UGA Costa Rica Office

This program combines travel and design exploration in Costa Rica through the eyes of a landscape architect. The focus of the course is on environmental design and landscape architecture in tropical ecosystems. The natural and cultural diversity of Costa Rica will serve as an appropriate environment and place in which to explore, study and reflect. The course will provide students with the opportunity to plan and design outdoor spaces in real-world tropical habitats. Students will work on design projects at the UGA Costa Rica campus in the upland cloud forests near Monteverde and at a pacific coastal resort community. Design projects will be selected in consultation with the local owners, managers, architects and developers. Projects may address local building materials and construction methods and will encourage environmental sensitivity and sustainable building practices.

In addition, students will be required to explore and document the unique tropical ecosystems through which they will travel to gain an appreciation and understanding of the rich natural and cultural diversity of Costa Rica.

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, horse-back rides take students throughout San Luis, 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, 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.

Faculty

Costs
The program costs approximately $1800 plus in-state UGA tuition and fees.

The cost of the program covers lodging, meals, study abroad insurance, entry fees, and transportation on program excursions. Additional costs include personal items, in-state tuition, and airfare.

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

Payment Methods & Schedule
The program fees will be charged to your student account. You may pay online with a credit card or mail a check to the Office of the Bursar. Access your student account here.

Payment Deadline	Balance Due	Information
March 5th	$300	Deposit due with application.
March 31st	$375
April 30th	$375
May 31st	$375
June 26th	$375	Final balance due.

Through the UGA Costa Rica Office flexible payment options for program fees are available. The balance MUST BE PAID IN FULL before your program's departure. Please contact Matt Stevens for more information at 706-425-3316.

Tuition is not included in the program fee and will be posted to your student account as well. If you receive a scholarship or financial aid please notify the UGA Costa Rica Office if any payments will need to be submitted after the deadlines. Tuition payments must be paid in full a week before your program's departure date.

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

Non-UGA 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 $300 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 10 qualified students.

Target Dates / Deadlines
Application & $300 deposit deadline: March 5th, 2010
Withdrawal deadlin: March 19th
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.
Final Balance Due: June 30th, 2010