EF International Language Campus - Spanish Courses in Costa Rica

I stayed at EF Tamarindo for 2 weeks. The classes and teachers were amazing. I had Alejandro and he was incredible!! Extremely patient with all the students. I also stayed on campus and had a really nice shared room. Here are some things I wish I knew or think you should know before signing up for EF:

-The teachers are not really supposed to speak any English so if you do not have a little bit of exposure to Spanish, you might feel a bit overwhelmed/frustrated. I started at the most basic level but I know some Spanish words/phrases.
-The host families do not have air conditioning. The other options for housing do. Depending on your heat tolerance - keep this in mind.
-The average age is very young. I am in my late 20s and felt in the minority compared to the rest of the students. A lot of students are there for their gap year and are there to party instead of learn. This can be a bit distracting in class, but the teachers do their best to keep classes engaging and everyone learning. I recommend if you are older to potentially stay at a hostel in town and then attend classes during the day if you want to meet other people around your age.
-Tamarindo and Costa Rica in general are very expensive (same prices as high cost-of-living cities in the US). If you eat out a lot you will be paying premium prices for food.

I went to EF in Costa Rica in March 2021 and it was amazing! I didn't know what to expect, but it turned out to be one of the best experiences of my life. Klein was super helpful in getting everyone to make friends and feel comfortable in the new environment. I made so many new friends during my three months there, and some of them are now friends for life.
The EF program was well-organized, and we got a lot of opportunities to learn about Costa Rican culture and explore the country. I highly recommend EF in Costa Rica to anyone looking for a fun and unforgettable language-learning experience. And on top of all the social stuff, I also improved my Spanish skills a lot through classroom lessons, cultural trips, and talking to locals. It was definitely a great combination of social and academic learning. Overall, I feel more confident in my Spanish-speaking abilities now, thanks to EF & Klein!

I stayed at EF school in Costa Rica for 5 weeks this summer and I had an absolute blast! The rooms at Campus were generally clean and pleasant, my teacher Joselyn was an amazing person to meet and made sure I learned the most I could during my stay, and the vibe was unbeatable. I've met some amazing people from all around the world with whom I stay in touch to this day. Highly recommend!

I had a 10/10 experience in Costa Rica with EF! I stayed in two different residences, which were both fantastic!
My teachers were also amazing as for staff as well. I especially made a really good bond with Klein (activity coordinator), whom I still talk to today! She does an impressive job in making everyone feel welcome ❤
Can highly recommend this place and country!!!

I was in Costa Rica through EF in 2021 for about 6 months and it was the absolute best months of my life! I was very happy with the school and all the memories i made. I met incredible people from all over the world and I’m still very good friends with some of them even tho we don’t live in the same countries. The school in Tamarindo was extra fun because of all the activities we got to do both in school and in the weekends. When i was there a girl named Klein was working with the activities and trips that we went to. Although she was «just» a girl that worked there, we all felt like she was one of us and made us all feel very welcome and comfortable in the beginning when we didn’t know anybody. I got to see so many beautiful places and do some much fun stuff that i would never normally get the chance to do. For example i went snorkeling, scuba diving, bungee jumping and sky diving. We saw vulcanos, beautiful beaches and the nature in general. We also had the chance to ask the girl that worked with the activities if there was something we wanted to do, and she would set up a trip if more people wanted to join that as well. We also had smaller activities after school that she planned, for example a welcome party when new people arrived and we went to the beach to see the sunset, eat dinner together, went on a Catamaran trip etc :) We were never bored in other words!

I was in Tamarindo for 5 weeks in the summer of 2021 and it was one of the most exciting times of my life. I had a lot of respect at first being so far away from home, but Klein and the rest of the team at EF welcomed us so warmly and made us feel comfortable 24/7. Klein made sure we all got to know each other and I am still good friends with many of the people I met in Costa Rica. She also organized the most amazing excursions across the country so that we could really get to know the culture and beauty of the country. I always remember this time with pleasure.

I was in tamarindo with EF for 2 months and I had an amazing time. The staff was really helpful and friendly. You could do a lot of activities and make trips. Klein (and her sweetest dog) was really friendly and fun. She made everyone feel included and made sure everyone had a good time. She was always in for some fun!! I stayed at the campus which was nice! Would recommend!

I had the best time in Tamarindo with EF in general, but what really made it special for me was staying at Casa Chocolate and even more so because of Klein! She really makes everyone feel right at home from day one and is always there if you need anything :)
Plus all the activities she also organizes, we got to go to Panama together and she made everything go super smoothly and easy!
Thank you again for the lovely time, miss it everyday!

