through immersion in sustainability, social justice, health and community engagement. A transformative learning experience that inspires growth, empathy, and global citizenship in action. DISCOVER COSTA RICA
“Building a community-responsive project taught me that sustainability is fundamentally relational – when community members feel ownership of an initiative, they invest in its long-term success.”
Mari RadtkeSPRING 2025
“Sustainable development is about creating a community that is connected with and helps sustain nature. It doesn’t have to be a world-scale thing — small, local actions matter.”
Brindie LeverSPRING 2025
“I take away hope and proper implementation. I know better how to lead others to a communal vision rooted in empathy and sustainability.”
Morgan Jenkins FALL 2024
“Seeing Costa Rica’s emphasis on preventative care and equitable access helped me reflect on how different healthcare can look when it’s built around connection and long-term relationships.”
Hope PerdewHEALTH
“This experience has inspired me to continue pursuing medicine, explore new cultures, and remain open to new perspectives and ideas. I will forever remember this trip.”
Mercedes JardingUNL
“This program enriched my understanding of global healthcare systems in ways the U.S. classroom never could. It pushed me outside my comfort zone and reshaped how I think and connect with others.”
Makayla SchmidtUNL
“I was often pushed to practice my Spanish as I engaged in activities in the native language without translation. It has expanded my Spanish knowledge exponentially.”
Livia CostaFALL 2023
“This program has filled me with excitement and the confidence to believe I have the power to make a difference. I leave Costa Rica filled with pride, gratitude, and inspiration.”
Livia CostaFALL 2023
“At Itarär Ecological Park, I connected my experiences to the UN SDGs — learning that for people to want change, they must build a connection with the cause first.”
Cate SatorisSPRING 2024
“Sustainable development is not just about projects or policies, but about fostering relationships and honoring diverse knowledge so communities can envision their own futures.”
Mari RadtkeSPRING 2025
“With ICDS, I have had the ability to work, live, and learn with people from Costa Rica. I have learned so much about life, sustainability, and what the future could hold through my classmates, host family, community service, and the country in general.”
Brindie LeverSPRING SEMESTER 2025

Gain a broader perspective and skills on the health field at international level to become more competitive for future academic and career opportunities. Takeaways Health The experiential learning component of these programs consists of observational clinical rotations or community service in health related services depending on the Spanish proficiency of students. Both experiences are eye-opening components designed to provide students with an on-the-job Spanish skill set specifically for careers centered on the health industry as well as first-hand experience of a different approach to healthcare in terms of vision, management and operation.
 Build resilience, independence, and confidence and develop a more open-minded empathetic outlook to relate to patients in different cultural environments. Improvement of language proficiency, with a particular focus in medical Spanish, which will enable future professionals to work with Spanish-speaking patients.

Experiential learning allows students to acquire knowledge, skills and competencies that enrich both their professional and personal life, thus improving their employability. The increasing interest for sustainability and social justice demands professionals with a good understanding of the challenges faced by society and with the capacity to adapt to today’s changing world.
 Takeaways Sustainability and Social Justice Broaden the perspective and skill set on both sustainability and social justice fields at an international level, thus becoming more competitive for academic and career opportunities as a future professional. Learn different methodologies and tools to facilitate participatory processes for local and regional sustainable development. Obtain a practical understanding of UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Inner Development Goals (IDGs) and their application in real-life contexts (communities, NGOs, local and regional development organizations)

LOGISTICS INCLUDED

In addition to the logistical arrangements listed below and the collaborative program design, we also provide the pre-program onboarding and in-country orientation.

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LOGISTICS INCLUDED

In addition to the logistical arrangements listed below and the collaborative program design, we also provide the pre-program onboarding and in-country orientation.

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Ready to Make a Difference?

Join us in Costa Rica and take your learning experience beyond the classroom. Explore how your academic passions and personal purpose align to create meaningful, measurable impact—within yourself and within the communities you serve.

Join us in Costa Rica and take your learning experience beyond the classroom. Explore how your academic passions and personal purpose align to create meaningful, measurable impact—within yourself and within the communities you serve.

