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Volunteer Teaching English in Costa Rica!
Do you have a passion for teaching and want to share it with people in need? Has an exciting volunteer teaching English in Costa Rica been calling your name?
Costa Rica is a safe and welcoming Central American destination that is quickly becoming a hotspot for international travelers. You can have your fill of adventure sports, relax on countless beautiful and pristine beaches, hike into the rainforest, view some of the world’s most extraordinary wildlife, and more!
Unfortunately, a shockingly low number of Costa Ricans speak English, meaning the majority of the population is unable to benefit from the lucrative tourism industry. Public schools teach English, but only at a very basic level, and students rarely ever have access to native speakers.
By volunteering to teach English in Costa Rica, you can open up a whole new world of possibility and future success to people in need. Help teach kids in local schools, or educate students in a tourism school as they prepare for exciting careers that will help them improve their situation and make better lives for themselves and their families.
Contact Global Crossroad today to learn more about teaching English in Costa Rica!
Volunteer Responsibilities & Impacts
You’ll be planning lesson plans and teaching students English in one of two programs. The first is working with kids in local schools, and there you will focus on vocabulary, sentence structure, and grammar. The other opportunity is working with older students studying tourism, tailoring lessons to what is needed to work with English speaking travelers.
Your time volunteering teaching English in Costa Rica will have a tremendous impact on the lives of your students, as well as yourself. You’ll get some amazing experience teaching in a classroom setting, and you’ll be giving your students the gift of language. Thanks to the skills you teach them, they can go on to have well-paying jobs and a brighter future!
Skills and Qualifications
The only qualifications to join this program are that you’ll need to be 18 years of age, and fluent in the English language. Native speakers are preferred. You won’t need teaching credentials, but you will need a passion for education, and a desire to help others in need. We welcome enthusiastic volunteers from all backgrounds.
Spanish language skills will be really helpful to volunteer teaching English in Costa Rica. If you’d like to work on your Spanish, speak to us about enrolling in a language program and learn while you travel!
Each day volunteering abroad will be rewarding and full of making memories that will last a lifetime. During your free time, you’ll be able to explore exciting and beautiful Costa Rica!
You can expect to volunteer an average of 5 hours per day, Monday-Friday, while volunteering in teaching English program in Costa Rica. Your actual hours will vary based on your final placement, but here’ s a sample schedule to give you an idea of what to expect.
- First Day: On your first day, you’ll be escorted to your placement by our helpful local coordinator and introduced to the school staff that you’ll be working with. You’ll get a chance to meet your eager students who are ready to learn!
- Orientation: Learn all about your teaching project, what’s expected of you, your schedule, safety protocol you’ll need to follow, and have a brief talk on the customs and culture of Costa Rica.
- Weekdays: A typical volunteer day might look something like this:
- 7.00 to 7.30 AM: Start your day with a traditional breakfast with your welcoming local host family.
- 7.45 AM: Head out to the school you’ll be teaching at, and dig in to an exciting day of teaching lessons and connecting with your students. Share your passion for the English language and get them excited about learning.
- 12.00 PM: Lunch break. Head back to your host family’s home to dine with them or ask for a lunch to go and eat at your project site. This is a great chance to bond with your fellow Costa Rica teaching volunteers, the local project staff, and your students.
- 3.00 PM: After a great day of teaching, you’ll be free to explore the area. There are many nearby beaches, local restaurants, hiking trails, and a great local bus system you can use to explore them all!
- 6.45 PM: Sit down for a fun dinner with your host family. Typical dinners are called Casados, or marriage on a plate. They usually consist of the staple rice and beans, a salad, a protein, and perhaps some fried plantains. Practice your Spanish and learn more about the local culture!
Volunteer Teaching English in Costa Rica Dates and Fees
Dates: Volunteer in Costa Rica
All volunteer programs in Costa Rica start every Monday of each month. However, if there is travel constrains, you can start any project on any day.
Fees: Volunteer In Costa Rica
Global Crossroad is committed to offering the most affordable and highest quality volunteering programs in Costa Rica. We strive to keep our costs low. The humanitarian side of the business is our passion.
Global Crossroad's volunteer program in Costa Rica application and registration fee cost US $299. The application fee covers the cost of advertising, program promotion, and office expenses (rent, utilities, and staff salaries in USA office).
In addition to the application fee, you are required to pay a weekly program fee. You will pay your weekly fee directly to the country coordinator, who in turn will allocate it to your host family, project and other in-country support we offer to our volunteers. This way, the fees that you pay will benefit those who rightfully deserve them, and not for company profit.
| Duration | Teaching |
|---|---|
| 1 Week | $260 |
| 2 Weeks | $445 |
| 3 Weeks | $630 |
| 4 Weeks | $815 |
| 5 Weeks | $1000 |
| 6 Weeks | $1185 |
| 7 Weeks | $1370 |
| 8 Weeks | $1555 |
| 9 Weeks | $1740 |
| 10 Weeks | $1925 |
| 11 Weeks | $2110 |
| 12 Weeks | $2295 |
Mandatory comprehensive travel insurance $3.49 a day »
How your fee is allocated?
