30-65 Day Residential Gap Semester

Entry requirements

The normal minimum age requirement for this course is 17+ but any participants that have completed GCSEs are encouraged to apply and will be considered for the course.

Months of entry

March, April, May, October, November, December

Course content

Enjoy the comforts of sleeping on a mattress every night with the experiential impact of diving into science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) topics in the tropics of Costa Rica and Panama. Gain independence and become confident in yourself through course module takeaways - marine ecology, mental health first aid, doing your part to combat climate change, improving your Spanish language skills, the fundamentals of photography, Latin cuisine cooking, and more.

Your residential gap semester can last from 30 to 65 days. Each course module is complemented by excursions that will enhance your learning, including day trips to volcanoes, hot springs, tropical cloud forest or rainforest reserves, turtle nesting sites, and important political and historical locations in Costa Rica and Panama.

Information for international students

We welcome students from all over the world! We help you with everything throughout your application process and provide you with all the necessary information you will need to prepare for your course.

Fees and funding

The course cost includes all in-country transportation, accommodation, food, snacks, 24/7 Instructors, adventure activities, equipment for activities and certifications. Flights and spending money are not included. OBCR does offer a small number of partial scholarships and there are international scholarships available.