Best Courses 2019 in Central America and Caribbean

You will have the opportunity to brush up on your Spanish and immerse in Costa Rican traditions while through a homestay with a family in a rural area. Boost your leadership and raft-guiding skills through challenging and exhilarating whitewater rafting excursions. Explore remote tropical islands on a kayak and catch some waves on world-renowned beaches.

Then, travel to neighboring countries - Panama and Nicaragua. Go scuba diving in tropical waters and take part in service learning projects. Engage with natives through activities like sailing, wakeboarding, and snorkeling. At the end of the program, you will earn First Aid and CPR certifications, as well as up to 12 academic credits.... [-]

Undergo training in becoming an outdoor professional, helping you acquire necessary leadership skills in the wild. With our Leadership Semester, you will learn to guide rafts down raging rivers, organize rescues, set up belay systems, lead groups through the rainforest, give wilderness medical care, and scuba dive world-class spots. Engage with locals who will teach you about surviving in the Costa Rican jungle.

The program is integrated with certifications, leadership training, and work experience to develop you into a skilled guide or instructor. You will earn up to 10 academic credits upon successful completion.... [-]

Online Spanish Classes with a Tico Lingo Professor

Study and learn Spanish online with a local Costa Rican Spanish professor from Tico Lingo. Set your own schedule and study the topics that interest you most. Sign up before or after an immersion program and receive a 15% discount on online classes!

Hourly Cost: $23/hr

Our Heredia city campus has recently become an official SIELE examination center where students can take their SIELE exam and take classes beforehand to prepare themselves accordingly. Our accredited Spanish courses are in line with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

SIELE stands for Servicio International de Evaluación de la Lengua Española and is the most recognized Spanish proficiency certificate in the world, and is endorsed by the Instituto Cervantes, Universidad Autónoma de México, Universidad de Salamanca, and Universidad de Buenos Aires.

It is used to certify Spanish levels according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) and to improve the employability of students.... [-]

If you are interested in volunteering in Costa Rica, exploring Latin American culture and local communities, and spending some of your time abroad dedicated to helping others, then Intercultura Language School is your best choice.

Our projects focus on development, education, health, social work, and the environment. We offer volunteer opportunities for adults, 18 years of age or older who can commit to at least 2 to 4 weeks of Spanish classes and at least another 2-4 weeks at the volunteer project. Time commitment and required Spanish level vary amongst the projects.

We invite you to participate in our programs and contribute to cultural understanding through the global exchange, awareness, and social & environmental development in Latin America. Your experience will deepen your understanding of both your own and Costa Rican culture, and it will undoubtedly change the way you see the world and your place in it.... [-]

Combining intensive Spanish classes, daily cultural activities, and weekend adventure tours, the Teen Spanish camp aims to fully immerse students in Costa Rican culture and community.

The camp emphasises studying and acquiring Spanish through cultural immersion. Students will not only walk away with an increased level of Spanish, but also a new worldly and cultural perspective on life… and an adventure to share with everyone back home!

Ages: 13 – 18Duration: 3 weeks

The Teen Spanish Immersion Summer Camp runs for three weeks and combines intensive Spanish classes, daily cultural activities, and weekend excursions. It’s an all-inclusive program that offers teens everything they’ll need to learn, immerse, and walk away with the adventure of a lifetime.... [-]

Our Adult Spanish programs are designed to get students speaking conversational Spanish as quickly as possible. We offer different program options that each include Spanish language courses and local homestay accommodation. Many students have seen drastic increases in Spanish language fluency after 3 to 4 weeks.

Program duration is flexible, ranging from 1-16 weeks.

Included in each program:

Basic Spanish Immersion Program

The Basic program includes 4 hours of Spanish language instruction per day with homestay accommodation in a local Tico family home.... [-]

FSD Research Internships allow participants to engage with FSD community partners in researching local issues and developing potential solutions. With community-based participatory research, the research question is defined and findings are analyzed together with the community. The goal is knowledge creation which serves to inform community action. Research Internships have a strong emphasis on community-based participatory research in order to ensure the researchers work side by side with community members.

Community-based participatory research (CBPR) is a framework or approach for conducting research that is characterized by the relationships between the communities and researchers. This type of research is collaborative and requires partnership development, cooperation, negotiation, flexibility, and commitment to addressing local issues. CBPR works to accomplish objectives and development through empowerment and ownership.... [-]

FSD Gap Year program is an intense, immersive program for pre-college students (17+) looking to gain international development training and experience. It’s an exciting way to explore and learn before starting college.

Our Gap Year program was specifically designed for high school graduates and allows you to gain hands-on experience prior to beginning your studies at a university level. The Gap Year program has a strong emphasis on community ownership and follows the principles of Asset-Based Community Development. Participants receive extensive training in sustainable development principles and gain professional skills in project planning and budgeting, program evaluation, community assessment, and proposal writing. Participants apply their new and existing skill sets as they collaborate with their local colleagues on identifying, designing, and implementing a project to benefit the community.... [-]

FSD International Development Internships are an opportunity for students and young professionals to gain hands-on experience in sustainable development and insight into other cultures that can only be obtained through participating in the work on the ground. The internships are thoughtfully designed to help you build your career while having a lasting impact on the people in the community in which you serve. Our Development Internships have a strong emphasis on community ownership and follow the principles of Asset-Based Community Development. Interns receive extensive training in sustainable development principles and gain professional skills in project planning and budgeting, program evaluation, community assessment, and proposal writing. Interns apply their new and existing skill sets as they collaborate with their local colleagues on identifying, designing, and implementing a project to benefit the community.... [-]

Winter program starting date for 2018:

January 8th, 2018 January 15th, 2018

This program includes:

Transportation from/to the airport Homestay for students in houses including breakfast, dinner and laundry. Coordination meeting at the school to give them a brief introduction to our program. Spanish classes at ILISA (4hrs of classes per day) Farewell dinner at at typical Costa Rican restaurant.

Activities: 3 complementary activities will be included per week: dance classes, happy hour, indoor soccer matches, movie nigths , visits to central market or national teather, visits to museums and others depending on the country. Entrance fee for participants included.<... [-]

We have successfully designed courses for professionals in various areas:

ILISA’s expertise lies in the customization of programs tailored entirely to the needs of each student individually. Classes can include visits to organizations of interest (i.e. doctors and nurses can visit a major hospital and/or a private clinic, lawyers can visit a court session and can be put into contact with local lawyers and teachers can visit a local school and/or university). You can also study and practice specialized vocabulary and skills to help you use Spanish in your own particular work environment.... [-]

Our volunteer program focuses on providing individuals a practical experience; hence, playing a big role in developing their career path. Volunteers will be involved in activities that respond to identified community needs with the aim to raise awareness of current issues. The student will be able to develop his or her analytical abilities, social skills, and ethical responsibilities.

The Volunteer program focuses on an educational experience combined with community service, giving the volunteer the opportunity to expand their knowledge and awareness on a specific area.

ILISA Instituto de Idiomas offers one-to-one tutoring sessions ideal for individuals with very specialized language needs. We provide private classes for 2, 4, 3 or 6 hours a day. This program is available for every level and follows the same scheduling as the Group-4 and Group-4 Plus programs. In addition, ILISA has been able to arrange student visits to local businesses, schools, hospitals, clinics, and many others in the past. The program emphasizes the improvement of general language skills and, depending on your needs, building skills and vocabulary related specifically to your interests or profession. It also includes language competence report covering listening and reading comprehension, writing and speaking skills, and if applicable, professional speaking skills.... [-]