Internships in San Jose Costa Rica

A study abroad experience could be a combination of work and play when you pursue internships in San Jose Costa Rica. While your days may be spent developing professional skills in a hands-on, business environment, your nights and weekends could be spent exploring the thriving city of San Jose. Not only could you be earning credits to put towards your degree at home, you could also be living and learning about a new culture that may be drastically different than your own. Whether you’re learning español, sampling the country’s famous café, or exploring the dense rainforests, there’s no wrong way to experience Costa Rica.

Keep reading to find out more about living, learning, and working while pursuing internships in San Jose Costa Rica.

Internships in San Jose Costa Rica: Living & Learning

Internships in San Jose Costa Rica typically place students in internships that directly correlate with their area of study. Depending on your concentration, your new urban environment might help you achieve your academic goals. For example, if you’re studying conservation and environmental sciences, you might be assigned to work alongside one of Costa Rica’s environmental agencies that oversees the protection of the native rainforests. Many of these agencies’ headquarters are located within the capital city of San Jose, so you might have the chance to work alongside notable scientists, policy makers, and activists in this field. Or, perhaps you’re interested in learning more about non-profit social work. Again, your location in San Jose may come in handy! The densely-populated city acts as a hub for organizations that work to improve city infrastructures to better serve at-risk persons. This could make this study abroad program a great learning opportunity for students who wish to enter the non-profit sphere post-graduation.

Besides your actual internship, you may find that San Jose has additional, hidden educational opportunities. Have you considered that this intern abroad program might be a great way to elevate your language capabilities? Many internship programs in San Jose offer an intensive language course as part of their curriculum prior to placing students in their respective positions. And don’t forget the benefit of immersing yourself in a language, as you hear Spanish spoken both at your internship and on the street. Not only could Spanish potentially be a valuable skill to have during your internship, but when you get back to your home university, you might have a new language to show off! Eso es realamente impresionante!

In addition to an internship in San Jose being a great learning experience, the skills and knowledge you may develop might help to jumpstart your career. You may be able to cite valuable, real-world experience when pursuing professional opportunities post-graduation. Or, perhaps a company in your preferred field requires their applicants to be bilingual. When you apply for the position, you could mention that you studied Spanish in Costa Rica! Other applicants may be unable to list the same thing on their resume. You could be surprised how listing a study abroad experience on your resume might catch an employer’s eye!

Life Outside of your Internship San Jose Costa Rica

All work and no play could make for a very boring intern abroad experience – luckily, there’s plenty to see and do in Costa Rica! Whether you enjoy spending your down time indoors or out, you could have your choice of fun activities to fill up your downtime!

For outdoor adventurers, there are plenty of locations to hike, kayak, and explore near San Jose! For example, you could take a trek up to the top of an active volcano in Poas Volcano National Park. The mountain paths offer safe (but warm) views of the bubbling crater. Bet you’d never thought you’d see lava up close and personal! Then there’s Braulio Carrillo National Park, Costa Rica’s largest national park. This lush rainforest is full of trails just waiting for the intrepid traveler. Additionally, Costa Rica is one of the most biologically diverse countries in the world, so keep your eyes peeled for wildlife when exploring this delicate ecosystem.

Once your jungle trek is over, you could head into the city of San Jose itself for some urban adventures. As the capital of Costa Rica, San Jose displays aspects of its rich history alongside contemporary features from classic architecture, to modern shopping avenues, to authentic Costa Rican cuisine. History lovers might want to start their tour of the city at the National Museum which boasts exhibits featuring everything from the country’s inception to present day. The museum itself is housed in the old Bellavista Fort, which played a prominent role in the country’s abolishment of the military in 1949.

Or, if shopping is more your thing, you could check out the National Artisan’s Market, conveniently located right next to the National Museum! This long alley houses the usual tourist souvenirs, as well as some handmade artisan goods made by local vendors. Don’t hesitate to chat with vendors about how the design their goods. Who knows? You might come back with a memento that has an interesting cultural back story!

These are only a few examples of what you could do when you have an internship abroad in San Jose. Be sure to check with your intended program to see if they offer additional excursions as part of their curriculum.

Next Steps to find Internships in San Jose Costa Rica

Are you ready to enter a working environment to potentially elevate your professional skills and knowledge? Are you ready for a tropical, international adventure? Then you’re ready for Internships in San Jose Costa Rica! Keep scrolling further down this page for a list of potential programs. To refine your list further, you select a specific academic semester from the menus on this page. Good luck interning in San Jose!