Law Schools and Programs in Costa Rica

Law Studies in Costa Rica

Law in Costa Rica is studied as a first university degree in two stages: a bachelor's degree (Bachillerato en Derecho) followed by the Licenciatura en Derecho. Graduates who want to practise as lawyers then join the Colegio de Abogados y Abogadas de Costa Rica, the national bar association, which sets its own course and exam. Teaching is in Spanish and the content is built on Costa Rican law.

Our directory lists 4 universities in Costa Rica with law programmes, all in the San José area: one public university and three private ones.

How the Law degree is organised

• Universidad de Costa Rica (UCR): the Faculty of Law is on the Rodrigo Facio campus in Montes de Oca, San José. The faculty states that it has more than 2,000 students and more than 200 teachers. The Bachillerato y Licenciatura en Derecho is also taught at the university's Sede de Occidente in San Ramón
• Universidad Latinoamericana de Ciencia y Tecnología (ULACIT): a Bachillerato en Derecho and a Licenciatura en Derecho in its Faculty of Law and Global Affairs, taught in Spanish in hybrid mode; the next classes start on 11 January 2027. The licenciatura requires a university bachelor's degree for entry and ends with a graduation seminar. ULACIT describes itself as a bilingual university: new students take an English placement test and, according to the university, all of its bibliography is in English
• Universidad de San José: a bachillerato of 8 four-month terms (cuatrimestres) and a licenciatura of 3 more terms, with face-to-face classes in San José and virtual options. The programme covers civil, criminal, labour, constitutional, commercial and notarial law
• Universidad para la Cooperación Internacional (UCI): postgraduate only. Its master's programmes in Law, with emphasis on business law or tax law, are taught in Spanish in hybrid mode and take 18 to 20 months (60 credits)

Graduation can involve more than coursework: ULACIT, for example, requires 150 hours of community work (Trabajo Comunal Universitario, TCU). At postgraduate level, the UCR's Programa de Posgrado en Derecho offers a doctorate in Law, six master's degrees and three specialities.

Quality accreditation is voluntary. SINAES is the body authorised by the Costa Rican state to accredit institutions, degrees and programmes, so it is worth checking on its site whether a specific law programme is accredited.

Admission

The Universidad de Costa Rica admits undergraduate students through its admission exam, the Prueba de Aptitud Académica (PAA), an academic aptitude test with mathematical and verbal reasoning items. International students who want a full degree apply through the same process, at the Oficina de Registro e Información; postgraduate applicants apply through the Sistema de Estudios de Posgrado. Visiting (exchange) students do not sit the admission exam, but non-native speakers need Spanish at CEFR level B2.

The private universities do not use a national exam. The Universidad de San José asks for a recent photo, an identity document and the secondary-school leaving certificate (Bachillerato en Educación Media). ULACIT asks for the same certificate; if it was obtained abroad, it must carry an apostille and be recognised (homologación) by the Ministry of Public Education.

Costs

At the Universidad de Costa Rica, the 2026 fee table sets the cost per credit for foreign undergraduate students without a grant at ₡58,410, with a maximum of 12 credits charged per term (₡700,920). Costa Rican students pay ₡16,050 per credit (maximum ₡192,600). The private universities publish their fees per programme or give them on request.

Becoming a lawyer: the Colegio de Abogados y Abogadas

For graduates in Costa Rica, the first two requirements for incorporation are set by the Colegio itself: passing its course in legal ethics (Deontología Jurídica) and passing the Examen de Excelencia Académica. The exam session of 30 September 2026 had two versions: law only, with 77 assessment units, and law with legal ethics, with 88. Candidates then hand in the forms and documents, and the Colegio states that it takes a month and a half to review and approve a file.

A lawyer who qualified abroad first has to get the degree recognised through the Consejo Nacional de Rectores (CONARE), whose Oficina de Reconocimiento y Equiparación handles the recognition of foreign university degrees together with the state universities. After that, the Colegio requires the ethics course and the same exam before incorporation.

Typical careers named by the universities are litigation, legal advice for companies and public institutions, the judiciary, public defence, the notarial profession, mediation and arbitration, and teaching.

Residence for international students

Student residence permits are handled by the Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería (DGME). The universities guide their own students: the UCR gives information on the requirements for each category by e-mail ([email protected]), and ULACIT states that it supports foreign students with apostilles, recognition and migration requirements.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to study Law in Costa Rica?

It depends on the university. At the Universidad de San José the bachillerato takes 8 four-month terms and the licenciatura 3 more. After the degree, the bar association's ethics course and exam have to be passed before practising.

Is there a bar exam in Costa Rica?

Yes. The Colegio de Abogados y Abogadas de Costa Rica requires its Examen de Excelencia Académica, together with a course in legal ethics, for incorporation.

Can I practise in Costa Rica with a foreign law degree?

Only after the degree is recognised through CONARE. The Colegio then requires its ethics course, the Examen de Excelencia Académica and the incorporation documents for graduates from abroad.

Do I need an entrance exam to study Law?

At the Universidad de Costa Rica, yes: the Prueba de Aptitud Académica. The private universities in our directory ask for the secondary-school leaving certificate and their own admission steps instead.