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San Jose, the capital of Costa Rica, is a friendly cosmopolitan city of
about 800,000. It is home to the University of Costa Rica and a variety
of language
institutes. Costa Rica is an increasingly popular site for study abroad.
A democratic, politically stable nation, it has been called the “safest country to visit
in Latin America.” It is also one of the most interesting to explore,
with tropical rain forests, beautiful beaches, active volcanoes, and exotic
wildlife.
Official Forester Instituto Internacional
webpage
Cost
Rica Tourism website
Lonely
Planet comments on San Jose
The Forester Instituto Internacional is the host institution for the program,
which is offered to Parkland students through the College of DuPage. The
program immerses students in Spanish language study with four hours of classes
each
morning. In the afternoon, students work on assigned projects that involve
travel and community interaction.
Field trips include a jungle train and a banana plantation, an active volcano,
Guayabo Archeological Monument in the cloud forest, Carara Biological Reserve,
Jaco Beach, and a three-day excursion to Tortuguero National Park, which
includes a river boat jungle trip.
Students stay in the homes of carefully selected families, with two Illinois
students assigned per family. Breakfast and supper are provided by the host
family; students are on their own for lunch.
Costs vary slightly every year; therefore, costs for the current semester
should be obtained from the director of Study Abroad. Most types of aid available
to Parkland students may be used for a semester abroad, and, in addition,
there are a limited number of Parkland Foundation Scholarships.
Study Abroad students save several hundred dollars in Parkland Tuition
costs, as the college charges students for just one credit hour of tuition
and fees,
no matter how many courses they enroll in abroad.
Usually, the five-week summer session runs from the fourth week in June
through the fourth week in July. (For specific dates for the current semester,
consult
the Study Abroad office.)
In order for students to study abroad, they must have completed 12 credit
hours of college-level work, have a 2.75 grade point average, and have completed
English 101 by the time of travel.
The deadline for applications is February 1st. However, since space is limited,
it’s advisable to apply early.
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