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INTERNATIONAL LATIN AMERICAN STUDIES ORGANIZATION |
Now
that you have made the decision to study
abroad in Costa Rica with ILASO, it is likely
that you are going to have many questions
about your future temporary home. This orientation
handbook is guided to give you all the information
and sometimes more about the things that
will be most important to you having a successful
adventure abroad. |
COSTA RICA |
First and foremost one of the best things
about studying abroad is the ability to
become immersed in a culture that few of
your friends or family will ever know and
is impossible to know by only visiting on
vacation. Learning and practicing the language
is one of the best ways to understand a
different culture. Costa Ricans are very
friendly people, who are willing to help
in any way possible. This includes being
very patient and encouraging while you try
to communicate with them. It will go a long
way to show them that you care about their
language and to practice it any chance you
get.
Apart from learning and studying in San
Jose, you will have the chance to see some
of the most beautiful beaches and exotic
rainforests in the world. ILASO provides
this opportunity through the excursions
to places like Monteverde, Volcán
Arenal and Manuel Antonio beach. In order
to make your experience more enjoyable we
suggest that you research Costa Rica before
you come.
| A few websites
include but are not limited to: |
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CIA World Factbook:
www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/es.html |
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State Department Information:
www.travel.state.gov |
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Costa Rican Newspaper:
www.nacion.co.cr |
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Costa Rican Newspaper
in English: www.ticotimes.net |
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Costa Rica Tourism:
www.costarica.com |
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Costa Rica Tourism:
www.tourism.co.cr |
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (click
to see more information) |
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Will
I need a passport? |
WILL I NEED A PASSPORT? |
Definitely.
If you do not already have one,
you should apply for a passport
immediately. The requirements
are somewhat strict, and once
you have everything they require,
it can still take well over
a month to get your passport.
U.S. passports are good for
ten years; once you have one,
you’ll be set for international
travel for a long time. If you
already have a passport, make
certain that it is valid until
6 months beyond your return
date. When arriving in San José,
citizens of the U.S., Canada
and most Latin American and
European countries may stay
in Costa Rica for 90 days.
For more information
please look at http://www.costarica-embassy.org.
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| HEALTH |
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Are
immunizations required? |
ARE IMMUNIZATIONS REQUIRED? |
Costa Rica is one of the safest
destinations in the developing
world, from a health point of
view. This is largely due to
high health standards in our
country. There are no required
immunizations for entering Costa
Rica. However, it is always
wise to keep up your basic shots
such as tetanus and diphtheria.
Risk of contracting malaria
is minimal, but for itineraries
that include the Caribbean lowlands,
travelers might wish to take
the extra precaution of a prophylactic
medicine such as chloroquine.
Decisions about immunizations
and anti-malarial medications
should be made on a personal
basis after consultation with
your personal physician.
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Are
there modern medical facilities? |
ARE THERE MODERN MEDICAL FACILITIES? |
YES! Health care in Costa
Rica is excellent and there
are several ultra-modern hospitals
with English speaking Doctors
(some are North Americans)
in the greater San José
area. Below are some phone
numbers. For emergency assistance
in Costa Rica, dial 911.
| For
emergency assistance in
Costa Rica |
| »
Clinica
Catolica (225-5055) in
Guadalupe |
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Clinica
Americana (222-1010) in
downtown San José |
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Clinica
Biblica (257-5252, 257-0466)
also in downtown San José |
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KOP Medical
Clinic (228-4119) in San
Rafael de Escazu |
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Is
the water safe to drink? |
IS THE WATER SAFE TO DRINK? |
The water in San José
is safe to drink in most areas.
The best way to know is to
ask your family they will
tell you whether it is safe
to drink it straight from
the tap. We recommend however
that if you are in remote
areas you bring bottled water,
as it may not be potable.
