Frequently Asked Questions
Tuition includes all room and board, technical gear, course activities, and in-country transportation. Airfare to/from Costa Rica is not included in the listed tuition cost, nor are personal supplies. Technical gear provided by Outward Bound Costa Rica varies by course, but includes surfboards, masks, fins, scuba gear, life vests, 80L backpacks, duffle bags, tents, sleeping bags, meal kits, etc.
We accept tuition payments by credit card, check, or wire transfer. Full payment is due 30 days prior to course start date.
Across all of our courses, enrollments are accepted on a rolling basis until the course start date. We recommend that you enroll as soon as possible as our courses can fill up quickly.
Step 1: Fill out an Enrollment Form (top right on our navigation bar).
Step 2: Submit a $200 deposit for a two-week course and $500 deposit for three weeks or more to reserve your spot on course–we’ll send you a packing list, information packet and additional course resources. Click here for payment options.
Step 3: Send us a copy of your passport and flight itinerary. For semester-long courses we require completion of a Doctor’s Authorization Form. Additional documentation may be required on a case-by-case basis.
Step 4: Pay your full tuition for course.
Step 5: Come to Costa Rica and join us on course!
On the Enrollment Form, there is a field that asks, “How did you hear about us?” In this field, indicate if you are an alum/sibling of an alum, member of NSLS, member of NSHSS, etc. We will then apply your discount to your course tuition given the information you provided.
Additionally, we automatically apply discounts for participants who enroll and submit a deposit prior to our Early Bird Enrollment Deadlines:
- $500 Off Spring Gap Year & Semester Courses by November 15
- $200 Off Summer Courses by April 15
- $500 Off Fall Gap Year & Semester Courses by July 1
Participants cannot combine discounts and will be credited for the highest monetary discount eligible. Discounts are not available for Girl Scouts Destinations or Custom Courses, as these courses are already specialty priced at a discount.
Yes, Outward Bound Costa Rica offers partial scholarships to deserving students who demonstrate a financial need and academic merit. To apply for a scholarship, students must complete our Scholarship Application.
Check out additional opportunities for Outside Financial Assistance or take a look at more creative ideas on our blogpost, 10 Ways to Fund Your Next Outward Bound Costa Rica Course.
You do not have to be an athlete or in peak physical condition to attend an Outward Bound Costa Rica course, but you do have to mentally prepare to take on the challenges you will experience. Our courses aren’t for leisurely vacationers. You will be challenged, but you will walk away with knowledge and experience that you will take with you the rest of your life.
We are experienced in accommodating a variety of dietary requirements including vegetarian, gluten-free, lactose intolerance, nut allergies, and more. Participants are asked to disclose all dietary restrictions in their online Enrollment Forms to ensure their needs are met.
We require all participants to receive an up-to-date tetanus vaccination and be current with all measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccinations for course participation. If you do not wish to have your participant receive these vaccinations, we ask that you sign an Immunization Waiver prior to course. There are no required vaccinations to enter Costa Rica, but we encourage students to check with their physician for recommendations on optional vaccinations.
We ask participants to bring extra supplies of all prescription medication in the event some are lost or damaged while on course. Instructors hold and distribute, upon signature, all participant medication for the duration of the course. This is to help ensure that a participant remembers to take medication, as well as to keep supplies dry and safe. Our staff does everything possible to ensure participants take all required medications at their appropriate time and frequency. Participants are accountable to take their medication as prescribed.
Outward Bound has been a leader in wilderness safety and risk management for 70+ years worldwide. Outward Bound Costa Rica courses are regularly reviewed and audited by Outward Bound International and by our Board Safety Committee—a group from our Board of Advisors with professional training in safety, risk analysis and management. This helps us to proactively identify and assess potential hazards, as well as areas of commendation.
While many countries in Central America have issues with water quality, Costa Rica’s tap water and municipal water sources are as safe to drink as those in the United States, Canada and Western Europe. In Panama, some water is sourced from rainwater catchment systems. In areas where the water may not be guaranteed to be safe for drinking, our instructors will fully brief the participants and are able to treat water with one of our many treatment systems. Some participants opt to bring water purification tablets, a SteriPEN, or similar product, but it is not needed or required.
Bug spray is a required item on all course packing lists. Mosquitos are present in Costa Rica and Panama, however, the prevalence of them varies by region. For example, for courses going on the hike, to the beach or scuba diving a bottle of bug spray will do the trick, but at the sea turtle conservatory in San San Pond Sak we recommend bringing supplemental items to help repel mosquitos including a mosquito net, lemon eucalyptus oil, wearing light colors, wearing long sleeve clothing at dusk and at nighttime, or other effective repellent options. Keep in mind that not all preventative options and natural remedies work for everyone, so it’s important to use what works best for you.
Absolutely. We will have a staff member accompanying your son or daughter for pick-ups and drop-offs. There is only one exit out of the airport and our staff will be holding up an Outward Bound Costa Rica sign. Please check-in with this OBCR staffer once you see the sign. Participants will call home within a few hours of their arrival.
Our rainforest base is located in San Ramón de Tres Ríos, Cartago about 45 minutes away from Juan Santamaría Airport (SJO). After airport arrival, each participant is driven to this base for course orientation, meeting their instructors, and preparing their bags before setting out on course with their group. All courses begin and end at our rainforest base.
All of our courses are taught in English, so there is no Spanish language requirement. There will, however, be ample opportunities for participants to practice their Spanish with our instructors and many local people you will meet and volunteer with along the way.
