United World College Costa Rica

Santa Ana, Costa Rica. Located in the Santa Ana suburb of San José. The campus is listed as located in Santa Ana (soon to be in San Isidro). The campus address is San José, Costa Rica 10901.

Two-year residential pre-university program for students to achieve the International Baccalaureate (IB).

Two-year residential college offering the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme with on-campus housing.

Around 200 students representing 70+ countries.

Wellness and Learning Support includes one-on-one and group spaces addressing academic, emotional, and well-being needs; a Student Academic Success System for Youth (SASSY); Student Internal Support; and a dedicated wellness team.

Costa Rica.

The College provides transportation for students to and from the San José airport (SJO) on official arrival dates only; otherwise, students arrange their own transport.

IB Diploma Programme (DP) curriculum with six subject groups and the DP core (Theory of Knowledge, Creativity, Activity, Service, and the Extended Essay). It is the only UWC College offering the full IBDP in Spanish, with an option to earn a bilingual diploma. The academic model is based on experiential learning, and includes Experiential Days outside the classroom across Costa Rica. The college frames its educational approach as distinctive and globally oriented within the IB framework.

Class of 2023 IB Pass Rate: 79.6% (Worldwide 87.5%). Class of 2023 Bilingual Diplomas: 26.8% (Worldwide 42.8%).

One-on-one university counseling is provided to help students plan for higher education beyond UWC Costa Rica. Staff assist with university applications worldwide and with securing partial and full scholarships. The college collaborates with the Davis Foundation to support UWC graduates at more than 100 universities in the United States.

The Residential Life Program provides Community Wellbeing Activities that create a preventive culture space in the residential area for students' comprehensive well-being. Life at UWC Costa Rica is Safe, Exciting, and Diverse. The program uses an experiential learning approach to empower students as agents of change. Eight Day Residence Coordinators and two Night Coordinators support daily life, along with seven other residential staff. The team includes licensed psychologists, nurses, paramedics, physical trainers, educators, and a doctor to support students' physical and mental well-being. Wellness activities, such as outings, camps, excursions, movie nights, dinners, meditations, and exercise, are regularly organized to support students' academic and social journeys.

The school offers a bilingual program in English and Spanish. The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme allows a two-year school-supported self-taught course in a student's first language if it is not English or Spanish.

The Residential Life Program includes licensed psychologists, nurses, paramedics, physical trainers, educators, and a doctor to support students' physical and mental well-being. The staff focuses on ensuring students lead healthy, balanced lifestyles. Wellness activities accompany daily life, including outings, camps, excursions, movie nights, and meditation. The team collaborates with health professionals to monitor and promote student well-being.

UWC Costa Rica safeguards all students from harm and promotes student welfare. Safeguarding covers protection from physical, emotional, neglectful, and sexual abuse, and supports well-being in both physical and digital environments. A Safeguarding & Child Protection Policy exists in English and Spanish. The UWC International Common Standards for Safeguarding are in place. A Student Procedure for Reporting Safeguarding Cases provides students with a clear path to report incidents with respect, compassion, and discretion.

Two routes exist to apply to UWC Costa Rica: Global Selection Programme (GSP) and National Committees (NCs), including the Costa Rica National Committee and other National Committees. GSP is an IB Diploma Programme route with limited places at UWCs; you can apply to UWC Costa Rica or to 15 other UWCs, and you are expected to cover the total tuition cost. Most students are selected through NCs, which provide guidance in the application process and often offer scholarships to applicants; this route is subject to each NC's deadlines, so applicants should check with their NC. Applicants may choose from three options to express their UWC preferences: application to a specific school, up to three schools, or all UWCs. Entry is not guaranteed for either route. Scholarships are not available via GSP, but are available via NCs based on demonstrated need. Can I apply in a language other than English? GSP applications are in English; NC routes can in most cases be in languages other than English. Selected students are expected to meet all academic and co-curricular responsibilities, learn to communicate in both English and Spanish, and embrace diversity while abiding by UWC Costa Rica policies. To start, subscribe to the Admissions Newsletter for updates, guides, and tips, and apply via the GSP route (Apply Now) or through your NC; you can also Find Your National Committee for information on NC deadlines and procedures. The Costa Rica NC route offers guidance and often scholarships, with NCs providing accompaniment in the application process. Over the past year, UWC Costa Rica and the movement have granted substantial scholarships across the network.

Scholarships are offered primarily through National Committees, which accompany applicants and often provide funding; scholarships are based on demonstrated need. GSP does not provide scholarships. In the movement, more than $13 million in scholarships were granted in the last year.