Psychology Schools and Programs in Costa Rica

Psychology Studies in Costa Rica

Psychology in Costa Rica is studied in two steps. Students first take a bachillerato universitario, the bachelor's-level degree, and then continue to the licenciatura, the professional degree. Master's programmes follow for those who want to specialise. Teaching is in Spanish.

SpainExchange lists 3 schools in Costa Rica under psychology, all in the San José area. Two of them publish psychology degrees: the public Universidad de Costa Rica (UCR) and the private Universidad Latinoamericana de Ciencia y Tecnología (ULACIT). The third, the Universidad para la Cooperación Internacional (UCI), currently lists master's programmes, professional certificates and short courses, mostly virtual, and no psychology degree appears on its programme page.

How the degree is organised

University training of psychologists in Costa Rica began at UCR in 1966, at bachillerato level. In 1972 the licenciatura was added as two further years on top of the bachillerato. The Escuela de Psicología has been part of the Facultad de Ciencias Sociales since the end of 1976. Today it teaches the Bachillerato y Licenciatura en Psicología at the Rodrigo Facio campus in San José, and the degree is also offered at UCR's regional campuses, for example in San Ramón (Sede de Occidente).

The school describes its study plan as general and multi-paradigm, with research as a main axis, so that graduates can enter the different fields of psychology. The UCR degree was first accredited by SINAES in 2004, again in 2010 and for a third time in 2019; in 2023 the school started the self-evaluation for a fourth accreditation. SINAES is the body authorised by the Costa Rican state to accredit the quality of higher-education programmes.

ULACIT teaches a Bachillerato en Psicología and a Licenciatura en Psicología in its Faculty of Health Sciences, both in Spanish and in hybrid mode. The bachillerato covers clinical, social, educational, organisational and developmental psychology. The licenciatura is linked to fields such as psychogerontology, clinical psychology, organisational leadership, addictions and palliative care. ULACIT lists 11 January 2027 as the next start of classes for both programmes. Graduation requires 150 hours of university community work (Trabajo Comunal Universitario) and the English levels set by the university.

Costa Rican study plans use each university's own credits, not ECTS credits.

Admission and language

UCR admits students through its admission exam, an academic aptitude test with mathematical and verbal reasoning items. Applicants then compete for a place in the degree with their score. Students from abroad who want the full degree follow the same process, and postgraduate applicants apply through the Sistema de Estudios de Posgrado.

ULACIT asks for the secondary-school certificate; a certificate obtained abroad needs an apostille and recognition by the Ministerio de Educación Pública. Applicants also take an English placement test. The university notes that all its bibliography is in English, so early command of the language is needed even though classes are in Spanish.

For non-native speakers, the UCR exchange rules give a benchmark: visiting students need Spanish at CEFR level B2 or higher.

Costs

UCR charges tuition per credit. In the 2026 fee table, the full undergraduate rate for foreign students is ₡58,410 per credit, with a ceiling of ₡700,920 (12 credits); scholarship categories reduce it. ULACIT publishes a fee sheet (tarifario) for each programme as a download and allows payment in up to three monthly instalments per term; ask the university for the current amounts.

Master's programmes

UCR has had a master's programme in psychology since 1984. According to the school, it includes the Maestría Académica en Teoría Psicoanalítica and professional master's degrees in work and organisational psychology, clinical and health psychology, educational psychology and community psychology.

Recognition and careers

UCR describes psychology as a discipline with several fields of work: health, education, criminology, work, experimental and social psychology. Psychologists work in public institutions, health centres, schools, private companies, research centres and non-governmental organisations, or in private practice. ULACIT adds emerging areas such as neuropsychology and forensic psychology.

People with a university degree obtained outside Costa Rica who want to work in their profession in the country must have it recognised through the Oficina de Reconocimiento y Equiparación (ORE) of CONARE and the state universities. Graduates who plan to practise in another country should check the rules there.

Frequently asked questions

What degrees in psychology exist in Costa Rica?

The first degree is the bachillerato universitario, followed by the licenciatura. UCR teaches them as one Bachillerato y Licenciatura en Psicología; ULACIT offers them as two programmes.

Are psychology degrees taught in English?

No. The programmes at UCR and ULACIT are taught in Spanish. ULACIT also requires English, because its bibliography is in English.

Is the UCR psychology degree accredited?

Yes. According to the Escuela de Psicología, SINAES accredited it in 2004, 2010 and 2019, and a fourth process began in 2023.

How do international students apply?

At UCR they sit the university's admission exam. At ULACIT they complete the online admission process and present their secondary-school certificate with an apostille and recognition by the Ministerio de Educación Pública.