Get your TESOL certification while living the pura vida lifestyle in Heredia, Costa Rica. Known as the province of flowers, Heredia gives you the best of all worlds: wonderful nightlife, a safe environment, a true cultural experience and tons of places to explore. With our network of schools and job placement assistance, getting your certification in Costa Rica is by far the easiest way to get a job teaching English in Central America. Or, use your summer break to get your TESOL certification under your belt for teaching positions or programs once you graduate.
The Costa Rica TESOL Certificate course is an intensive, in-person 190-hour ESL/EFL teacher training course which provides participants with the skills and confidence needed to succeed in the English language classroom. The TESOL Certificate you will receive is accredited and recognized worldwide.
Course Overview:
Course Benefits:
Students who register for any course in Costa Rica 60 days or more in advance will receive $150 early-bird off of the total course fee!
Course Start Dates: Deadline to Apply & Submit Deposit:
March 2 – March 27, 2015 Feb. 2
April 6 – May 1, 2015 March 6
May 11 – June 5, 2015 April 13
June 29 – July 24, 2015* May 29
August 3 – August 28, 2015 July 3
Sept. 7 – Oct. 2, 2015 August 7
Oct. 12 – Nov. 6, 2015 Sept. 12
Nov. 23 – Dec. 18, 2015* Oct. 23
Don’t miss out! Courses are limited to 12 students, and typically fill two months ahead of time. Register early to guarantee a spot on your desired start date.
You must have a high school degree and show a capacity for college-level education including a good understanding of the English language and solid writing skills. All participants must show a serious commitment to learning, and a willingness to plan and teach in groups and to work reflectively.
$1,799
($600 will be paid to Greenheart Travel to secure your spot in the course. The remainder of the tuition will be paid directly to the school.)
What’s included:
What’s not included:
Estimated total costs (excluding flights): $2,350 – $2,550
Accommodations are not included because we have several different housing options depending on your preferences and budget. Greenheart Travel highly recommends the host family option, as it will give you a great support system, a location close to the school, and culture and language immersion!
School staff will assist you in finding housing for your month of training. You can choose to extend the stay in your accommodation past the original month if you care to.
Option 1: Live with a Host Family
The most popular choice, and highly recommended by Greenheart Travel. Live with a Costa Rican family within minutes of the school and build relationships that will last a lifetime. Get to know the “tico” culture and practice your Spanish daily at a very affordable price. Three meals per day are included.
Cost: $500/month
Option 2: Casa de Flores
This is a wonderful choice for those looking for a modern, comfortable lodging choice at an unbelievable price. Located just 15 minutes from the Institute in Barva, Casa de Flores has four comfortable rooms available in a “shared living” experience. Each guest has a private room, and access to Internet, and access to the pool and garden area. What makes this lodging so special is that it used to be a B&B that has since been converted to 4 apartments. No meals are included with this option.
Link: http://www.casadefloreshotel.com/
Cost: $600/month
Option 3: Apart-Hotel Roma
The quietest and most private option. This option lets you go back to YOUR OWN place at the end of the day and unwind in whatever way you like. Great for people who like being around people, but who need to have their own sanctuary to “turn off” sometimes. Includes a large fully furnished apartment with kitchen and daily cleaning services and laundry facilities.
Link: http://www.apart-hotelroma.com/index.htm
Cost: approximately $690/month
All students and graduates of the Costa Rica TEFL course receive lifetime job search guidance to find paid jobs teaching English around the world. This includes — but is not limited to — the following:
Looking for more support getting set up to live in Costa Rica, and a guaranteed job placement before you arrive? Check out our Teach English in Costa Rica program.
Taking the TEFL Course in Costa Rica is the perfect way to find work there in a paid English teaching position upon completion of your course.
There is a large demand for TEFL/TESOL Certified Native English speakers in Costa Rica. Finding a job in Costa Rica almost always requires that the English teacher is already in Costa Rica. Teachers find work by visiting language schools and interviewing in person. Students who take the course in Costa Rica are in a unique position of being in the country for a month before looking for a job. They also have the opportunity to earn a personal job referral from course staff, who have longstanding relationships with schools around the area.
During your course, you’ll have the opportunity to use the staff as a resource and connection for finding paid teaching jobs in Costa Rica.
