The International Schools Review Forum

I'm wondering if anyone has any information/experience with international schools in Costa Rica. Specifically, the British School of Costa Rica and/or Lakeside International School, if possible.

Any general information about living/teaching in Costa Rica would be much appreciated as well. The main things I've heard is that it can be as expensive as the US with fairly high taxes...

Thanks very much in advance.

Lincoln is awful. Avoid at all costs.

I'm surprised to read that - all 13 reviews of Lincoln on the paid site are glowing; what is awful about it? Thank you!

Anything more about Costa Rica? Would really love some inside info on life and work there. Thanks!

Pretty please?

Having lived and working in Costa Rica for the first four years of my teaching career, I have an interest outlook and prospective. While living there, I did not have rich parents helping me out or sending me money. I also did not have a savings, a credit card or any intention of spending more money than I was earning. I felt like this made me different then many of the teachers that I met.

My teaching experiences were very diverse and including the Monteverde Cloud Forest school, a small private school in the Osa Peninsula, a private international school in the Central Valley which is popular among expats and very big (K-8) and a few other private schools in the mountains.

I loved living in Costa Rica and I would live there again with money from savings and my family. Costa Rica is a great place to raise children, dine out, go sightseeing and you can get basically anything you need if you have money.


I would not recommend going there if you are looking to save money, build you career, or if you take yourself or your teaching career too seriously- as I often did.

Teachers who did save money in Costa Rica came with some start up money, got themselves a job at one of the better private schools and learned to keep their heads down, keep parents happy, and put up with outrageous student behaviors.

That's all really helpful info. Would we be OK as a teaching couple (2 kids) with one securing a job in an international school and the other possibly tutoring or teaching ESL?

Also, I hear mixed things about behaviour - does it depend on the school or are they uniformly awful?

Following. Interested to learn more about "great place to raise kids."