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United World College Costa Rica

Costa Rica, San Jose

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The school at a glance
Instructs in English, Spanish
Fees Fees not listed
Ages 13 - 18 years
Pupil numbers 200
Type Co-educational (boarding)
Opened 2006
Bus Service No
Availability Not shared by this school
Academic offering
Curriculum IB (DP)
Taught languages English, Spanish, French
Strengths Languages, Service and Sustainability, Visual and Creative Arts
Clubs Arts and Creative, Cultural and Language, Community and Service
Stages Sixth Form, Secondary School
Introduction

United World College Costa Rica is a two-year residential IB Diploma Programme school for students aged 13 to 18. It delivers the full IB DP in Spanish with a bilingual diploma option (Spanish and English) and emphasizes experiential learning through Experiential Days across Costa Rica. The campus moves from Santa Ana to San Isidro, Heredia, on 40 hectares of nature reserve to support nature-based inquiry. The college operates as a foundation with an Executive Board and a Board of Trustees, and a Board of Directors was established in 2013. The IB DP core includes Theory of Knowledge, the Extended Essay, and Creativity, Activity, and Service across six subject groups. Co-curricular initiatives such as Agents of Change, Thematic Weeks, and CAS Experiences extend learning beyond the classroom. Eight residences host students with wellness support and vegetarian and vegan dining. One-on-one university counseling helps students pursue global destinations, with Davis Foundation scholarships for UWC Costa Rica students at over 100 U.S. universities. Arts opportunities include Music Ensemble, Art, Film Production, and CAS activities.

uwccostarica.org

De la esquina sureste de la Iglesia Católica, 400 mts al norte, San José, Santa Ana, 10901, Costa Rica

Vibes and Culture
The school has not added this information
The Essentials

United World College Costa Rica has 200 pupils, instruction in English, Spanish.

Location
Santa Ana, Costa Rica. Located in the Santa Ana suburb of San José. The campus is listed as located in Santa Ana (soon to be in San Isidro). The campus address is San José, Costa Rica 10901.

Stages
Two-year residential pre-university program for students to achieve the International Baccalaureate (IB).

Type
Two-year residential college offering the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme with on-campus housing.

Pupil Nationality Mix
Around 200 students representing 70+ countries.

Additional learning support
Wellness and Learning Support includes one-on-one and group spaces addressing academic, emotional, and well-being needs; a Student Academic Success System for Youth (SASSY); Student Internal Support; and a dedicated wellness team.

Country affiliation
Costa Rica.

Bus service
The College provides transportation for students to and from the San José airport (SJO) on official arrival dates only; otherwise, students arrange their own transport.
Diving Deeper
The school has not added this information
Fees
Application fees
- No separate college-level application fee is published. The first formal payment required after an offer is the non-refundable reservation deposit described below.

Tuition and boarding (annual and total for the two‑year IB programme)
- Cost of attendance for incoming (first‑year) students: USD 86,000 in total (presented as USD 43,000 per year). This total includes tuition, books, room, food, health insurance, field trips, IB examination fees, and co‑curricular activity fees.

Breakdown by payment instalment (billing schedule and payment terms)
- Reservation / enrolment deposit: a non‑refundable payment equal to 10% of the tuition fee plus 100% of the extra costs (immigration fees and the security deposit) is due within seven days of receiving the Welcome Letter.
- Second instalment: 40% of the total tuition is due within 30 days of receiving the Welcome Letter.
- Final instalment: the remaining 50% of the tuition must be paid by the final deadline provided in the financial contract (the published example deadline for the intake described was June 25). Upload proof of international transfer (ideally the MT103) after each payment.

Boarding fees
- Room and food (boarding) are included in the annual cost stated above (USD 43,000 per year). There is no separately published line item for boarding outside the stated cost of attendance.

Other compulsory fees and one‑time charges
- Security deposit: USD 500 (one‑time). The deposit may be used to cover damage or other discretionary charges; the Financial Office issues a statement at the end of the first year and an invoice for the second year as required. After the second year, USD 70 is deducted for shipping the IB Diploma and results outside Costa Rica using DHL.
- Immigration / visa administrative fees: charged by region and invoiced to the family; range is USD 550–750. Example regional amounts given: USA/Canada/Brazil (non‑Spanish speaking) USD 750; Latin America (Spanish‑speaking) USD 550; Asia/Africa/Europe/Middle East USD 750.
- Activity attendance penalty: unexcused absence from a co‑curricular, residential, or academic activity is charged at USD 30 per activity.
- International bank handling fee: USD 45 per transfer is applied to cover international bank charges. Families are asked to upload the international transfer confirmation (and MT103 if available) to the college's records.

