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We first came to Tamarindo in 2011 for what was supposed to be six months. Our kids started at TIDE Academy in 2012. TIDE’s founder, Chelsea, had planned it as a 6th to 12th grade school, but she made an exception for our three, who were all in elementary school at the time. Back then TIDE was a few kids in her backyard (more on those early days here). Eleven years later, in 2023, Abby graduated from TIDE, the last of our three to finish. Ben and Jacob had already graduated from TIDE in 2019 and 2021.
So when friends ask us “where should our kids go to school in Tamarindo?”, we have opinions. We also have a lot of friends whose kids went to the other schools around here. This page is our honest take, plus the actual 2026-27 tuition numbers from each school’s own fee sheet (because nobody else seems to publish them in one place).
The Short Version
- TIDE Academy is the only school right in Tamarindo. The other five are 10 to 35 minutes away.
- Published 2026-27 tuition runs from $4,950 to $12,950 a year.
- Once fees are in, the first year for a new 4th grader costs about $7,000 to almost $15,000.
- Splitting the year? CRIA is the only school here that publishes a partial-year policy, and TIDE is built for flexible schedules.
- La Paz adds $3,000 a year for students without Costa Rican residency.
- Tour the schools before you choose. The websites only tell you so much.
Schools Near Tamarindo at a Glance
Tuition is the school’s published annual figure for the 2026-27 school year, in US dollars, as of October 2026. It does not include enrollment or registration fees, which are listed further down. Drive times are rough and depend a lot on where you live and the time of day.
| School | Location | Grades | Curriculum | Annual tuition 2026-27 (as of October 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TIDE Academy | In Tamarindo | Pre-K to 12 | Personalized US curriculum, flexible schedule | $6,000 (K-6) to $6,300 (7-12) source |
| Journey School of Costa Rica | Huacas to Villarreal road, about 10-15 min | Early childhood to 12 | IB World School, bilingual | $10,439 paid monthly, or $9,395 paid up front source |
| Educarte | Huacas to Villarreal road, about 10-15 min | Preschool to 11 | Costa Rican (MEP), Spanish and English | $5,415 (Pre-K) to $7,106 (7-11), paid annually source |
| CRIA (Costa Rica International Academy) | Brasilito, about 25-30 min | Toddler (age 3) to 12 | US college prep with AP courses | $6,800 (half day Pre-K) to $12,950 (6-12) source |
| La Paz Community School | Brasilito (Cabo Velas campus), about 25-35 min | Preschool to 12 | IB Diploma, dual language | $5,688 (youngest, half day) to $12,171 (11-12) source |
| Pacífico Internacional (Waldorf-inspired) | Cañafistula, about 15-25 min | Nursery to 8 | Waldorf-inspired, bilingual | $4,950 (nursery) to $7,800 (6-8) source |
What the First Year Actually Costs
Tuition is only part of it. Every school also charges its own set of one-time and yearly fees, and they add up fast. Here’s my math for one new 4th grader moving here from abroad, using each school’s own 2026-27 fee sheet. It leaves out the extras (things like uniforms and lunches).
| School | Paying monthly | Paying in full up front |
|---|---|---|
| TIDE Academy | $7,000 | $7,000 |
| Educarte | $7,570 | $7,165 |
| Pacífico Internacional (Waldorf) | $9,320 | $8,958 |
| Journey School | $12,839 | $11,795 |
| La Paz Community School | $13,305 | $13,302 |
| CRIA | $14,703 | $14,700 |
TIDE Academy
This is the one we know best, so let me be straight about it. TIDE is a really great option for families who need an economical and flexible school. It is not a traditional school, there’s no question about that, and I’m not going to pretend that it is. It’s also not kids sitting on dirt floors learning. It’s a real building with real desks and real teachers. And it runs on a real schedule, just like every other school.
The flexibility is what made Tamarindo possible for us. For years our kids split the school year between TIDE and their public schools back in Colorado, and their TIDE grades went onto their Colorado high school transcripts (I wrote about how we made that split work). When our kids were there, TIDE ran a shorter week than a traditional school. Ask them for the current schedule, because the website doesn’t publish it.
TIDE is the only school right in town. TIDE says its high school is accredited through a partnership with North Atlantic Regional High School, which is accredited by Middle States. They also run an online program called TIDE Abroad for grade 9 and up. Tuition for 2026-27 is $6,000 for K-6 and $6,300 for 7-12, plus registration ($1,000 before April 1, $1,500 after). Pre-K pricing isn’t published.
