EF International Language Campus - Spanish Courses in Costa Rica

My experience at EF Playa Tamarindo was really great. I chose this place because I wanted to improve my Spanish while living in a warm and relaxed place. It felt motivating to study somewhere so beautiful. My Spanish improved a lot, especially my speaking and confidence. The teachers were kind and helpful, and the lessons were hard to understand sometimes but they always help you. I also made friends from many different countries, which made the experience even more special. The EF staff were very supportive and always made me feel welcome. I’m very thankful for my time at EF Playa Tamarindo and would recommend it to anyone who wants to learn Spanish.🌺

My experience with EF Playa Tamarindo involved persistent disorganization, financial exploitation, and conduct that I believe exposes the organization to serious legal liability. Upon arrival in Costa Rica, I was left without proper support. When customs officials requested a residential address, EF failed to provide one. Instead, I was given vague directions to a nearby gas station through the app. This lack of preparation placed me in an unnecessary and stressful situation with border authorities. On my first day at the school, no one told me where to go or who to report to. I waited over an hour without assistance. This reflected a broader pattern of poor communication and lack of accountability throughout the program. The environment felt overly controlling and unsettling, with surveillance cameras everywhere but very little meaningful student support. I was also charged $200 for an activity advertised as two nights. Without notice or consent, it was reduced to one night, and the group left earlier than the posted return time, with no refund or explanation. Most concerning, I was pressured to go along with false information being given to government officials regarding my accommodation. I did not consent to this and believe no student should ever be placed in a situation involving misrepresentation to authorities. Based on this conduct and the documentation I have, I believe EF’s actions may expose them to formal legal complaints or civil liability. EF advertises a 24/7 emergency support line. When I attempted to use it, my calls were not answered. The organization later denied this, despite my call logs documenting multiple attempts. The regional office completely ghosted me when I raised serious concerns. I was also pressured into paying over $15,000, including questionable additional charges that appeared driven by commission incentives rather than student welfare. This felt deceptive and exploitative. There have also been publicly reported cases of students dying while participating in EF programs abroad, including in Costa Rica. While I am not alleging legal responsibility in those cases, given my firsthand experience with EF’s lack of organization, emergency response failures, and ethical lapses, it is deeply concerning that the company continues to market youth programs without far greater transparency and oversight. For context, I have had a significantly better experience at EF Barcelona, which was better organized, more professional, and genuinely supportive in every way. The contrast makes it clear that the issues in Tamarindo are severe. That said, these experiences also raised broader concerns for me about EF as an organization overall, as many of the problems stemmed from regional and corporate-level practices rather than a single location. EF Playa Tamarindo is overpriced, poorly managed, and operates in ways that raise serious questions about ethics, accountability, and student safety. Prospective students and parents should proceed with extreme caution. EF Playa Tamarindo es excesivamente caro, está mal gestionado y opera de maneras que plantean serias dudas sobre su ética, responsabilidad y seguridad estudiantil. Recomiendo a futuros estudiantes y padres que procedan con extrema precaución.

What did you love about your new city abroad ? -pura Vida, the people are so welcoming and always in good mood What was the best part of your journey ? -getting in touch with the culture and I have now new friends! Did you make any international friends ? -yes from new york, paris and california How were your language classes ? Did you notice any improvement in your language skills ? -a lot, nobody wants to hear a single word which is not spanish!