How Costa Rica Families Can Enroll at Enlightium Academy

Enlightium Academy is a private Christian school that is accredited by Cognia and the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI). Enlightium has served homeschool, online, and co-op school students in K-12 since 2003. As K-12 education policies are different in each country, it is a parental responsibility to check on their country’s requirements and fulfill them as applicable. To assist parents with this process, Enlightium provides basic information about some countries’ requirements. Parents are also encouraged to review their country’s requirements at hslda.org/legal/international and/or the Costa Rica Ministry of Public Education, as educational policies are subject to change over time.

Homeschooling is legal in many countries; however, with the freedom to educational opportunities comes a responsibility to understand and fulfill legal requirements. This can be worrisome, yet you’re not alone in this endeavor. Enlightium Academy is here to help! As you review your country’s homeschooling requirements, keep in mind that Enlightium Academy is a U.S.-based school and holds dual accreditation through Cognia and ACSI. Although not registered in Costa Rica, this accreditation allows Enlightium to serve students worldwide and provides a high school diploma recognized nationally and internationally. For families living in countries that require an apostille to validate foreign educational records, Enlightium can help guide you through the apostille process should you choose to pursue official recognition of your student’s U.S. studies.

Please note that the resources below serve as a starting point for your family; it is important that you research Costa Rica’s requirements.

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Homeschooling Options

Costa Rica does not publish a formal homeschool statute outlining how compulsory education requirements are satisfied outside the national education system. Families enrolling with Enlightium Academy, a U.S.-based private school, are participating in a foreign educational program. The rest of this resource is directed at families who do not intend to notify the Costa Rica Ministry of Education that they are enrolling at Enlightium Academy.

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Costa Rica’s Requirements at a Glance

Does the Parent Need to Notify the Country? = No, though it may be beneficial

Educational Funds = No

Academic Calendar Requirement = No

Ages of Compulsory Attendance = 5-17

Instructor Qualifications = No

Required Subjects = No

Standardized Assessment = Required by Enlightium

Immunization Requirement = No

Keep a Portfolio = Recommended

Enlightium Parents App with Group for Costa Rica Families = Yes

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Notifying the Country

If a family in Costa Rica enrolls their child in a U.S.-based private online school and does not intend to have that education recognized by Costa Rica, they generally do NOT need to notify the Costa Rica Ministry of Education. Enlightium graduates will still receive a high school diploma from a U.S.-based accredited school, and that diploma is accepted by colleges and universities in the United States and generally around the world.

If a Costa Rican family plans to return to a Costa Rican public or private school or would like Costa Rica to recognize the diploma, they should coordinate with the Ministry of Public Education while enrolled. The Ministry may approve, partially accept, or reject equivalency. If a family wants their student’s education to be recognized by Costa Rica, they will likely have several requirements as laid out by the Ministry. Examples include:

• Around 200 instructional days per year
• Required subjects
• Take an equivalency or other assessment

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Educational Funds

No educational funds are available for Englightium families at this time.

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Calendar Requirements

While families enrolling in Enlightium (or foreign school) are not automatically bound by Costa Rica’s school calendar, maintaining consistent instructional time and attendance documentation is strongly recommended — particularly if the student may later seek recognition within Costa Rica.

Enlightium’s school calendar has 180 school days (around 210 days with summer school). Additionally, students have access to the courses 24/7 for most days of the school year, including weekends and holidays.

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Required Subjects

Families enrolling with Enlightium Academy are participating in a U.S.-based, accredited academic program. If a student intends to seek recognition in Costa Rica, the MEP may require evidence that core academic subjects comparable to Costa Rican standards were completed.

After you enroll/re-enroll and before your student starts courses at Enlightium Academy, your student’s counselor will send you an email with a recommended course schedule consisting of core courses and, if applicable, courses that fulfill Enlightium’s graduation requirements. Your student can also select from Enlightium’s elective courses.

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Standardized Assessment

Students seeking official recognition of foreign studies may be required to complete equivalency or validation procedures through the MEP. Additionally,  Enlightium Academy requires students to take an annual assessment to keep track of how students are progressing. Enlightium provides the following options per grade level:

• Grades PreK-8: IXL diagnostic assessments or Iowa Complete Annual Assessment. We recommend the IXL diagnostic assessment, as it provides more flexibility in scheduling and does not have an additional fee.