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What
type of food is typical of Costa Rica? |
WHAT TYPE OF FOOD IS TYPICAL OF
COSTA RICA? |
A traditional Costa Rican
breakfast consists of "gallo
pinto" (black beans and
rice), eggs, tortillas and
sour cream, with coffee and
fresh fruit juice. A typical
Costa Rica lunch known as
"casado", includes:
rice and beans, one choice
of meat (beef, chicken, pork,
or fish), salad, fried plantains
(a type of banana, very sweet
and very tasty).Dinner is
pretty much whatever you like,
and fish and seafood here
is excellent, well priced,
and fresh, as are the fruits
and vegetables. Of course
Costa Rica produces some of
the finest coffee in the world.
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| COMMUNICATION |
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How
will I be able to contact my family? |
HOW WILL I BE ABLE TO CONTACT
MY FAMILY? |
At the ILASO office computers
will be available for Internet
use, there are also a large
number of Internet cafes around
San José some open
24 hours where you pay $1-2
for a half-hour or hour of
use. Keep in mind that the
Internet connection might
not be as efficient as the
one you accustomed to at home.
You can also use phone cards
at your host family’s
house or one of the readily
available public phones.
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How
do I make phone calls? |
HOW DO I MAKE PHONE CALLS? |
In Costa Rica most people
use phone cards at public
phones. Phone cards can be
bought in increments ranging
from the smallest at 300 colones
which can be used only to
call within Costa Rica, to
the largest at 3000 colones
($6.50) which will give you
about 15 minutes for calls
to the U.S. The ILASO
office will have phone cards
available for you to buy.
You can also buy international
phone cards, which are available
in increments of $5,
$10, and
$20 to make
a direct call to the United
States.
This is the most convenient
and economical way to make
an international call. Even
with the phone cards it is
considerably cheaper to call
Costa Rica from the U.S. so
we recommend that you and
your family or friends prearrange
a time in which they can call
you at your host family’s
house.
»
Check
with your long distance
carrier in the U.S.
before you leave to
see if they include
a plan to Costa Rica
this could help prevent
you from paying more
than a dollar a minute
for international calls. |
»
To call the U.S. from
Costa Rica you will
need to dial country
code 001+
the area code + the
number for example,
001-307-331-8723.
To call Costa Rica from
the U.S. you will need
to dial 011-506
(area code for all
of Costa Rica)
+ the number. |
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| MONEY |
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What
type of money do they use in Costa Rica? |
WHAT TYPE OF MONEY DO THEY USE
IN COSTA RICA? |
The national currency is the
colon, its value against the
dollar changes frequently but
at current writing (1/3/2006)
it is $1=521colones. This amount
usually fluctuates at about
4 colones per month. In order
to see the most recent exchange
rate before you arrive visit
the website www.oanda.com.
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Will
I be able to use my debit/credit card? |
WILL BE ABLE TO USE MY DEBIT/CREDIT
CARD? |
ATMs are found everywhere in
the greater San José
area, and in most areas outside
of the capital. The more remote
areas may not have one so it
is a good idea to get out enough
money before you go. In most
hotels and restaurants they
accept credit cards but it is
not a guarantee, make sure to
ask before you stay or eat.
In the smaller restaurants it
is more likely that they only
accept cash.
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How
much money will I need? |
HOW MUCH MONEY WILL I NEED? |
This depends on the person and
what kind of lifestyle they
want to live while in Costa
Rica. The most common amount
of money spent per week is between
50-200 dollars. This may seem
like a lot of money and there
are ways to cut down on spending.
»
Less
traveling, spending
a weekend in San José
is a great way to see
a different part of
the city and to visit
the many museums and
other cultural opportunities
available. |
»
If you do travel on
the weekends that ILASO
has not planned an excursion,
there are options for
you to be able to see
all Costa Rica has to
offer while saving money.
