Program Details

While participating in the program, students have several opportunities to become actively involved in the community through Community Service/volunteer opportunities. Current placements include: Voluntariados ADVO, working on trail management, camping maintenance and environmental interpretation at the national parks; Habitat for Humanity/Costa Rica; Hogarcito María Ulloa, working with children who are in the process of being adopted; teaching English to UCR students; and Arías Peace Foundation.

Spring semester participants may remain in Costa Rica a month after their term at UCR to work as summer research assistants at the Organization for Tropical Studies (OTS) through their Research Experiences for Undergraduates program. If accepted to the research program, students design their own projects in a tropical rain forest and are mentored by OTS staff. Students can also apply for internships at EARTH University, an undergraduate college devoted entirely to sustainable development. At EARTH, students work on applied projects such as campus recycling, methane recovery, reforestation, or sustainable agriculture.

Any costs associated with these research projects/internships are not included in the cost of the program.