What Makes UWC Costa Rica Unique?
Discover how our experiential learning model has influenced more than 1,500 alums since 2006.
Our mission:
To cultivate in young people the passion and ability to serve humanity and our planet–learning from nature and from each other for a lifetime.
UWC Costa Rica is the only UWC in Latin America and the Caribbean, offering a two-year bilingual International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme within a fully residential, globally diverse community. Students engage deeply with the region’s social, political, and cultural landscape while experiencing one of the world’s most environmentally progressive nations.
Costa Rica’s legacy of peace, stable democracy, and environmental leadership offers a unique foundation for our experiential learning model. The country acts as an extension of the classroom. Through a rigorous International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum and community engagement, students develop intellectual discipline, leadership skills, and global awareness, preparing them for success at top universities and in a globalized world.
UWC Costa Rica graduates consistently earn admission and scholarships to leading institutions worldwide, making their two-year experience here a powerful gateway to future opportunities.
Our current campus in Santa Ana offers direct engagement with local communities while maintaining access to natural surroundings. As we transition to our new campus in San Isidro, Heredia—set within a 40-hectare protected reserve—students will benefit from an unparalleled living laboratory for sustainability, research, and outdoor education.
This is more than a high school. It is a transformative journey shaped by academic excellence, cultural immersion, and a deep connection to nature.
An Innovative Experiential Learning Model
UWC Costa Rica is a two-year program designed to achieve the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP). As a Costa Rican boarding high school, the Academics, Co-Curricular, and Residential Life & Wellness programs are based on its local context: Costa Rica, its natural wonders, and its people.
This experiential learning model and commitment to academic excellence have enabled the UWC Costa Rica student community to achieve well above the worldwide median in IB Diploma attainment and average grades.
A Living Model of Sustainable Education
Costa Rica is deeply committed to sustainability, down to its constitution. A National Decarbonization Plan that continuously promotes sustainable practices and environmental conservation provides a blueprint for learning and taking action.
This commitment takes the form of the Sustainability Framework at UWC Costa Rica. The learning curriculum, IB Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) experiences, cafeteria, and even the development of learning spaces in the new campus. Every action is guided by sustainable practices and treated as an opportunity for learning.
Personalized University Guidance
The distinctive Future Pathways and University Counseling Program provides individualized, comprehensive advising to support each student’s academic and professional aspirations.
Combined with the rigorous education at UWC Costa Rica and a special partnership with the Davis Foundation, this personalized guidance opens pathways to scholarships and admission at leading universities in the United States and around the world.
Students also become part of a strong, active global alumni network, creating lasting connections that extend far beyond graduation and unlocking opportunities for internships and job placements.
Becoming Part of a Global Movement
UWC makes education a force to unite people, nations, and cultures for peace and a sustainable future. (UWC Mission).
UWC Costa Rica is one of 18 high schools around the globe, each with its unique features, and all sharing the same values.
The UWC community includes more than 80,000 alums worldwide—leaders in government, social entrepreneurship, science, diplomacy, and the arts—who continue to advance this shared mission.
Begin your journey now!
Start your application to join the community in Costa Rica for the next academic year!