Posted on by Chad F.

Are you thinking of going to college and getting your degree somewhere outside of the United States? Part of the fun of going off to college can be going truly “away” to college. Imagine the adventure! Below are five of the top universities in Costa Rica that can consider studying at:

University of Costa Rica, San Jose

Located in the province of San Jose, one of the best Universities in Costa Rica is, coincidently, the University of Costa Rica (UCR). Founded in 1940, UCR is the largest, oldest, and most prestigious school in the country with a student population of 35,000 to 40,000. The school is co-ed and offers Bachelor degrees, Master’s, and even Doctoral degrees in several areas of study. The campus includes a sports facility, student activities, and a library. San Jose has a large urban area with a population of nearly 1,000,000 people, so there are many things to see and do after class as well.

National University, Heredia

National University is located in the large town of Heredia and has a co-ed student population of about 15,000. Established in 1973, admission is based on entrance exams. With an admission rate of 70-80%, this is a somewhat selective institution, however, international students are welcome to apply. They offer Bachelors, Master’s, and Doctoral degrees in several fields, but are best known for degrees in education, sociology, and ecology.

Costa Rica Institute of Technology, Cartago

Also founded in the 1970s, the Costa Rica Institute of Technology is located in Cartago, a mid-sized city. However, this Institute also has branch campuses in San Jose and San Carlos and specializes in engineering and science. A much smaller co-ed college, with only 6,000 to 7,000 students, it is an extremely selective school and only accepts 10% of its applicants based on an entrance exam. International students are encouraged to apply.

INCAE Business School, Alajuela

Founded in 1964, INCAE Business School is located in the suburb of the metropolis of Alajuela and is sometimes referred to as the “Harvard of the South”. It also has a campus in Managua, Nicaragua. This very small school, with an enrollment of under 500 students, is co-ed and mainly offers MBAs and Business degrees. Entrance exams limit the admission rate to 30 – 40%, making this a very selective institution. International students are eligible to apply and INCAE also provides housing, financial aid and/or scholarships, among other services.

Veritas University, San Jose

Veritas University was founded in 1994 and is located in the large urban city of San Jose. Co-ed, the student population has a small enrollment of under 2,000. There is no entrance exam and international students are eligible to apply. Go to class on campus or get your degree with distance learning opportunities and online courses as well.

All in all, tuition costs for Costa Rican universities are generally 50% less than most in-state school in the US, so you may find this great news. If you are getting help from your parents in paying your tuition fees, there are a wide variety of online money transfer platforms that you can tap on.

Find out how to transfer money today from the US to Costa Rica for education fees!

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