Renowned for its splendid appeal as a destination for teaching abroad, Costa Rica boasts lush beaches and the welcoming nature of its inhabitants. Moreover, it ranks among the most vibrant job markets for English teaching in Latin America. With a booming tourism industry, Costa Rica holds English in high demand—therefore, securing a role teaching English in Costa Rica would not be a problem at all!
If you’re trying to figure out how to teach English in Costa Rica, we’ve got you covered. In order to qualify to teach English in Costa Rica, you’ll need to follow numerous steps and meet several requirements, ranging from getting a TEFL certificate to ensuring you have the correct visa. Once the formalities are out the way, your journey teaching English in Costa Rica will be one short flight away!
Can I teach English in Costa Rica without a degree?
Gorgeous landscapes—and the ability to teach without a degree—make Costa Rica an amazing place to teach.
A university degree is usually the standard requirement for any teaching abroad position, and therefore is important to cover. While a four-year bachelor’s degree would be to your advantage and could give you a salary boost, you can still teach English in Costa Rica without a degree!
However, requirements may vary depending on the program you choose, so while one program might only ask for a TEFL certification, another may require a bachelor’s degree. Therefore, it is crucial to check specific requirements you need to meet for each program in order to teach English in Costa Rica.
4 teaching English in Costa Rica requirements
Knowing these key requirements for teaching English in Costa Rica will help you land your dream job:
- Get TEFL/TESOL certified: Regardless of whether you are an experienced teacher, unless you have a degree in TESOL, you will still want to get TEFL certified. This certification will provide you with the essential qualifications you need to teach English in Costa Rica.
- Consider a degree: Although not essential, a university degree can be a beneficial asset to have as an English teacher in Costa Rica. It can boost your salary and get you better teaching positions!
- Get your visa: Tourist visas are the most common type of visa for English teachers in Costa Rica, and they can be obtained upon arrival for Americans, Canadians, and most citizens of Western European nations. However, these visas have to be renewed every 90 days.
- Choose your desired location: Costa Rica is brimming with opportunities when it comes to teaching English. It’s up to you to choose the program that fits you best! Don’t forget to consider the location as well—would you be happier living in a smaller, more rural area like La Fortuna, or the nation’s capital, San José?
How to teach English in Costa Rica
You’ve picked Costa Rica as your preferred destination for teaching abroad, and you’re all set to dive in. Wondering how to teach English in Costa Rica? Well, here’s a detailed list of steps and tips to help you snag that English teaching position and get your adventure started:
1. Get a TEFL certificate
Studying for your TEFL certificate now will open up more job opportunities in the future.
Successfully finishing an accredited TEFL certification course equips you with the essential skills and qualifications to teach English in Costa Rica. While being a native speaker or having a university degree might not always be essential, this recognized certification is a prerequisite for hiring new English teachers in Costa Rica.
If you haven't obtained the certification yet, you may want to explore the option of taking a TEFL course in Costa Rica.
2. Get a background check
Typically, you would need to obtain a background check from your home country before heading to Costa Rica to teach English. The details, such as the type of background check and its specific requirements, can vary, so it’s advisable to check with the school or institution where you plan to teach and also consult the latest information from the Costa Rican immigration authorities.
3. Make sure you meet all the travel requirements
As far as visa requirements for teaching English in Costa Rica are concerned, unlike many nations, Costa Rica stands out by permitting ESL teachers to legally work under a tourist visa—which can be obtained upon arrival by Americans, Canadians, and most citizens of Western European nations.
However, on the challenging side, you’ll need to renew this visa every 90 days, and you will need to leave the country before it expires. You can choose to go “border-hopping” by visiting neighboring countries or choose to go back home for a bit before renewing your visa. Getting a work visa is a bit more challenging as most schools will not sponsor one until you’ve worked there for a year.