• Grades 9-12: Guidance for college-preparatory assessments such as the PSAT, SAT, and/or ACT

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Immunization Requirement

Immunization requirements apply to students attending recognized Costa Rican schools. Families enrolling in a foreign online school such as Enlightium Academy are not attending a Costa Rican institution; however, they should remain aware of general public health regulations applicable to residents.

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Age Requirement

Ages four or younger:

Students are not required to attend school, but can enroll in primary school at Enlightium Academy to have a head start and be ready for Kindergarten.

Aged 5-17:

Students must continue their education at a school of their parents’ choice until they either graduate or turn 18.

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Instructor Qualifications

There is no published statute requiring parents using a foreign online school to hold Costa Rican teaching credentials.

As a part of Enlightium Academy’s dual accreditation, Enlightium teachers are state* and/or ACSI-certified. A number of our faculty members have Master's and Doctorate degrees in their fields.

Students in the Book-Based Program use textbook Christian curricula from AOP or BJU Press, while students in the Online Program use the Ignitia digital Christian curriculum or Enlightium’s custom online curriculum (available to select grade levels). Students in the Sapphire Live program use a collection of the best-vetted curriculum options by our curriculum department. Each curriculum includes Bible, English, math, science, social studies, and elective courses. Click here to learn about the curriculum used at Enlightium Academy and to find the curriculum option that works best for your family.

*For students living in the U.S., this does not necessarily mean that their teachers are certified in the student’s state of residence, but instead in the teacher’s state of residence. For most states, this distinction is not important to the student’s academics.

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Keep a Portfolio

You may need to provide your country with additional information, so please keep a digital record every year you are enrolled at Enlightium Academy, which should include the following:

• Attendance - Enlightium provides your family with progress reports via email. You can screenshot the details in these emails to show attendance.
• Curriculum information and samples - Enlightium provides its families with both curriculum overviews by grade level and samples by course.
• Academic plans - Enlightium Academy counselors provide academic plans during the admission process for each of our four divisions of grades: primary school (PreK-2), elementary school (3-5), middle school (6-8), and high school (9-12).
• Grades - Enlightium provides report cards for all students at the end of each quarter. Transcripts are available upon request.
• Test scores - This can include occasional screenshots of test scores and/or standardized assessment scores.
• Academic Awards - Enlightium provides qualifying students with certificates for Honor Roll, Scholar’s List, Dean’s List, Outstanding Improvement, and the Presidential Award.
• Social/Competition Achievements - Enlightium holds social events and competitions throughout the school year, such as art competitions and the pen pal program.

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The Enlightium Parents App with a Group Just for Costa Rica Families

Enlightium Academy has an app and a desktop platform for families of currently enrolled students. Within this app is a group just for families living in Costa Rica to inform and support each other in fulfilling their country’s requirements. Your family will be provided a link to download the app after enrolling.

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Ready to Enroll at Enlightium Academy?

1. Explore Enlightium Academy’s website
2. If you have any questions:
   
   1. Chat with a team member
   2. Email consultants@enlightiumacademy.com
   3. Call (866) 488-4818 option 2
3. Ready to enroll? Click here to start the enrollment process, and select the “Enroll Now” button.

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Since 2003, Enlightium Academy has supported K–12 students in online, book-based, hybrid, and partner schools. Our dedicated faculty and staff, in collaboration with parents, deliver high-quality instruction and individualized learning. We focus on developing each student’s academic, spiritual, physical, social, and emotional well-being.

To find out if Enlightium is the right school for your family, schedule an appointment, call (509) 319-2288, or visit EnlightiumAcademy.com. 

We review country requirements and regulations annually; however, each country may update its guidelines more frequently. If you have additional questions, please contact your country’s board of education.

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Sources reviewed in February of 2026:

• https://hslda.org/post/costa-rica
• https://mep.go.cr/acerca-del-mep
• https://dgec.mep.go.cr/certificacion-extranjera/