Study Abroad for a Month in Costa Rica
Enjoy the beautiful beach of Samara, Costa Rice while improving your Spanish. As the perfect place to have a short-term study abroad program, you can't go wrong when you choose to learn Spanish abroad in Costa Rica.
Improve your Spanish fast with 24 contact hours per week. Our local professors tailor lessons to your level and goals, ideal for quick progress.
Life in Costa Rica is all about Pura Vida. Enjoy your life to the fullest, all while living a relaxing tranquil day to day.
Earn up to 6 U.S. university credits in one month. Our courses are accredited and designed to meet U.S. higher ed standards.
Spanish Credits & Courses
Spanish Course Breakdown
During your Costa Rica summer, you’ll take one Intensive Spanish Language course at the Expanish Study Center in Sámara. Classes are held Monday through Friday, totaling 24 contact hours per week.
Course Components
20 hours – General Spanish Build practical skills in grammar, conversation, listening, reading, and everyday communication, giving you confidence to use Spanish in real-life situations and fieldwork experiences.
4 hours – Intensive Academic Writing Strengthen your academic Spanish with a focus on essay structure, argument development, formal language, research-based writing, and grammatical accuracy.
Why This Course Matters
This program is perfect for students who want to move beyond basic conversation and develop academic language skills. Through the academic writing component, you will learn to:
Write structured, clear essays in Spanish
Develop strong thesis statements and well-supported arguments
Use formal vocabulary and advanced grammar correctly
Prepare for upper-level coursework or professional projects in Spanish
Requirements:
2.5 minimum GPA
Current College Student
18 years old at time of program start
Visa Requirements:
No, this program does not require a student visa
We work with U.S school of record, Westminster University, that ensures easy transfer credit for students.
Students will receive a transcript issued through Westminster University and must request and pay for the transcript directly through Westminster.
Courses
Elementary Spanish
Intermediate Spanish
Upper Intermediate Spanish
Advanced Spanish
Explore Sámara & Our School
Spanish courses meet in the afternoons, leaving your mornings free for beach time, surfing, and exploring Sámara. Our courses from 2:30 to 6:30 PM, so you'll have time to practice Spanish around Sámara before class.
Classes meet at a cozy local café in central Sámara where you can return to practice with locals and classmates outside class hours.
All of our Spanish professors are locals and natives, who focus on real daily usage and practical communication skills
Hikes to secret beaches, dancing classes, yoga sessions, and welcome tours. Activities run mornings before Spanish classes to take advantage of Costa Rica's best weather.
End-of-week celebrations with karaoke, local vibes, and dancing. Connect with your class, meet locals, and practice Spanish in a relaxed setting.
Student Housing
Homestay
Stay with a Costa Rican host family and enjoy true cultural immersion from the moment you arrive. Ideal for students who want to practice Spanish every day while enjoying a welcoming and authentic home atmosphere.
Private single or double bedroom. Double bedroom available for 2 students traveling together.
Half-board: breakfast and dinner
Safe neighborhoods
Hear from Our Students
I love the environment in Expanish created by the people working there, everyone was very sweet and welcoming, they were very approachable and kind! I loved coming to expanish after class to eat or do homework and watching TSITP is definitely a core memory!
Genuinely the best experience and was more than I could've ever imagined. Overall, an amazing and unforgettable experience that you will not regret at all!
Studying abroad is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and my experience with Expanish in Buenos Aires was nothing short of incredible. If you’re considering studying abroad or learning Spanish in Buenos Aires, I cannot recommend Expanish enough.
One of my favorite parts about studying abroad was living with my host mom. Expanish did a really good job pairing me and my friend with her because we have a lot of the same interests and we had a lot to talk about.
Read About Studying Spanish Abroad
Different ways of Approaching Spanish
Are you new to learning Spanish and aren’t really sure how to approach studying a foreign language? There are a variety of ways to learn and improve your Spanish. As an accredited Spanish school in Buenos Aires, we’ve had years perfecting our craft, meaning that teaching students Spanish is what we do best. Here are 5 tips to learn and improve your Spanish.
6 Incredible Ways Living in a Homestay Shapes Your Abroad Experience
When it comes to living abroad, there are dozens of different living options for students of all ages. We recommend that if students want to achieve the fully immersive experience and maximize their language learning, they should consider living in a homestay an absolute must. There are countless advantages of living in a homestay while living abroad, but if you’re still on the fence about it, consider the following ways that living with a host family can enhance your abroad experience.
Easiest way to practice Spanish? It’s easy as uno, dos, tres!
Looking to jumpstart your Spanish language practice journey but not quite sure where to start or the easiest way to learn? Well, not to worry! After more than a decade of teaching Spanish, we at Expanish have mastered the easiest way to learn Spanish for students of all ages and levels. So whether you’ve been taking classes for years or are just picking up your first libro, the following three tips have been proven to considerably improve your Spanish in no time.
