10 Best High Schools In Costa Rica

Costa Rica, officially known as the Republic of Costa Rica, is a country in Central America. It is around the same size as Lake Michigan and slightly smaller than West Virginia. And below, we will be looking at some of the best high schools in costa rica 2024.

If you are living in Costa Rica and want to enroll your child/ward in any of the best high schools, you can take advantage of the top 10 schools in Costa Rica that we’ve highlighted in this article.

These schools are fully accredited and offer quality education to its students in preparation for the future.

Although, they are majorly public schools, it doesn’t affect the standard of education in these schools.

Below is a table of content to guide you through reading.

Are Schools In Costa Rica Good?
What Is The School System In Costa Rica Like?
How Long Is A School Day In Costa Rica?
What Does A High School In Costa Rica Look Like?
What Are The Best High Schools In Costa Rica?
Conclusion
References
Recommendation

Are Schools In Costa Rica Good?

Costa Rica has always put education first in its national policies. Its educational system has been and continues to be an example for the world.

More so, in the global competitiveness report of 2013-2014, Costa Rica’s educational system is ranked 20th and has often been described as having a high quality.

The literacy rate in Costa Rica is 97.9%. When compared to Latin America and Caribbean countries, it is 2 points higher than them.

In the country, less than 4% of the population older than 15years old do not know how to read or write.

This shows that the Costa Rica schools are well equipped to offer quality education to its students.

What Is The School System In Costa Rica Like?

Costa Rica has a different education system structure that is contrary to other countries’ standard structure.

For instance, in Costa Rica the minimum age for preschool is 4years old as of 2018.

Furthermore, in high schools, there is from the 7th grade to the 11th grade. It is divided into two groups – the basic and the diversified. Primary high school grades are the 7th to 9th grade, while the diversified high school education is the 10th and 11th grades.

To graduate with a Costa Rica High School Bachelor’s Degree, you must pass the general tests to prove you have the necessary knowledge acquired during the study.

Some high schools in Costa Rica have the 12th grade, where you would be taught skills and, on some occasions, be enrolled in a apprenticeship contract.

How Long Is A School Day In Costa Rica?

The school day is divided into the morning and the afternoon sessions. Daily schedules vary depending on the type of institution but generally starts at 7:00 until 17:00.

In a day, you can have up to 12 periods, sharing the same schedule as those in your group, and then leave directly from the last class at 4:10.

The classes vary day by day, and you might be able to arrive later than 7:00 or go home before 4:10.

What Does A High School In Costa Rica Look Like?

The workload in high schools in Costa Rica is not too heavy on the students. The students still have enough time to engage in extracurricular activities. The homework is sparse, and on some occasions, the classes are either cancelled, or there isn’t much work to be done.

More so, the high schools in Costa Rica have a very relaxed environment for studying and easy assimilation of schoolwork. If you do not have a class, you are free to relax, roam the school, or go home.

Additionally, you can eat from the cafeteria, bring a packed lunch, or leave and go home to get some food.

In public schools, the cafeteria lunch is usually free, while in private schools, the food is usually paid for by the parent together with tuition. It is also an unspoken rule in high schools in Costa Rica to brush after eating and wash your hands before and after classes.

High schools in Costa Rica also have lenient behavior towards using cell phones and all electronic devices. The students can make use of their phones whenever they wish.

They are also free to access the internet whenever they please, even during class sessions. The high schools also have dogs that roam around the school with no owners.

According to Costa Rican law, students must wear school uniforms to lessen the economic distinctions amongst classmates. The custom uniforms include a green polo top, khaki shorts, skirts, pants and closed-toe sandals or shoes.

There are also scholarships available for students in High Schools in Costa Rica to help fund their high school program. Education is not reserved for the wealthy but is a fundamental right that would improve the country.

To make sure everyone has access to schooling, the government has made several provisions for the transportation of students who live far away from their school.

Unlike other schools in other countries, High schools in Costa Rica aren’t geared towards only passing information to the students. The schools have also made provisions for the impact of several skills. Hence, not only passing knowledge but also creating room for future opportunities.

Finally, most Costa Rica high school programs include a homestay. Your host family will share their everyday lives and customs with you. This will introduce you to new people, cultures, languages and ways of life.

What Are The Best High Schools In Costa Rica?

Below is a list of the best high schools in Costa Rica. Our selection criteria of these schools are the education quality, tuition, accreditation, and several other relevant factors.

More so, our data from reliable sources, testimonials, interviews, and contacting individual schools. You will have to read further to get information on these schools’ tuition and education quality.

Cientifico De Alajuela (Scientific College Of Alajuela)
Cientifico De Perez Zeledon: San Isidro De El General, San Jose
Cientifico De Liberia
Cientifico Del Atlantico: Limon, Limon
Cientifico De Cartago
Cientifico Costarricense San Pedro
Cientifico San Ramon
Saint Paul College: San Rafael, Alajuela
Experimental Bilingue Cartago, Cartago
Saint Francis Moravia, San Jose

#1.Cientifico De Alajuela (Scientific College Of Alajuela)

Cientifico De Alajuela (Scientific College Of Alajuela) is primarily regarded as the best high school in Costa Rica.

As a public school, it was founded in 1990 to train students with values, social and political skills, sound knowledge and skills in the fundamentals of mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, and informatics.

Over the years, this institution has stood out as a national leader in performance and participation in the National and International Olympics.

It has raised the bar to be an option in high school with pre-interview vision and professional projection for students from Alajuela.

Cientifico De Alajuela has the highest rankings in National Spanish Ranking and National Math Ranking, with an average exam score of 95.79%.

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#2. Cientifico De Perez Zeledon: San Isidro De El General, San Jose

This institution has an average exam score of 93.09%. Its National Spanish Ranking and National Math Ranking is 3 and 4, respectively.

#3. Cientifico De Liberia

The school has an average exam score is 92.68%. Also, it has a National Spanish Ranking of 2 and a National Math Ranking of 6.

#4. Cientifico Del Atlantico: Limon, Limon

It has an average exam score of 92.52%. Its Spanish national ranking is 5, and its National Math Ranking is 5. The high school also has a graduation rate 100%.

#5. Cientifico De Cartago

It has its average exam score of 91.7. it has its National Spanish Ranking at 34 and its National Math Ranking at 3.

#6. Cientifico Costarricense San Pedro

It has its average exam score of 91.65%. It’s National Spanish Ranking, and National Math Ranking are at 15 and 9, respectively.

#7. Cientifico San Ramon

This high school has its average exam score of 91.44%. Its National Spanish Ranking is at 28, and the national math ranking is at 2. It, however has a graduation rate of 100%.

#8. Saint Paul College: San Rafael, Alajuela

Its average exam score is 91.16%. The national Spanish and math rankings are at 12 and 22, respectively.

#9. Experimental Bilingue Cartago, Cartago

It has an average exam score of 90.54. Its Spanish national ranking is 4, and its national math ranking is 8.

#10. Saint Francis Moravia, San Jose

It has an average exam score of 90.21. it has its Spanish national ranking at 18 and its national math ranking at 18 too.

All schools listed here all have a 100% graduation rate.

READ MORE- Learn How To Study For A Test at high school.

Conclusion

Attending a high school in Costa Rica isn’t a bad idea. The environment is very conducive for learning, and schooling fees are pretty reasonable. Their educational leader board scores are also very high.

Regardless, I hope this list of best high schools in Costa Rica helps you decide where to enroll your ward.

All the best!