In addition to visa requirements, obtaining a tax identification number from the Tributación is a crucial step upon arriving in Costa Rica. The Tributación, a government office overseeing income taxes, has branches in various cities across Costa Rica.
Registering here is essential to receive your tax identification number, allowing you to work legally in the country. However, it’s important to highlight again that you’ll still need to leave the country every 90 days to renew your tourist visa.
You don’t have to wait until you have a job secured to get your tax number, but you will need a local address. So your next steps in order to obtain your tax number are as follows:
- Visit and register at the Tributación office in the city specified in your local address.
- Bring your passport, a copy of it, and your local address for the registration process.
- Make sure you make a book of receipts from a print shop after obtaining your tax number. This book will be used to log your hours. Each time you receive payment from your school, provide them with a receipt from this book.
4. Consider language requirements
Your Spanish language abilities will help you find friends to join you as you explore the country.
You don’t need to know Spanish to teach English in Costa Rica as the classes you teach will be entirely in English to immerse your students fully in an English-only environment. However, learning Spanish will certainly make your life easier when navigating in Costa Rica!
You also don’t need to be a native English speaker. However, you will need to speak English at a native level and be fluent in order to be considered for teaching jobs in Costa Rica.
5. Choose where to teach
The majority of English teaching opportunities in Costa Rica are concentrated in the nation’s capital, San José, but the capital does have a higher cost of living compared to other cities. Surrounding cities such as Alajuela, Cartago, San Pedro, and Heredia also offer popular prospects for teaching English, including private tutoring opportunities. It’s important to note that most teaching English opportunities in Costa Rica are located in the Central Valley, where convenient access to the beach is not guaranteed, as the coastline is several hours away both to the east and west.
For those aspiring to teach English in Costa Rica with a coastal setting, opportunities, while definitely rarer, can still be discovered in regions like the Nicoya Peninsula. If you prefer a more rural setting away from the urban hustle, English teaching positions are available in smaller communities like La Fortuna, but these placements can be several hours away from the nearest big city.
6. Apply for jobs
The school year in Costa Rica goes from January to December, so you can expect to find English teaching jobs all year round for both full-time and part-time positions. You can also consider teaching private English lessons, avoiding the commitment of signing a contract.
One important tip would be to keep your options open and interview for as many positions as possible. This will give you the opportunity to compare offers and decide which position is best for you to get the most from your teaching abroad journey in Costa Rica.
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What can I expect from a teaching English salary in Costa Rica?
With the right budgeting, your salary will let you enjoy life in Costa Rica.
If you’re planning on teaching English in Costa Rica, salary is likely on your mind. In Costa Rica, average salaries for English teachers tend to revolve around $500 to $1,000 per month. Teachers are typically paid an hourly wage of $8 to $10 and work anywhere from 10 to 25 hours a week.
While this may seem low at first, Costa Rica has a relatively low cost of living, with the average salary for locals being around $400. By tutoring or teaching English online, you can work extra hours to support your income as well.
Moreover, it’s important to do some research on negotiating a higher pay by finding out more about the true cost of living, knowing the salary range, and understanding all of the benefits of what your contract offers. While it might not always be possible to negotiate for higher pay, teachers can negotiate for other perks such as temporary accommodation costs and paid vacation days.
In a big city, the monthly rent for a standard two-bedroom apartment is approximately $500, and meals typically range from $5 to $10. However, in rural areas or popular tourist destinations like the coast, you can expect the cost of living to increase quite significantly.
By saving up before arrival, efficiently budgeting through local shopping, and utilizing public transport, you’ll find that the cost of living on a teacher’s salary in Costa Rica is not likely to be an issue.
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Adventure awaits once you know how to teach English in Costa Rica!
So there you have it! With its low cost of living, beautiful landscapes, and friendly locals, Costa Rica is an attractive destination for English-teaching opportunities. After doing some research on the requirements you need to meet to qualify to teach English in Costa Rica, all that’s left for you to do is pick the city, choose the best program for you, and start packing!
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