Universidad Internacional de las Américas
University, Graduate school in San José, Costa Rica
The Universidad Internacional de las Américas (UIA) is a private university in San José, Costa Rica. Its opening was approved on 24 April 1986 by the Consejo Nacional de Enseñanza Universitaria Privada (CONESUP), and it was the first private university approved by that body. The main campus is on Calle 23 and Avenida 7 bis in Barrio Aranjuez, opposite the Antigua Aduana cultural complex, and there is a second campus in Heredia. According to the university, about 16,000 professionals have graduated from it.
UIA offers 21 degree programmes at bachillerato, licenciatura and master's level, organised in these faculties:
- Education Sciences and Languages
- Health Sciences
- Social Sciences
- Engineering and Architecture
- Law
- Economic Sciences
It also offers postgraduate programmes, technical programmes and open courses. The academic year has three four-month terms (cuatrimestres) of 15 weeks, and students can start in January, May or September. Applicants with a secondary school diploma from abroad must present it with an apostille or consular legalisation and a recognition document from Costa Rica's Ministry of Public Education. International enquiries go to a dedicated address ([email protected]), and students can join sports clubs and cultural activities.
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Admission
New undergraduate students must submit:
- Two passport-size photographs
- A copy of their identity card or passport
- The completed enrolment form
- The original and a copy of their secondary school diploma (Bachillerato en Educación Media) or equivalent
Diplomas obtained abroad must carry an apostille or consular legalisation and be recognised by a regional office of Costa Rica's Ministry of Public Education. Students transferring credits need an official, signed transcript and course syllabuses from their previous university (apostilled if foreign); the credit transfer must be completed within three months.
Scholarships and financial aid
UIA offers several ways to spread the cost of each term:
- Interest-free instalments (three or four months) with BAC or Credomatic credit cards, and interest-free plans with Coopenae cards
- A term promissory note (pagaré) paid in three instalments at 2.75% monthly interest; this requires proof of income, or a guarantor for minors
- Student loans from CONAPE for the whole degree, part of it or equipment
Subjects taught
- Business
- Business Administration
- Marketing
- International Business
- Communications
- Journalism
- Engineering
- Electronic Engineering
- Industrial Engineering
- Computer Engineering
- Finance
- Accounting
- Health
- Pharmacy and Pharmacology
- Medicine
- Dentistry
- Hospitality, Leisure, Tourism and Travel
- Tourism
- Humanities
- International Relations
- Philology, Languages, Literature
- Translation and Interpretation
- Modern Languages