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Costa Rica, San Jose
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UWC Costa Rica opened in 2006 in Santa Ana, San José, on a campus inherited from SOS Villages and adapted over the years. It is the only UWC in Latin America and the Caribbean and offers a bilingual program that allows students to explore the region's social, political, and cultural history. The college is transitioning to a new space in San Isidro, Heredia, offering nature-rich learning opportunities on a campus surrounded by 40 hectares of nature reserve. The college is structured as a foundation under Costa Rican law with an Executive Board and a Board of Trustees; in 2013 the Board of Trustees created a Board of Directors. The core learning model is guided by a five-year Strategic Plan and a Sustainability Framework.
The UWC Costa Rica community hosts a vibrant calendar of events as showcased on the Blog & News page, including Graduation ceremonies with livestreams. Blog posts highlight events such as UWC Day celebrations and alumni stories, reflecting the community's culture of intercultural exchange, service, and global citizenship. The move to the new campus in San Isidro is described as deepening roots in the local community and strengthening ties with San Isidro's residents. The broader UWC Movement connects UWC Costa Rica to a global network of more than 60,000 alumni and 18 colleges worldwide.
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.
