EARTH University

Key Highlights

• Private, nonprofit university established by Costa Rican law in 1986
• Opened to its first cohort of 51 students in 1990
• Specialized residential institution centered on agricultural sciences and sustainable food systems
• Main degree experience is based at the Guácimo Campus in Limón Province

Student Life & Environment

EARTH is a residential institution, and the Guácimo Campus is designed around a close international community. Students normally share a divided room with another student, potentially from a different country, in one of 13 gender-designated residences. Each student receives a bed, desk and storage space, while bathrooms and common areas are shared. Residences are near the cafeteria, classrooms, library and laundry facilities. Campus security operates continuously. The university cafeteria provides three meals daily; students may not cook in residence buildings or bedrooms. The current admissions material says medically prescribed dietary requirements can receive individualized attention. Housing and food are included in the comprehensive published university cost. Recreation options include football, basketball, volleyball, swimming, tennis, frisbee, weight training, yoga and other activities, subject to availability. Facilities listed by EARTH include a 25-metre pool, weight room, football field, tennis court and indoor basketball and volleyball court. Voluntary arts and cultural activities include music, dance, painting, theatre and handicrafts. Student Affairs provides academic and emotional support, including help with study methods, time management, intercultural adjustment and personal concerns. EARTH also reports an on-campus clinic, mental-health services, emergency transport and medical insurance within the comprehensive fee. The residential and highly scheduled model may suit students seeking an immersive community, but applicants should consider the limited privacy of shared housing and the restrictions on self-catering.

Location & Surroundings

EARTH’s principal campus is in Mercedes de Guácimo in Costa Rica’s Limón Province, rather than in central Limón city. The setting is tropical, hot and humid, with academic farms and natural areas forming part of the learning environment. The university describes the Guácimo property as approximately 3,500 hectares and lists three forest reserves, botanical and ethnobotanical gardens, agricultural operations and recreation areas alongside its academic and residential facilities. This is a rural, campus-centered location. Official visitor information places EARTH roughly 30 minutes from the nearest city and about two hours from San José; it identifies Pocora as the nearby place for basic services and shopping. Travel times can vary, so international students should plan arrival and onward transport with the university rather than assume urban public-transport access. EARTH’s second site, the Daniel Oduber Quirós Campus, is near Liberia in Guanacaste Province. Admissions information says degree students visit it for particular projects, while the full residential academic experience is presented around Guácimo. The two settings expose students to contrasting agricultural and climatic conditions, but applicants should not interpret the Guanacaste site as an interchangeable degree campus.

Costs & Career Outcomes

EARTH’s official admissions page gives a comprehensive price of US$36,856 for the academic year beginning in January 2026, payable quarterly. That amount includes tuition, student services, housing, meals and medical insurance. The university states that costs usually rise by about 3.5% annually, but this is not a published 2027 price; applicants should request a current written cost schedule before committing. The Spanish immersion program is charged separately, and the public page does not provide its fee. Financial aid may take the form of a full sponsored scholarship or a partial university award. EARTH reports receiving more than 1,000 applications annually for full scholarships and awarding about 50 on average, so applicants should not build a financial plan around receiving one. Partial-aid amounts are set after socioeconomic review. The published total also does not itemize personal travel, immigration expenses, clothing or incidental spending, all of which can be significant for international students. Career preparation is built into the curriculum rather than treated as a separate final-year service. Students operate a team agribusiness project, work with rural communities, complete a 15-week external internship and produce a graduation project. These experiences can develop evidence of project management, field practice, research and collaboration for employment or entrepreneurship in agriculture, food systems and rural development. EARTH maintains an alumni platform that distributes job, further-study, business and collaboration opportunities. Applicants should evaluate these pathways against the credential-recognition rules of the country where they intend to work, particularly for regulated agricultural professions.