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Tico Lingo - Spanish School in Heredia, Costa Rica

Tico Lingo

4.97 Rating
156 reviews
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Why choose Tico Lingo?

Welcome to Tico Lingo, the ultimate destination for mastering Spanish and immersing yourself in Costa Rican culture. Our expert native Spanish professors have curated immersive and fun Spanish programs that have students speaking like natives in no time. Located in the heart of Costa Rica's Central Valley, in the vibrant city of Heredia, Tico Lingo is dedicated to helping students achieve Spanish fluency through cultural immersion and education.

Our mission is to create a fun, interactive, and engaging learning environment that fosters a global understanding of Costa Rican culture and the Spanish language. We offer homestay accommodation, where student have the opportunity to live with local families and experience the Costa Rican way of life firsthand. We also offer on-site cultural activities like yoga, dance, cooking, and conversational classes, and adventure tours like white-water rafting and canopy zip line tours!

¡Nos vemos en Costa Rica!

Website
www.ticolingo.com
Founded
2015
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Community Photos

Saturday Fun
Taking part in a March supporting Autism
Learning Spanish from random strangers who were so kind
The Amazing Karina!
(The back garden was my favourite spot for afternoon studying.)
Hiking with Host Family
Last Night with Host Family
Dance Class at Tico Lingo
Graduation Day
Us on our 2nd to last day outside of school
On a scavenger hunt to speak Spanish with locals and take photos with them
My friends and I on top of the Oxígeno mall roof!
My class 🫶🏾
My graduation day!
In the Arenal hot springs with friends
"Graduation day"

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Community Awards

  • Go Overseas Award
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  • Go Overseas Award

Reviews

Default avatar
Timothy
29
Male
Estonia
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program
Program:
Intensive Spanish Immersion Program in Heredia, Costa Rica

Great way to immerse in Spanish

Apr 25, 2024

I spent 4 weeks learning Spanish with Tico Lingo. My 2 professors were both incredibly capable and their lessons were productive and super fun. The homestay option really made the difference for me. Being immersed in Spanish 24/7 finally enabled me to break out of my plateau and get comfortable with speaking Spanish.

They organized weekly intercambio events where I got to meet and practice my Spanish with locals. These were very helpful for getting more exposure to the language in different contexts.

The weekends at Tico Lingo we're super fun as well. There were always tours or other activities to take part of.

Finally, Heredia and Costa Rica in general are super safe and nice places to visit.

Ps. The Coffee is amazing

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
Tico Lingo didnt offer a tour to Monte Verde so we organized a 4 person group with some other students and it was AMAZING! Highly recommend making it out there if you're in Costa Rica.
Pros
  • Home stay with a wonderful Tico Family
  • Intercambio events with locals
  • High quality of teaching
Cons
  • Slightly pricier than programs in other countries
  • Espresso drinks are more expensive than in Seattle (but better)
Default avatar
Kim
59
Female
United States
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program
Program:
Intensive Spanish Immersion Program in Heredia, Costa Rica

An Experience of a Lifetime

Apr 17, 2024

there are not enough words to express my gratitude to Tico Lingo, and for the experience I had.

I spent three weeks in Heredia - lived with an amazing family had every day the best meals of my life. Attending class for four hours each day was pure joy. My professor, Zaida, never spoke English but had a way of getting you to understand. and my Spanish improved a lot. The students I met were from 18 - 75 all walks of life from all over the globe. And the Ticos - the nicest folks you would ever want to meet. The tours were outstanding - did one each week.

If you are serious about improving your Spanish and you enjoy being immersed in a country’s culture and you have the time, go for it.

If you did this all over again, what's one thing you would change?
I would have stayed for a month.
Pros
  • very organized program
  • the country is beautiful
  • improved my Spanish
Cons
  • first week was brutally hot no AC in home but I adjusted
  • needed another week
  • did not have time to get to Monteverde
Default avatar
Kim
59
Female
United States
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program
Program:
Intensive Spanish Immersion Program in Heredia, Costa Rica

An Experience of a Lifetime

Apr 17, 2024

there are not enough words to express my gratitude to Tico Lingo, and for the experience I had.

I spent three weeks in Heredia - lived with an amazing family had every day the best meals of my life. Attending class for four hours each day was pure joy. My professor, Zaida, never spoke English but had a way of getting you to understand - and my Spanish improved a lot.

