Who We are

IPAI director, Augusto Cano

Founded in 1990 by Augusto Cano (the Director), INSTITUTO PACIFICO DE IDIOMAS (IPAI) originally began with a desire to teach  Spanish Courses and share our rich Costa Rican heritage with foreign travelers. Our English Program for locals greatly facilitates this process.  Now, over 15 years later, we continue doing what we love! We are a small familly now operating 2 campuses of the school, legally constituted. Every year we are receiving new students from all over the world.

Our experience coupled with our love for our profession allows you to have a wonderful learning process, whe ther it is joining our Spanish Course with Costa Rican families or signing up for our All Inclusive Spanish Course or just the Classes only.... find satisfaction and comfort at IPAI. Our tours guided by one of the bilingual Spanish teachers in air conditioned transportation will make them confortable, profitable and memorable for you. As latinos, our joyfulness embraces you in a friendly, fun learning environment which lets you to immediately dive into the Costan Rican culture and begin using your new language, right at the school, even with with our English students. Certain Institutions involving education, community or sanitation development will happily wellcome you to help out as a volunteering work option. Our Surfing Lessons will be an additional satisfaction..!

IPAI's Spanish Course works to make Spanish as easy as possible for you to grasp the language and immediately begin using what you've learned in real life situations.We use an oral placement examination to assess you level of proficiency and place you with students of your same level. Our staff is bilingual, well prepared, experienced, and very patient. Apart from your class hours, you will have opportunities to go on field trips, to nearby towns, cascades, parks or beaches, short hike to the mountains, and some of the other numerous destinations Costa Rica offers!

CREDITS: IPAI schools do not offer credit recognition per se. Therefore have your university contact us directly to proceed with the necessary criterion for accreditation.

Our Method. More than 15 years of experience has helped us to develop a specialized gradual set of books (included in your registration fee) that have real life dialogues, small readings, and oral exercises. The placement examinations will allow you to enroll directly into basic, intermediate or advanced levels. You will be speaking Spanish from the first day of class! The method  includes techniques from all the main learning abilities theory to better and effectively convey you all the necessary tools to grasp and use Conversational Spanish. Learn in a few weeks what usually takes years in high school or colleges! (According to some former students’ comments).

Our Host Familes. They were carefully selected, almost all of them had or have their children in our English classes before and became friends of ours...then  decided to get a much needed extra income to their families by hosting foreing students. They are honest, kind and very open minded.  Living with a host family will give your Spanish Course the opportunity to immerse you in the Costan Rican culture and learn the language first hand by  having social contacts with almost the entire block of your house and relatives everywhere. We have numerous host families who have been working with us for several years. They all are always anxious to meet new students and will do everything they can to make you feel at home. Each family lives within walking distance of our schools and they offer comfortable and safe accommadations to their new son or daughter, as they will call you as soon as you join them!

If you have your accomodations settled already, we offer a reduce rate for classes only - check our Spanish Courses Program page for more information and fees.

Your success is guaranteed!!