Costa Rica (UV)
Semester in Costa Rica Program
Program Overview
George Fox University students may apply to study in Costa Rica for one semester through a cooperative agreement with Universidad Veritas, San José, Costa Rica. The Semester in Costa Rica Program is designed primarily for students majoring or minoring in Spanish. Students study in San José, Costa Rica at Universidad Veritas de Arte, Diseño y Arquitectura, and live in local homes.
Course content
A Preliminary Course Request Form is sent to each student prior to his or her departure for Costa Rica. Students choose their courses based on their previous Spanish language course work, with the approval of their advisor or the foreign language faculty. Besides Spanish language courses, students can take courses in Spanish literature, phonetics, art, and culture.
Opportunities
Various activities and outings, such as concerts, theater productions, tropical dance lessons, Costa Rican food cooking classes, trips to the beach, sporting events, eco-tours, etc. will be offered throughout the semester. These activities are optional. Some activities will require a nominal fee, some will be more expensive.
Application
The student will fill out two applications:
- George Fox off-campus application form (obtained from the Center for Global Studies; or downloaded here).
- Universidad Veritas application (to be completed online here). An application fee must accompany your application.
*The UV application should only be completed after being informed from the Director of Global Studies that you are accepted for an off-campus study semester.
Application Deadlines
The student must obtain and fill out two applications: a George Fox off-campus application form (available at the registrar's office) and a Universidad Veritas application (available from the director of Global Studies or the Spanish office). Upon receiving university approval, the student may complete the application to Universidad Veritas.
Eligibility
Students must be full-time undergraduates with junior or senior status, holding a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher to apply.
Credits
Three Spanish grammar and conversation courses are offered for 5 semester hours of credit each. George Fox students also spend three weeks in a service learning program that carries 3 credits. Most students will receive 18 credit hours.
Housing
Students live in Costa Rican homes in San José. A student's Costa Rican family may consist of a couple or a single woman, with or without children. Students will be living with one, two, or sometimes three housemates from the Semester in Costa Rica Program, depending on the accommodations available, but they will always have their own room. Students who are participating in our program along with a friend may request to live together in the same home assignment. Those requests are honored as much as possible.
Costs
The student pays George Fox's standard tuition, room and board, and student fees. Participants continue to receive financial aid, including scholarships, since they are officially George Fox students. Travel costs are credited to the student's GFU account.
For more information, contact:
Center for Global Studies
Stevens First Floor
Phone: 503-554-2686
E-mail: globalstudies@georgefox.edu