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Costa Rica, San Jose
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The school provides on-campus boarding in eight residences named after Costa Rican beaches. Residences are mostly gender-separated with a mix of non-binary/mixed spaces. Eight Day Residence Coordinators and two Night Coordinators supervise daily life, supported by seven additional residential staff, including health professionals. A medical team and wellness programs ensure student safety and well-being.
The school has no uniform requirement. Attire is casual, with formal dress required only for certain events.
The Cafeteria offers meal options to accommodate diverse dietary preferences. Typically, vegetarian and vegan options are available at every meal. If food remains at the end of a meal service, students may return to the line for an additional portion.
Students live in eight on-campus residences named after iconic Costa Rican beaches. Residences are mostly divided by gender, with a mix of non-binary/mixed spaces. Each residence has a residence coordinator who provides direct support, and regular residence meetings help foster community.
The school is a non-profit foundation.
United World College Costa Rica is a two-year residential IB Diploma Programme school for students aged 13 to 18. It delivers the full IB DP in Spanish with a bilingual diploma option (Spanish and English) and emphasizes experiential learning through Experiential Days across Costa Rica. The campus moves from Santa Ana to San Isidro, Heredia, on 40 hectares of nature reserve to support nature-based inquiry. The college operates as a foundation with an Executive Board and a Board of Trustees, and a Board of Directors was established in 2013. The IB DP core includes Theory of Knowledge, the Extended Essay, and Creativity, Activity, and Service across six subject groups. Co-curricular initiatives such as Agents of Change, Thematic Weeks, and CAS Experiences extend learning beyond the classroom. Eight residences host students with wellness support and vegetarian and vegan dining. One-on-one university counseling helps students pursue global destinations, with Davis Foundation scholarships for UWC Costa Rica students at over 100 U.S. universities. Arts opportunities include Music Ensemble, Art, Film Production, and CAS activities.
