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Clubs Arts and Creative, Cultural and Language, Leadership and Professional
Stages Preschool, Primary School, Secondary School
Introduction
GSD International School Costa Rica is part of GSD cooperative network and serves students from 1 to 18 years old, offering Pre‑school to Secondary. It is authorized to deliver the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB DP), with two DP years, six subjects from the IB groups, and core Theory of Knowledge, CAS and the Extended Essay. The DP groups include Language and Literature (Literature), Language Acquisition (English B), Individuals and Societies (Business Management), Sciences (Chemistry), Mathematics (Mathematics: Applications and Interpretation), and Arts (Music). The school emphasizes technology in learning and aims to foster international inquiry and higher education. Opened in 2018, the campus spans 30,000 m2 and features science, computing and robotics laboratories, a pool, football pitch, a sports center, auditorium and green spaces. Extracurricular activities include GSD Sports, GSD Music and Dance, and GSD Culture. A Mandarin immersion program partners with Greentown Yuhua School Hangzhou and Keystone Academy Beijing.
C. Guácima, Provincia de Alajuela, Guácima, Guácima Abajo, 20105, Costa Rica
The Essentials
GSD International School Costa Rica has 800 pupils, instruction in English, Spanish, Mandarin.
Location
Located in Ciudad Hacienda Los Reyes, a residential neighborhood in La Guácima, Alajuela, Costa Rica. It is just a few minutes from the capital, San José, and not far from the Juan Santamaría International Airport. The center is within the Ciudad-Hacienda Los Reyes area, offering access to nature with sports and recreational facilities and private security.
Stages
Pre-school; Primary; Secondary
Type
Private, day
Additional learning support
Orientation and attention to diversity
Country affiliation
Spain (Gredos San Diego cooperative)
Fees
Application fees
- No publicly published application or admission fee amount for GSD International School Costa Rica for the 2026/27 or 2025/26 academic years could be located in the school's public materials.
Tuition fees by school year (per term / per year group)
- No publicly available, grade-by-grade tuition schedule (per term or per year) for the 2026/27 or 2025/26 academic years was found for GSD International School Costa Rica. There are no posted tables of tuition broken down by year group for those academic years in the school's public pages or admissions form.
- Note on network practice (example from GSD group material used elsewhere): GSD group schools publish annual fee components in other jurisdictions that commonly include an annual reservation/registration payment, an annual tuition amount paid either as a full annual charge or split into a fixed number of monthly installments (examples show 9 monthly installments plus a reservation payment), and separate small annual charges for services such as health/insurance and digital services. These published group examples are for GSD schools in other countries and describe policies (reservation paid at enrolment, option to pay in installments, pro rata treatment for mid-term joiners) rather than Costa Rica-specific price levels. Use of these group examples is for procedural context only; no Costa Rica-specific tuition numbers were found.
Billing schedule and payment terms
- No Costa Rica–specific billing schedule or payment-terms document (dates, due dates, term/semester billing, late-payment penalties) was publicly posted for 2026/27 or 2025/26.
- Representative GSD group billing practices (from published GSD group materials) note: the place reservation is paid at enrollment and is non-refundable if the family later renounces the place; annual tuition is normally charged for the full course and the group offers the possibility to fraction payments across a fixed number of monthly instalments; students who join after the start of the course are ordinarily charged pro rata or required to pay the full course depending on timing; returned payment fees and administrative costs may be charged. These points describe the group's standard policy approach as published for other GSD centres.
Boarding fees (if applicable)
- GSD International School Costa Rica does not list boarding as a program on the publicly available school pages and there are no published boarding fees for the Costa Rica campus. The school presentation and program links describe Pre-school, Primary and Secondary education without boarding provisions.
Other costs or fees (uniform, materials, transport, meals, extracurriculars)
- A school uniform requirement is indicated as part of the educational offer, but no published uniform price list or expected uniform cost for Costa Rica was found.
- No Costa Rica–specific published amounts were found for school meals (canteen), transport, extracurricular activity fees, or learning materials for 2026/27 or 2025/26.
- For context, GSD group published materials for other countries show separate annual charges for services such as a health/insurance fee and a digital-service fee and also detail menu/meal and transport monthly charges; those items illustrate how fees can be itemised within the GSD network but do not provide Costa Rica price points.
Refund information
- No Costa Rica–specific refund policy or precise refund amounts for 2026/27 or 2025/26 were published in publicly available school materials.
- Representative GSD group policy language (published for other GSD centres) states that the reservation/seat-holding payment is non-refundable on renunciation, and that payments already made are generally not returned in normal circumstances; the group documents also describe pro rata credits for complete and unbroken weeks in specific mid-semester withdrawal scenarios. These are network-level policy practices as published for other campuses.
Fee payment options (credit card / bank transfer / other)
- No Costa Rica–specific payment-method list (e.g., which credit cards are accepted, ability to pay by bank transfer, local POS, or online portal) was published in the school's public materials for 2026/27 or 2025/26. The school's admissions form includes a contact email for administrative correspondence.
Brief summary of searches and availability of information
- I searched the school's public pages and the school's admissions/pre‑registration form but could not locate a Costa Rica campus fee schedule, tuition-by-grade table, published application fee, published uniform or meal prices, boarding fees, explicit refund rules, or a published list of accepted payment methods for the 2026/27 or 2025/26 academic years. The GSD network publishes detailed fee-and-policy documents for other GSD schools that outline common policy elements (reservation payment, installments, non-refundable clauses, annual service charges), but those documents do not contain Costa Rica price levels.
