Discovering Costa Rica

In most cases, parents need to submit application forms prior to an appointment being granted. Application forms can be found on the school’s webpage. No appointments can be scheduled during a schools’ vacation time. Home finding trips and agendas are designed around these school appointments. Few schools will make exceptions to schedule last minute or same day appointments. Dwellworks will arrange for the appointments, but be aware it is better to schedule the appointment with enough time in advance. Typically, there are a limited number of appointment spaces available. Dwellworks provides expert information and can schedule appointments for school visits, but every school requires full involvement from the parent in the information and registration process. Helpful Hint: Schools will not send Dwellworks information on individual applications, nor will they talk to Dwellworks about individual assessments, exam results, and tuition arrangements. That communication only happens directly with the parents. Most schools will request an interview prior to a placement test. A school tour is not a guarantee of placement, as some schools have a waiting list. This is especially prevalent in preschool, first grade, and seventh grade. Due to government tests at the end of primary and high school, it is difficult to enroll students in the sixth or 11th grade. There are two types of private schools in Costa Rica: + Local bilingual schools: An average of 60% of their curriculum is in English, and the rest is in Spanish. Their school year calendar goes from February to November. The mid-year vacation time of three weeks is scheduled at the end of June or beginning of July. There is one or two weeks of vacation during Easter + International schools: These schools offer an American curriculum in English, with usually just one subject in Spanish. Their school year runs from August to June of the following year, with a one-month vacation during December and an Easter vacation. Local and U.S. holidays are observed

Language Academies Spanish Intensa Tel: (506) 2288-4747 Escazú Complejo Trilogía (in front of Pricemart). Second building, first floor E-mail: escazu@intensa.com CPH Language and Cross-Cultural School Tel/Fax: (506) 2282-9920 / (506) 8376-8224 Santa Ana, San José From Ceviche del Rey, 150 meters north and 300 meters east

E-mail: info@spanishincostarica.com Website: www.spanishincostarica.com

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Discovering Costa Rica