On my monthly relocation and retirement tours I am often asked about continuing one’s education in Costa Rica for both retirees and their older children. As I have mentioned in prior articles, universities charge only a fraction of what the do in the States and Canada. My son goes to ULACIT which is one of the country’s premier private universities. I pay a little over $2,000 per year for his education. Public universities like the University of Costa Rica ONLY charge around $300 per year. Yes, you read right!

When I refer to Costa Rica as being New England what I am saying is that country has the potential to become a tropical education center or New England Tropical. Since the last 1940’s Costa Rica has emphasized education. This was possible because the country abolished its military in 1948. This enabled Costa Rica to spend more money on the education of its citizens. So, the roots of Costa Rica’s university system have been growing for 60 years. At present the country has a number of first-rate universities including: CATIE, EARTH, INCAE, OET, University of Peace, the University of Costa Rica, Universidad Nacional, The Technological University of Costa Rica and a growing number of private universities like Ulacit.

Over the years the country has produced outstanding professionals including a Nobel Peace-Prize wining president, an astronaut, renowned doctors, engineers, scientists, etc. Costa Rica has also become a center for research at the university level.

Costa Rica has become a country of “knowledge” and many predict that this trend will continue with a new type of industry evolving called “The Industry of Knowledge” or “La industria de saber.” Costa Rica offers many advantages for university study for foreigners. Like England, Costa Rica has the potential to become the “superior educational center” of Latin America.