplomas and certifications include the Diplôme National du Brevet (DBND), the Baccalauréat, Costa Rican diplomas, and DELF–DALF. The Terminale year prepares students for the French baccalaureate with new disciplines, a 20-minute oral exam, and a focus on orientation toward higher education, with personalized guidance via the Parcoursup France platform. The American Section strengthens English and deepens knowledge of US history and literature, and enables the International French Baccalaureate (BFI). Orientation and studies in France are provided by school counselors, with opportunities to study in France and abroad.

Exam Results
100% of students passed the Baccalaureate.

Higher Education Progression
AEFE network graduates go on to top universities and grandes écoles around the world, including Harvard, MIT, Stanford; Oxford, Cambridge, and the London School of Economics; HEC, Sciences Po, Sorbonne Université, Polytechnique; ETH Zurich; McGill and the University of Toronto.
Wellbeing

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)
Diversity and discrimination: a reflection with our students.

English as an Additional Language (EAL)
The school has an American Section.

Mental Wellbeing
Psychology service is available under the health services; on-site nursing and a school doctor are available.

Safeguarding
The school has internal regulations and a student policy.
Parent Experience

History
The Lycée Franco-Costaricien's history dates back to 1967, when Costa Rica and France signed a cultural cooperation agreement, sealed by an exchange of notes during the presidencies of José Joaquín Trejos Fernández and General Charles de Gaulle. In 1969, the Franco-Costa Rican Association for Education (AFCE) was founded to manage the school, and the Lycée moved to a building nicknamed the House of the Lions on Paseo Colón in San José, where it remained for about a decade; the primary school opened that year, and the first graduates, 33 in number, left the Lycée in 1972. To accommodate growth, in 1977 the Lycée moved to its current address in Tres Ríos, inaugurated by President Daniel Oduber Quirós. In 2008, despite questions about the institution's statutes, dialogue and mutual understanding renewed the cooperation agreement between France and Costa Rica, allowing the Lycée to continue its pedagogical mission. In 2018, Franco celebrated its 50th anniversary, and in 2023 Costa Rican deputies proposed UNESCO World Cultural Heritage status for the school.

Community
Life at the Lycée Franco-Costaricien centers on a vibrant school community with activities across levels. The life of the school includes The Webradio del Franco, the clubs of the Franco, and intercambios escolares y clases verdes (school exchanges and environmental/green classes). The community hosts cultural and patriotic events, such as Fiestas patrias 2025. Intercambios and international experiences are a core part of student life, supported by clubs, exchanges, and creative projects through the school's programs.

Parent Teacher Association (PTA)
The Franco-Costarricense Association for Education (AFCE) is a nonprofit created in 1967 and declared of public utility, governed by private law and its own statutes. It manages the Lycée Franco-Costaricien's financial and material resources and provides the majority of the institution's funding. Six parents are elected to the Board of Directors every two years at the General Assembly. A fiscal, a single-person supervisory body, is elected by the General Assembly from among its members and oversees the association's work; the parents who are members of the Governing Committee serve ad honorem. Representatives of the governments of France and Costa Rica participate in AFCE's governance, with voice and vote; the representative of the Minister of Public Education sits on the AFCE's Board, and the Counselor for Cooperation and Cultural Action in Central America represents the French government.
Facilities

Facilities Overview
The Liceo Franco-Costaricense provides on-site dining, lodging, and transportation services, along with dedicated learning resources. Grill & Fresh runs the school dining service, with a virtual wallet called G&F Pay used to pay for meals. The school offers lodging via host families and a drops-off option for faster morning arrivals. The school's transportation is provided by Transportistas Independientes Franco F.C.S. SA, offering door-to-door service across 25 routes to San José, Heredia, and Cartago, with a transport assistant for younger students. The Liceo maintains two libraries: a Library and Documentation Center (BCD) for primary and a Center of Documentation and Information (CDI) for secondary, supporting reading, research, and information literacy.

Academic Facilities
The Liceo Franco-Costaricien offers a bilingual curriculum combining the French national program with the Costa Rican educational system, providing a comprehensive education recognized in both countries and internationally. The pedagogy is project-based, with interdisciplinary projects across sciences, arts, music, and the environment to foster creativity, critical thinking, cooperation, and language learning. The Liceo operates two libraries: the Library and Documentation Center (BCD) for primary and the Center of Documentation and Information (CDI) for secondary. The CDI provides a wide range of documentary and digital resources to support research and projects, supervised by a teacher-librarian; the BCD offers a broad selection of age-appropriate books and activities to cultivate reading and inquiry.