Almost all paid teaching positions in Costa Rica are in English language schools. Most teaching positions will be located in and around San Jose in the Central Valley. There is a much higher demand for teachers in this area, as it is where most of the English language schools and international corporations are located. It is possible to find work in smaller towns or near the beach, but teachers should expect the job search to be more challenging, and should plan for it to take longer to find and secure work (and to have more money to last until your first paycheck).
In the language schools, you’ll be teaching adults, and hours will be mostly evenings and weekends. Most teachers should expect to work Saturdays, with Fridays and Sundays off. You may need to travel to get to your classes, as many language schools offer classes to businesses. In these cases, you may be going to the business itself to teach your class.
There are some elementary school positions working with children. Hours for these positions would be during school hours, Monday-Friday.
Setting Your Expectations
There are certain realities of finding work and teaching in Costa Rica that you should be aware of before deciding to go:
Why should I choose this course?
The Costa Rica TESOL training school the best place to study because it is owned and operated by real English teachers, who know firsthand what it’s like to be in your position. They are all English teachers who have experienced the amazing things that ESL teaching provides, as well as the negative aspects. The staff understands your excitement and enthusiasm, as well as your worries, fears and doubts, and will go the extra mile to address them all.
How do I know if this course is right for me?
You should take this course if you:
Do I qualify to take this course?
Students must be 18 years or older, fluent in English, and have a high school diploma.
Who teaches this course?
Your teacher is guaranteed to have at least 10 years of experience. The instructors are the course’s greatest assets!
What is the job placement assistance like?
During the course, staff will assist you with the creation of an ESL resume and cover letter, and provide you with detailed information regarding what you can expect when applying for jobs around the World. You will also be provided with a detailed Costa Rica ESL School Chart that includes contact info, hiring seasons and the inside scope on what are the best ones to apply to. For those looking for jobs elsewhere around the world, we’ll put you in contact with graduates currently teaching around the world.
Which course dates are the best to align with the main hiring season in Costa Rica?
The three best courses for job hiring seasons are the January, May and November courses, but positions can be found year round.
Will I be able to find a job teaching English in Costa Rica once I’m done with my course?
We do not guarantee job placement after your course, but 90% of the course graduates find work in Costa Rica. We can guarantee that staff will make the extra effort to find you the job you want. Most TESOL schools have a list of phone numbers and emails, which they print off for their grads and say, “Here you go. Good luck.” Our school has strong relationships with many schools throughout Costa Rica, and we will find out which of them are hiring, and put you in contact with them. Plus, the TESOL training center has its own ESL school, with 3 locations that hire teachers. Course graduates get priority for these placements.
Luckily for our students, the training center is located within 20kms of 90% of the English schools in Costa Rica. Making contacts, scouting out schools, getting established before you graduate, meeting teachers, and seeing early where you’d like to live and work WHILE taking your TEFL course gives you a leg up on landing a job after you graduate. Use our central location to your advantage!
The Costa Rica TESOL Course was founded by ESL teacher’s that have over 20 years of experience teaching English in Costa Rica. Your trainers have contacts in the major ESL schools around Costa Rica, universities, and even access to some public schools (although it is tricky getting a job with the government).
We understand that many people don’t feel comfortable moving to Costa Rica without a guaranteed job. If you’d like a job arranged and guaranteed in advance, along with some additional structure and support, check out our new Teach in Costa Rica program!
Is this course valid and accredited?
Yes, it is. This course is internationally accredited and recognized, and it exceeds international standards for professional level TEFL Certification (most accredited TEFL courses run 106-120 hours) as set forth by the British Council and other leading bodies in the international field of TEFL.
International Standards: Most schools, language institutes and Ministries of Education recognize TEFL certifications that meet certain basic standards that are also recommended by leading bodies in the field, including the British Council. These standards reflect those incorporated in to a standard, accredited intensive four-week TEFL class and include:
1. At least 100 hours of coursework and training;
2. At least 6-20 hours of live practice teaching and observation involving actual ESL students (not peers – no role-playing);
3. External validation and accreditation by a recognized, independent body within the field;
Exceeding International Standards: This course not only meets these standards, but exceeds them. With 150 hours of training, this course exceeds the industry standard by 50%.
What does Accreditation mean?
This course meets the highest international standards and are accredited and externally monitored by leading international accrediting bodies in the field of TEFL/TESOL.
