Every spring and fall, we have three options for students looking to earn academic credit on a gap year or semester abroad. Our 65-day Outdoor Leader Semester and 65-day Residential Gap Semester courses offer you the opportunity to earn up to 10 academic credits and on our 85-day Coast to Coast Expedition you can earn up to 12 academic credits.
Credit can be obtained in two ways, (Option A) credit through our partnership with Western Colorado University and (Option B) an Independent Study approved by your university academic advisor. If you are currently enrolled in a university, we strongly recommend speaking with your academic advisor to discuss these two options. You will need to obtain written approval that your academic credits earned will be accepted at your school or university well in advance of the OBCR program.
Option A. Western Colorado University
Best option for gap year students and/or applying 529 Plan
This credit option does not require you to be currently enrolled in a college or university—making it ideal for gap year students. Additionally, this provides schools an official transcript from a US accredited university. Western Colorado University (WCU) charges a fee per credit and accepts financial aid through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), 529 College Plan, AmeriCorps Education Award, as well as a number of other organizations and specialized educational funds.
Below are the 3 easy steps to register for WCU credit & utilize 529 Plan funds (if applicable):
- Prior to registering for credit with WCU, you must submit an online OBCR Enrollment Form (you do not need to submit a deposit at this time).
- Then, visit WCU’s Outdoor and Experiential Education Programs page. Scroll down and, right before frequently asked questions, you will see 4 red buttons-NOLS Expedition, NOLS Medicine, OB and Other Outdoor Programs. Click on ‘OB’ and be sure to select ‘Costa Rica’ when completing the registration form. Within 1-3 business days, OBCR will receive an email from WCU confirming your enrollment and the OBCR program tuition total due.
- You will receive a confirmation from WCU and steps to pay the credit registration fee plus the OBCR tuition due to WCU directly (this can also be paid in full by 529 Plan at this time). Once WCU receives the total funds, they will send us the total tuition due for the OBCR program.
After completing your OBCR semester, you will be required to submit 3-5 short essay prompts relating to your semester experience to WCU. Additionally, OBCR will submit an Instructor Evaluation based upon your semester performance to WCU. Once a grade is available, the Extended Studies Office will notify you. Transcripts may be ordered at www.getmytranscript.com for a nominal fee.
Students wishing to transfer Western Colorado University credit to other institutions should contact their own Registrar’s Office with their questions. If you are currently enrolled in a university, we strongly recommend that you confirm in writing with your academic advisor that these credits will transfer.
Option B. Independent Study
If you choose this option, start early! Not all institutions accept this option. We highly suggest you consult with your academic advisor to ensure that independent study credits will transfer before arriving on course. You will work with your advisor to create a project or decide the parameters of a paper to be completed after your semester course in exchange for credit. We encourage students to design a creative and original project that is intriguing to you and relevant to your OBCR course.
The receipt and transfer of all academic credit is at the discretion of the school, college or university you attend or plan to attend. Making arrangements for academic credit is your responsibility and should be arranged prior to course. We highly recommend that you document all visits to your academic advisor, registrar, or head of school and secure any agreements that are made regarding credit transfer in writing.
Students pursuing independent study will receive an official pass/fail transcript issued by OBCR for either 10 or 12 credits depending on the course you choose (examples: Environmental Studies, Cultural Anthropology, Natural History, and Recreational Leadership), as well as a written review of your performance on course.
Volunteer Service Hours
Whether you are a high school or college student, you can also earn service hours on course with Outward Bound Costa Rica! On most of our courses, participants can create a positive impact and gain a cross-cultural perspective while exploring Costa Rica and Panama. You will work alongside local communities, improve infrastructure, and conserve the natural world.
Reforestation & Environmental Initiatives
Contribute to an environmental preservation project in the reserve adjacent to our rainforest base by maintaining many of the trails, reforesting the reserve with native tree species, and cleaning up a major waterway
Sea Turtle Conservation
Work alongside local conservationists to help protect sea turtle populations during the nesting and hatching season. Take part in night patrols, beach clean-ups, recording important data and, if luck is on your side, helping to release baby sea turtles!
Community Development Projects
Our community projects include building and painting schools, creating sustainable freshwater systems, creating playground equipment for schools and other infrastructure-related activities.
We can provide documentation confirming the number of service hours that you earned on course. If you have an official form from your school, university or organization please either bring it with you or email it to us at [email protected]. If you don’t have a form, we are happy to send you a formal letter.
Ready to earn academic credit or service hours on an OBCR program?