Internships for Heredia, Costa Rica

USAC internships abroad are a great way to enhance your educational experience. Participating in a structured work or research experience with an international organization, whether in-person or virtually, will help you gain valuable skills and hands-on experience while expanding your professional network and immersing yourself in the workplace culture of Costa Rica.

A $985 internship placement fee will be required of all students participating in an in-person USAC internship. This fee helps offset the costs of securing quality internship placements and helps provide a range of professional development activities, including an online internship seminar, career workshops, and panel discussions.

For more information on eligibility requirements and application process see the USAC internship page.

Virtual placements are offered through USAC’s virtual internship program. For more information about the program, see the virtual internships page.

Internship placement in Heredia require four semesters of college Spanish unless otherwise noted.

*Placement with a particular internship provider is not guaranteed

Placements available in the following fields:

English-Language Instruction

Health and Wellness

Journalism and Communications

Research - Humanities and Social Sciences

Research - Sciences

Translation

English-Language Instruction

Public Ministry of Education, placements available in four public elementary schools and two high schools in Heredia

Sample Work Responsibilities

• Assist in classroom instruction
• Assist in curriculum planning
• Deliver lessons focusing on grammar, pronunciation, and conversation in the classroom

Requirements

• Two semesters of college Spanish

Formats/Terms

• In-person: Semester

English-Language Instruction

School of Business Administration, Faculty of Social Sciences, National University of Costa Rica

Sample Work Responsibilities

• Teaching English to adult staff in small groups of 6-10
• Curriculum planning
• Deliver lessons focusing on grammar, pronunciation, and conversation in the classroom

Requirements

• Two semesters of college Spanish

Formats/Terms

• In-person: Semester

Health and Wellness

A health care institution responsible for protecting the health and safeguarding the quality of life of the community, addressing health problems with comprehensive, personalized, timely, and quality care, and overseeing the training and education of individuals and organizations in protecting the health and wellbeing of the people of Costa Rica

Sample Work Responsibilities

• Shadow doctors and nurses
• Assist in taking measurements (e.g. blood pressure, heart rate, temperature, etc.)
• Assist in patient interviews

Requirements

• Four semesters of college Spanish

Formats/Terms

• In-person: Semester

Health and Wellness

A multidisciplinary intervention program designed to improve the functional, psychological and social quality of life of patients who have suffered a cardiovascular event such as acute myocardial infarction, coronary artery surgery, valve replacement, heart failure, and implantation of pacemakers or defibrillators, among others

Sample Work Responsibilities

• Shadow doctors and nurses
• Assist in taking measurements (e.g. blood pressure, heart rate, temperature, etc.)
• Assist in patient interviews

Requirements

• Four semesters of college Spanish

Formats/Terms

• In-person: Semester

Journalism and Communications

A journalism and communications office producing print and broadcast journalism focusing on campus life, local news and events, and topical issues in Heredia and Costa Rica

Sample Work Responsibilities

• Assist journalists, editors, and producers at the communications office
• Producing media content for TV, radio, and print publication
• Content research
• Working with video, images and texts

Requirements

• Four semesters of college Spanish
• Previous journalism experience required

Formats/Terms

• In-person: Semester

Research - Humanities and Social Sciences

An educational institute generating knowledge through teaching, research, and extension activities focused on developmental economics and its application in an effort to improve the economic development and quality of life in Costa Rica

Sample Work Responsibilities

• Assist researchers with projects on economic development projects in Costa Rica and Latin America
• Contribute to literature reviews, data analysis, and written work
• Available projects will vary by term

Requirements:

• Four semesters of college Spanish

Formats/Terms

• In-person: Semester

Research - Humanities and Social Sciences

A research and teaching institute conducting research and producing scholarship on economic, social, commercial, and environmental policy in an effort to generate flexible, dynamic and innovative solutions related to economic policy and sustainable development

Sample Work Responsibilities

• Assist researchers with projects on political economy
• Contribute to literature reviews, data analysis, and written work
• Available projects will vary by term

Requirements

• Four semesters of college Spanish

Formats/Terms

• In-person: Semester

Research - Sciences

An herbarium with a mission to strengthen knowledge of the botanical diversity of Costa Rica and surrounding regions through scientific research on plant diversity in the country for the sustainable development of existing resources and to create a collection of reference specimens on plant diversity in the country and in the Central American region, mainly on trees and shrubs

