Introductory Video
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to watch howler monkeys coursing the rain forest canopy? Or witness the incredibly colorful coral of Costa Rica’s Pacific Coast? This trip is going to take you on a voyage through some of the world’s most spectacular landscapes, home to an array of diverse and unique plant and animal species. You will have an opportunity to meet and interact with indigenous people and cultures, explore the Caribbean Coast, hike in the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve and Arenal Volcano National Park, and observe tropical wildlife—experiences that could change your life. This trip fulfills the BYU motto: making the world our campus.
“Teach ye diligently and my grace shall attend you . . . of things both in heaven and in the earth, and under the earth . . . of things which are at home, things which are abroad . . . and a knowledge also of countries and of kingdoms—that ye may be prepared in all things when I shall send you again to magnify the calling whereunto I have called you, and the mission with which I have commissioned you” (D&C 88:78–80).
DATES
30 April–14 May 2021 (approx)
HOUSING
The group will stay in low-cost but neat and clean hostels in Costa Rica. Students will have internet access, kitchens to prepare their own food, laundry, and other amenities at each location. All the housing will be safe and arranged by BYU International Study Programs.
COURSES
All participants will enroll in 2 credit hours of PWS 494R: Biogeography, Ecology, and Natural History of Costa Rica. Participants may not take any other courses on this program, including BYU Online courses, without approval by the program director and ISP.
COST
$1,100–1,600 which does not include airfare to and from the United States, food, and miscellaneous (optional) expenses.
TRAVEL
Students are responsible for purchasing their own airfare to and from the program. Airfare reservations must be made through BYU Travel. Students should contact a BYU Travel agent at:
BYU Travel | 801-422-6293 | travel@byu.edu | 280 HRCB
PREPARATION
All students who are accepted into the program are expected to register for a 1 credit pre-departure preparation class held during the second block of winter semester 2021. BYU students are expected to keep all aspects of the BYU Honor Code and ISP rules during the program.
FUNDING SOURCES
Regular BYU tuition scholarships, Pell Grants, and Federal Insured Student Loans may be applied to study abroad programs. Students who submit the financial aid section of the ISP application and who have a current FAFSA form on file at the Financial Aid Office (A-41 ASB) will be considered for a study abroad scholarship and may be considered for other scholarships. They must indicate on their original online application that they want to be considered for financial aid. Academic departments and colleges may assist with scholarships and grants. Private grants and scholarships outside of BYU may also assist (see kennedy.byu.edu/scholarships).
APPLICATION PROCESS
Students must be adults 18 years of age or older. Complete the $35 (non-refundable) online application at kennedy.byu.edu/apply. Applicants will be interviewed once the application is complete. Only sixteen students will be accepted. Students will be notified via email of their acceptance into the program. If accepted, a $500 non-refundable deposit will be required, payable to the Kennedy Center. The first payment is due upon acceptance. Please refer to the 2021 Payment Information document (see kennedy.byu.edu/isp-forms/ISPpayments2021.pdf).
Deadline: 15 December 2020
FACULTY
Tom Smith | 5050 LSB | (801) 422-2151 | tom_smith@byu.edu
Steven L. Petersen | 5027 LSB | (801) 422-4885 | steven_petersen@byu.edu
Tom Smith is a professor of wildlife ecology in the Department of Plant and Wildlife Sciences. His research focuses on human-wildlife interactions with emphasis on bears, bobcats, and bighorn sheep. He will help you explore the diversity and connections among biological organisms and their environment in the incredible landscapes of Costa Rica and their coastal waters.
Steven Petersen is a professor of forest and rangeland ecology in the Department of Plant and Wildlife Sciences. His research emphasizes the spatial and temporal dynamics of wildland ecosystems, plant community dynamics, and animal-habitat interactions. He will explain forest ecology, assist in bird identifications, and provide insight regarding ecological relationships in this tropical rain forest.
INTERESTED STUDENTS SHOULD CONTACT
International Study Programs
101 HRCB
(801) 422-3686
isp@byu.edu
kennedy.byu.edu/isp
PROGRAM ADJUSTMENTS
International Study Programs (ISP) reserves the right to cancel this program, revise its offerings, or make any adjustments to the preliminary cost. If it becomes necessary for ISP to cancel a program, all program payments made to BYU ISP will be refunded to the student’s BYU financial account. ISP is the only office authorized to cancel any of its programs.
