Schools in Sámara, Costa Rica: A Guide for Families (2026)
If you're thinking about moving to Sámara with children — or you've just arrived and you're trying to figure out your options — schooling is probably near the top of your list. It was near the top of ours, too.
Sámara is a small town. It doesn't have the range of international schools you'd find in the Central Valley or even in Tamarindo. But what it does have is a handful of thoughtful, community-driven options — each with a different philosophy, schedule, and approach. The trick is finding the one that fits your family.
We're the team behind Earthwise Collective, a micro-school in Sámara for children aged 5–11. We started it because we wanted something that didn't exist yet — but we have enormous respect for the other schools here. This guide is our honest attempt to lay out the landscape so you can make the right choice for your family, whether that ends up being us or not.
Things to Consider Before Choosing
Before we get into the specific schools, there are a few questions worth sitting with:
What language do you want your child learning in? Some schools here are fully bilingual (50/50 Spanish and English), some are primarily Spanish with English support, and some — like homeschool co-ops and micro-schools — teach primarily in English with Spanish as a supplementary language. If full Spanish immersion is important to you, that narrows the field. If you need your child to stay on track with an English-language curriculum for a potential return home, that narrows it differently.
How long are you staying? If you're here for a few months, you need a school that accepts short-term enrolment. If you're here long-term, accreditation and curriculum continuity matter more. Some schools follow the Costa Rican calendar (February to November), others follow the US calendar (September to June), and some run alternative schedules. This affects everything from when you can enrol to how holidays line up with your travel plans.
What kind of learning environment does your child thrive in? A classroom of 15 with a structured curriculum is very different from a group of 7 learning outdoors. Neither is better — but one will be a better fit for your child.
The Schools
Mareas Academy
Mareas offers education from pre-K through high school and combines the Costa Rican curriculum with North American standards through its accreditation with The Ogburn School in Florida. The school says classes have no more than 15 students.
Its approach includes Singapore Math, project-based learning, art, nature, and hands-on exploration. Mareas has grown into a well-established school for families looking for a more structured bilingual path in Sámara. At the same time, because it has a strongly international student mix, it may be less appealing for families whose main priority is deep Spanish-language or Costa Rican cultural immersion.
Best for: Families who want a structured bilingual school with a full path through the secondary years, especially if a later move into a US or international school system is important.
Ages: Pre-K to 12th grade
Calendar: November to August
Accreditation: The Ogburn School (USA)
Tuition: Approximately $4,360–$7,335 per year, plus fees
Website:mareasacademy.org
Sámara Pacific School
Sámara Pacific is a private nonprofit that has been part of the community since 2008. It's the only private school in the area accredited by Costa Rica's Ministry of Public Education (MEP) for both preschool and elementary levels. The curriculum is delivered 50/50 in Spanish and English, with native English-speaking teachers.
The school puts a strong emphasis on environmental awareness, Costa Rican culture, and national holiday traditions. It's a community-oriented school with affordable tuition designed to be accessible to local families as well as expats.
Best for: Families who want full MEP accreditation (important if you plan to stay in Costa Rica long-term), strong bilingual immersion, and a school rooted in the local community rather than the international expat world.
Ages: Preschool to 6th grade
Calendar: Costa Rican (February to November)
Accreditation: MEP (Costa Rica)
Tuition: Approximately ¢90,000–¢120,000 per month (roughly $170–$230 USD)
Website:samarapacificschool.org
Escuela Ad Astra
Escuela Ad Astra is a small private elementary school located near Buenavista beach, just outside the centre of Sámara. It draws inspiration from Waldorf education, emphasising learning through play, active participation, and mixed-age classes. The primary language of instruction is Spanish, with English used for maths, science, and language training. French and German are available as optional extras.
The school's approach is rooted in language immersion — children pick up Spanish naturally through the curriculum rather than through formal language lessons. It's a genuinely small school with a strong emphasis on individualised attention.
Best for: Families who prioritise Spanish immersion and a Waldorf-inspired, play-based approach. Particularly good for children who learn best through hands-on, experiential methods rather than textbook-based instruction. Also welcoming to short-term visitors.
Ages: 6–12 (grades 1–6)
Calendar: US (September to June)
Accreditation: Inquire directly
Tuition: Contact the school
Website:escuela-ad-astra.com
La Petite École
La Petite École is a trilingual community school (French, Spanish, and English) that opened in 2017. It follows the French national curriculum and welcomes children of all nationalities. The school runs from preschool through to the French baccalaureate, making it one of the more comprehensive options in the area despite its small size.