We will always have two instructors on course no matter the size. We plan for a 6:1 student to instructor ratio. We strive for a male, female, English speaker, and Spanish speaker on each course.
Phones are not allowed on course, even just to take photos. We will store your phone, valuables and other electronics safely at our offices during your course. We do highly encourage you to bring a digital or disposable camera! If your camera is digital, we recommend bringing extra batteries as outlets are not always available on course.
As soon as you arrive for course, one of our staff members will hand you an international phone to call home to let them know you’ve arrived safely. From there, you’ll be away from technology and immersing in an incredible experience! You will be able to call family and friends with your cell phone once you’re back at the airport to return home.
If you have already achieved your advanced scuba certification, we can offer specialist certifications such as NAUI Underwater Environment and NAUI Underwater Ecologist.
Email us at [email protected] and we’d be happy to chat with you with about specialty certification options.
Our Gap Year & Semester courses are for high school graduates aged 17 and older. We see a variety of participants on course—those who just graduated high school looking to do a gap year, students in college enrolling on a semester abroad, participants well past their student years looking to make a change in their life, and more.
Please note students must be 18+ to be eligible to earn Rescue 3 certifications (Whitewater Rescue Technician certification and Recreational Rappel Operator).
After submitting an Enrollment Form, the best way to find out is to download our Academic Credit Packet, email us a request for a Course Syllabus, and schedule a meeting with your study abroad or academic advisor to discuss your plan to either obtain transferable credit from Western Colorado State University or creating an Independent Study with your university. See our Academic Credit Packet for details.
During the hiking phase of course, participants will separate from each other, staying within close range to the instructors, to be alone — or solo — for a period of time. Most people use this time for reflection, relaxation, as well as a time to use all the technical skills they have learned. This is not a survival test. Participants will not be dropped into a remote area. Participants will be given shelter, food, water and a journal to help them record and reflect while alone. The Solo sites will be chosen by the instructors, who will find a place that is both secluded and within an appropriate distance from the group for safety. The length of a Solo is determined by course, weather and group dynamics.
You can earn from 3-7 certifications depending on which you choose—we have two Gap Year & Semester courses open every Fall and Spring. See our Outdoor Leader Semester or Coast to Coast Expedition pages for specific certification details.
We strive to have an equal mix of boys and girls on course, however, this cannot always be guaranteed.
All adults ages 19 and older are welcome on course—whether you are in university, have a job, are between jobs, are a veteran or even have kids.
During the summer we only offer courses longer than two weeks for students ages 14-18. Our one to two week 19+ courses are specifically designed for you to interact with individuals of your age range and include all activities from the 14-18 courses but are condensed into a shorter amount of time. If you’d like to join us for a longer course, take a look at our Gap Year & Semester courses for ages 17 and older.
Step 1: Fill out your online Girl Scout Destinations Application on forgirls.girlscouts.org/travel. Your application will be forwarded to your Council and to Outward Bound Costa Rica (OBCR) for review.
Step 2: OBCR will inform all first-round applicants of your acceptance to the course of your choice on December 8, 2018. Past that date, we will absolutely accept applications on a rolling basis until the course start date.
Step 3: You will be instructed to fill out OBCR’s Online Enrollment Form, and send in your deposit of $200.
Step 4: You will receive an Information Packet and Packing List.
Step 5: You will be invited to attend a conference call to ask questions and meet other course participants.
Step 6: Send OBCR a copy of your flight itinerary, passport, a copy of your insurance card, pay your balance within 30 days of your course, and ask us any questions along the way.
Step 7: We will pick you up at the airport and welcome you to Costa Rica!
There is no deadline to enroll in our Girl Scout Destination courses. We accept applications on a rolling basis until the course start date. However, we will begin reviewing applications on December 2, 2019 and inform all first-round applicants at that time, so it’s best to apply and reserve your spot as soon as possible.
Troop leaders and parents are not permitted on our Girl Scout Destinations as they are for individual Girl Scout enrollments for ages 13-18. If you’d like to bring your troop or family down to Costa Rica, I absolutely recommend taking a look at our option to create a Custom Course.
The pricing of a Custom Course is dependent upon the number of participants, type of activities and number of days on course. Once you have an idea of participant numbers, length, and dates for your course, send us an inquiry and we will give you a quote. Insurance (health and travel), personal expenses, airfare and baggage fees are not included in total cost.
Our groups usually reserve their course dates 6-9 months in advance—some even start planning 2 years prior to the course. For summer courses, we prefer advance notice as it is our busiest time of year, but we will work with your schedule. Course deposits are due 90 days before and full tuition is due 30 days prior to course start date.
As soon as your group confirms the final itinerary and starts enrolling online, you will receive a customized Packing List. It compiles a list of fundamental gear for the activities included in your course, what OBCR provides, and items not allowed on course.
If participants will be arriving separately, it is best to try and plan flights that have similar arrival times. That way, we can arrange to pick them up together without having anyone wait around too long in the airport. That said, on Day 1 of the course, we are able to arrange ground transportation from the airport at any time of day.
If anyone is arriving before Day 1 of course, we ask that they arrange their own transportation to the airport, and we will pick them up there on the first day of the course.
Our certified and professional instructors will lead all aspects of the course. Chaperons contribute in a number of ways to ease group dynamics, enhance teaching moments, improve participant time management, and assist instructors as needed. On course, we empower all participants to lead and take responsibility by assigning them rotating tasks each day. We ask group leaders, accompanying parents and/or chaperons to understand and support our educational models. Chaperons and instructors will meet on course arrival to discuss the roles each will take on course.
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