Check out the blog of a Spring 2008 student, http://kkincostarica.blogspot.com/

Franklin College & COE Teacher Education
Spring Semester

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The Spring Semester program offers students a chance to fulfill core curriculum requirements while studying in Costa Rica. The program includes many core courses for Education majors, however, levels of students (freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors) and a wide variety of majors are eligible to apply. Students engage in a language and cultural immersion through homestays with Costa Rican families.

UGA Costa Rica Campus
Students are based at UGA’s beautiful campus at the head of the San Luis Valley adjacent to the Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve. The campus is high enough in elevation to offer a temperate climate year-round. On-site nature trails can be explored, a natural pool formed by a 80m waterfall can be found after a short hike through the forest, and classes are taught in open-air classrooms and via "living classroom" excursions.

With wide verandas overlooking the Valley, a dining room with soaring ceilings, library and computer facilities, the student union is a popular place to congregate. Participants enjoy three fresh meals each day (included in the total cost of the program) and are housed in spacious bungalows nested into the landscape, each room with its own private bath.

Excursions
Throughout the semester, students will explore Costa Rica on group excursions. Activities included on the excursions are an integral part of course material and the overall study abroad experience. Students will hike the slopes of Arenal Volcano, and observe the ecology of the Pacuare River via a white-water rafting adventure. Students will be immersed in the marine enviornment at the Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Preserve. Other activities include cloud forest hikes, canopy ziplines, and a behind-the-scenes tour of the National Biodiversity Institute’s collection rooms.

Costs
Program costs - $7000
The cost of the program covers lodging, three meals per day, study abroad insurance, hotels, meals, entry fees, carbon offset and in-country transportation.

Airfare is paid separately by the students.

Tuition is paid separately to the UGA Bursar's Office. For more information on tuition and fees, please visit the UGA Bursar's web site at https://busfin1.busfin.uga.edu/bursar/schedule.cfm.

***Note: Out-of-state students pay in-state tuition.
The HOPE scholarship applies to study abroad tuition.

Non-UGA (Transient) Student Costs & Application
An additional application and $50 processing fee is required for non-UGA students to enroll. Click here for instructions. Contact the UGA Costa Rica Office to confirm when you have started the application process.

Non-UGA students (excluding USG and SEC students) will be charged $250, in addition to their tuition, which is assessed by the UGA Bursar's office.

Application Process
To apply, students must submit a complete application, transient application (if applicable) and a $500 deposit. No application is complete without the deposit, which will be deducted from the total cost of the program. Deposit will be made payable via the UGA student accounts system the week following submission of this application. The deposit will be refunded if the applicant is not accepted, or if the applicant withdraws by the program's withdrawal deadline. Transient students need to include a check for the deposit amount along with their application, click here for complete instructions for transient students.

Enrollment is limted to 24 qualified students.

Target Dates / Deadlines
Early admission deadline - Oct. 2, 2009
Application deadline - Oct. 30, 2009
Withdrawal deadline - Nov. 13, 2009
(application, transient application, & $500 deposit check or money order)

Payment for Post-Program Field Exploration - Nov. 13, 2009
$1500 payment (made through student accounts)

First installment deadline - Nov. 13, 2009
$3500 program fee payment (made through student accounts)

Withdrawal deadline - Nov. 13, 2009
After this date students who withdraw from the program will be responsible to cover program setup costs that have been spent on the student's behalf, i.e. hotel reservation, transportation and other payments to local vendors.

Second installment deadline: Dec. 1, 2009 - Final balance due
$3000 program fee payment (made online through student accounts)

Contact Us
Contact us at ugacr@uga.edu or 706-425-3316.