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Costa Rica, Guanacaste
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La Paz Community School has two campuses in Guanacaste, Costa Rica: Cabo Velas Campus in Brasilito and Tempisque Campus in Palmira, Carrillo. The Cabo Velas Campus is 400 meters east of the entrance to the Mar Vista Project, Brasilito, Cabo Velas, Santa Cruz, Guanacaste 50308. The Tempisque Campus is 300 meters northwest from the Do IT Center Lagar entrance to Papagayo, Comunidad, Palmira, Carrillo, Guanacaste 50502.
PreK–12: Bajura (Preschool), Miravalles (Kinder–2nd), Arenal (3rd–5th), Tenorio (6th–8th), Chirripó (9th–12th); International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme offered.
PreK–12, dual-immersion, non-profit school with two campuses (Cabo Velas and Tempisque).
Costa Rica
Application & Enrollment Fees
- New student registration fee (one-time): USD 1,500.
- Annual enrollment fee (Explore program): USD 510.
- Annual enrollment fee (PK3–12): USD 1,185.
- Non‑resident annual fee (students without Costa Rican residency): USD 3,000.
Tuition fees by year group (2026/2027 academic year) — annual, per‑trimester, and per‑month amounts
- Explore (8:00 am – 1:00 pm): Annual USD 5,688; Trimester USD 1,896; Monthly USD 474.
- Explore (8:00 am – 3:00 pm): Annual USD 7,032; Trimester USD 2,344; Monthly USD 586.
- Pre‑K (8:00 am – 1:00 pm): Annual USD 7,116; Trimester USD 2,372; Monthly USD 593.
- Pre‑K (8:00 am – 3:00 pm): Annual USD 8,384; Trimester USD 2,795; Monthly USD 699.
- Kinder / 1st / 2nd grade: Annual USD 10,241; Trimester USD 3,414; Monthly USD 853.
- Grades 3–5: Annual USD 10,617; Trimester USD 3,539; Monthly USD 885.
- Grades 6–8: Annual USD 11,700; Trimester USD 3,900; Monthly USD 975.
- Grades 9–10: Annual USD 11,700; Trimester USD 3,900; Monthly USD 975.
- Grades 11–12: Annual USD 12,171; Trimester USD 4,057; Monthly USD 1,014.
Billing schedule and payment terms
- Payment plan options: Yearly (one full payment at the start of the school year), Trimester (three equal installments), or Monthly (12 equal monthly installments).
- Trimester due dates by campus:
- Cabo Velas: June 30; October 31; February 28.
- Tempisque: July 31; November 30; March 31.
- Monthly schedules by campus:
- Cabo Velas: Monthly payments from June 30 to May 31.
- Tempisque: Monthly payments from July 31 to June 30.
- Late payment policy: A late fee of 2% per month applies if payments are not received within five business days of the due date. The school follows an escalating reminder and fee process for overdue accounts and reserves the right to suspend educational services for unpaid balances.
Boarding fees
- Boarding is not applicable; La Paz Community School operates as a day school with on‑campus programs and no residential/boarding option listed.
Other costs and typical additional fees
- Items explicitly not included in tuition: laptop computers and graphing calculators. Families are responsible for those purchases where required.
- Field trips: Field trip transportation is included in tuition except for international excursions; additional trip costs such as entry fees, lodging, food, and other expenses are not included and may be charged per trip. Students may be required to pay separately for certain excursions.
- Lunch program: The school operates a hot‑lunch program (La Cocina de La Paz). Families receive a monthly menu and pay for lunches they choose to purchase; bringing lunch from home is an alternative.
- Uniforms: School‑issued uniform pieces are required for daily wear; all uniform pieces must be school‑issued and families will be charged for replacement uniforms if the school provides one. PE/Movement uniform is required for older grades.
- Miscellaneous charges: Fees may apply for certain field trips, extracurricular activities, lost or damaged items, and other optional services.
Refunds and deposits
- Enrollment payments and key fee payments are non‑refundable: payments of enrollment, non‑resident, new student, and annual/trimester/monthly fees are non‑refundable. The school may retain deposits and fees as specified in the enrollment agreement and handbook. The school may require outstanding balances to be paid even if a student departs.
Fee payment options and banking information
- Accepted payment methods: wire / bank transfer, check deposit, and credit/debit card. The school does not accept cash or in‑office check payments. Electronic invoices and reminders are issued in advance of due dates.
- Bank accounts used for transfers include accounts held in Banco de Costa Rica, Banco Nacional de Costa Rica, and Banco BAC San José under the account name Asociación Escuela Comunal La Paz (bank account details and SWIFT/IBAN information are provided for bank transfers).
Discounts, financial aid and scholarships (fees‑related)
- Early‑bird discount on the enrollment fee: a discount is applied to the enrollment fee for payments made by early deadlines (early enrollment dates differ by campus). A family‑discount policy applies for larger families (for example, a multi‑child discount structure is specified). The school offers financial aid (up to 50% of tuition) and a scholarship program for greater assistance; enrollment and new student fees must be paid in full even when financial aid is granted.
Notes on payment enforcement
- The school employs a sequence of invoice reminders prior to due dates and applies late fees and collection procedures for overdue accounts. Continued non‑payment may result in an obligatory meeting and possible termination of enrollment if agreed payment plans are not met. Outstanding debt remains the responsibility of the family even after departure.
796 students from 26 countries
La Paz Community School is a PreK–12, non-profit, dual-immersion school in Guanacaste, Costa Rica, operating on two campuses: Cabo Velas and Tempisque, plus an Events and Sports Center on the Cabo Velas campus. The school teaches in English and Spanish and offers the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme for 11th and 12th grades, with a bilingual PreK–12 education that immerses students in two languages and two cultures. Its experiential learning approach brings hands-on, real-world connections to every subject, from science labs and gardens to anchor projects such as managing a chicken coop, greenhouses, and composting. Facilities include air-conditioned classrooms, libraries, science labs, art and music spaces, a stage, and a semi-Olympic pool and arena for sports and performances. The Extracurricular Program spans sports, arts, recreation and culture, and anchor projects feed opportunities for leadership, service, and community impact across grades. Our teachers collaborate with families to support each student's growth everyday.
