UWC Costa Rica Future New Campus
UWC Costa Rica is Getting Ready to Move to a New Campus
Since its opening in 2006, more than 1,500 graduates have lived the UWC Costa Rica experiential learning model in Santa Ana downtown, a campus inherited from SOS Villages and adapted for the UWC lifestyle. As the college has evolved over the years, the ambition and possibilities of expanding the impact and accessibility to UWC Costa Rica grew alongside it, and thanks to the generosity of Rose-Marie and Eijk van Otterloo, UWC Costa Rica was able to start the dream of building a new campus aligned with its mission, principles, and values.
The New Campus is expected to open in the 2027-2028 Academic Year.
Fueled by the We Are United campaign and with the Sustainability Framework deeply embedded within, UWC Costa Rica’s New Campus in San Isidro de Heredia allows the college to expand its mission, increase its capacity and scholarship opportunities and provide a unique space immersed in nature to foster a new generation of agents of change.
Equity & Access
Making UWC’s innovative educational model more accessible to all.
- Gradually increase our on-campus student population by 38%, starting with a capacity of 224 students and eventually growing to a total of 288 students.
- Grow our full scholarship programs by 40% to support more students.
- Ensure that 15% of our students come from Costa Rica.
- Each year, bring together more than 2,000 educators and young people to collaborate through innovative educational experiences.
Connection with Local and Global Communities
Creating open spaces to educate and strengthen inclusive, healthy, and sustainable communities.
- 6 km of in-forest trails to enhance experiential learning in nature.
- An indoor multipurpose covered court to be used by UWC students and other educational institutions.
- A public plaza and an amphitheater to enhance social, cultural, and economic activities with the local community.
- A Sustainability & Innovation Center to host initiatives that promote partnerships, connections, and collaboration among local and global educational communities.
One-of-a-Kind Model of a Sustainable Campus
To confront the climate crisis through sustainable construction.
- Use of timber (wood) as one of the primary construction elements.
- Water efficiency.
- Use of solar energy to generate clean, renewable power.
- The first construction project in Costa Rica designed to achieve both LEED and RESET certifications.
Regeneration and Conservation
Advancing the country’s groundbreaking decarbonization plan by 2050.
- Committing 80% of the new campus area (39 hectares) to conservation and educational purposes.
- Offsetting approximately 20,000 tons of COâ‚‚ per year.