Information for term January in Monteverde
Application deadline, and cost information.
Overview
Click to OpenPut on your hiking boots and spend January in the progressive mountain community of Monteverde studying Sustainable Development for the Tropics or Nature, Photography, Social Media, and Environmental Engagement, surrounded by the region’s breathtaking natural scenery. Coursework is taught in English at CIEE Monteverde and is complemented with immersive co-curricular activities designed to increase intercultural understanding.
COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement
CIEE is requiring all participants to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 before traveling on programs. Read more ›
Follow our Travels:
Unique Experiences
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Learn how eco-tourism
can bring more than new people to a community. As a student, you’ll explore environmental, economic, and social impacts of this powerful force, and come away a more enlightened traveler in the process!
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EXPLORE RENEWABLE ENERGIES
where mosses and orchids, dripping with mist, decorate the boughs of gnarly trees, and brightly colored birds dart through the fog for fruits. This resource is critical not only for the economy of Monteverde but also for the hundreds of plants and animals that call this wet world ‘home’.
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Visit the cloud forest
where mosses and orchids, dripping with mist, decorate the boughs of gnarly trees and brightly colored birds dart through the fog for fruits. This resource is critical not only for the economy of Monteverde but also for the hundreds of plants and animals that call this wet world ‘home’.
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FEET ABOVE SEA LEVEL, ON THE TOP OF THE TILARAN MOUNTAINS
4,600 -
species of birds
400 -
annual tourists
250K
Location & Culture
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Your Destination
Monteverde is a small, international community, nestled along the edge of the cloud forest in the Tilarán Mountains. Drawn to the area’s spectacular beauty and opportunities to see quetzals and monkeys, tourists now contribute the principal revenues to the zone, although coffee plantations and dairy farms still dot the landscape. This area is famous as an epicenter for grassroots conservation and private reserves, and the community is emerging as the vanguard of innovation for Costa Rica’s carbon neutrality program.
CIEE wants all our students to feel welcomed, supported, and empowered to succeed while studying abroad. Local CIEE staff have provided details about conditions and cultural attitudes that students with specific identities might encounter in Monteverde.
The Culture
EXCURSIONS & ACTIVITIES
- Hike under the dripping boughs of the cloud forest and observe colorful plants and animals. Insiders will tell you about how these protected areas both conserve biodiversity and contribute to the economy.
- Visit local businesses involved with tourism and learn from residents about their opinions on the good, the bad, and all the rest of tourism development.
- Take a day trip to a local sustainable farm and enjoy a meal of 100% organically grown food, direct from the fields.
- Explore and experience the power of renewable energies, including solar, wind and hydropower, operating at large and small scales, to gain insight into the how and why Costa Rica is an international leader in the carbon neutral movement.
Program Blogs
Click to OpenProgram Blogs
Daily Life
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Housing
Whether on or off-campus students live in dormitories surrounded by the Cloud Forest with other CIEE students and less than 10 minutes walking from the classrooms. Students live in double, triple, or quad rooms shared with other CIEE students of their same cohort with en-suite bathrooms, shared desks, and closets. Indoor and outdoor areas for recreation and study, with access to forest trails and gardens.
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MEALS
Students are provided with breakfast, hot lunch (pack lunches on weekends), and dinner.
Monteverde, Costa Rica Where You'll Study
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A
CIEE Monteverde
Located next to the Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve, CIEE Monteverde offers a comfortable home-base for students and faculty conducting research and coursework.
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B
Monteverde
Located in the Cordillera de Tilarán mountain range, Monteverde is home to the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve which contains over 26,000 acres of tropical plants and animals.
Academics
Click to OpenAcademics
The January in Monteverde program is an intensive introduction to environmental sustainability issues facing many tropical, developing nations. Emphasis is on the economic sustainability of renewable energy, ecotourism, and agriculture. Courses are taught by qualified instructors of CIEE– Monteverde.
CIEE Monteverde is located in an area that includes forest and farms against a backdrop of the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve. Facilities include classrooms, residence halls, and recreational areas in a natural setting. There are a wet and dry laboratory, an herbarium, plus organic gardens to support a wide array of STEM studies and research opportunities. An extensive trail system through forest and fields, links classrooms to a botanical garden, animal stables, and coffee and vegetable production areas.
GPA
2.5
Language Prerequisites
There are no specific language requirements for this program.
Additional Requirements
Two college-level courses in the natural sciences, environmental studies, sustainability, or agriculture
Individual courses may have additional prerequisites; for CIEE courses, these are listed in the syllabi below. Students are responsible for having their own course approval conversations with their advisors.
Program Requirements
All students take the required CIEE course.
