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Map your path. Prove your future.

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Map your path. Prove your future.

Official classifications and statistics are cited where they appear. Career routes and typical durations are CareerProof Global guidance. Admission figures come only from official published lists. Official decisions are made by the relevant institutions and licensing bodies.

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Admission standards

University admission in Costa Rica

Official minimum entry requirements and the school system, from the country's UNESCO classification and national sources.

Official entry requirements

As classified by the country with UNESCO (ISCED 2011), reference year 2019. Universities may set higher requirements.

School-leaving qualification (upper secondary)

Diversified education - Academic daytime2 years, from age 15
Minimum entry: Certificate of Completion of General Basic Education
Awards: Upper secondary
Special education - Cycle IV (Special education centres)3 years, from age 17
Minimum entry: Certificate of Completion of General Basic Education
Awards: Upper secondary - Special Education
Youth and adult education2 years, from age 15
Minimum entry: Certificate of Completion of General Basic Education
Awards: Upper secondary

Bachelor's or equivalent (first degree)

University bachellor4 years, from age 17
Minimum entry: Upper secondary
Awards: University bachellor
Licentiate (6 years)6 years, from age 17
Minimum entry: Upper secondary
Awards: Licentiate
Licentiate (+2 years)2 years, from age 21
Minimum entry: University bachellor
Awards: Licentiate

Short-cycle tertiary (diplomas)

Higher technical education (first level - undergraduate)2 years, from age 17
Minimum entry: Upper secondary
Awards: Diploma
University education (first level - undergraduate)3 years, from age 17
Minimum entry: Upper secondary
Awards: Teacher training

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), ISCED 2011 mappings (country file). CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UIS terms).

School system (official durations)

Primary: 6 years from age 6
Lower secondary: 3 years from age 12
Upper secondary: 2 years from age 15
Compulsory education: 13 years
Tertiary enrolment (gross): 55% (2019)

Data year 2025. Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), https://api.uis.unesco.org/api/public, extracted 2026-11-10. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Licence.

Regulators and quality agencies

Sistema Nacional de Acreditación de la Educación Superior (SINAES)Listed by INQAAHE

From INQAAHE. Network membership is not government recognition: confirm a body's role with the education ministry.

Universities and colleges

56 institutions in Costa Rica

All countries