Accounting Schools and Programs in Costa Rica

Accounting Studies in Costa Rica

Accounting in Costa Rica is studied as Contaduría or Contaduría Pública (public accounting). It is a university course in two steps: a bachillerato, which in Costa Rica is the first university degree, followed by a licenciatura. Teaching is in Spanish. Public accountants are licensed by a professional body, the Colegio de Contadores Públicos de Costa Rica, and hold the title Contador Público Autorizado (CPA).

Our directory lists 3 universities in Costa Rica that teach Accounting. All three are private and based in San José.

How the degree is organised

The bachillerato covers the core of the discipline. The Universidad Latinoamericana de Ciencia y Tecnología (ULACIT) describes its Bachillerato en Contaduría as training in accounting, finance and auditing: students learn to record and control financial operations, design and evaluate internal control systems, prepare accounting and financial reports and advise on tax matters. The licenciatura goes further into financial statements, internal control and budgeting systems, auditing and the application of international standards. Entry to a licenciatura requires a university bachillerato.

Universities work in four-month terms (cuatrimestres). At the Universidad de San José the bachillerato takes 8 cuatrimestres and the licenciatura 3 more. The Universidad Internacional de las Américas (UIA) runs three terms of 15 weeks a year, and students can start in January, May or September.

Graduation has its own requirements. At ULACIT, bachillerato students have to complete 150 hours of community service (Trabajo Comunal Universitario, TCU); licenciatura students also pass a graduation seminar, which is the final graduation project.

There is also a shorter, non-degree route. The Universidad de San José teaches a technical programme for accounting assistants (Técnico en Auxiliar Contable), which prepares students for support work in finance and accounting departments.

Where it is taught

• ULACIT teaches the Bachillerato en Contaduría and the Licenciatura en Contaduría Pública in its Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y Empresariales, in hybrid mode and in Spanish. The university points out that all its reading material is in English. The next intake listed for both programmes starts on 11 January 2027.
• UIA lists Contaduría Pública at bachillerato and licenciatura level in its Faculty of Economic Sciences, with campuses in San José and Heredia.
• Universidad de San José teaches Contaduría Pública as an emphasis within its Administración de Empresas degree (bachillerato and licenciatura), covering accounting, auditing, taxation and financial control. The programme is taught 100% online.

Admission for international students

The basic requirement is a secondary school leaving certificate (Título de Bachillerato en Educación Media). A certificate from another country must carry an apostille and be recognised by Costa Rica's Ministerio de Educación Pública. UIA also asks foreign applicants for a passport, apostilled school transcripts, an apostilled birth certificate and a criminal record certificate. ULACIT adds an English placement test.

For direct entry to a licenciatura with a foreign university degree, ULACIT asks for an apostille and, where required, recognition of the degree by CONARE, the council of state university rectors.

UIA states that it is accredited by the Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería, which allows it to help students with the student permit or visa once they are in the country.

Costs

The three universities are private and set their own fees. ULACIT publishes a fee schedule (tarifario) for each programme as a download and allows payment in up to 3 instalments per term or financing through CONAPE, the national student loan body. The Universidad de San José gives its prices on request and offers a payment plan with 25% paid at the start and the rest in 3 monthly instalments.

Professional licence and careers

The Colegio de Contadores Públicos de Costa Rica was created by Law No. 1038 of 19 August 1947 and, by its own account, has more than 7,000 members. Costa Rica has required a university degree for the CPA licence from the start. Admission to the Colegio is open all year: applicants hand in the documents listed in its admission manual, attend a compulsory seminar on professional ethics (Seminario de Deontología) and sit a test before the incorporation ceremony. For 2026 the Colegio lists four incorporation dates and charges ₡188,023 when the application is submitted and ₡125,349 once it is accepted, tax included.

Accountants who qualified abroad and want to practise in Costa Rica first need their degree recognised through CONARE's Oficina de Reconocimiento y Equiparación (ORE), a procedure that applies to anyone with a university degree from outside the country.

According to ULACIT, graduates work as public accountants, auditors, tax consultants, financial analysts, accounting managers and tax compliance advisers, in private companies and in public bodies.

Frequently asked questions

What is an accounting degree called in Costa Rica?

Universities use the names Contaduría and Contaduría Pública. Students first take a bachillerato and can continue to a licenciatura.

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

It depends on the university. At the Universidad de San José the bachillerato lasts 8 four-month terms and the licenciatura 3 additional terms.

Can I enrol with a foreign secondary school certificate?

Yes, but the certificate needs an apostille and recognition by the Ministerio de Educación Pública of Costa Rica before a university accepts it.

How do I become a Contador Público Autorizado?

The licence is granted by the Colegio de Contadores Públicos de Costa Rica. Applicants submit their documents, attend the compulsory Seminario de Deontología and sit a test; the academic requirements are set out in the Colegio's admission manual.