Spanish Study Abroad Programs in Costa Rica and Ecuador
Short-term study abroad built around Spanish as a practical professional skill rather than a general cultural experience.
Our study abroad programs run in Costa Rica and Ecuador and are designed for students who need Spanish for something specific: a healthcare career, a professional field, or a degree program that expects real proficiency rather than two semesters of classroom exposure. Programs run in January, February, May, June and July.
Ecuador
Study Abroad
Based in Cuenca, Ecuador
1-2 weeks in length
Study Abroad in
Ecuador & Costa Rica
Based in Cuenca & Santo Domingo de Heredia
2-6 weeks in length
Costa Rica
Study Abroad
Based in Santo Domingo de Heredia
1-6 weeks in length
What Makes These Programs Different
Most study abroad is general. Ours is Spanish for specific purposes, which means the language instruction is oriented toward the professional context the student is heading into.
That focus is the reason universities send us their pre-health and health-professions students, and it is the reason our programs work for students who need to come back able to do something with the language rather than simply having been somewhere.
Now Open for Registration
Spanish Study Abroad Programs
Costa Rica & Ecuador — January, February, May, June & July trips available
Program types
BS-MD and pre-health programs
A head start on the medical Spanish that a career in primary care, community health or hospital work will require. Students considering medicine gain the practical Spanish and cultural understanding needed to be effective with Spanish-only patients.
Maymester and summer programs
Our most popular structures. Intensive Spanish over one to two months, built around a professional focus.
Health-professions rotations
Open to all healthcare students: RN, BSN, APN, MD, PA, PT, MPH, DDS, and more. For students needing an approved clinical or public health elective, see our international rotations.
Hospitality Management Study Abroad
Focus on hotel management support in Costa Rica’s busiest tourist destinations. Tourism fuels Costa Rica’s economy and makes it the ideal setting for hospitality students. Contact us for more information.
Translation / Interpretation Study Abroad
Costa Rica hosts a booming translation and telephonic interpretation industry — the perfect destination for Spanish linguistics and translation programs. Contact us for more information.
Faculty-led programs
Built around your course, with your faculty member leading. See custom faculty-led programs.
The components
We integrate the following components into an intense 1–2 month international studies program focused on Spanish proficiency development:
Spanish Immersion Classes
Up to four hours a day in immersion classes focused on oral proficiency and the communication skills relevant to the student’s future profession.
Host Family Lodging
We hold a strict one student per family policy. Our host families do not speak much English, which is the point: there is no tempting alternative to Spanish in the evenings.
Practicum and internship placements
Available for students whose Spanish is strong enough to work alongside Spanish-only colleagues without disrupting the workplace. We are honest about this threshold, because a placement that frustrates the host organization serves nobody.
Community health outreach
For health-focused programs, medical outreach in underserved communities in Costa Rica, supervised by local physicians and conducted with respect for local cultural norms and values.
Cultural programming
Beaches, volcanoes, cloud forests, coffee farms and national parks, structured around the academic content rather than bolted on.
Our short-term study abroad programs in Costa Rica are the perfect international studies experience for students and universities who want a Spanish for Specific Purposes program.
— Rory Foster, Study Abroad Director
Want to know your current Spanish level?
Take our free Spanish placement test and find out how a Spanish immersion trip will feel at your current level — and what to do to get the most out of your experience.
Where Programs Run
Costa Rica
Santo Domingo de Heredia, a residential suburb north of San José. Not a tourist town, which makes it far better for immersion, and well positioned for access to the rest of the country. Programs run one to six weeks.
Ecuador
Cuenca, a colonial city in the southern highlands that was the northern capital of the Inca empire before the Spanish arrived. Programs run one to two weeks.
Some programs combine both countries in a single program of two to six weeks.
No Spanish Prerequisite
Instruction is set to each student’s actual level. Programs work for beginners through advanced students, which means a department does not have to restrict participation to its majors.
Students who want to know where they stand before committing can take our free Spanish placement test.
Support
Every program includes 24 hour leadership, coordination and support from Common Ground program leaders in country, with daily on-site mentorship. Pre-departure courses prepare students before they travel.
Our mission of impacting communities through language extends to all travelers regardless of age, gender identity, physical ability, race, religion, sexual orientation or socioeconomic status. Learn more about diversity and inclusivity on our programs.
For Universities and Faculty
We work with study abroad offices, language departments and health-professions programs to build and run programs under your institution’s academic leadership. See for institutions for how partnerships work, or request a proposal.
Diversity and Inclusivity on Spanish Immersion
Our mission of Impacting Communities Through Language extends to ALL travelers and learners regardless of age, gender identity, physical ability, race, religion, sexual orientation and socioeconomic status.
Frequently Asked Questions
Get More Information About Our Study Abroad Programs in Costa Rica
Talk About Your Program
Call (888) 879-2575 or request program details.
I am curious about your business program in Costa Rica for my son who is a junior in college in the USA
¡Hola, Carla!
We will be contacting you to give you all the details! 🙌🏽😊
Thank you for sharing the information regarding study abroad programs. Really helpful. Keep posting, nice work.
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