About Organization for Tropical Studies - Costa Rica 

(Tropical Biology on a Changing Planet in Costa Rica)

The Organization for Tropical Studies (OTS) program is a non-profit consortium of 64 universities founded in 1963. OTS’s mission is to provide leadership in education, research, and the responsible use of natural resources in the tropics. Students who participate in this program will gain direct exposure to issues in resource management and conservation in Costa Rica and Central America. During visits to several biological stations, students will interact with researchers and graduate students completing doctoral research.

Location: 
The program begins in San Jose. During the semester students visit three OTS-operated biological stations located in La Selva in the Caribbean rain forest, Palo Verde in the Pacific dry forest, and Las Cruces in a mid-elevation rain forest. 

Program Dates:
Fall Semester: August to December                                                          
Spring Semester: January to late May

Admissions Requirements:
Students must have completed two semesters of college biology and two semesters of college Spanish.

Courses & Credit:
Students enroll in four courses, which earns 4.0 Wheaton credits.
- Fundamentals of Tropical Biology
- Field Research in Tropical Biology 
- Environmental Science and Policy in the Tropics 
- Culture and Language in Costa Rica  

Housing & Board: 
Students live with host families in the beginning of the semester and will stay in dormitory-style housing during the visits to the three biological field stations throughout Costa Rica. Meals are included with host families and in dormitory-style housing at the field stations.

Budget Information:
Students studying abroad will pay continue to pay Wheaton tuition. Students are not charged Wheaton room and board, or the Wheaton technology, laundry, or student activities fees while on a study abroad program. Wheaton will, in turn, pay the program for all tuition and academic fees and international insurance. Students will pay living costs directly to OTS. Students will book and pay for their own flights.

Fees billed by Wheaton will be charged to students on their regular Wheaton College student account during regular billing cycles (July/December). 

Federal, state, Wheaton need-based and merit scholarships will be applied to these charges for Wheaton-approved programs. Students must consult with the Office of Student Financial Services (SFS) for a comprehensive review of their aid. If a student receives aid beyond the cost of Wheaton tuition, they can request a refund through SFS. This can in turn be used to pay their program for room and board charges.

Please do your research as housing and meal costs vary greatly from program to program. This Budget Worksheet can help you estimate the total costs of your program. Refer to your program website for an overview of all additional expenses, which may include visas, international cell phones, and discretionary expenses.

For Wheaton specific questions contact:    
                                                                                                                
     Center for Global Education
     5  Howard Street
     Wheaton College
     Norton, MA 02766-2322
     globaled@wheatoncollege.edu
     508-286- 4950