Study abroad with ICDS

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ICDS Programs in Costa Rica

ICDS Programs in Costa Rica

Want more information?

info@icdscostarica.com

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Spring Semester - Fall Semester

Sustainable Development and Social Justice in Latin America

Learn about some of Costa Rica’s world-leading initiatives in Sustainable Development and Social Justice through classwork, community work, field trips and cultural activities. The program also focuses on Latin America and the Caribbean, exploring the region’s shared challenges and innovative responses to issues such as inequality, climate change, migration, and grassroots social movements; allowing students to gain a broader perspective and a deeper understanding of the complexities of the Global South.

To provide students with a deeper understanding of Latin America and the Caribbean, the program includes an immersive experience at an agroecological farm in rural Costa Rica, where students are exposed to both nature and community while engaging in sustainable practices through guided field work, class activities, and cross-cultural interactions.

The Community Engagement and Sustainable Human Development course, combines applied theory based on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Inner Development Goals (IDGs) frameworks with community service preparing students with leadership skills, knowledge and competences to engage with communities and facilitate change processes towards sustainable development. 

Required courses:

  • Community Engagement and Sustainable Human Development: A Service-learning Course
  • Spanish Language (all levels)

Elective courses:

  • Current Environmental Issues in Latin America
  • Human Rights, Migration, and Social Inclusion in Latin America and the Caribbean
  • Development in Latin America from a Gender Perspective
  • Responsible and Sustainable Tourism
  • Sustainable Development in Rural and Urban Latin America
  • Contemporary Latin America Through Film
  • Literatura Centroamericana (Taught in Spanish-Advanced Spanish level required)
  • Populism and Democracy in Latin America and the Caribbean 
  • Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainable Development
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Summer I

Spanish and Sustainability Practices in Costa Rica

Service-learning program with strong Spanish language and cultural immersion components divided in urban and rural experiences. The program starts in San José, the country’s capital city and then participants immerse themselves in the culture of rural Costa Rica by working and learning on site at a local agroecological farm while living with a rural family. 

Courses

  1. Spanish Language and community work  (all levels)  → Taught in San José
  2. Sustainability Practices & Food Security in Rural Costa Rica → Taught at an Agroecological Farm 

Late May – Late June

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Winter Term - Fall Semester

Health Care in Latin America

With a universal health system, that makes the country rank #1 in Latin America (according to the United Nations) Costa Rica serves as a model for developing countries in the region and around the world. This makes it a great destination to learn about the different health systems in the region. 

In addition to the elective courses in different areas of the health field, students take a Spanish for Health Sciences course where they acquire the necessary Spanish language proficiency to work and interact with Spanish-speaking patients, their families, and colleagues. 

Students get the chance to apply their acquired knowledge through observational clinical rotations or community work in health-related organizations depending on their Spanish proficiency level. Aside from the academic components, the program includes homestays, cultural activities and field trips to support cultural and linguistic immersion in their host country.

Core courses (required):

  • Spanish for Health Sciences (all levels)

 

Elective courses:

  • Health and Vulnerable Populations in Latin America
  • Health Care Systems in Latin America
  • Economics of Health Care Systems
  • Tropical Diseases in Latin America
  • When Perception is Reality: Subjectivity & Health in Latin America
  • Health and International Cooperation
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Summer II

Spanish and Health in Latin America

This program offers the opportunity to explore the health system  in a developing country while improving Spanish speaking skills. Observational clinical rotations for advanced Spanish speakers or community service in health related services for lower to intermediate level Spanish speakers are the experiential learning components of the program.

Courses

  1. Health Care in Latin America
  2. Spanish for Health Sciences

Late June – Late July

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Faculty - Led Programs

Customized

Our Customized and Faculty-Led Programs give universities and faculty the opportunity to shape every aspect of their students’ academic journey in Costa Rica, while ensuring students engage meaningfully with local communities and return home with transformative academic, personal, and intercultural growth.

Drawing on our extensive network of local partner organizations, our experienced faculty and staff, and our long-standing expertise in experiential learning, we collaborate with partner universities to design a program that matches their goals and vision; from the academic curriculum to community engagement projects, field-based learning, professional site visits, and eco-adventures. 

We offer the flexibility, creativity, and support to bring your customized program to life. The result is more than just a study abroad—it’s a life-changing experience that empowers students to grow personally, academically, and professionally.

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