San José is the political, economic and cultural hub of Costa Rica. Located in the Central Valley region, the city is surrounded by stunning geography with the Talamanca Mountains to the south and volcanoes to the north. It’s the perfect place to experience a bustling and cosmopolitan Latin American metropolis and a great jumping off point to experience the many natural wonders of Costa Rica. ISA’s service-learning program in San José is one of its largest, offering participants the chance to volunteer in a variety of sectors, including community development, education, environment, family and youth development, and health. As Costa Rica’s capital, San José has something for everyone and is an ideal service-learning destination for participants who want to live and serve in a large city. Participants don’t need to have an advanced knowledge of Spanish to make a real and lasting difference in this diverse city.

Participants may work with their home university to receive academic credit for their program. Each academic institution has a unique policy for granting internship, service-learning and experiential learning credit, thus students should inquire about receiving academic credit with their home university advisors, professors, and/or academic department heads. Many ISA Service-Learning participants have successfully received “Independent Study,” “Internship,” “Directed Studies,” or “Special Topics” credit for their program by presenting their Portfolio.

ISA Service-Learning has partnered with University of South Florida (USF) to offer a U.S. transcript for all ISA Service-Learning programs. Credit awarded will be based on the successful completion of the ISA Service-Learning Portfolio. A USF transcript will be sent to the student's home institution 2-3 months after the program end date.

 Credit and transcript fees:

• 4-week program: 3 credits, $275
• 6-week program: 4 credits, $375
• 8-week program: 5 credits, $375
• Study + Service-Learning program: 3 credits, $275

ISA Service-Learning strongly recommends that students receive confirmation from their home institution that credit transfer will be accepted.

ISA Homestays allow participants to experience aspects of Costa Rican or "tico" lifestyle that are inaccessible to the average visitor. You have the opportunity for complete cultural immersion by staying with locals and experiencing the Costa Rican way of life. Homestays include breakfast and dinner everyday and laundry service once a week. In your homestay you will have your own bedroom, although there may be another student living in the same homestay. Every family has been carefully selected by resident staff in order to ensure a comfortable, enjoyable and immersive living situation.

You may opt to secure housing independently. If you select this option, you will receive a discount equal to the housing portion of the program price. By choosing to opt out of ISA Service-Learning housing, you are solely responsible for researching and reserving housing, and paying all fees, deposits, and rent directly to the housing facility that you choose.

Participants will enter the country on a tourist visa which they will obtain upon arrival to the airport in San José. The tourist visa is a stamp that is placed in passports by immigration which is valid for up to 90 days.

Please note that non-U.S. citizens should contact their Consulate to verify specific entry requirements. As these requirements vary based on citizenship, non-U.S. citizens may not be permitted to travel to Costa Rica without a visa or outside of their visa dates. Also, visa fees for non-U.S. citizens may differ so please be sure to check specific Consulate's website for the most up to date information.

Note: Embassy and Consulate contact information is subject to change without notice. Please refer to the website of the Embassy or Consulate to verify information.