Program Credit
Total credit: 3 U.S. semester/4.5 quarter credits
Course Credit
CIEE course: 3 U.S. semester/4.5 quarter credits; 45 contact hours
Individual courses may have additional prerequisites; for CIEE courses, these are listed in the syllabi below. Students are responsible for having their own course approval conversations with their advisors.
Academic Culture
The program is made up of three weeks of classes, designed to follow U.S. academic culture. Class attendance is strictly enforced for both classes and required co-curricular excursions that are scheduled on Saturdays. There is no time for weekend travel and students are strongly encouraged to spend evenings and Sundays taking part in extra-curricular activities to practice the language and learn about the local culture.
Class Format
Courses taught at CIEE Monteverde are for CIEE students only. Courses are taught Monday - Saturday. Instruction is supported and augmented online by our learning management system, Canvas.
Grading
Assessment is based on the individual’s overall performance in the course, including quizzes, exams, essays, oral presentations, deliverables, plus participation in classes, including outings. Students must check with their professors to find out exam and project presentation dates. Under no circumstances will CIEE alter deadlines or exam dates for study abroad students who have made conflicting travel plans. The U.S. grading scale of A-F is used.
Individual courses may have additional prerequisites; for CIEE courses, these are listed in the syllabi below. Students are responsible for having their own course approval conversations with their advisors.
Language of Instruction
English
Individual courses may have additional prerequisites; for CIEE courses, these are listed in the syllabi below. Students are responsible for having their own course approval conversations with their advisors.
Courses
Click to OpenCourse Information
January 2023 CIEE Courses
Click to OpenCommunication, Journalism, and Media
Natural Resources, Conservation, and the Environment
Note: This course listing is for informational purposes only and does not constitute a contract between CIEE and any applicant, student, institution, or other party. The courses, as described, may be subject to change as a result of ongoing curricular revisions, assignment of lecturers and teaching staff, and program development. Courses may be canceled due to insufficient enrollment.
"(GI)" denotes courses that originated at CIEE's Global Institutes and that are offered at multiple CIEE sites.
Dates & Fees
Click to OpenDates & Fees
You get more for every dollar when you study abroad with CIEE, because our high-quality programs include everything from excursions to insurance. There are no hidden charges, and no disappointing surprises when you arrive.
Program |
Application Due |
Start Date |
End Date |
Fees & Housing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 2023 | Nov 1, 2022 | Dec 27, 2022 | Jan 16, 2023 |
$3,650
Click to Close
Program FeesCIEE offers the most student support of any provider in its program fee, including an airport greeting, full-time leadership and support, orientation, cultural activities, local excursions, pre-departure advising, and CIEE iNext travel insurance with benefits. Participation Confirmation = $300 * Educational Costs = $2,603 ** Housing = $700 *** Insurance = $47 Total Fees = $3,650Estimated CostsStudents are responsible and manage costs related to travel, meals, books, and personal expenses. Below are estimates for consideration. Meals not included in program fee = $50 International Airfare = $700 † Local Transportation = $40 Books & Supplies = $20 Personal expenses = $100 Total Estimated Costs = $910Financial AidCIEE offers the most grants and scholarships of any study abroad organization, including $8 million/year in travel grants, merit-based scholarships, institutional and MSI grants, and Gilman Go Global Grants. This breakdown has been prepared from the program budget for the purpose of calculating eligibility for financial aid. During the course of program operations, actual figures may vary. It should not, therefore, be used as a basis for calculation of refunds. CIEE reserves the right to adjust fees at any time. Students required by their US home institution to study abroad via CIEE's School of Record will be charged a $500 administrative fee in addition to the Program Fees listed. * non-refundable ** direct cost of education charged uniformly to all students *** includes all meals † r?ound-trip based on U.S. East Coast departure |
To help you budget, keep in mind that students are responsible for the cost of international airfare, local transportation, books and supplies, visas, and personal expenses. In addition, your college or university may charge additional fees for study abroad, or may require you to receive a transcript via CIEE's School of Record, which carries an additional fee of $500. January 2020 programs in Latin America are not eligible for CIEE Scholarships and Grants.
What's Included
Click to OpenWhat's Included
Our Staff
Click to OpenOur Staff
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Pablo Allen, PhD.
Academic/Center Director
Pablo earned a BSc. and MSc. in Biology from the University of Costa Rica, and earned a PhD. in Entomology from the University of Florida.
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Hector Castaneda
Instructor
Hector Castaneda has a doctorate from the University of Florida in Interdisciplinary Ecology.
Get Started
Here's what you need to do to take the next steps:-
1
START AN APPLICATION
Apply Now
You're one step closer to an amazing study abroad experience! -
2
CONNECT WITH YOUR CAMPUS STUDY ABROAD OFFICE
Share your plans and confirm you're on track to meet all required steps to go abroad. -
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Contact Us
Send us an email if you still have questions or need information about applying to this program.
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