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University of Costa Rica

Ranked
San Jose, Costa Rica
1501+ in World University Rankings 2025
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About

Basic information and contact details for the University of Costa Rica

institution

The University of Costa Rica, first established in 1940, is the oldest institution of higher education in the country.

The public university, which was founded with the intention of making a university education accessible to as large a number as possible, has its main campus in a suburb of San Jose, the Costa Rican capital. The campus takes its name from a former university rector Rodrigo Facio Brenes, who in the 1950s and 1960s was responsible for university reform.

It also operates a number of smaller, satellite campuses in more rural areas of the country and around 40,000 students are enrolled at the institution’s headquarters or one of its regional hubs. It offers a wide range of undergraduate programmes across six faculties, as well as numerous postgraduate courses and international opportunities.

Alumni of the university include two Costa Rican presidents Luis Guillermo Solís and Oscar Arias.

Facilities on campus include a 25 hectare dedicated sports area featuring multiple gyms and swimming pools, as well as competition arenas for various team and individual sports, including  tennis, beach volleyball, football, basketball and athletics. Other campus features include student residences, a nursery for children of students and a planetarium donated by the Government of Japan.

The university’s main campus is also in abundant in natural beauty. Home to two biological reserves and a botanical garden, the campus is a tourist destination in its own right. Away from campus, students are within easy reach of the centre of San Jose, a major economic and cultural centre with a vibrant night life.

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Impact Rankings

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Key Student Statistics

A breakdown of student statistics at the University of Costa Rica

gender ratio
Student gender ratio
53 F : 47 M (1)
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International student percentage
2% (1)
student per staff
Students per staff
13.9 (1)
student
Student total
33357 (1)

Based on data collected for the (1) World University Rankings 2025

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Subjects Taught at the University of Costa Rica

See below for a range of subjects taught at the University of Costa Rica

Life Sciences801–1000th

  • Agriculture and Forestry
  • Sport Science
  • Biological Sciences

Education601+

  • Education

Clinical and Health601–800th

  • Medicine and Dentistry
  • Other Health

Social Sciences801+

  • Sociology
  • Politics and International Studies
  • Geography
  • Communication and Media Studies

Physical Sciences1001+

  • Chemistry
  • Geology, Environmental, Earth and Marine Sciences
  • Physics and Astronomy
  • Mathematics and Statistics