ILISA is a medium-size language school located in a suburb of San José, Costa Rica. The mission of the school is to give you the language skills you need to help you develop yourself professionally or to allow you to better enjoy your travels. To reach these goals, ILISA offers a variety of well-developed yet flexible programs. You have the choice of enrolling in small group classes, private instruction, or a combination of private and group instruction. Besides an excellent general Spanish language program, ILISA offers specialized programs for MBA's, lawyers, business people, and other professionals. Whatever your reasons for learning Spanish may be, ILISA can tailor a program to fit your specific needs.

View a video of the school and surrounding areas (Windows Media File - 4.46 MB)

Founded in 1987, ILISA has a team of qualified and dedicated Spanish teachers with many years of teaching experience. During their 14 years of existence, ILISA has used this experience to train over 3,800 people from all over the world. Regardless of your background or current level of proficiency, ILISA will make your study rewarding and enjoyable.

Overall, ILISA has some of the best facilities found in any school in Latin America. The school uses a custom designed building. Classrooms are small, comfortable, and well lit. Students have access to a small terrace restaurant, a nice computer lab, plus nice patio areas to relax in during breaks.

ILISA has one of the most suitable locations for a language school in Costa Rica. The school is located in the quiet suburb of San Pedro which is close to both downtown San José and the host-families. ILISA is far away enough from downtown San José to enjoy the clean air, yet within a convenient 10-minute bus ride from the city center.

ILISA's San Pedro location offers students easy access to San José's museums,shops, bars, etc. San Pedro provides a variety of activities for our students thanks to the influence of the University of Costa Rica, which lies only 5 blocks away. The University district has an abundance of cozy little bars, restaurants, and places that offer live music every night of the week. The diversity of places located nearby means that there is something to do for everyone!

Final Note: Over the past few years, ILISA has been rated as one of our best schools anywhere!

• San Pedro has all the attractions of a big city, yet has the atmosphere of a small town.
• A few blocks from ILISA is the University of Costa Rica. This means that it is very easy to get to know Costa Ricans or "ticos" as they are more commonly called.
• The city has a vibrant and exciting nightlife.
• The city is not the major final destination for most tourists visiting Costa Rica. This means that you will come into contact with few tourists and therefore have more opportunity to practice your Spanish and learn about the local culture.
• San Pedro has an extensive range of restaurants, nightclubs, and boca bars.
• The city is home to many colorful local markets where you can purchase just about anything.
• Almost any location within Costa Rica is only 4 hours away by public transportation.
• Just outside the city are many locations/destinations sure to be of interest to even the most avid outdoor enthusiast.

Group 4: This is our most popular program. With a maximum of four students per group, your participation is assured and progress guaranteed. Classes are given from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. with a 20-minute break at 10 a.m. During times of high enrollments, afternoon classes may be given from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. with a 20-minute break at 3 p.m. This program offers you a lot of Spanish instruction while still allowing you enough free time for other activities.

Group 4 PLUS: This is a combination of our Group-4 program plus 2 lessons of private tutoring in the afternoon (1:15pm - 3:15pm). In the afternoon classes special attention will be given to your particular needs and interests. No new grammar structures are presented, but if you wish, old ones are reviewed. The emphasis of the afternoon class lies on improving your proficiency and extending active vocabulary. These classes nicely complement morning classes.

For special interest groups, such as international aid workers, teachers, or company employees, afternoon private classes can be tailored according to your needs and interests. Activities might include visits to various institutions of interest. For example, doctors and nurses can visit a major hospital and/or a private clinic, lawyers can visit a court session or meet with local lawyers, and teachers can visit a local school and/or university.

Private: If you have very little time available or have specialized language needs, you may prefer to concentrate on Spanish in one-to-one tutoring sessions. We offer private classes for 4 or 6 lessons a day. This program is available for every level and follows the same scheduling as the Group-4 and Group-4 Plus programs. Visits can be scheduled related to a certain profession when you start your study. The emphasis of this program lies on improving general language skills and, depending on your needs, on building skills and vocabulary specifically related to your profession. Included is a language competence report covering listening and reading comprehension, writing and speaking skills, and if applicable, professional speaking skills.

Extra Options: Spanish language courses are available in the following areas:

• Business People
• Lawyers
• Speech-Language Pathologists
• Therapists
• Special Educators
• Rehabilitation Professionals
• Spanish Teachers
• Medical Professionals
• Law Enforcement Officials
• Internship Programs
• Children (nanny services also available)

• Cultural activities (up to 3 per week)
• Private room with a local host family.
• 2 meals per day with host family.
• Laundry service with host family.
• Access to the Internet, phone, and fax service
• Books, handouts, etc.
• Airport pickup
• Happy Hour (once per week)

Start Dates: Classes begin every Monday of the year. Except when Holiday's are on Monday.

• Weekend Excursions