A few examples are,
riding the public buses
instead of renting a
car or staying in the
many very simple cabins
called cabinas instead
of more expensive hotels. |
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Where
can I exchange money? |
WHERE CAN I EXCHANGE MONEY? |
Exchange - When you arrive,
you may exchange your money
at any local bank or hotel but
you will get a better exchange
rate at banks. You may also
get foreign currency by using
your ATM card. However, it's
important that you know the
exchange rate before you do
this. In a pinch, dollars are
pretty widely accepted, but
you'll probably receive your
change in colones.
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| TRANSPORTATION |
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How
will I get from the airport to my home
in Costa Rica? |
HOW WILL I GET FROM THE AIRPORT
TO MY HOME IN COSTA RICA? |
A representative of ILASO will
be waiting to pick you up at
the airport after you go through
customs and immigration. There
will be many people outside
the airport so it is important
that you look for the person
holding the ILASO sign. In order
to arrange the airport pickup
it is imperative that you send
your flight information, including
flight number, time of arrival
and airline to ILASO. It will
also be necessary that you send
any changes that are made to
your flight plans. If you are
not arriving on the date that
the program starts it will be
your responsibility to find
transportation from the airport.
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How
will I get around San José? |
HOW WILL I GET AROUND SAN JOSE? |
San José has a very good
bus system serving all areas,
they may be a little difficult
to figure out at first but bus
drivers are very helpful and
will be able to tell you where
to wait for a particular bus.
This option is much cheaper
with most bus rides only taking
about 50 cents.
Taxis are also available in
San José, it is very
important that you take only
legal taxis. Legal taxis are
red and have a yellow triangle
on the door or window. Except
for the taxis at the airport
those are orange. Many taxi
drivers may try to overcharge
tourists that do not speak Spanish
by not turning on the meter
(la maría).
Before getting into a taxi ask
the driver if he has a meter,
¿tiene maría?
or ask him to turn it on, ¿puede
poner la maría? por favor.
A short ride should cost around
$1-2 while a longer ride can
cost about $4-5. For longer
destinations you will need to
arrange a set amount before
getting into the taxi. »
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PRIOR TO ARRIVAL (click to see
more information) |
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Packing
(click here)
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PACKING |
The weather in Costa Rica varies
more depending on elevation
than on seasons, however the
rainy season in almost all parts
lasts from approximately May
to December. Since this is the
case we want to break this section
down to beach, mountain travel,
San José and general.
Of course many things can be
used for all locations and you
will not have to take all these
things. Take this list as a
suggestion and adjust it according
to your trip length, activities,
personal style, and taste.
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Beach
Travel (click
here) |
BEACH TRAVEL |
The excursion to Manuel Antonio
will be a beach trip so you
can plan ahead this is what
you will need.
| »
A sturdy
internal frame backpack
is convenient for this
form of travel. |
| »
Sunblock
with at least 30 SPF the
sun is very strong here,
and a sunburn will ruin
any trip. |
| »
Hat and
Sunglasses |
| »
Bug spray
75% DEET. Long sleeves
and pants are also recommended
for insect protection |
| »A
swimsuit or swim trunks
of course! |
| »Flip
Flops |
| »Sandals
sturdier than flip-flops
or shoes you don't mind
being wet in to do some
hiking in the rainforest
by the beaches. |
| »Umbrella,
poncho or raincoat, especially
if you are traveling in
the wet season (April-November)
and sometimes even in
the dry season |
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Mountain
Travel (click
here) |
MOUNTAIN TRAVEL |
Two excursions will be in
this area, Monteverde and
Volcán Arenal. The
mountain rainforests tend
to be wet and muddy all year
round this also includes the
area around many volcanoes
therefore it is a good idea
to bring,
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Shoes
you don’t mind getting
repeatedly wet and muddy |
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A raincoat
or umbrella |
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Pants
and long sleeves, shorts
or skirts do not work
well in the rainforest. |
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Once again
dark clothes |
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Swimsuit,
swim trunks |
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Lightweight
hiking boots with a good
tread suggested for hikes
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Walking
or athletic shoe with
a good tread suggested
for walks |
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San
José (click
here) |
SAN JOSÉ |
In general Costa Ricans are
very proper people who dress
up despite the hot climate.