- For contact and confirmation, the school's Costa Rica pages and admissions form provide institutional contact details that families typically use to request an official, Costa Rica–specific fee schedule and invoice terms. Third‑party school directories also list the campus contact numbers.
Academics
GSD International School Costa Rica teaches IB (DP) for students aged 1 to 18.
Curriculum
GSD International School Costa Rica offers Pre-school, Primary, and Secondary education within its Educational Project. It is authorized to offer the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB DP) and has joined the IB World. The Diploma Programme spans two academic years in which students take six courses, one from each of the six IB subject groups, and complete three core components: Theory of Knowledge, Creativity, Activity and Service (CAS), and the Extended Essay. The DP subject groups offered are Language and Literature (Literature), Language Acquisition (English B), Individuals and Societies (Business Management), Sciences (Chemistry), Mathematics (Mathematics: Applications and Interpretation), and Arts (Music); the proposed educational offering may be subject to modifications. The school emphasizes the use of technology in learning and aims to foster international-minded inquiry within its curriculum. Countries and universities recognize the IB, and the Diploma Programme is designed to prepare students for higher education.
Higher Education Progression
The Diploma Programme enhances opportunities for higher education and provides direct access to a growing number of international universities. It develops independent, confident learners and encourages cross-subject connections while strengthening time-management and research skills. IB recognition by universities worldwide supports graduates' progression to higher education.
Wellbeing
Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)
The Center is established with a commitment to addressing diversity, offering solutions to the therapeutic needs of each child to promote their physical, emotional, and cognitive well-being. It is a multidisciplinary center specialized in pedagogical, educational, and therapeutic intervention. Together with the interdisciplinary team, the school focuses on enhancing socio-emotional, cognitive, communicative, and physical abilities, providing comprehensive and personalized support at every stage of development and offering the necessary help to face challenges and develop potential. The approach prioritizes the well-being of the child and their family, ensuring continuous and tailored accompaniment. This framework emphasizes collaboration with families and ongoing assessment to tailor interventions to each child.
Special Educational Needs (SEN)
We serve children with neurodevelopmental disorders; emotional and social difficulties; language, attention, learning, and behavioral difficulties; and those who need support to overcome academic challenges. We provide support at each stage through specialized programs in prevention, stimulation, and rehabilitation that cover cognitive, socio-emotional, language, and sensorimotor development. These programs involve the child and their family and social environment, ensuring a comprehensive and personalized approach.
Mental Wellbeing
Wellbeing is a central focus, with an emphasis on psycho-emotional well-being through individualized assessment of each child's needs to achieve holistic development. The Therapeutic Center supports socio-emotional development and emotional management, with a multidisciplinary team including psychology, language therapy, psycho-pedagogy, and occupational therapy addressing mental and developmental aspects. The aim is to foster personal growth and resilience within a supportive, integrated framework.
Safeguarding
The Health Plan promotes a secure environment and is coordinated by the Health Department in collaboration with the Counseling Department, division heads, and teachers to ensure health and safety. The plan includes care for unforeseen health issues during the school day, care on request for minor health issues, and support for students with chronic conditions requiring follow-up. It provides health education and prevention actions, including meetings with students, classroom interventions, health tips for families, and action protocols for emergencies with staff training on emergencies and health needs such as allergies, intolerances, and special nutritional requirements. Continuous health management and updating of medical information for students are ensured.
Admissions
Admissions
1. The admission and enrollment process remains open throughout the year, making possible the incorporation of new students as long as there are places available in the grade requested. 2. The admissions department has incorporated technological tools to carry out the entire process virtually. 3. Distance is not an impediment to joining GSD International School Costa Rica; the school is committed to develop integral citizens with open minds to face the global reality. 4. Start living the GSD EXPERIENCE through the Admission Process.
FAQs
What curriculum does GSD International School Costa Rica follow?
GSD International School Costa Rica offers Pre-school, Primary, and Secondary education within its Educational Project. It is authorized to offer the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB DP) and has joined the IB World.
What age range does GSD International School Costa Rica serve?
The school serves students from age 1 to 18.
Is the school co-educational?
The school is described as co-educational.
How many students attend GSD International School Costa Rica?
The school has approximately 800 students.
Where is GSD International School Costa Rica located?
Located in Ciudad Hacienda Los Reyes, a residential neighborhood in La Guácima, Alajuela, Costa Rica. It is just a few minutes from the capital, San José, and not far from the Juan Santamaría International Airport.
When was GSD International School Costa Rica established?
The school was established in 2018.
Who leads GSD International School Costa Rica?
The school is led by Juan Barrilero Contreras.
Does the school provide learning support for students with special educational needs?
We serve children with neurodevelopmental disorders; emotional and social difficulties; language, attention, learning, and behavioral difficulties; and those who need support to overcome academic challenges.
What languages are used for instruction?
The school teaches Mandarin Chinese through its immersion program (from pre-school age 3 to the 9th grade).
How do I apply to GSD International School Costa Rica?
1. The admission and enrollment process remains open throughout the year, making possible the incorporation of new students as long as there are places available in the grade requested. 2.
What extracurricular activities are available?
GSD Music and Dance offers a wide variety of musical activities and places strong emphasis on music training for children and adults alike.