Sample Work Responsibilities

• Assist researchers in understanding the botanical diversity of Costa Rica and surrounding regions focusing on taxonomy, and ecology
• Participate in lab/herbarium research and fieldwork in the province of Heredia
• Assist in collecting samples to create a collection of reference specimens
• Assist in other activities related to current projects

Requirements

• Four semesters of college Spanish
• Background in biology, agriculture, or related major preferred

Formats/Terms

• In-person: Semester

Research - Sciences

An interdisciplinary institute specializing in the study of bees, their products, and applications, which generates and disseminates knowledge for the conservation of bees and the development and innovation of beekeeping and meliponiculture as activities of ecological and socioeconomic importance through research, teaching, and extension activities

Sample Work Responsibilities

• Assist researchers with projects on bee colonies and honey production
• Participate in lab and fieldwork on campus and in the central valley of Costa Rica
• Collect samples
• Analyze data
• Contribute to written work
• Available projects will vary by term

Requirements

• Four semesters of college Spanish
• Background in biology, agriculture, chemistry or related fields required

Formats/Terms

• In-person: Semester

Research - Sciences

A research unit that carries out research, teaching, and extension and production activities in order to generate new and applied knowledge and technologies that contribute to the socioeconomic and environmental development of the country through the comprehensive management of forest ecosystems

Sample Work Responsibilities

• Assist researchers with projects on soil analysis, ecosystem remote sensing, and forest biotechnology, among others
• Participate in lab and fieldwork on campus and in the central valley of Costa Rica
• Collect samples
• Analyze data
• Contribute to written work
• Available projects will vary by term

Requirements

• Four semesters of college Spanish
• Background in biology, agriculture, chemistry or related fields required

Formats/Terms

• In-person: Semester

Research - Sciences

A research and teaching institute comprised or research centers and labs conducting research into the protection of the biological diversity and sustainable development of natural resources in Costa Rica

Sample Work Responsibilities

• Assist researchers with projects on Caribbean beaches
• Participate in lab and fieldwork collecting samples of sand, collecting data, and taking measurements
• Analyze data
• Contribute to written work
• Available projects will vary by term

Requirements

• Four semesters of college Spanish

Formats/Terms

• In-person: Semester

Research - Sciences

A research and teaching institute comprised of research centers and labs conducting research in industrial chemistry, industrial bioprocess engineering, and management and environmental studies in an effort to contribute to the scientific, educational, and technical knowledge of Costa Rica

Sample Work Responsibilities

• Assist researchers working on chemical and physical hydrology and natural polymer materials research projects
• Participate in lab and fieldwork
• Collect samples
• Analyze data
• Available projects will vary by term

Requirements

• Four semesters of college Spanish
• Background in biology, agriculture, or related major preferred

Formats/Terms

• In-person: Semester

Research - Sciences

An interdisciplinary research institute providing quality research and extension programs, activities, and projects focusing on seismic and volcanic activities as well as documenting, analyzing, and interpreting these processes and disseminating accurate and timely information to prevent risks and mitigate the disasters they generate

Sample Work Responsibilities

• Assist researcher working on seismological and vulcanological research projects
• Participate in vulcanology lab and fieldwork
• Collect samples
• Analyze data

Requirements

• Four semesters of college Spanish

Formats/Terms

• In-person: Semester

Research - Sciences

An academic center for professional training in veterinary medicine, public health and animal production that contributes to human, social and animal well-being.

Sample Work Responsibilities

• Assist researchers with projects
• Participate in lab and fieldwork
• Analyze data
• Contribute to written work
• Available projects will vary by term

Requirements

• Four semesters of college Spanish

Formats/Terms

• In-person: Semester
• Background in veterinary medicine or related major preferred

Translation

An academic and research unit focusing on the study and practice of translation studies, the training of professionals translators capable of promoting interlinguistic and cultural communication, and to the investigation of theoretical and practical aspects related to translation as a discipline

Sample Work Responsibilities

• Research and translation of documents and texts
• Assist researchers
• Interaction with professors and their classes

Requirements

• Six semesters of college Spanish

Formats/Terms

• In-person: Semester