They do not dress like they
are going to the beach unless
they are going to the beach.
Men usually wear nice slacks
and shirts while women wear
nice pants or skirts. may
not be potable.
| »
A few
nice outfits for going
out, young Costa Ricans
get dressed up to go out. |
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Good shoes
for walking in the city
with that you don’t
mind getting dirty from
city dust, but not all
sneakers. |
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Versatile
clothing that can be worn
on many different occasions.
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Light,
water-resistant jacket
that will keep you warm
on a cool evening or during
a sudden downpour, yet
can be stuffed away or
worn loosely on a warm
day |
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Clothes
that can be layered |
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GENERAL |
These
are just a few things that you might not
think of we do not include personal toiletries
on the list because what you bring is your
own personal preference.
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A small Spanish-English
dictionary |
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A Costa Rican phrasebook |
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A good travel guide |
The things listed above will also be in
the ILASO office but if you prefer to have
your own copy by all means bring it!
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A money belt |
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Cheap rain poncho |
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Fleece or wool sweater |
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Contact lenses and/or
extra pair of sunglasses |
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Water bottle |
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Personal medications |
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Anti-itch cream for
insects bites |
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Sunburn salve such
as aloe vera gel |
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Toilet paper, not
all places have it is better to carry
it |
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Camera, film (it is
expensive here) and waterproof case |
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Flashlight with extra
batteries |
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Medium size towel-
backpacker towels that resemble a
chamois, work great |
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Earplugs (for light
sleepers) |
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Small padlock to lock
your bag shut |
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Travel alarm clock |
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Notebook for traveling
thoughts and addresses |
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Binoculars |
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Photos of family or
friends are good conversation starters |
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Address book so you
can make everyone jealous by sending
postcards |
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WHILE YOU ARE IN SAN JOSÉ (click
to see more information) |
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Safety
(click here)
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SAFETY |
While San José is a relatively
safe city and Costa Ricans in
general are very honest and
friendly people a few problems
do exist for the travelers.
Crime most often tends to be
opportunistic, pick pocketing
and muggings are most common,
however assault is on the rise
so it’s best to be careful.
Be aware of your surroundings
and you will feel safe in San
José. Travel warnings
for Costa Rica are the same
as they would be for most relatively
safe tourist areas, so be vigilant
and enjoy Costa Rica. Travel
here is well worth the extra
preparations.
For more information about travel
warnings visit www.travel.state.gov
this will provide the most up
to date information on Costa
Rica. The best advice we can
give you is to use COMMON SENSE,
protect yourself the way you
would in New York or Chicago
or any other large city in the
U.S.
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Anti-American
Feelings (click
here) |
ANTI-AMERICAN FEELINGS |
It is an unfortunate but true
fact that in today’s world
not many people agree with U.S.
foreign policy. It is very important
that you are aware of this so
you can be prepared when a problem
arises. Many people, Costa Ricans
and the world alike will want
to discuss certain issues with
you. It is best not to get into
a heated confrontation discussing
politics or any other sensitive
topic for that matter.
| »
A sturdy
internal frame backpack
is convenient for this
form of travel. |
| »
Sunblock
with at least 30 SPF the
sun is very strong here,
and a sunburn will ruin
any trip. |
| »
Hat and
Sunglasses |
| »
Bug spray
75% DEET. Long sleeves
and pants are also recommended
for insect protection |
| »A
swimsuit or swim trunks
of course! |
| »Flip
Flops |
| »Sandals
sturdier than flip-flops
or shoes you don't mind
being wet in to do some
hiking in the rainforest
by the beaches. |
| »Umbrella,
poncho or raincoat, especially
if you are traveling in
the wet season (April-November)
and sometimes even in
the dry season |
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Host
Families (click
here) |
HOST FAMILIES |
ILASO takes
great pride in providing each
student with the best study
abroad opportunity available.