The students I met were aged 18 - 75 and were from all walks of life from all over the globe. And the Ticos - the nicest folks you would ever want to meet. The tours were outstanding - did one each week. If you are serious about improving your Spanish and you enjoy being immersed in a country’s culture and you have the time, go for it.

If you did this all over again, what's one thing you would change?
I would have stayed for a month.
Pros
  • very organized program
  • the country is beautiful
  • improved my Spanish
Cons
  • first week was brutally hot no AC in home but I adjusted
  • needed another week
  • did not have time to get to Monteverde
Saturday Fun
Default avatar
Donna
60
Female
Canada
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program
Program:
Intensive Spanish Immersion Program in Heredia, Costa Rica

Spanish Experience like no other.

Apr 9, 2024

I have never had formal Spanish lessons. I am from a Northern Canadian town. I had tried learning on my own for a year or so with not much success. I learned about Tico Lingo Program from a random Facebook person. Experiencing a country through a local home was a plus for me. I believe to see a country and learn their ways is best through a homestay. So this part of the program helped me make a decision on joining this language program. My host Mom was awesome. She spoke all Spanish as to my request. She was loving and kind beyond words. The school setting was welcoming and had a very fun loving and supportive atmosphere. The teaching method was interesting for me as a non native speaker. We learned through speaking, listening, and various lesson plans. There are extra curricular activities set up in the school. Weekend tours are extra but available to the students. At all times there was support for our needs; whether it was language related, site seeing help, or just general aide in our wants and needs. I would definitely recommend this Spanish program. The city of Heredia has a lot to offer a person wanting to immerse in a Spanish setting.

What would you improve about this program?
I would search out more information within Heredia such as: The Municipalidad Heredia, city activities, and such. I found excellent resources available through their tourist office and this allowed me more opportunities to meet locals and improve my speaking skills outside the classroom. I would also have the tours that our offered through the school set up monthly to give one a better choice as to options available. Maybe offer one free private class to allow a student the opportunity to see if it is necessary for their learning process.
Pros
  • Very open minded school setting so comfortable and welcoming.
  • Many teachers with various teaching methods.
  • Homestay is excellent for this program
Cons
  • I had no speaking experience and I may have benefited from private lessons but just wasn’t sure.
  • Think maybe seeing different teachers throughout weeks would be interesting even to get to know other teachers in school and experience different teacher methods.
  • Tours should be set up for say a four week period to help students make decisions on certain tours
Learning Spanish from random strangers who were so kind
Taking part in a March supporting Autism
Default avatar
Vicky
United States
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program
Program:
Intensive Spanish Immersion Program in Heredia, Costa Rica

Definitely the right choice

Apr 3, 2024

My husband and I considered many options for a Spanish immersion course and we are so glad we chose Tico Lingo. We appreciated the excellent staff, the flexibility of course length and start dates, the support and communication before and during the program and the great location in Heredia (away from tourism and English speakers, in a clean, safe, walkable city). And we loved our homestay family!

We also appreciated the effort to care for students beyond the classroom. The cultural classes and events, the optional weekend trips and the relaxed atmosphere for hanging out in our free time added a lot.

If you did this all over again, what's one thing you would change?
We would definitely stay longer. We made good progress in 2 weeks, but with the momentum we had another week or two would’ve been very beneficial.
Pros
  • Location
  • Staff
  • Small, personal, community-oriented program
Cons
  • We loved the homestay, but that might not be ideal for all students
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Programs

Displaying 1 - 3 of 3

Alumni Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with verified alumni.

John Corso

Program
Intensive Spanish Immersion Program in Heredia, Costa Rica
a notebook showing notes on Spanish language

Why did you choose this program?

I researched many Latin American programs and chose this one on the basis of its flexibility of curriculum, its location in a temperate climate (I don’t do well in extreme heat) in the country I know and trust, and on the basis of many positive reviews.

I had no personal knowledge of the school or of the individuals who created it prior to showing up.

What did your program provider (or university) assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?

All I had to do was let the extremely capable staff know my preferences and certain uncertainties in my schedule and they took care of everything. I really wanted a private bathroom at my homestay, I wanted to be sure that certain dietary preferences were not a problem, and I wanted the ability to add private lessons to my group curriculum after establishing just how much energy I would have in a given day of school.

What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?

I would advise other students who want to have private lessons, to arrange for them as soon as possible so that they have no schedule conflicts with other students.

This is a small school which is a great part of it’s charm, but there is a limit to the number of private lessons available at the times desired.

