Paid Teaching in Costa Rica

Our amazing teaching programme kicks off with our comprehensive 120-hour TESOL course. Once you’ve achieved your certification, our local team will find you a teaching placement, and give you plenty of support in finding accommodation and onward travel as well. It’s an incredible way to experience this beautiful country, while earning money and building your CV at the same time.  

About the TESOL course

The course runs Monday to Friday over four weeks and includes teaching theory, practice, and Spanish language skills. The course covers:

• Costa Rican culture, history, politics, and society
• Spanish language
• Cultural excursions (coffee plantation, local markets and cooking class, sugar cane plant visit, volunteering in a local wildlife sanctuary)
• Grammar refresh and teaching grammar
• Teaching listening, reading, speaking, and writing
• Lesson planning, presentation, and feedback
• Teaching English to every age group (focus is mostly on teaching adults)
• Working with technology and resources in the classroom
• Effective classroom management
• Curriculum development and long-term learning goals
• 16 hours supervised teaching practice (classroom and online)
• Instructor feedback on your teaching practice

You’ll stay in our student accommodation in the beautiful city of San Ramon during your TESOL course. San Ramon is a laid-back place with few tourists, and an incredible backdrop of mountains, cloud forests and nature reserves, which you can explore during your free time at the weekends. It's a great place to kick off your Costa Rican experience.

About the teaching placements

Once you’ve completed your TESOL course, you’ll go on to put the skills you’ve learnt into practice during your teaching placement. There are three main types of placements.

1. Local academy

Private language schools where you’ll work with small groups of students (4 – 10). Classes are mostly held either in the evening or the morning and you’ll usually work 20 – 30 hours a week. Schools are around the country but are mostly found in the Central Valley, which is one of the most populated areas of Costa Rica. If you’re teaching in an academy, you’ll need to base yourself nearby.

2. Online placements

Lots of participants choose online schools because they want total flexibility. Teaching online allows you to live where you want in Costa Rica, or to travel around while teaching. Schedules are also more flexible. Teaching hours vary, but the most popular times are evenings and mornings, so you may work for a few hours in the morning, spend the afternoon in the Costa Rican sunshine, and then log back on, in the evening!

      3. International or Bilingual School Placements

At the beginning of the year and around July international and bilingual schools are often hiring. They typically look for education degree holders. They offer great pay and give experienced teachers the chance to gain valuable international experience.

You’ll work with the placement coordinator to find available opportunities to fit your preference and once you’ve been offered a contract, the coordinator will advise you on travel and accommodation. We have a good success rate in meeting teacher preferences, but can’t guarantee specific placements, so you’ll need to be flexible. Wherever you’re placed, you’re sure to have the experience of a lifetime!

Once you’ve started your placement, the local team will still be on call to support you in any way you might need. 

Accommodation

During the TESOL course

Accommodation in San Ramon is included during your TESOL course. San Ramon is a tiny city set in the middle of a dramatic mountain range. It's a great place to kick off your Costa Rican experience.

Rooms are on dual occupancy (single sex) basis with en suite bathroom and fans (it's a lovely temperature year-round, with a cool breeze, so air con isn't necessary). There are also common areas for study, relaxation, a shared kitchen, and a laundry service. The hostel is in a fantastic central location, within easy walking distance of most amenities.

Please note: You’ll be asked to pay a $100 deposit on arrival, which is fully refundable, assuming there have been no breakages or damage.

Accommodation after the course

It's up to you to find your own accommodation after the course. There are lots of different options in terms of accommodation type, location, and budget, from homestays to shared apartments (participants often share with other teachers they've met in week 1). Homestays are typically the cheapest option (around USD100 per week with 2 meals a day included) but most travellers share 2 bed apartments and split the rent (USD300 - 400 per month), plus one month’s deposit).  The most budget friendly options are usually in small and medium sized towns in the central region rather than San Jose or the beach towns. If you need any assistance with negotiation, language barriers or accommodation options, we're here to help.

If you're going to be teaching in person in a local academy, it's best to look for accommodation nearby so you can easily access classes every day. Academies will often be able to provide guidance and may be able to recommend homestays if you'd like a really immersive cultural experience.

If you're going to be teaching remotely, Costa Rica's your oyster! You might like to look at hopping between short term rentals so you can see more of the country.

Meals

Meals are not included as part of the programme, so you'll have to source them yourself. This means you'll have total flexibility to explore Costa Rica's delicious cuisine. There is a great local ‘soda’ (café) a two-minute walk from the hostel which sells a whole variety of local breakfast and lunches that is popular with participants. There is also a full kitchen so you can prepare your own meals. The supermarkets are a 10 minute walk away so you’ll have everything you need. Western style food is available but is significantly more expensive. 

Candidate requirements

We can only accept degree holders. Candidate requirements are as follows:

• 21 - 45 years old
• Degree holder
• Native English speaker
• Good physical and mental health
• Smart appearance (tattoos must be covered when teaching and facial piercings removed)
• Available to work for a minimum of 12 months after completing the TESOL course
• No previous criminal record, arrests, or charges
• Sufficient funds to pay the programme fees as well as the cost of personal living (recommended savings £1,200 - £2,150)

Entry and visa requirements

You'll need to have at least one day's validity remaining on your passport from the date you're leaving Costa Rica. Entry may be refused if you are unable to produce evidence of onward travel.

British citizens can stay in Costa Rica for up to 90 days under a tourist visa waiver. Depending on what countries you have travelled to previously, you may need proof of a yellow fever vaccination. Please check relevant embassy websites for more information. 

Technically, teachers can 'sell' their professional work services on a tourist visa. The only added consideration is that teachers need to do a visa trip every 90 days, exiting to a neighbouring country (typically Nicaragua or Panama) and re-entering on a new 90-day visa. You'll be able to do this as many times as you want without any issues, as long as you meet the exit and entry requirements. 

Applying for a work permit

Some schools may offer to sponsor a work permit, but this is only for year contracts or longer. Teachers are usually responsible for a one off 'change of status' fee and the school is likely to cover any additional costs. However, obtaining the permit is a lengthy and difficult process and most schools are not keen on following it.

Applications for work permits must be made while you're in Costa Rica, and you'll need to have all the required documents authenticated and legalised. We recommend that you have all documentation ready and prepared before your trip so that you have everything you need, should you wish to apply for a work permit. Refer to the Costa Rican embassy for details of the process.

Criminal Background Check

DBS

On this particular programme, as you’ll be working with children, you’ll need to undergo an enhanced DBS previously known as CRB, or Criminal Record Bureau check and will need to have a clean criminal record.

DBS checks may list past convictions, cautions, reprimands, warnings, and if applicable will show whether or not you have been barred from working with certain vulnerable groups. Non-conviction information such as fixed penalties may also be included. For this programme the enhanced DBS check needs to be dated less than 3 months old from your programme start date.

There is an addition cost for the DBS check, please speak to your travel advisor at the time of booking. The DBS process is in 3 stages:

1. Once we receive your booking payment, you will then be sent an online application link for the DBS check, which you will need to complete.

2. Once you have completed the application, the DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) will need verification of your identity - to do this you will need to take 3 original documents to your nearest crown post office and use their DBS and ID verification service. This costs approximately £9 and is payable directly to the Post Office.

3. Once the post office verification is done it usually takes up to 2 weeks for your DBS to be processed, and your DBS will be sent to you directly in the post.

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