WHAT STUDENTS SAY ABOUT INTERCULTURA COSTA RICA
Authentic student reviews will help you set real expectations for your immersion experience, and let you find the Spanish program that best fits your needs. Hearing past students share their learning experiences makes a big difference for future students and we are thankful for their feedback! Scroll down to read comments from real students of all ages and nationalities reviewing Intercultura, or watch student testimonial videos.
“I studied in Heredia in 1998 and lived with the most amazing (host) family. Thank you Intercultura Costa Rica for a life changing experience. Even 22 years on, I look back at my time in Costa Rica as the best 5 months of my life.”
Lindsay Jones, 20 in 1998, USA
“It’s our second time here and we wanted to come back, we were here 6 years ago for two weeks. I am really happy with the experience. I picked Intercultura because it is in Sámara, and the reviews were really good, and the staff who I was dealing with for booking were really good, it was Marianela and she was super nice and quick to answer, and that was important to me.” (Marly, mother)
“My favorite thing about the Spanish classes was that we could do games while we were learning Spanish, and I met friends. I love the beach, we don’t have beaches like this in Canada!” – Nehlia (daughter)
Marly Bernard, 37, CANADA
2023
Es mi primera vez aprendiendo español, y yo aprendí mucho en una semana. Estoy impresionada con la instrucción del idioma, la organización y la calidad de la escuela. ¡Gracias! It’s my first time Learning Spanish and I learned a lot in one week. I am very impressed with the instruction, the organization and the quality of the school. Thank you!”
Irina Kourilenko, 48, UKRAINE
2023
“I have been to Intercultura 10 times in the past 12 years. That speaks for itself. Students have different learning styles. I am impressed, as an adult educator, that Intercultura addresses these different styles.”
Vernon Bell, 60-72, US
2000-2012
“It’s very fascinating to meet so many new people from all over the world and to experience the authentic culture of Costa Rica, I really enjoyed that. Every teacher has a different way of teaching something, so from everyone you get something different. I really like the diversity and opportunities to grow and learn. Homestay is a great idea, I think host families are the most authentic way to get to know a place and a culture, and it’s gone really, really well, she’s adorable and I’m really grateful for everything she’s done for me.”
Meret Luethi, 26, SWITZERLAND
2023
“I love it here! It’s my second time and I am going to come back once or twice more for sure. I’ve been here for 3 months and I love all the teachers and administrative staff and Sámara in general because it’s just beautiful and there are so many nice people here and so much “pura vida” (pure life).”
“Me encanta aquí, es mi segunda vez y voy a volver otras veces de fijo. Estoy aquí hace 3 meses y me encantan todos los profesores y la administración y también Sámara en general porque es bellísimo y hay muchas personas simpáticas y mucha pura vida”
Jade Hickey, 27, Australia
2023
“I‘ve really loved it at Intercultura, I was actually going to Mexico but there were security issues there, so a friend recommended Sámara and I called, all my questions were answered and every time I sent an email they responded right away, and it was just very punctual and professional. From the get-go up until now it’s been like that. The classes are very good, I think structure-wise they’re very well done and being a teacher I can relate to how it is structured and I would highly recommend it. There’s a really good mix of classroom activities and there is really high-quality instruction, but there’s also enough time for students to practice their Spanish and I think that’s a really good mix between learning and application of material. Thank you for everything!”
Neveen Sharkawy, 32, USA
2023
“Thank you again for an amazing week, I want to come back! I’m a journalist (CNN Crime and Justice Journalist & Producer) and I live in Mexico City. Because of my job, I have to do interviews with Spanish speakers in all the stories I do, so it is important that my Spanish is very good. My week in Samara Beach has been very valuable in improving my speaking and listening skills and perfecting complex conjugations. The instructors are very friendly and fun and the school is a real community of people from all over who want to learn not only the language but also the culture of Costa Rica. I recommend that you come soon!”
David Shortell, 29, living in Mexico City
2022
“In my role as a trainer of teachers, I am keenly aware of what constitutes effective instruction…[and] as an educator, I recognized and experienced first-hand the excellence of Marcelo’s instruction…..[He] has the ability to explain grammatical concepts with great clarity…he constructed excellent visuals which helped me comprehend and use the new learning. Equally effective was his insistence that all newly learned grammar be applied in conversation….It is my belief that [he] is an outstanding instructor, one of the finest I have encountered in my work as an educator.”
Marc Becker Ph.D., 58, USA
1997
“I am from Portugal and came to Costa Rica to take Spanish classes and do volunteering. I was in Heredia first one week and I really liked the city, lots of activities, shops and things to do, and my homestay mother was great, and Hillary accompanied us everywhere and we really like her. The second week was at Sámara and I loved the beach, the staff, and the volunteering doing beach clean up and working with a local association for kids. Beijinhos, Joao”
Joao Barradas, 16, PORTUGAL
2023
“I found a new confidence in my language abilities and discovered a community of incredible people in the wonderful place that is Intercultura.”
Zachary Futterer, 31, USA, 31 years
1997
REVIEWS ON IMPORTANT THIRD-PARTY PLATFORMS
Intercultura Costa Rica has one Trip Advisor profile for each campus location: Heredia City and Samara Beach. If you studied Spanish with us and want to leave a review please make sure to choose the right campus profile.
READY FOR YOUR OWN SPANISH IMMERSION ADVENTURE?
Study Spanish in Costa Rica and do not only grow your language speaking abilities, but also be part of this upbeat culture with its incredible people. Choose either of our both school locations or combine both. Each campus has a distinctive flavor and charm.