The teaching approach is inspired by Montessori principles — active pedagogy, respect for each child's rhythm, and immersion in nature. The school has a strong reputation for warmth and academic quality, and families consistently praise the close-knit community feel.
Best for: French-speaking families, or any family that values trilingual education and a European curriculum. Especially strong at the preschool and early primary level. Also a good option if you're looking for a school with a cultural perspective beyond the typical US/Costa Rican framework.
Ages: 2–18
Calendar: Contact the school
Tuition: Contact the school
Website:lapetiteecolesamara.com
Public Schools
Costa Rica's public school system is free and open to all children — including those of expat families, even without formal residency. Instruction is entirely in Spanish. The school year runs from February to December, and classes are typically half-day only.
Public schools in Sámara follow the standard MEP curriculum. They're a strong option for families committed to full cultural and linguistic immersion, and they offer something none of the private schools can: real integration into the local Tico community.
Best for: Families who are staying long-term, want their children fully immersed in Spanish and Costa Rican culture, and are comfortable with a traditional, Spanish-only academic structure. Works best if your child already has some Spanish or is young enough to pick it up quickly.
Tuition: Free
Homeschooling and Micro-Schools
Not every family in Sámara fits neatly into a school. Some are here for a few months. Some are digital nomads with unpredictable schedules. Some simply want something different — an education that prioritises emotional well-being, nature connection, and creativity alongside (not instead of) academic foundations.
This is where homeschooling, learning pods, and micro-schools come in.
Homeschooling is widely practised by expat families in Costa Rica, even though it isn't formally recognised by the government. Many families use internationally accredited distance-learning programmes (such as Clonlara, West River Academy, or online curricula like Time4Learning) to keep their children on track academically while having the freedom to shape the learning experience around their lifestyle.
Micro-schools sit between homeschooling and traditional school. They're small — typically 5 to 10 children — with a dedicated teacher and a structured schedule, but with the flexibility, intimacy, and creative freedom that larger institutions struggle to offer.
Earthwise Collective
Earthwise Collective is Sámara’s micro-school, created by local parents who were longing for a different kind of education than what existed here. We work with children aged 5–11 in a group of no more than 8, with the BC (British Columbia) curriculum as our academic spine — brought to life through storytelling, art, nature connection, meaningful projects, and real-world learning.
What sets Earthwise apart is that emotional intelligence is not treated as an add-on. It is part of the curriculum. Children are supported not only in literacy, maths, and inquiry, but also in learning how to understand themselves, move through emotions, regulate their nervous systems, and build healthy relationships. Somatics, yoga, mindfulness, body awareness, and relational learning are woven into the weekly rhythm in a grounded, age-appropriate way, so the inner life of the child is cared for alongside their academic growth.
The week includes 3 teacher-led days and 2 parent-led days, which keeps the model financially accessible while also creating genuine community and shared involvement in the children’s learning.
The lead teacher is a native English speaker, with the support of a Spanish-speaking teacher throughout the week. Rather than expecting children to simply pick up the language through immersion alone, we give real attention to helping children learn Spanish in a way that feels natural and supportive — through games, stories, creativity, conversation, and everyday practice that builds confidence over time.
Best for: Families who want structure and a qualified teacher, but in a small, nature-based, emotionally grounded setting. Particularly well-suited to families who value community involvement, are open to a homeschool-hybrid model, and want their children to be deeply seen and known — not just educated.
Ages: 5–11
Schedule: Monday–Thursday 9:00–15:00
Friday 9:00–12:45
Minimum commitment: 8 weeks
Website:earthwisesamara.com
How to Decide
There's no perfect school — only the right fit for your family at this point in time. A few honest questions that might help:
Do you need formal accreditation for a future school transfer? Mareas and Sámara Pacific are your strongest options. Is bilingual immersion the priority? Sámara Pacific and Escuela Ad Astra lean most heavily into Spanish. Do you value a small, intimate setting over a more structured institution? A micro-school or homeschool co-op might be the better path. Are you here short-term? Several of these schools accept visitors — ask directly.
If you're still unsure, visit. Walk through the spaces. Talk to the teachers. Watch how the children interact. You'll know.
A Note on What's Missing
Sámara doesn't have everything. There's no IB school here (the closest are in Nosara and near Tamarindo). There's no Montessori-specific programme. If your child has significant special educational needs, the options are limited and worth discussing directly with each school.
For families who need more than what's available locally, Nosara (about 45 minutes away) has Del Mar Academy — an IB World School running from pre-K through 12th grade with Montessori at the elementary level. It's a longer commute, but worth knowing about.
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We're Earthwise Collective — a small learning community in Sámara for families who want an alternative path. If you'd like to learn more or just have a conversation about what might work for your family, get in touch.