We believe for that to happen
the student must be completely
immersed in the culture and
the best way is for them to
live with a host family. We
have spent a great amount
of time finding appropriate
families and matching them
with the right students. There
are just a few things we would
like you to know about the
families so that the experience
will be enjoyed by all and
there are no misunderstandings.
»
It is
customary to bring gifts
upon arriving to the
home of your host family. |
»
It’s
important to remember
that utilities are very
expensive in Costa Rica
and to limit your use
of water and electricity
to local levels. |
»
he Costa
Rican families will
treat you like their
own, it is therefore
important that you respect
them and their homes.
You can do this many
ways a few examples
are; calling the family
if you are going to
be late for dinner,
letting them know when
you have enjoyed a meal.
Or if you are going
to come late after going
out be very quiet so
that you do not wake
anyone. |
»
Phone
calls are relatively
expensive in Costa Rica
so if you are going
to be using the phone
in the house use a phone
card. You can purchase
these at the ILASO office.
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»
If you
want to invite friends
inside the house, check
with your host family
beforehand to get permission. |
»
Most
Costa Ricans think it
is strange to go barefoot
or with only socks on
inside the house and
they usually wear slippers
or sandals at least. |
»
The
families will vary as
much as the personalities
of our students do,
it is important to be
flexible and adjust
to your family. Flexibility
is the most important
key to having a successful
experience studying
abroad. |
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GOING BACK TO THE U.S. |
How
do I get to the airport from San José?
If you are leaving on the
end of program date set by ILASO, we will
provide private transportation for you to
the airport.
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Transcripts
(click here)
|
TRANSCRIPTS |
The purpose of this section
is to explain how ILASO handles
the transcripts of North American
students who participate in
our INTERNATIONAL LATIN AMERICAN
programs. The transcripts
must be sent to ILASO from
the foreign universities.
Once the transcripts have
been sent to ILASO, the Academic
Records Department will send
one official transcript to
the student's home (U.S.)
university and an unofficial
photocopy to each student.
Each transcript sent to the
student’s university
will be accompanied by an
ILASO cover letter providing
important information that
will facilitate the job of
the transcript evaluator.
The letter includes a translation
of course titles, number of
hours of instruction for each
course, and the level of instruction
for each course (i.e. beginning,
intermediate, etc). As soon
as the home university has
received the transcripts,
it takes approximately two
months for universities to
evaluate transfer credits
and to update the student’s
academic records. To transfer
the credits, the students
must obtain course approval
from their home universities.
ILASO's recommendation is
that students get this approval
before departure.
When the ILASO program ends,
it can be helpful to students
to meet with their teachers
to check their grades before
departure. This procedure
can help avoid academic disputes
after their program has ended.
ILASO recommends that students
save all coursework and syllabi
from the courses they complete
at the Host University. This
can be beneficial to the students
if they contest a grade before
returning to the United States.
The reason for this is to
facilitate the transfer of
credits from the Host University
to student’s home university.
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Additional
Transcripts (click
here) |
ADDITIONAL TRANSCRIPTS |
When you need supplementary
transcripts in the future
(for jobs, graduate school,
etc.) you must complete
an Additional Transcript
Request Form and
send it with a payment of
$20. Requests
submitted with the corresponding
cashier’s check, credit
card or money order will be
processed at least in three
weeks.
Unless the university or institution
indicates that it will accept
an official a copy from the
student, ILASO’s suggestion
is that the student not asks
for official copies to be
sent to their home address.
After receiving the payment,
ILASO will
send an official copy of the
foreign transcript to the
requested location. All transcripts
will be stored at the ILASO’s
Academic Records Department.
Any questions about additional
transcripts may be answered
by e-mailing ilasocr@racsa.co.cr.
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| ©2007 All rights reserved. |
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