University of Costa Rica (UCR) campus

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University of Costa Rica (UCR)

University of Costa Rica (UCR) is a public university in San José, Costa Rica, founded in 1940, with about 30,400 students.

Type
Public university
Location
San José, Costa Rica
Founded
1940
Students
30,436
Teaching language
Spanish

Data from the official website · last checked 18 Oct 2026 · How we collect data · Report an error · Is this your university? Claim it to update

The University of Costa Rica (Universidad de Costa Rica, UCR) is a public research university founded in 1940. It is the oldest and largest higher education institution in Costa Rica.

Its main Rodrigo Facio campus is in San Pedro de Montes de Oca, in the San José metropolitan area, with regional campuses across the country. UCR's faculties cover arts, letters, philosophy, basic sciences, social sciences, economics, law, education, engineering, agricultural and food sciences, medicine, dentistry, pharmacy and microbiology. It conducts a large share of Costa Rica's scientific research, including through its Clodomiro Picado Institute for snake antivenom.

Teaching is in Spanish. Admission is through UCR's aptitude test, and fees are scaled by socioeconomic circumstances with extensive scholarships.

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Key Information

Programs
Medicine Engineering Sciences Law Economics Social Sciences Agriculture Arts Education Health Sciences
Medicine & Health Sciences
Engineering & Technology
Sciences
Law & Legal Studies
Economics & Finance
Social Sciences
Agriculture & Environmental Sciences
Arts & Humanities
Education & Teaching
Health Sciences
Language Spanish
Established 1940
University Type public
Degree Levels Bachelor, Master, PhD

Frequently asked questions

What language are courses taught in at University of Costa Rica (UCR)?

Courses at University of Costa Rica (UCR) are taught in Spanish.

When was University of Costa Rica (UCR) founded?

University of Costa Rica (UCR) was founded in 1940.

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