Accreditation

Guacima
When you choose a program with Spanish for Success, it is possible to obtain college credit any time throughout the year. All credits can be transferred to a two year or four year college/university in the United States. Undergraduate Credit & C.E.U.s Credits may be earned by all types of students e.g. High School and College.

Turrialba - Dominical - Arenal
Teachers, graduate students, and undergraduate students can receive 3, 6, or 9 semester credit hours for time spent attending an intensive Spanish language course. A student must be in class for at least 48 hours in order to receive 3 units of credit. To obtain 6 units of credit, class attendance of at least 96 hours is required. Collecting 9 units of college credit, the maximum possible, entails a minimum of 144 hours' class attendance.
Students seeking to earn these course credits will also have to pay a fee directly to the relevant accrediting institution in the United States. Such fee will be in addition to the price paid to Spanish for Success for its regular immersion program comprising intensive language instruction, lodging, and a choice selection of tropical adventures.

This additional cost is $180 for 3 credits, $360 for 6 credits, or $540 for 9 credits. The Western Association of Schools and Colleges, WASC, authorizes the accreditation of these units to satisfy certain degree or credential requirements, as well as to help promote professional advancement. It will first be necessary, however, to obtain prior approval from your institution, as each district, college, or state has its own policies regarding the types of credit deemed acceptable.
The following universities are among those where undergraduate students have earned transfer credits for participating in one of our programs:
University of Vermont at Burlington
University of California at Santa Cruz
University of Massachusetts
University of Colorado
Lindenwood University
Salisbury State University in Maryland
University of South Carolina
Florida State University
University of Washington
Stanford University

Heredia - Samara
Heredia - Samara locations can grant credit directly to students enrolled in an accredited university, or they can go through one of our partner programs such as USM (see below), Duke University (program with the Organization for Tropical Studies), Austin College, etc.
To receive direct credit (which is often more economical), you need to get approval from your own institution prior to beginning your studies. We are happy to provide any necessary information to help you do this. At the end of your studies we will also provide, upon request, a detailed transcript of your work for you to take back to your host institution.

Heredia - Samara locations offers students the chance to receive academic credit for Spanish courses completed in Costa Rica through the University of Southern Mississippi. U.S.M. is a fully accredited institution of higher learning with a student body of over 14,000 offering coursework through the PhD level in many fields. Its overseas programs have been nationally recognized for their excellence. Undergraduate credit is available at all levels, from beginning Spanish to upper-level courses (3 to 12 semester hours), and is fully transferable to other accredited universities. Students should make all arrangements directly through USM prior to beginning the program in Costa Rica. The program must consist of minimum 20 hours per week classroom time. Credit requirements and fees (payable directly to USM) are as follows:

Undergraduate
The prices are:

3 credit hours: $495 3 weeks of class
6 credit hours: $795 5 weeks of class
9 credit hours: $995 8 weeks of class
12 credit hours: $1195 12 weeks of class

These fees are in addition to Heredia - Samara's regular program fees, please see price list for details.

Students must have their university submit an official transcript of their college work which reflects any prior Spanish study before departure in order to be admitted and to receive academic credit. Once you have been accepted into the program USM will mail your acceptance letter and the Evaluation Report Form(s) (ERF). The ERF indicates your placement level and must be presented to the administrators at Heredia - Samara. If you do not receive these forms in the week prior to your departure notify USM immediately.

Grades are posted at the end of December, May and August. All payments and required documents must be received during the month prior to the desired posting period. Final decisions regarding the specific course number, level and grade will be made by Dr. Rafael Sánchez, Chairman of the Department of Foreign Languages at USM. For an application form and information about procedures please contact Melissa Ravencraft, or Dr. Sánchez for academic advising: