Immerse in the rich culture and biodiversity of Heredia, Costa Rica’s "City of Flowers"
Live and study in this charming, vibrant university city in the Central Valley highlands of Costa Rica. Immerse yourself in student life in Heredia, located just 20 minutes from the capital city of San José. Located in the center of the country, Heredia is the perfect location from which to explore Costa Rica’s spectacular volcanoes, rainforests, cloud forests and beaches. Relax in a local café on the central square, or enjoy cultural activities like cooking classes, tropical fruit tasting, coffee, chocolate and city tours. Enjoy the delicious, fresh cuisine prepared by your ’Tico’ host family. Experience the friendly, relaxed pace of Pura Vida life in this Central American nation which abolished its military in 1948 and has protected more than 25% of its territory as national parks and reserves. Costa Rica is also one the most biodiverse regions on the planet and one of the happiest countries in Latin America. Heredia is an ideal place to develop your intercultural competency skills while you experience Latin American culture, history, language, and unparalleled natural beauty.
Programs in Costa Rica
Center Features
The GEO Center in Costa Rica is located at the Universidad Politécnica Internacional.
- Café, traditional soda restaurant, and student study areas
- Partnerships with three local universities: Universidad Politécnica Internacional, Universidad Hispanoamericana, and Universidad Latina de Costa Rica
- Health sciences classrooms with anatomical models and medical simulation rooms
- Demonstration kitchen and fully equipped industrial kitchen
- Classrooms and classroom equipment (whiteboards and projectors)
Support in Costa Rica
GEO partners with Arcos Learning Abroad, an award-winning study abroad organization in Costa Rica, to facilitate GEO's programming and provide on-site support.
Students studying abroad in Costa Rica receive a wide range of services including pre-departure virtual orientation, on-site program orientation upon arrival, carefully curated academic and experiential learning experiences, home stays and support from dedicated onsite directors. Costa Rica programming is intentionally designed with engaging and immersive cultural activities and excursions to Costa Rica’s rainforests, beaches, and volcanoes. All program transportation, airport transfer in and out, program activity reservations, logistics and support to ensure you have a safe and meaningful experience in Costa Rica. Onsite staff are with you every step of the way, and are available in case of emergency 24/7, as well as to guide you in your health and safety, cultural immersion, language learning, and independent travel.
Accommodations
Accommodation with local Costa Rican homestays is the best way for UO students to achieve true cultural immersion while significantly improving their Spanish language skills. Host families are carefully selected and vetted by the on-site director. Students will be placed with a host family and roommates based on the housing questionnaire you complete, including any pet allergies, dietary needs, and interests. Each home typically hosts between 2 to 4 students, grouped by gender. The homestay families provide daily breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and can prepare a packed lunch upon request. The family also includes laundry service once a week. The homes are located between a 10-25 minute walk from the university. All homes have WIFI.
Activities in Costa Rica
Potential Excursions
Activities in Costa Rica include cultural activities such as chocolate tasting, coffee tour, cooking and baking classes, traditional Costa Rican and Latin dance classes, city tours, tropical fruit tasting, wildlife rescue centers, museums, and medicinal plant farms.
Excursions include full-day or overnight trips to the Pacific beach and national parks, La Fortuna rainforest excursion at the foothills of Arenal volcano, including hot springs, waterfall hike, and rainforest zip line canopy tour.
See All Excursions and Cultural Activities
Internships
Internships are available in various fields, including Business, Healthcare and Global Health, Education, Psychology, Animal Studies, Non-Profit Management, Marketing, and more. The minimum time for an internship is 4 weeks.
Hear from GEO Alumni
“The meaning of 'Pura Vida' to me is a lifestyle - it's about everyone being kind of close to each other, and everyone just being relaxed and always having a good time,” - Cole
"If you're open-minded, adaptable, and interested in a work environment that truly values people and sustainability, this is the experience for you," - Mason
Costa Rica Staff
Curriculum Vitae for all staff and faculty are available upon request.
Janiva Cifuentes-Hiss
Director of Strategic Partnerships (Arcos Headquarters)
Janiva Cifuentes-Hiss has over 20 years of experience in study abroad designing and leading transformative programs throughout Latin America, East Africa, and Europe. Janiva graduated from Pomona College with a B.A. in Latin American Studies and studied abroad at the University of Salamanca in Spain. She served as Costa Rica Resident Director from 2007–2020 and currently works for Arcos Headquarters, where she collaborates with GEO to create immersive, customized programs and internships for University of Oregon students.
Catalina Ovares
Costa Rica Resident Director
Catalina (Cata) is a native of Atenas, Costa Rica. She is a certified naturalist guide with extensive experience leading study abroad programs in Costa Rica. She is CPR and First Aid certified and enjoys soccer, horseback riding, and adventure sports. Catalina is responsible for reservations, logistics, and "behind the scenes program" planning for GEO programs for University of Oregon students.
Angélica Pérez
Costa Rica Program Director
Angélica (Angie) is from San José, Costa Rica, and has decades of experience leading study abroad programs in Costa Rica. She is a certified bilingual tour Guide, is First Aid and CPR certified, and is trained in leading groups with disabilities. She is very knowledgeable about culture, biodiversity and natural history. Angie leads all Arcos cultural activities and excursions, and is available to support University of Oregon students abroad with health, safety, and cultural immersion. She is on-call in case of emergencies 24/7.
Adriana Campos
Costa Rica Program Director
Adriana Campos is from Heredia, Costa Rica, and is a certified tour guide and has many years of experience in ecotourism, volunteer coordination, and environmental education. She is First Aid and CPR certified, has led workshops at the National Biodiversity Institute and is a certified children’s yoga instructor. Adri leads all Arcos cultural activities and excursions, and is available to support University of Oregon students abroad with health, safety, and cultural immersion. She is on-call in case of emergencies 24/7.