The Program

UW-Eau Claire has partnered for several years with Costa Rica Study Abroad to offer students the possibility of immersing themselves in the Costa Rican culture.

In this intensive spring semester, you will improve your Spanish language skills and apply those skills immediately with your host family and through community involvement.  You'll also learn about Latin America both in the classroom and through interactive experiences such as field trips and a two-week service-learning project.

Academic field trips will introduce you to a few of the many faces of Costa Rica.  Both day visits to sites such as the Museo Nacional, the Zoo or Mariposario in San José, and weekend trips to sites such as a Pacific beach, Cartago & Guayabo (camping), Santa Rosa and Palo Verde Rain/Dry Forest and wetlands, and Tortuguero (Rain Forest), are included.

Location

For the majority of the program you will be living in San Isidro, a city with a population of 20,000. San Isidro is abot 9 miles from San José and 5 miles from Heredia. The city is about 35 minutes away by bus from downtown San Jose. San Isidro is also surrounded by the magnificent cloud forest Braulio Carrillo National Park.

Courses

This 14 week academic program has three distinct parts.  You will participate in all three.

Parts One & Three (weeks 1-6 & 9-14) Academic Coursework
Spanish courses start in week 1, Part One and continue in Part Three.  You will cover the equivalent of 2 semesters of language materials, continuing from your current level.  Spanish credit will be granted for:  Span 101, 102, 201, 202, 301 or 302.

Courses, taught in English, with a Latin American Studies focus will also take place during Part One & Part Three.  You will take History of Civilization of Central America (UWEC's HIST 411) and an environmental seminar,  Conservation of Sustainability (UWEC's Geog lower division, GEIII).

Part Two (Weeks 7-8):  Community Project
In Part 2, you will spend 2 weeks in a rural community, working on service projects identified as important by community leaders. Past projects have involved working with local elementary school students and their parents to renovate school playgrounds, build benches, and paint murals. No academic credit is awarded, however, the project fulfills the UW-Eau Claire service learning requirement.

Where Will I Live?

 For the majority of the stay, you will be with one family; however, during the two week community project you will live with a different host family in the rural community where the project takes place.

Academic Calendar

This spring program typically begins in the last week of January and ends the first week of May.  Exact dates are available the semester prior to departure.

Expenses

Estimated Spring 2010 Wisconsin resident fee is $7,776. This includes full-time UW-Eau Claire tuition, fees, room, board, instructional materials, required field trips, CISI insurance and administrative fees. Minnesota residents may apply for reciprocity; residents of other states add $900 non-resident fees.

Additional costs: passport, airport departure tax, personal expenses, local transportation, and airfare. Estimate another $2,600 for these expenses. 

Total Wisconsin resident estimated cost for the semester is $10,276. Costs estimates may change at any time.

Financial Aid/Scholarships

If you qualify for financial aid, you can apply your aid to program costs. Your financial aid package will be based on actual costs in Costa Rica, including the cost of round-trip airfare. You  can learn about additional options, including a study abroad grant through the UW-Eau Claire Foundation;  a Wisconsin Grant for Study Abroad and scholarships for specific majors and national study abroad scholarships at http://uwec.edu/CIE/sac/finaid.htm.

Eligibility

The program is open to all academically eligible undergraduate students. You must be in good academic standing and have a cumulative resident GPA of 2.8 or higher. Although you may apply as a freshman, you need to be at the sophomore level or above at the time of departure. No prior Spanish language study is required; students with more than 4 semesters of university Spanish are not eligible to apply.

Application Deadline

Applications for Spring 2010 will be accepted beginning January 15, 2009.  The priority application deadline for Spring 2010 is April 1, 2009.

Complete applications will be reviewed after these dates. Late applications will be considered if space is still available. Please contact the Center for International Education to find out if spaces are available before submitting a late application. No applications will be accepted after May 1, 2009 for Spring 2010.

You can download an application at online applications, or stop by to pick up an application in the Center for International Education.

Comments

"Mi casa es su casa, Annie," my host parents Luis and Marita said to me upon my arrival. Ever since that first day, I was comfortable at my host house and with my hosta family. The fieldtrips were amazing. Classes were very challenging at times, but the beaches on the weekends always gave us something to look forward to." -Anne

My experience in Costa Rica was life changing. Living in another culture and seeing different aspects of that culture through the various field trips and community service project really made me take a look at my life and make some positive changes on how I view things. The host families were great and the best way to really get to know the culutre was to interact with them. I would recommend this experience to anyone!!" - Candace

It was a thriller, a learning experience, and overall definitely worth the airpline ride. -Heidi

My experience in Costa Rica was once in a lifetime! I experienced different cultures and met many new friends! I had such a great time, I'm thinking of living down here in Costa Rica one day! -Cody

My experience in Costa Rica was life changing. The host families were great and the best way to really get to know the culture was to interact with them. I would recommend this experience to anyone!! -Candace

The semester that I spent in Costa Rica was the best semester I have ever had. It was so interesting to learn about another culture and to be able to actually put the Spanish that I have been learning to use. This experience makes me want to study abroad again!-Christina

My experience in Costa Rica was amazing. Going to a new place every weekend and learning Spanish quicker than I would have ever imagined!-Stacy

Costa Rica was an amazing experience. I grew so much as a person. Here, I was able meet so many great people and see so many new places and things. I truly feel that I am a more worldly person and will be able to achieve more than I ever thought possible after my time here. Thank you so much for this opportunity! -Mallory


My experience in Costa Rica was the best semester that I’ve had while in college. I learned so much more on a day to day basis in Costa Rica than I did sitting in a classroom in Eau Claire. I think everyone should consider studying in Costa Rica whether you are studying Spanish or haven't spoken it before in your life.--Christie

What can I say...Costa Rica was an amazingly beautiful, interesting, and fun place to spend a semester abroad! The host family living arrangement really contributed to my understanding of the culture and the Spanish classes were very personal and beneficial. Let's just say I had a blast!--Elizabeth

Studying abroad was the best decision I have made and it was better than I could have ever imagined it to be. The scenery is beautiful with the volcanoes, the rainforests, and the beaches. Living with a host family was amazing and I truly learned about the Costa Rican culture from them. I can’t wait to go back and visit the country that is now my second home!!!--Megan

Costa Rica is an amazing place, and filled with amazing people. When you come to other countries on vacation it is nothing like studying there for 4 months and making it part of your life. --Kelly

Additional Information

For more information and an application, contact:

Center for International Education
Schofield 111
UW-Eau Claire
Eau Claire, WI   54702-4004

Phone: (715) 836-4411
Fax: (715) 836-4948
Email: studyabroad@uwec.edu
Internet address:  http://www.uwec.edu/CIE