COSTA RICA EDUCATION - PRIVATE AND PUBLIC SCHOOLS and UNIVERSITIES
The literacy rate in Costa Rica is of 96% (CIA World Factbook, February 2007), one of the highest in Latin America. Elementary and high schools are found throughout the country in practically every community. Universal public education is guaranteed in the Constitution. Primary education is obligatory, and both preschool and high school are free. And now some of the state and private universities are getting world-wide reconization.

There are only a few schools in Costa Rica that go beyond the 11th grade. Those schools that finish at 11th grade receive a Costa Rican Bachillerato Diploma accredited by the Costa Rican Ministry of Education. Schools that offer classes to the 12th grade offer either the International Baccalaureate Diploma, accredited by the IBO in Geneva, Switzerland or USA High School Diploma, accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS).

Costa Rica is also home to the Instituto Centroamericano de Administracion de Empresas (INCAE), The institution maintains a close affiliation with Harvard University, as it had played a part in its foundation. The campus is the second of two that the school has, the other in Managua, Nicaragua was reopend in 1990 with the return of democracy under the Chamorro government. According to a study done by America Economia INCAE (Costa Rica) ranked as the number one business school in Latin America for 2 consecutive years (2004, 2005) and ranked within the top ten business schools in international rankings by The Wall Street Journal. Many students are attending Spanish to English and English to Spanish Schools that Costa Rica has to offer.

University of Costa Rica (UCR)  - Universidad de Costa Rica
National Univerity (UNA)  - Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica
Technological Institut (TEC)  - nstituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica
EARTH University  - Escuela de Agricultura de la Región Tropical Húmeda
Universidad Latina (Ulatina)