Stayed with EF Playa Tamarindo for 3 months. Had the best time of my life! The staff is amazing, especially Klein. I lived with her in the same house and she really helped me so much with my Spanish. Furthermore she is one of the happiest and funniest people i’ve ever met! She really made me feel like home and she is someone i miss a lot since i left Costa Rica. If you are still deciding on if you should go there or not… trust me if i tell you to go!! And if you see Klein, please give her a big hug from me. She is truly amazing❤

I’ve spent a month at EF Tamarindo and loved every second! The campus itself is amazing, the town and the beaches are beautiful and everyone was very kind! I left with many lifetime memories and improved spanish. Huge thanks to Klein, who always made the activities fun and memorable and always brought a lot of positive energy with her <3

My month in Tamarindo, Costa Rica with EF was an unforgettable experience. The staff at EF is incredible and very welcoming. I was able to meet friends from so many different backgrounds with ease. The activities that EF provides each week, such as Volleyball, soccer, dance classes, surfing lessons, weekend trips, etc made my time in Tamarindo all the more fun. Klein, one of EFs staffers, was super helpful in helping students navigate the area, finding their classes, and creating friendships with fellow students.

I spent 2 weeks in EF Tamarindo, And thé campus was excellent, excellent teacher ( mí favorita profesora se llama Xinia, pero hay también Joselyn!

La cafétéria is perfect.

I was in casa Papaya for the accomodation And definitivly thats the best place ! The cleaner Women is really kind And professionnal.
Staff are very friendly And take care also of you.

You wanna know about my experience here? It’s amazing, I fell completely in love with EF and definitely with the staff members and the teachers. Staff here is super helpful, friendly and always ready for you. Teachers are doing an amazing job and they help you in every way possible. Still looking for a safe location to send your kid to a school to learn a beautiful language? Or to go by yourself maybe? EF Tamarindo is my number 1 recommendation!

I stayed with EF in Playa Tamarindo for 3 Weeks at the chocolate Residence.
It was one of the best times of my life. The people there are so kind and you make friends so easy.
Especially the organisor of chocolate, Klein Alemann, is such a great personality. She was so accommodating, polite, warm and caring and made it possible for us to have a very nice time there.
I would definitely recommend it to everybody to visit EF in Playa Tamarindo

Been to Tamarindo last year with a EF, and the only thing I want to do is go back! I had the time of my life and met amazing friends that I’m still in touch with. The accomodations, lessons, overal vibe and the staff, with specials credits to Klein who was always there to help and came with the most amazing ideas to discover the country, were really good.

Going to EF playa tamarindo was one of the best experiences in my life. Here you got the possibility to discover the world on your own but also by meeting a lot of new friends for life. I stayed 6 months in Tamarindo and travelled to more countries with EF and on my own. EF tamarindo would not be the same without there amazing staff. For me it was Klein who was always there for me and felt like friends and a big sister in one. She will always be there for everyone through the good and bad times! I will ensure everybody you will have the time off your life here, thanks to the staff and the country!

I loved my experience with EF. They offer a great Spanish course in Costa Rica and offer amazing experiences that you can do as part of the program there. I would recommend going there!

I stayed there for 2 months. Even though the EF-Service from my home country (Austria) wasn't as good as I wished it was, I had a wonderful time there, met many great people, went on great trips that I will never forget and the staff in Playa Tamarindo always tried their best to support me with every question. Especially Andres Ochoa who is not only head of the activities department there but also responsible for the residence casa sunset made sure that our needs are fulfilled and helped us in case of a problem. Thanks to him I could go on a trip to Colombia which was one of the best experiences I ever had.

All I can say is that if you choose to book a journey at Playa Tamarindo with EF I definitely can recommend it.

I was in Tamarindo a year ago. It was one of my best times. If you try hard you can learn a lot of Spanish. The staff was very helpful and always available for questions. Andres Ochoa in particular. He always had time for a chat and helped me with any problem I had. He even helped me when I was no longer in school but traveling and didn't know where to buy a bus ticket. I can recommend it, the vibe in Casa sunset was good and the beer on the beach was even better :)

EF Playa Tamarindo is a fantastic place to learn spanish. I spent 3 months in Tamarindo and it was honestly the best time of my life. The school is super nice, teachers are very friendly and they offer very cool activities. I visited Panama and Nicaragua with the school. The activity staff is very fun and helpful. Especially Andrés, he personally helped me with any issue. I stayed in Casa Sunset, which was very close to the beach and i loved it. I would definitely recommend staying in Tamarindo to anyone who wants to travel and learn spanish. It‘s so worth it.