Costa Rica
Veritas Universidad
Veritas Universidad
Spend a Semester or Summer in Pura Vida
"Pure Life" - The term is often associated with ​Costa Rica and your semester abroad will give you ​a whole new perspective on your pura vida. Our ​partner institution in Costa Rica offers an ​opportunity to learn Spanish with native speakers ​and to explore tropical ecology from a science, ​business and artistic perspective.
At a Glance
Partner Institution | Veritas Universidad |
Dates | 8/25/-12/12 (Fall), 1/6-4/30 (Spring), 5/26-6/27 (Summer I), 7/6-8/8 (Summer II) |
Number of Courses | 1-6 courses |
Course Category | GenEd required, Major required, GenEd electives, Major electives |
Class Eligibility | Completed 45-75 credit hours (sophomore and junior) |
Minimum GPA | 3.25 |
Language Pre-requisite | None |
Language of Instruction | English |
Course Pre-requisite(s) | Dependent on courses selected, but most have no prereq. |
Cost | Piedmont tuition, room/board ($21,700 fall or spring, $6,750 summer session) *Financial Aid may apply. Please see Financial Aid for your specific cost. **Accommodation supplement may apply depending on accommodation chosen. |
Included in Cost | Tuition, accommodation, airport pick0up, metro travel pass, 1-2 excursions |
Housing Options | Homestay |
Program Capacity | Unlimited |
Program Contact | Dr. Susanna Warnock (swarnock@piedmont.edu) |
Activity Level | Easy |
Application Deadline | 5/1 (Fall), 10/1 (Spring), 3/1 (Summer I), 4/1 (Summer II) |
A Day in the Life
Courses Available
Summer I (May 26th - June 27th)
- Spanish I and II
- Advanced Spanish courses
- Sustainable Lifestyles
- Tropical Ecology
- Tropical Marine Biology
- Environmental Impact and Social Dev
- Intro to Genetics
- Holistic Health Approaches
- Health and Psychology
- Physical Therapy and Sports Rehab
- Philosophy
- World Religions
- History of Latin American Architecture and Art
- Cultural Photography
- Mural Painting and Public Art
- Intro to Video Creation
- International Marketing Management
- Ecotourism: The Costa Rican Case
- ...and more!
Summer II (July 6th - August 8th)
- Spanish I and II
- Advanced Spanish courses
- Intro to Project Management
- Cultural Psychology
- Tropical Ecology
- International Relations
- Ecological Photography
- World Religions
- Creative Leadership Skills
- Intro to International Business
- Climate Change: Impacts and Adaptations
- Tropical Marine Biology
- Tropical Botany
- LGBTQ and Sexual Identity in Latin America
- Tropical Birds
- Freshwater Ecology
- Holistic Health Approaches
- Molecular Marine Biology
- ...and more!
Fall (August-December)
- Spanish I and II
- Advanced Spanish courses
- Art Fundamentals
- Mural Painting and Public Art
- Intro to Genetics
- Tropical Ecology
- Molecular Marine Biology
- Land Vertebrates of Costa Rica
- Herbalism and Wellness
- Physical Therapy and Sports Rehab
- Intro to International Business
- Ecotourism: The Costa Rican Case
- Intro to Human Physiology
- Conflict Resolution and Health Care
- Contemporary Latin American Film
- Human Rights in Latin America
- ...and more!
Spring (January-April)
- Spanish I and II
- Advanced Spanish courses
- Creative Conflict Resolution
- International Economics of Latin America
- Intro to Genetics
- Environmental Impact and Social Development
- Land Vertebrates of Costa Rica
- Tropical Birds
- Freshwater Ecology
- Biotechnology and Sustainability
- Selected Topics in Afro-Caribbean Studies
- Contemporary Latin American History
- Cultural Photography
- Ecological Photography
- Philosophy
- Health Psychology
- ...and more!
Next Steps
6
months
before departure
Talk to your Piedmont Advisors about your circumstances.
- Financial Aid can help you nail down the exact cost of each program for you. During the fall or spring semesters, your Scholarships and Financial Aid will likely apply.
- Your Academic Advisor can make sure you are taking classes that keep you track to graduate.
- Career Services will give you advice about how to make the most of your experience. Travel study is a great way to build employable skills and begin to fill up your resume. Having a plan before you leave is the best way to get the most out of the experience.
Apply for a Passport
- At times it can take 6-8 months for your passport application to be processed, so apply early.
- If you already have a passport, check to make sure that it does not expire within 6 months of your RETURN date. You may not be allowed into Costa Rica by immigration officials if it expires in less than 6 months.
Apply for Scholarships
- See Travel Study Director for some scholarships that may be able to help you pay for your travel study experience.
- Consider applying for a frequent flyer program. You will be responsible for purchasing your own flight. Frequent flyer miles can add up quickly and may help you keep the costs low.
5
months
before departure
Complete a nomination packet.
- You'll need to collect some information for the packet, which may take some time. You can't start this part of the process too early.
- Unofficial Transcript
- Personal Narrative
- Advisor's Letter of Recommendation
- Copy of Passport
3
months
before departure
Register for classes.
- Let the Director of Travel Study know what classes you would like to take.
Book your flight.
- The prices tend to increase significant 60 days before departure. To get the best price, you can register for alerts from sites like flights.google.com or Going (formerly Scott's Cheap Flights).