Most popular international schools in Costa rica

Located in Tres Ríos near San José, Lycée Franco-Costaricien is a bilingual French international school for ages 2 to 18. It is homologated by the French Ministry of National Education and AEFE and is managed in tripartite collaboration with the Costa Rican Ministry of Public Education (MEP) and the AFCE. The school offers a cross-border curriculum that combines the French national program with the Costa Rican system, from Maternelle to Terminale, and enables a double diploma: the Costa Rican baccalaureate and the French baccalaureate. Diplomas include the Diplôme National du Brevet (DBND), the Baccalauréat, Costa Rican diplomas, and DELF–DALF. The Terminale year includes a 20‑minute oral exam and orientation toward higher education with personalized guidance via Parcoursup France. The American Section strengthens English and US history and literature and supports the International French Baccalaureate (BFI). The campus offers on-site dining (Grill & Fresh), lodging with host families, and door-to-door transport across 25 routes. Two libraries—the BCD for primary and the CDI for secondary—support reading and research, with project-based learning across sciences, arts, music and the environment.

GSD International School Costa Rica is part of GSD cooperative network and serves students from 1 to 18 years old, offering Pre‑school to Secondary. It is authorized to deliver the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB DP), with two DP years, six subjects from the IB groups, and core Theory of Knowledge, CAS and the Extended Essay. The DP groups include Language and Literature (Literature), Language Acquisition (English B), Individuals and Societies (Business Management), Sciences (Chemistry), Mathematics (Mathematics: Applications and Interpretation), and Arts (Music). The school emphasizes technology in learning and aims to foster international inquiry and higher education. Opened in 2018, the campus spans 30,000 m2 and features science, computing and robotics laboratories, a pool, football pitch, a sports center, auditorium and green spaces. Extracurricular activities include GSD Sports, GSD Music and Dance, and GSD Culture. A Mandarin immersion program partners with Greentown Yuhua School Hangzhou and Keystone Academy Beijing.

Journey School of Costa Rica is an international, bilingual day school serving ages 2–18 across two campuses: Tamarindo (the flagship) and Jacó. The school offers a dual-language PreK–12 program aligned with the IB Primary Years (PYP) and Middle Years (MYP) frameworks, with instruction in English and Spanish. A transdisciplinary, project-based approach unites mathematics, science, language, and the arts, anchored by a Reggio Emilia-inspired ethos and the idea of the '100 Languages of Children' to support expression through multiple modalities. Social-emotional learning is woven into daily life via Conscious Discipline and restorative justice. Tamarindo carries IB accreditation and national approvals (MEP, Dirección de Educación Privada) as well as Middle States Association, while Jacó pursues similar accreditations. The community includes students from 35 countries, speaking 27 native languages. After-school options span sports, arts, robotics, culture, and service, reinforcing inquiry, well-being, and global citizenship. Students benefit from a collaborative, international community that supports curiosity, kindness, and discovery.

Marian Baker School (MBS) is a private international school in Costa Rican Central Valley serving students aged 2 to 18. The campus overlooks San José and offers English-dominant instruction with Spanish taught across all grades and French introduced early. The school provides the IB Diploma Programme alongside the Cognia High School Diploma and the Costa Rican high school diploma, enabling graduates to pursue colleges worldwide, including the United States and Costa Rica. In addition to the bespoke curriculum and American-style options, MBS emphasizes bilingual literacy and prepares students for diverse paths. Facilities include a gym, a library, a cafeteria, and modern classrooms for middle and high school, with dedicated spaces and campus spaces for efficient movement. Extracurriculars feature Model United Nations, National Honor Society, Student Government, and AASCA sports; arts electives include drama, band, and cinematography. The school is nut-free and promotes wellness through nutrition and physical education for all.

Anglo American School in Costa Rica is a private day school offering the International Baccalaureate across the full range of grades from 0 to 18. The curriculum includes IB PYP, MYP, and DP, with a emphasis on student-centred inquiry and global-minded learning. The school provides bilingual education from preschool through secondary in a fully bilingual environment, with a total English immersion program. The bilingual program begins at 11 months of age. In 2017 the school was accredited to offer the IB Diploma, and it celebrated its 70th anniversary in 2019. Facilities include wide green spaces designed for early years, a Library and Resource Center with print and Destiny online catalogs, and high-level science laboratories and Design and Technology spaces for practical experiments, robotics, and programming. After-school services and clubs extend learning, including Actividades optativas such as dance, swimming, football, basketball, and taekwondo. Language clubs and Olympiads round out the program.