Having said that, I must add that I was able to get all the private lessons I wanted at the last minute. I just needed to be a tiny bit flexible with the times. Yenifer Who is the main person in the front office is a magician with schedules.

What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?

Each weekday has a four hour group class tailored to the level of expertise of each student group. I can only speak for myself, but my instruction with Freddy was spot on as far as what I needed to learn. For me, he was absolutely amazing.

I must add that the classes are flexible and in my experience adjust to the immediate needs of the student on any given day. These classes are not rigid with set milestones and specific examinations. Rather they are tailored to the individual needs of those attending each class.

Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it? How did your views on the issue change?

I had no fears going into this, but I was apprehensive about my own ability to learn a great deal in six weeks. A combination of their extremely competent instructors, their broad curriculum, and my own personal interest made for a very successful experience.

My long-term goal is to be able to understand local speakers in the street. I am not there yet. Six weeks is not enough for 64-year-old man to get that fluent.

However, I am now 100% certain that that goal is within my reach over the next year.

What makes this program special?

The school establishes a culture of camaraderie, positivity, and just plain fun.

Everyone who works there and, quite frankly, every student I met, contributed to an atmosphere of Community and a sense of progress.

I specifically recommend Freddy, the head of curriculum, as a marvelous instructor in Spanish grammar. This is largely because he has a deep understanding of both English and Spanish and is able to clarify confusion unlike any Spanish instructor I have ever worked with. He is a gem.

I am making this recommendation as a beginner who needed to understand the grammatical structure of this language in order to infill that infrastructure with vocabulary and experience.

My experience was 100% successful in this regard.

I shall miss this place and I plan to return.

Staff Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with program leaders.

Clay Miller

Program
Teen Spanish Summer Camp in Costa Rica
Job Title
Spanish Camp Leader
Clay works as a leader for Tico Lingo's Teen Spanish Summer Camp programs. He handles the student experience while in-country, focusing on enabling the students to make the most of their stay while completely immersed in the Costa Rican culture.
Clay Miller

Interview

What is your favorite travel memory?

While working one of Tico Lingo's Teen Spanish Summer Camp programs, I got the opportunity to visit La Fortuna, Costa Rica. That day, we ate a typical Costa Rican breakfast and headed to Río Sarapiquí to go rafting. This rafting trip was one of my favorite experiences in Costa Rica, as we got to raft on a river in the middle of the rainforest surrounded by wildlife. I had never experienced anything like this before! We also enjoyed watermelon and pineapple and swam in the river.

How have you changed/grown since working for your current company?

Since working for Tico Lingo, my Spanish skills have certainly improved, in addition to my confidence in communicating with people from other cultures. Before this job, I had never worked abroad in this capacity, but with each day, I found myself more and more comfortable in my position.

This job also reinforced my love for learning Spanish and encouraging others to experience what I've gotten the opportunity to experience abroad in the past. I find myself more passionate about the Spanish language and other cultures after working for Tico Lingo.

What is the best story you've heard from a return student?

A return student once told me about the relationships they formed while in Costa Rica during their first trip and how they could continue those connections during their second trip. They got to visit with their host family again, connect with locals they befriended at an English school, and see one of their friends on the trip for a second time. It was amazing not only getting to hear this story from them but also seeing them connect with old friends once again.

If you could go on any program that your company offers, which one would you choose and why?

Even though it is the program I worked for, I would love to go on the Tico Lingo Teen Spanish Summer Camp program because it is the most adventure-packed and fun program (in my opinion) that Tico Lingo offers. Each day, students participate in a new excursion, and on the weekends, they visit the beach and rainforest, participating in fun activities at each location. Also, like all Tico Lingo programs, participants get to live with host families, which is an exciting benefit to the program.

What makes your company unique? When were you especially proud of your team?

Tico Lingo is unique because they offer a number of different immersive experiences, including 1-on-1 or group Spanish classes, opportunities to participate in dance and cooking classes, and travel opportunities to coffee farms, volcanoes, hot springs, and much more. I am proud of my team because they make the experience truly feel like a genuine experience abroad, where the staff members are natives of Costa Rica and the school is located in a beautiful, non-touristy part of the country.

What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful company?

I believe the biggest factor in being a successful company is being a team that supports each other and all love what they are doing. Tico Lingo's staff are proud to be who they are and to show off their culture, making Tico Lingo's immersion programs so successful. Everyone must share the same purpose to be a successful company, but that is not a question with the staff at Tico Lingo.