The course curriculum is accredited by The International Accreditation of TESOL Qualifying Organisations (IATQuO).
IATQuO is an independent accrediting body that exists to promote and maintain internationally acceptable standards in the training of teachers of English to speakers of other languages. IATQuO provide initial and ongoing external validation/accreditation services to training organizations who request them.
This course is internationally accredited and recognized, and it exceeds international standards for professional level TEFL Certification (most accredited TEFL courses run 106-120 hours) as set forth by the British Council and other leading bodies in the international field of TEFL.
What content does the course cover?
What is the job market like in Costa Rica?
Costa Rica is one of the most developed countries in Latin America, and that is due to the large amount of foreign companies moving there to provide their services, like Intel, IBM, Western Union, HP, Oracle, just to name a few. This has made mastering the English language necessary, opening the doors to countless ESL schools. This is all excellent news for English teachers wanting to move to Costa Rica and teach English.
Is Costa Rica safe?
Heredia and the community where the school is located are extremely safe, and there are always families and people of all ages strolling about well after dark.
If you choose to work in San Jose once your course is finished, you do have to be more careful. Parts of downtown and San Pedro have more tourists and more crime, so precautions are necessary. It is a capital city and like all capitals, there is a higher crime rate. However, it’s not as bad as other big cities in the US or Europe.
What can I expect when teaching English in Costa Rica?
Monthly salaries range from $400-$750 USD per month. This is considered a “break even” ESL teaching destination. With enough hours, you should be able to support yourself while living in Costa Rica, but you should not plan to save extra money. In fact, it is recommended that you bring some extra money to help support you while you are living in Costa Rica. The peak hiring season is December/January and the end of June to mid-July.
Teaching hours are typically 15-25 hours per week, and contracts are usually 6 months to 1 year. Teachers work on a tourist visa that needs to be renewed every 90 days.
Heredia and the community where the school is located are extremely safe, and there are always families and people of all ages strolling about well after dark. I feel much safer walking around at night here than I have in any of the cities where I’ve taught.
If you choose to work in San Jose you do have to be more careful. Parts of downtown and San Pedro have more tourists and more crime, so precautions are necessary. It is a capital city and like all capitals, there is a higher crime rate. However, again it’s not as bad as other big cities in the US or Europe.
Will I be able to learn Spanish during the course?
Everyone learns at their own pace, but taking your course in Costa Rica is a great way to learn or perfect your Spanish! The training center is part of a local community, which means you’ll get to know lots of “ticos” and have a lot of opportunities to practice the language. We highly recommend staying with a host family if you are interested in practicing your Spanish!
Is it easy to get around Costa Rica?
Because a large portion of the population uses public transportation, the CR bus system is much more efficient than those found in the US and Canada. Buses run frequently, usually passing every 5 or 10 minutes, so unlike in Canada, missing a bus does not mean waiting 35/ 40 minutes for the next one. A trip from our school to downtown Heredia takes about 10 minutes and costs 35cents. Taxis are also a cheap convenient way to travel especially at night. Also at Intesol we provide phone numbers of taxi drivers who work directly with the school, are very friendly, and can be trusted to give teachers excellent service. Prearranged pick ups can also be set up through the school. We also provide the service of borrowing a bicycle free from the school for your time here, if you prefer that way of getting around.
Select the APPLY NOW button to the left. Once complete, you will receive a link in your email for the second part of the application. Fill out this simple form to register for your course. A $750 deposit is required to reserve your spot in the course. The remaining balance will be paid directly to the school.
Once you submit your registration form, you’ll receive a link to pay your $750 deposit. After you submit your deposit, you’ll be contacted directly by school staff to arrange your housing and arrival details!
Application deadlines: 4 weeks before course start date
“From the moment I landed in Costa Rica everything seems to have fallen into place. I came down here to work on my Spanish and to share my knowledge of English, and so far the dream’s coming true. The TEFL course was fast, fun and full of so much important information, and the day after graduation I was already substitute teaching at a Language school in Heredia. During the course most of us stayed with a host family which presented a great opportunity to brush up on some Spanish, and of course to get a taste of the local cuisine. In fact, I often find myself wanting to visit them if only for a good meal. The laid back culture, perfect temperatures and lush green landscape really make Costa Rica an ideal spot to dive into a new life adventure.” – Shannon, Dec ’12
