Established in 1989, Kaya’s Learn Spanish Program in Costa Rica offers a unique Spanish immersion language course that enable students to learn the language and at the same time experience Costa Rican culture. While Spanish instruction is the focal point of all academic classes, you will have the chance to engage with Latin dance classes as well as cooking classes to practice and improve your speaking, dancing and cooking skills outside of the classroom.

You can study abroad in Costa Rica and experience a new classroom methodology, constructed so students can communicate, comprehend and use accurate pronunciation in Spanish quickly. The instructors pay special attention to individual language needs which emphasises active student participation. Your classes will be intense, yet enjoyable, challenging and most of all – fun!

There are ten levels of instruction which are currently on offer to students: Beginner I, II & III; Intermediate I, II & III; Advanced I, II, & III, as well as specialised Spanish courses for medical, legal or business professionals, Spanish teachers, etc. Students will be placed in the appropriate level, according to your proficiency as determined by a written test and an oral evaluation.

All of our classes are offered in small groups, with an average of 3 or 4 and a maximum of 6 to a class.

Key Course Features

• Cost: £645 ($1129) for 1 week, £245 ($429) for every extra week
• Full orientation and support throughout your Spanish studies in Costa Rica
• 40 classrooms with 2 classrooms for Latin dance classes and a kitchen for cooking lessons
• Small classes with an average of only 3-6 students
• Costa Rican owned so students will have an authentic and true experience
• Excellent native Spanish teachers each with a degree in linguistics, literature or education and each have additional experience with language teaching
• Project available for a minimum of 1 week with no maximum!
• Project hours – Monday to Thursday, 20 hours per week
• All teaching material included within project fee
• Course start dates every Monday throughout the year, closed December 24th - January 2nd(Arrival Weekend)


What is included

• Accommodation: Home stay provided for all students
• Food: 2 meals per day (breakfast and dinner)
• Airport pick up and drop off
• Training: Pre-departure preparation pack, On-site Orientation and Project induction provided
• Support: On-site coordinator providing 24 hour support
• Daily Latin dance classes
• Costa Rican cooking lessons
• Twice a week conversational classes
• Cultural activities and tours on the weekends (some may cost extra)

What is not included

• Flights
• Insurance
• Visas
• Daily Transport from homestay to school

Your project will be located in the city of San Jose in the San Jose region, which boasts all the amenities of a modern city while still surrounded by lush flora, fauna, natural parks, mountains, and beaches. Costa Rica is an exciting place to visit and is the perfect place for those who really enjoy adventure and nature. From the capital city, where the participants live you are within easy reach of beaches, volcanoes and forests of all kinds. Everything is accessible within 5 to 6 hours by public bus.

The school is located in the university district and has a campus vibe, with coffee shops and food courts. There is free computer and internet access and a busy bulletin board to help you organise your social activities.

Depending on your level of Spanish and your goals for your time studying with us, there are a number of courses which you can get involved with. All our classes emphasize speaking abilities, but we consider the Spanish language as a whole; therefore, our methodology takes into account its different components: grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, cultural understanding and pragmatic use. You will be placed in classes according to your Spanish proficiency level, which is determined by a written test sent by email and an oral evaluation exam before starting your course. Your level will be confirmed by your instructor based on your performance during the class.

Depending on your level of Spanish and your goals for your time studying with us, there are a number of courses which you can get involved with.

As a Beginner student, you will study basic sentence structures, learn everyday vocabulary and develop the ability to clearly communicate basic ideas in Spanish.

As an Intermediate student your course will emphasize the cultural aspects of the language and its real usage. The course’s emphasis is on culturally authentic reading and writing, along with continued development of listening/speaking competencies.

As an Advanced student your course includes cultural, social and historical aspects on different Hispanic speaking countries as a way to explain the relationship between language, history and culture. The objective of this course is the proficiency and fluency in the Spanish language. Furthermore, emphasis is placed on the comprehension and use of the language in unrehearsed situations in culturally appropriate ways.

Specialized: We also offer medical Spanish for nurses or doctors, business Spanish, Spanish for lawyers and special courses for Spanish teachers.

If you would like a more detailed breakdown of the course structure related to your level, please do get in touch with one of our advisors and we can provide you with some more details.