Service & Spanish Language
Costa Rica
Service & Spanish Language in San Jose, Costa Rica
Spend an unforgettable week in Costa Rica, where meaningful community service, Spanish language immersion, and incredible adventure come together! Explore the natural beauty and vibrant culture of Costa Rica while practicing Spanish and experiencing everyday life in a new country. Through engaging Spanish language activities and cultural experiences, you’ll have the opportunity to build your confidence using Spanish while connecting with the local community.
When you’re not learning Spanish or participating in service projects, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to explore Costa Rica, spend time with friends, and experience the country’s incredible scenery and culture. You’ll take part in hands-on community service projects that support local organizations and make a positive impact while developing teamwork, cultural awareness, and a deeper connection to the community.
It’s the perfect blend of language, service, adventure, friendship, and cultural immersion—and an unforgettable way to experience Costa Rica!
2027 Dates & Tuition
- February 15 - February 21 $4,595
Transportation is not included in tuition.
Make a Difference in Costa Rica
Give back while exploring Costa Rica through meaningful community service and volunteer opportunities. You’ll participate in hands-on service projects that may include volunteering at a day care center, where you’ll play educational games and lead arts and crafts activities for children from low-income families; assisting at an animal rescue center, where you’ll help feed, clean, and care for rescued animals and help restore their natural habitats; renewing a river, where you’ll raft down the river while helping clean and restore this important natural resource; or sustaining agriculture on an organic farm, where you’ll work alongside local farmers to cultivate medicinal plants and support sustainable farming practices.
Through these experiences, you’ll have the opportunity to work alongside your peers, connect with members of the local community, practice Spanish in real-world settings, and see firsthand how your time and effort can make a difference. Community service is a great way to step outside your comfort zone, develop teamwork and leadership skills, and make a positive impact while traveling. Earn 25 hours of community service during your ACA Costa Rica experience! Upon completion of the program, every student receives a certificate highlighting the total number of hours volunteered and the projects completed—giving you a meaningful record of your service experience to take home.
Learn Spanish. Experience Costa Rica
Take your Spanish beyond the classroom and experience the language in the heart of Costa Rica! Through engaging Spanish language lessons, cultural activities, and everyday interactions, you’ll have the opportunity to build your confidence and put your Spanish skills to use in real-world situations.
Practice ordering food, talking with locals, exploring markets, and navigating your surroundings while experiencing Costa Rican culture firsthand. You’ll learn alongside your ACA group in a fun, supportive environment while discovering how language can help you connect with people and places in a whole new way.
Whether you’re already studying Spanish or just beginning, this experience is designed to help you build language skills, gain confidence, connect with the local community, and experience Costa Rica from a local perspective. It’s Spanish language learning with an adventure built in!
Accommodations & Meals
You’ll stay in an upscale hotel in San Jose, carefully selected based on safety, security, location, amenities, and comfort. Your accommodations will provide a comfortable home base throughout your adventure, with private bathrooms. For safety and security reasons, we do not publish the names of the hotels we use. After enrolling, students and parents will receive the names of all accommodations for the trip.
The standard room configuration is two students per room. All students complete a detailed roommate questionnaire, and roommates are matched based on age and common interests. Of course, if you’re traveling with a friend, you can request to room together!
Delicious Meals
ACA takes the guesswork out of meals so you can focus on service, language and enjoying San Jose. Each morning, you’ll start your day with a delicious breakfast at the hotel, with a variety of options to fuel you for an active day. For dinners, you’ll enjoy ACA’s exclusive Dining-on-the-Town Plan, giving you the opportunity to choose from a variety of ACA-selected local restaurants—with dinner included in your tuition!
For lunch, you’ll have the opportunity to choose from a variety of local cafés, restaurants, and other dining options in San Jose. With plenty of choices throughout the trip, you’ll be able to enjoy the local food scene while spending time with your friends.
ACA can accommodate most special dietary requests, including food allergies, vegetarian/vegan diets, lactose intolerance, celiac disease, and kosher-style diets, as well as picky eaters. We welcome the opportunity to discuss your individual dietary needs with you prior to departure.
Safety & Supervision
At ACA, we believe safety comes first. That’s why we maintain a ten-to-one student-to-staff ratio – one of the lowest in the industry! This lets us offer unmatched attention and unique personalized programs.
As part of our commitment to student safety, ACA staff members live on every student-occupied floor and accompany students on all activities and excursions. ACA also uses chartered coach and taxi services to get around town, never public transportation. All ACA staff members are always equipped with cellphones.
The hotel adds an additional element of security, as well. The front desk is staffed 24 hours a day with trained personnel for your comfort and convenience.
Travel to San Jose*
Students traveling to Costa Rica fly on ACA-staffed group flights round-trip directly from the New York area nonstop to San José. From there, they will be escorted on private motorcoaches by our personal Costa Rican guides to our hotel.
We are always happy to help make arrangements for students who need to first fly to New York in order to meet the ACA group flight or directly to San Jose. Please contact the ACA office for additional assistance.