Program fees cover:
- Accommodation (volunteer house or host family)
- Food (local food 3 times a day)
- In-country support
- Personalized project
- Pre-departure information
- Certificate of completion
- Fundraising ideas and letters
- Discount for returning volunteers
Program fees exclude:
- Visas
- Airfare
- Personal expenses on soft drinks and foods
- Daily transportation
- Airport return transfer
Airport Pickup /Transfer Packages for Puntarenas and –Ciudad Cortes, please click here to find the details
We will manage the following airport transfer services for you:
Option one: If you arrive in international Airport of Juan Santa Maria -SJO, Alajuela early in the morning (before 12 PM), you will be able to come to Ciudad Cortes in the same day by bus. In this case, it is possible to purchase the following pick up service package:
Osa/Pick Up (same day service- for one person): $50
Includes: airport picks up, transfer to the bus station, orientation and assistance and again to the bus station. The last time we recommend leaving from San Jose to Ciudad Cortes is on the bus at 2:30 PM (volunteer should land before 12:00 PM for this option)
Option two: If you arrive after 12 PM in Alajuela, you will stay one night in Hostel Dorm Room in San Jose, before transferring to Ciudad Cortes the next day.
Osa/Overnight Hostel Dorm Room with Transfer (for one person): $70
Includes: Transfer to a hostel from the airport, where you will spend the night. Dinner will be provided. Overnight stay will be in 10 people mixed gender hostel dorm room, and transfer to a bus station in the morning. The orientation and assistance will be at the bus station.
Option Three:If you arrive after 12 PM in Alajuela, you will stay one night in the family home (private room) in San Jose before transferring to Ciudad Cortes the next day.
Osa/Overnight Family Home with Transfer (for one person): $90
Includes: Picks up from the airport and transfer to a private family home to spend the night. Dinner will be provided. Transfer to the bus station in the morning, and orientation and assistance at the bus station.
The volunteering overseas in Costa Rica program fees will cover expenses that will begin on the first day of the program (usually the first or third Monday of the month) to the last day of the program. If you arrive before the first day of the program or you decide you stay beyond your program’s last day, you will be responsible for the additional expenses, which would typically be around $30 a day for room and meals at a hostel.
Accommodation and Meal
When you volunteer in English teaching opportunity in Costa Rica, you can rest easy knowing we’ve taken care of everything for you. You’ll be staying with one of our experienced and welcoming host families in their safe, clean, and comfortable home, a great way to immerse yourself in the local culture. You’ll share breakfast, lunch and dinner with them as part of your fee.
Free Time and Weekend Exploration
You’re headed to Costa Rica to help people in need, but you deserve to do some traveling and exploring while you’re there. Your evenings and weekends will be free, and there’s plenty to do to fill the time. Go ziplining, hike to a waterfall, take a catamaran ride, hop on a whale watching tour, or spend the day at a relaxing and beautiful beach.
Discover what to do in your free time and weekends in Costa Rica.
Safety and In Country Support
We have your safety as our top priority at all times. We carefully vet every aspect of your Costa Rica teaching volunteer trip. We offer pre-trip guidance, airport pick-up, and the support of our talented and experienced in-country team who is there to help you every step of the way.
Learn more about our safety and support.Volunteer Teaching English in Costa Rica: FAQs:
You probably have a few questions you’re asking yourself, so to make it easy for you we’ve compiled a list of helpful info to give you the answers you need:
Arrival and Departure
You’ll fly into Juan Santamaria International Airport in San Jose, Costa Rica. Your airport pickup is included in your volunteer fee, and we’ll have someone waiting for you when you land who will take you safely to your accommodations.
When you complete your teaching English volunteer program in Costa Rica, you will need to arrange your own departure transportation as it is not included in your volunteer fee. Just speak to the local project staff if you need advice on booking a taxi to the airport.
Visa
You may be eligible to simply ask for a visa stamp after your arrival at the airport in San Jose. However, do your research to learn the requirements for your home country before heading out on your Costa Rica teaching English volunteer experience.
Most volunteers will be eligible for a 90-day tourist visa. You should know you will need to provide proof of onward travel. If you have a round trip ticket, this will serve as all the proof you need. Research the visa requirements at the official Immigration site of Costa Rica:
Vaccination
When headed to teaching English volunteer opportunity in Costa Rica, you’re going to want to protect yourself against catching any illnesses while you travel abroad. Be sure to get up to date at least a few weeks before you go. Meet with your doctor to discuss what you’ll need.
You should be up to date on your routine vaccines, as well as Hepatitis A & B and Typhoid. can also find information on CDC website.
Why Volunteer Teaching English in Costa Rica?
Gain experience teaching in a classroom setting
Future teachers need experience standing at the front of a class and actually teaching to their students, and this project gives you the perfect chance! Boost your confidence, build your skills, and have a great time doing what you love!
Explore a career as a digital nomad
Teaching English is the hot new thing when it comes to the work from home crowd, and many language schools and private tutoring companies will hire qualified candidates to teach English from their home computer. Freed from a location, these digital nomads can live anywhere in the world they’d like. See if a future in teaching English is for you!
Travel to an exciting destination
Costa Rica is a traveler’s dream, and your time here will be full of so many amazing sights, sounds, and experiences. Explore the rainforest, visit the country’s many beaches, zipline in a cloud forest, view amazing wildlife, and make memories you won’t soon forget while volunteering teaching English in Costa Rica.
Help people in need
Your students may have the burning desire to learn English, but without your help they’ll be unable to get the education they need to really make this happen. Donate your time to people in need and give them the gift of language, paving the way for a brighter future!
Contact Global Crossroad today to learn more about teaching English in Costa Rica!
Other Volunteer Opportunities Available in Costa Rica:
No matter your passion or interests, we offer a variety of life-changing, volunteer programs in Costa Rica such as
childcare,
medical,
coffee plantation,
veterinary,
indigenous tribe and much more.
For more information on our exciting programs in Costa Rica, contact us today.