University of Northern Iowa Study Abroad

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Veritas University Summer School

Country:

Costa Rica

City:

San Jose

Sessions:

Summer

Eligibility:

2.50 GPA or higher

Languages:

Spanish

Current Conditions:
Mostly Cloudy, 70 F

Forecast:
Fri - Thunderstorms Early. High: 80 Low: 59
Sat - Scattered Thunderstorms. High: 80 Low: 59
Sun - Scattered Thunderstorms. High: 79 Low: 63
Mon - Scattered Thunderstorms. High: 81 Low: 62
Tue - Scattered Thunderstorms. High: 82 Low: 61

Distance to Cedar Falls: 2310 miles

Introduction

Brochure 2012

Veritas University was founded in 1991 as a private art, design, and architecture university in San Jose, Costa Rica. There are 1,100 students enrolled, including international students. UNI students enroll in Spanish langauge courses as well as elective courses taught in English.

Program City

San Jose, located in the center of Costa Rica, is the capital of Costa Rica with a population of about 365,000 people. It makes up about 37% of the nation's population, therefore, giving you numerous venues of entertainment from nightclubs, casinos, and shopping malls to museums and restaurants. Costa Rica is an adventurer's palace. Travel outside the city, and you can go scuba diving, white water rafting, visit one of the many beautiful waterfalls or volcanoes, or take an exhilarating forest canopy tour.

According to the Pacific Business News of Honolulu, Costa Rica was the number one adventure destination in 2003. One can understand why, when you have a pleasant climate year round and beautiful views of lush, green mountainsides surrounding this bustling city.

Institution

San Jose, located in the center of Costa Rica, is the capital of Costa Rica with a population of about 365,000 people. It makes up about 37% of the nation's population, therefore, giving you numerous venues of entertainment from nightclubs, casinos, and shopping malls to museums and restaurants. Costa Rica is an adventurer's palace. Travel outside the city, and you can go scuba diving, white water rafting, visit one of the many beautiful waterfalls or volcanoes, or take an exhilarating forest canopy tour.

According to the Pacific Business News of Honolulu, Costa Rica was the number one adventure destination in 2003. One can understand why, when you have a pleasant climate year round and beautiful views of lush, green mountainsides surrounding this bustling city.

Academic Program

Veritas offers a unique academic program, in that, while it is geared a bit more toward students interested in Spanish language skills, it also offers many English taught electives. Students may take intensive language courses with little to no Spanish proficiency as well as a myriad of English electives in areas such as International Business, Communication, Environmental Sciences, and the Fine Arts.

If you cannot break-away for a semester, consider the summer Language Immersion program taught by the university. Students may choose to study at any level of Spanish from 4-weeks to up to 12-weeks.

Academic Calendar

Semester participants attend the first or third session and normally add an intensive month before (fall) or after (spring) term.

In the summer, students can do as many back-to-back intensive month as they wish.

2012 Semester and Summer Dates

Accommodation & Meals

Please see the Veritas webpage for this info, HERE.

Program Cost

Students pay UNI tuition and fees (in-state or out-of-state) for semester study plus the study abroad fee to participate. There will be additional costs for housing, food, books and supplies, round-trip air, and other personal expenses.

Note: An official program budget, for UNI Financial Aid purposes, will be given to the student in hard copy format prior to program participation. Please contact the Study Abroad Center in advance to allow time for your specific program budget to be completed as budgets often require updates relative to exchange rates and any program changes.

Tales From Abroad

While I was in Costa Rica I stayed with a host family. I was nervous they would be nothing like the family I had here and I would have a hard time adjusting. It's safe to say they were amazing and I learned so much more Spanish by staying with them. Learning Spanish as I sat and joked with them at the dinner table is probably the most fun I've ever had learning a language. Nothing against traditional classes, but this was definitely the way to go! Plus, the food my host mom made was INCREDIBLE!

-Katie Westra, Summer 2010