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Location
  • Costa Rica
    • Nosara
Language
Spanish

Program Details

Housing
Apartment Host Family Hostel Hotel
Apr 23, 2018
Aug 22, 2021
Wish List
5 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

Located in the Pacific Northwest in the Guanacaste region, Nosara has been founded on the pillars of environment, conservation, wellness, education, yoga and surfing. Nosara also boasts two world-class international schools which has positioned it as a premier family destination in Costa Rica.

Nosara's recent media attention includes:

-Nosara- World’s 20 Best Surf Towns – National Geographic
-Nosara- Top Places to go in 2013 – New York Times
-Playas de Nosara, Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica: Officially approved beaches- CNN

Our Spanish as a second language program includes options for group, private or custom class options. Our intensive program includes 10 or 20-hours of study per week which utilizes the communicative approach to language learning where the main objective of each program is to improve student communication skills and competencies, encouraging spontaneous and creative use of the language in real life situations.

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Video and Photos

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Playa Guiones Sunset
Nosara Spanish Institute- campus
Turtle Refufe, Nosara Costa Rica
Surfing in Nosara
Nosara Classes
Stand Up paddling Nosara
Turtle nesting Ostional
students in class

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Program Reviews

4.92 Rating
based on 13 reviews
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  • 5 rating 92.31%
  • 4 rating 7.69%
  • 3 rating 0%
  • 2 rating 0%
  • 1 rating 0%
  • Instruction 4.95
  • Support 4.95
  • Fun 4.7
  • Housing 4.8
  • Value 4.55
Showing 9 - 13 of 13 reviews
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Mikael
39
Male
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Surf + spanish

Jan 14, 2015

First of all: the school is located five minutes walk from some of the funnest surf in my life.

As it was relatively quiet, I got some private and the rest of the days almost-private instruction. The course, 4 hours a day + homework, was really intense. However it was fun also, and for the first time ever I would actually learn why and how the rules work. After this it was easier to pick up words from conversation and understand why the language is used at it is.

All the staff was very efficient and professional. For the first time ever I actually enjoyed learning a new language.

What would you improve about this program?
Focus maybe a little bit more on the vocabulary also. I got a very good understanding on the grammatical issues, but have trouble having enough words to use them
73 people found this review helpful.
Helpful
Response from Nosara Spanish Institute

Hola Mikael,

Thank you so much for coming to study with us. You were an excellent student and found a great balance between study and surfing. Best of luck on your travels and your new position in Asia.

Also, thank you for the input on expanding vocabulary components.

By Nosara Spanish Institute on February 2, 2015
Default avatar
Anna
49
Female
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Cuándo puedo volver?

Jan 8, 2015

I came to Nosara Spanish Institute after looking for a place where my family could enjoy the beach and surf while I was in Spanish classes. I have to say that any expectations I had for the school were exceeded ten-fold. My dealings with the staff before I arrived were very professional and prompt. They answered all my questions quickly and made arrangements for my arrival, making my introduction to Nosara very smooth and easy. I had a home-stay my first week, set-up by the school. It was a very comfortable and private house with incredible meals, a short and lovely walk to the school.
I attended classes for 2 weeks with 2 classes per day. I came to the school with an OK understanding of Spanish, but poor speaking ability. My instructor, Marco, was the best! I so appreciate his style of teaching; providing a great deal of instruction, interaction, and positive feedback. The classes are small and speaking Spanish is encouraged, although Marco speaks perfect English. He is passionate about language and while the classes are full-on with the Spanish speaking and learning, they are also fun. Any language school experiences I have had in the past were blown away in comparison.
The rest of the staff at NSI are very friendly and helpful and were a great resource to me during my stay in Nosara. NSI is a sweet little school in a super cool town where the quality of instruction is superior and professional. I would definitely recommend it to anyone and am already trying to find a way to return.

64 people found this review helpful.
Helpful
Response from Nosara Spanish Institute

Hola Anna!

It was such a pleasure having you at the institute and it was great to have the Santa Cruz connection. We hope you and the family are doing well and thriving back home. Saludos desde Nosara!

By Nosara Spanish Institute on February 2, 2015
Default avatar
Larissa
49
Female
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Two Intense Weeks

Jan 6, 2015

I had the opportunity to study Spanish at the Nosara Spanish Institute in December 2014. It was a great experience. I spent the first week with two one-on-one sessions daily with Marco Moro. It was intense, but I learned a lot. I had limited Spanish language skills, so the focus was on grammar. The second week was in a group class that challenged me but did not overwhelm me. Marco is a talented and patient instructor. I gained a great foundation in Spanish to continue my studies. The Institute has many levels of classes and matches same level students together. They have everything from beginner-beginner to advanced. I also had the opportunity to stay in a Homestay with Lisbia as the host. She is wonderful and a really, really good cook. The school itself is a short walk to the beach which was great for an after class swim. I highly recommend Nosara Spanish Institute and hope to return in the future.

66 people found this review helpful.
Helpful
Response from Nosara Spanish Institute

Hola Larissa,

We miss having our dynamic duo (you and Anna) around. It was fantastic to have you at the institute and hope you are doing well in San Francisco. Abrazos de Costa Rica.

By Nosara Spanish Institute on February 2, 2015
Default avatar
Sofia
31
Female
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

1 week with Nosara Spanish Institute

Jan 5, 2015

Nosara Spanish Institute was really good. The whole staff was very friendly. I had one class a day for one week, and it improved my spanish more than I expected. We were 5 students in our class which was perfect and our teacher Marco was excellent. During the classes I had a great time!!