Refund information
- The reservation deposit described above is explicitly non‑refundable. The security deposit is held to cover damages or discretionary charges and is accounted for by the Financial Office; specific refund amounts (if any) are determined after deductions for damages or approved expenses. No separate, detailed tuition‑refund schedule for early withdrawal or partial attendance is published with the payment schedule provided.

Fee payment methods and instructions
- Payment method: international bank transfer is the required method referenced; families must upload a scanned copy of the international transfer document and, if possible, the MT103 transfer confirmation to the college's financial records (financial.department@uwccostarica.org is the contact given for transfer confirmations). An international bank fee of USD 45 is applied per transfer.

Incidental and optional additional costs to budget for
- Immigration/visa fees (USD 550–750, region dependent).
- Personal spending money, travel to/from country, visa‑related expenses, and any optional or externally charged activities or trips beyond standard field trips and co‑curricular offerings (these are not included in the one‑line items above and should be budgeted separately).

Notes on invoicing and year‑to‑year administration
- The Financial Office provides an end‑of‑first‑year statement summarising costs and issues an invoice for the second year as required; families are expected to follow the Financial Terms agreement and the payment schedule in their enrolment contract.
Academics

United World College Costa Rica teaches IB (DP) for students aged 13 to 18.

Curriculum
IB Diploma Programme (DP) curriculum with six subject groups and the DP core (Theory of Knowledge, Creativity, Activity, Service, and the Extended Essay). It is the only UWC College offering the full IBDP in Spanish, with an option to earn a bilingual diploma. The academic model is based on experiential learning, and includes Experiential Days outside the classroom across Costa Rica. The college frames its educational approach as distinctive and globally oriented within the IB framework.

Exam Results
Class of 2023 IB Pass Rate: 79.6% (Worldwide 87.5%). Class of 2023 Bilingual Diplomas: 26.8% (Worldwide 42.8%).

Higher Education Progression
One-on-one university counseling is provided to help students plan for higher education beyond UWC Costa Rica. Staff assist with university applications worldwide and with securing partial and full scholarships. The college collaborates with the Davis Foundation to support UWC graduates at more than 100 universities in the United States.
Wellbeing
The school has not added this information
Parent Experience
The school has not added this information
Facilities
The school has not added this information
Extra-Curricular Activities
The school has not added this information
Languages
The school has not added this information
Reputation
The school has not added this information
Admissions

Admissions
Two routes exist to apply to UWC Costa Rica: Global Selection Programme (GSP) and National Committees (NCs), including the Costa Rica National Committee and other National Committees. GSP is an IB Diploma Programme route with limited places at UWCs; you can apply to UWC Costa Rica or to 15 other UWCs, and you are expected to cover the total tuition cost. Most students are selected through NCs, which provide guidance in the application process and often offer scholarships to applicants; this route is subject to each NC's deadlines, so applicants should check with their NC. Applicants may choose from three options to express their UWC preferences: application to a specific school, up to three schools, or all UWCs. Entry is not guaranteed for either route. Scholarships are not available via GSP, but are available via NCs based on demonstrated need. Can I apply in a language other than English? GSP applications are in English; NC routes can in most cases be in languages other than English. Selected students are expected to meet all academic and co-curricular responsibilities, learn to communicate in both English and Spanish, and embrace diversity while abiding by UWC Costa Rica policies. To start, subscribe to the Admissions Newsletter for updates, guides, and tips, and apply via the GSP route (Apply Now) or through your NC; you can also Find Your National Committee for information on NC deadlines and procedures. The Costa Rica NC route offers guidance and often scholarships, with NCs providing accompaniment in the application process. Over the past year, UWC Costa Rica and the movement have granted substantial scholarships across the network.

Scholarships
Scholarships are offered primarily through National Committees, which accompany applicants and often provide funding; scholarships are based on demonstrated need. GSP does not provide scholarships. In the movement, more than $13 million in scholarships were granted in the last year.
School Events
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