Country Day School, Costa Rica (CDS) is a US-accredited private day school serving an international community from ages 1 to 18. Founded in 1963, it joined Nord Anglia Education in 2018, strengthening its offerings through collaborations with Juilliard, MIT, and UNICEF. The curriculum follows US frameworks: Elementary and Middle School use Common Core standards; High School leads to the US high school diploma alongside the Costa Rican Bachillerato, with more than 25 AP courses and the AP Capstone Diploma. Students prepare for university with mathematics built on Harvard Pure Math, Harvard Engineering, and MIT curricula, and Mandarin is available as a high school elective. The campus in San Rafael de Alajuela is LEED-certified, solar powered, and designed to save water and energy. It features 81 classrooms, seven STEAM spaces, arts and athletic facilities, and outdoor areas. Global Campus connects students with peers, enabling field experiences, international trips, and cross-cultural collaboration.

Founded in 1989 by Miss Anne Aronson, The European School in San José, Costa Rica, serves preschool through high school across 14 levels and about 540 students. It is an IB World School offering the Diploma Programme for Grades 11–12 and is accredited by Costa Rica's Ministry of Public Education and the International Baccalaureate Organization. The curriculum uses integrated teaching that unites literature, history, geography and art under central themes, with typical class sizes around 20. The school day runs from 8:15 a.m. to 2:45 p.m., with Wednesdays as half days, and a calendar featuring short vacations every nine to ten weeks. Facilities emphasize the arts and languages, with violin instruction leading to a string orchestra in primary. Meals are provided daily, including a balanced lunch with vegetables, many organic, served family‑style. The campus prioritizes sustainable practices and aims to develop mature, globally engaged graduates who contribute as responsible citizens.

Golden Valley School is an international day school in Costa Rica serving ages 0 to 18. The program blends Montessori philosophy with the International Baccalaureate framework (PYP, MYP, DP) and an American Diploma option, with families able to choose Bachillerato MEP in final years. English is the primary language of instruction, with immersion from early years, and German taught as a third language; in primary, English is delivered for about eight hours weekly. The school emphasizes inquiry-based, cross-disciplinary learning and project experiences, supported by digital platforms that track progress and offer enrichment. Since 1997, Golden Valley has focused on developing principled, well-informed students who contribute to their communities. A STEAM approach sits beside active sport and arts programs. Extras include a Gifted Students Program, university counseling, and social responsibility initiatives such as COEEPI, linking students with Indigenous communities and international university pathways.

True North School in Costa Rica offers an innovative, learner-centered education with an American and bespoke curriculum delivered bilingually. The school is the exclusive Costa Rica licensee for Learning 1 To 1, providing personalized, one-to-one learning paths. AYTN, Awaken Your True North, anchors the approach, cultivating five core skills—Appreciation, Audacity, Commitment, Curiosity, and Empathy—through leadership development and wellbeing. The day opens with a 20-minute skills session, then blends project-based learning with academic work and a Goal Time block to support autonomy and collaboration. The curriculum uses US and national standards as benchmarks across math, science, ELA, and Spanish, with enrichments in art, music, and physical education. A distinctive feature is the Conscious Innovation Lab, the first of its kind in Costa Rica, where students work on real-world problems. Accreditation by the Costa Rica Ministry of Education in 2020 and Cognia in 2022 confirms the school's international alignment. Committed to excellence.

Lighthouse International School is an independent private, college-preparatory school in Costa Rica that serves students from ages 3 to 18. The curriculum combines an American-pattern education with IB Diploma Programme options and a bespoke program, including a High School path that awards the U.S. High School Diploma and the Costa Rican MEP diploma while offering the IB Diploma Programme in grades 11–12. Core subjects are taught in English by native-speaking teachers, with Spanish instruction to support bilingual growth; the primary language of instruction is English. The school emphasizes inquiry, leadership and character development within a Christ-centered environment. Founded in 2008, Lighthouse is accredited by the Ministerio de Educación Pública and authorized to offer the IB Diploma Programme, affiliated with the International Baccalaureate Organization. The program runs Preschool through IB, with Applied Technology from Pre‑K to 8th grade and a STEM Fair, plus arts, music, sports, service learning and daily Community Time devoted to spiritual reflection.