Extra Curricular Facilities
The Franco-Costaricense offers a variety of after-school clubs from TPS to Première, including sports, artistic workshops, theatre, robotics, chess, and music. Primary students participate in clubs spanning sports, arts, theatre, robotics, chess, and music; these activities occur after school and support talent development and socialization in a playful yet educational setting. Clubs include football, art, theatre, and chess, among others, promoting personal development and teamwork outside regular class time. These after-school activities complement the bilingual curriculum and encourage student leadership and curiosity.
Extra-Curricular Activities

Academic & Intellectual
Franco-Costaricien is homologated by the French Ministry of National Education and AEFE. The program combines French and Costa Rican curricula from maternelle through terminale. It offers a double diploma—the Costa Rican baccalauréat and the French baccalauréat—opening access to universities in France and around the world. The school emphasizes citizenship and a diversified, multilingual education, with high exam results and pathways to prestigious universities.

Arts & Creative
The Franco clubs include art and theatre (alongside football and chess). Students from TPS to Première participate in after-school activities to explore new passions and develop talents. Clubs are led by specialists and enthusiasts who foster teamwork, creativity and perseverance, and they culminate in an annual Club Festival. These activities form a playful, enriching part of school life, supporting personal growth.

Cultural & Language
Intercambios escolares y clases descubiertas offer immersive language, cultural and scientific experiences. These programs enable students to discover new environments, broaden horizons and develop communication, independence and adaptability. They foster cultural openness, respect for diversity and the development of a multicultural, multilingual identity as global citizens. For younger students, discovery classes include CP and CM2 trips to Sarapiquí and Fortuna to learn about ecosystems and Costa Rican life.

Social & Hobbies
Football, art, theatre and chess are among the extracurricular activities offered. Each student can find an activity that fits them and work on stimulating projects outside school hours. Participation helps build friendships and social engagement as part of the school experience.

Lifestyle & Wellbeing
Clubs provide a playful, enriching environment that helps students bond with peers. They are an integral part of life at the Liceo and contribute to personal development and a balanced education. Participation supports well-being by combining social, creative and physical activities.
Languages

Language Provision
Languages taught include French (with DELF–DALF certifications) and English (English instruction in the Sección Americana). The Sección Americana enables the French International Baccalaureate (BFI). The school offers the Baccalauréat and related diplomas (DBND, Diplomas costarricenses) as part of its Diploma offerings. Levels include Maternelle (TPS, PS, MS, GS), Primaria, Colegío (Sección Americana), and Liceo (La Terminale).

Bilingual Teaching
The school offers an American Section where English is the language of instruction for collège (grades 6–9). The program reinforces English while deepening knowledge of United States history and literature. Classes are taught in English by highly qualified teachers, and students express themselves fluently in both languages while engaging with French and American cultures. The American Section provides access to the French International Baccalaureate (BFI).

Immersion Programs
English-language instruction in the American Section creates a bilingual learning environment with exposure to both French and American cultures.
Admissions

Admissions
1. Documentos Informativos: The enrollment information package includes the Circular proceso de matrícula, Aranceles 2026, and Reglamento financiero, as well as the school supplies list for 1st grade through January 16, 2026. Access requires a secure personal device; sign in to francoenligne.org or enter the URL directly and log in or create an account under Mi Cuenta. The documents guide the enrollment process and specify the materials and fees for the upcoming year.

2. Proceso de Matrícula: The Gestión de matrícula LFC platform is the official secure medium to include, consult, and update student data. Enrollment for 2026 is available by level according to the calendar from December 2 to December 5, 2026. The process includes obtaining student insurance via the link in the circular; paying the tuition; entering the Enrollment Management module; updating or completing the medical form (activate the insured checkbox and enter the INS policy number), informed consent, rights to voice and image, and a promissory note. Finalize by clicking Crear matrícula; enrollment becomes official after verification, with a notification sent to the registered email within 48–72 hours.

3. Finalización y Confirmación: The enrollment is considered complete once the information is verified and the steps above are completed. The status changes to enrolled and a confirmation email is sent within 48 to 72 hours after finalization. Families should monitor the email on file for the confirmation.

4. Boleta de cargo y pagos: The enrollment portal provides an option to download the automatic billing slip. Tuition and fees for 2026 are described in the circular, and families are expected to complete payments as part of the enrollment process. The Descargar boleta de cargo automatico link makes the billing statement accessible as part of the steps.
School Events
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