What would you improve about this program?
It was perfect, the only thing I feel bad for is that I should have taken more classes.
66 people found this review helpful.
Helpful
Response from Nosara Spanish Institute

Hola Sofia! It was a great pleasure having you study with us. We hope your studies are going well in Florida and please keep in touch!

By Nosara Spanish Institute on February 2, 2015
Default avatar
colvin
49
Male
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Nosara is amazing and the Spanish Institute is fantastico

Jan 5, 2015

I was fortunate enough to spend 2 weeks in Nosara in late 2014. My wife and I went to classes at the Nosara institute every day for the two weeks and got so much out of it. They went out of their way to make the classes exactly what we needed. All the teachers we had were great.

68 people found this review helpful.
Helpful
Response from Nosara Spanish Institute

r.

By Nosara Spanish Institute on February 2, 2015

Questions & Answers

Alumni Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with verified alumni.

Candy Foster

Program
Nosara Spanish Institute in Costa Rica

Why did you choose this program?

Nosara Spanish Institute was the only language school in Nosara. I chose Nosara, Costa Rica because I have a friend living there and was traveling for the first time alone. I wanted a Spanish immersion experience. What I didn't know at the time is that most tourists and workers in the Guiones Beach area where the school is located speak English.

What did your program provider assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?

The directors of the school organized the weekly class schedule and some extracurricular and cultural activities. Even though I attended classes there a month, I never met the owner/director, but I think that he was around a couple days a week.

They suggested that I stay in an apartment nearby. I made arrangements to rent my apartment for a month. I found my own transportation to and from the airport to Nosara. I organized my own trip to Rio Celeste in the rainforest including transportation and hotel. I organized my volunteer activity, teaching English to adults, which was one of the highlights of my trip.

What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?

Nosara Spanish Institute is located near an incredibly beautiful beach which is a world renowned surfing destination. Yoga and deep sea fishing are also available. If you don't want easy opportunities for Spanish immersion, then this is the school for you. I have studied in Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Mexico. All offered many immersion experiences. The lack of immersion opportunities was my biggest disappointment.

What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?

Nosara Spanish Institute offers mostly group classes. Group sizes range from about 3 to 7 or 8 students depending on ability level. Classes are offered in the morning and afternoon from 8-12 and 1-5. Class times are assigned. Preferences are not taken into account. Three weeks I had classes in the morning, and one week I had classes in the afternoon.

Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it? How did your views on the issue change?

I have traveled all over the world with my husband, family and friends. I had never traveled solo. This was my first experience, and I loved it. I made many friends in my neighborhood, at school and where I volunteered. I lived in Nosara for a month, and at the end it really started to feel like home.

Do you have any recommendations?

If you have an opportunity to be placed in a homestay (not the group homestay, which is not a Spanish immersion experience), I recommend that you give it a try. There is a fishing village about 20 minutes from the school (by car or tutktuk), where one fellow student stayed. The biggest challenge for her was finding transportation to the Spanish Institute. Most days she hitchhiked. For a woman, this is a dangerous form of transportation. I hope that the Spanish Institute can find a way to make that experience safer.

Staff Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with program leaders.

Broc Glendinning

Program
Nosara Spanish Institute in Costa Rica
Originally from Santa Cruz, California, Broc has been involved in academia and travel for over a decade. This has included living and studying abroad in Spain, Mexico and Costa Rica as well as extensive travels throughout Latin America and Europe. Broc’s academic achievements include a BA degree in Spanish and an MA degree in Applied Linguistics.
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What position do you hold at Nosara Spanish Institute? What has been your career path so far?

I currently work as the School Director at NSI. My career has been very focused on language, student development and study abroad. I’ve held positions as an ESL instructor, Spanish Instructor, Surf Instructor, Residence Life Coordinator and Study Abroad Coordinator.

All of these positions have really been in preparation for what I do at NSI which is to help students grow linguistically and culturally within a professional and nurturing environment.

Did YOU study abroad?! If so, where and what inspired you to go?

Yes! I spent one year at the University of Granada in Spain. It was the absolute best decision and best year of my life. I have always had a passion for the Spanish language and culture and when I learned of the opportunity to spend time studying and traveling there I took it.

Studying abroad is so much more than just language study but also the friends you make, the personal discoveries and the opportunity to see new places, it’s truly an adventure!

Why is language learning and cultural immersion important to you?

Participating in a language/cultural immersion program is so much more than just visiting a resort and being on vacation. It forces you out of your comfort zone and pushes you to interact and reflect -- this definitely has the ability to change a person.

So, it is the personal change as well as the connection with others that is so important when learning a language and truly living in another culture. This is invaluable for personal growth and also often times results in opportunities for professional growth as well.

What unique qualities does your company possess?

I think NSI has a very personal feel. We get to know all of our students and go out of our way to make students feel comfortable at the school and in Nosara.

We are also very actively involved in the community and participate in community programs and our homestay program has been helping microfinance local families to make improvements in their homes and better the relationships between locals and travelers. It’s a very special program to be a part of.

What changes would you make to the study abroad industry?

I would love to see opportunities to study abroad become more accessible, financially and programmatically. I think study abroad should be a requirement in universities or during gap years or at the very least it should be encouraged more than it is now.

Many people don’t realize just how many opportunities there are to study abroad and how many benefits there are.

About Nosara Spanish Institute

The Nosara Spanish Institute offers intensive academic Spanish Immersion courses in Nosara, Costa Rica. Nosara is located on the Nicoya Peninsula along the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica in Guanacaste, one of the most unspoiled and protected parts of Costa Rica. The school is located within an eight minute walk to the main beach, Playa Guiones. Nosara...