If you want the long version, our School Experiences section has over a decade of stories, including Ben’s graduation year and Jacob’s final semester after nine years.
Website: tideacademy.com
Journey School of Costa Rica
My nephew goes to Journey, so it’s a school we hear about from family. Journey’s Tamarindo campus sits on the road from Huacas toward Villarreal, about 10 to 15 minutes from town, and it serves early childhood through 12th grade. It’s the most accredited school in the area on paper. Journey lists itself as an IB World School (currently a candidate for the IB Middle Years Programme), and it holds accreditation from:
- the International Baccalaureate
- Costa Rica’s Ministry of Public Education (MEP)
- the Middle States Association in the US
For 2026-27, tuition is 11 monthly payments of $949 for the first child (with sibling discounts down to $807), or $9,395 if you prepay the year. On top of tuition there are three fees of $800 each:
- a one-time enrollment (matrícula) fee
- an annual enrollment fee
- an annual materials fee
One thing for part-time families: Journey’s fee sheet says plainly that tuition can’t be prorated.
Website: journeyschoolofcostarica.com
Educarte
I’ll be honest, I don’t know much about Educarte. I know some of their former teachers, but that’s about it. Educarte is a bilingual school following the Costa Rican MEP curriculum, a few kilometers up the road from the Huacas intersection toward Villarreal (about 10 to 15 minutes from Tamarindo). It runs from preschool through 11th grade, which is when the Costa Rican system finishes high school.
It’s also one of the most affordable options. For 2026-27, paying for the year up front costs $5,415 for Pre-K up to $7,106 for grades 7 to 11. Monthly plans are nine payments from $640 to $840. There’s also a yearly entry fee of $735 to $885 that covers materials and student insurance, and second and third children get lower rates.
Website: educartecostarica.com
CRIA (Costa Rica International Academy)
Lots of our friends’ kids have gone to CRIA. The campus is in Brasilito (500 meters south of Reserva Conchal), roughly 25 to 30 minutes north of Tamarindo. CRIA is accredited by both the Middle States Association and Costa Rica’s MEP. It offers AP courses, and juniors and seniors can earn college credit through Arizona State and Grand Canyon University.
It’s also the most expensive school on this list. Tuition for 2026-27 runs from $6,800 for half-day Pre-K up to $12,950 for grades 6 to 12. Add a $1,250 yearly matriculation fee and a one-time new student fee, which is $2,500 for international students.
Here’s the part split-year families should know about. CRIA is the only school on this list that publishes a partial-year policy. You can enroll for as little as one quarter (30% of annual tuition) or one semester (55%). High schoolers in grades 9 to 11 need at least a full semester, and seniors have to be there the whole year.
Website: criacademy.com
La Paz Community School
La Paz is the other school where a lot of our friends’ kids have ended up. Its main campus is in Brasilito near Playa Flamingo, about 25 to 35 minutes from Tamarindo. There’s also a second campus inland near Comunidad. La Paz is a dual-language school from preschool (starting at age one) through 12th grade, and it offers the IB Diploma Programme. La Paz describes itself as a school built around community and sustainability.
Tuition for 2026-27 goes from $5,688 for the youngest half-day program up to $12,171 for 11th and 12th grade. New students pay a one-time $1,500 registration fee, and everyone pays a $1,185 annual enrollment fee. Remember that $3,000 yearly non-resident fee if you don’t have Costa Rican residency yet.
Website: lapazschool.org
Pacífico Internacional (the Waldorf School)
We have some friends with kids at the Waldorf school, which today goes by Pacífico Internacional. It’s a Waldorf-inspired, bilingual school in the little village of Cañafistula, inland from Tamarindo toward Santa Cruz (plan on 15 to 25 minutes). It runs from nursery through 8th grade. The grades go Monday to Friday from 8:00 to 2:15, and kindergarten finishes at 1:00 (with aftercare until 2:15).
Annual tuition for 2026-27:
- Nursery (four days a week): $4,950
- Kindergarten: $6,950
- Grades 1 to 5: $7,250
- Grades 6 to 8: $7,800
There’s a 5% discount for paying in full. New families also pay $800 to register and $800 a year to enroll. Materials and insurance are extra. Part-time families take note: the school asks for a full-year commitment and expects full tuition even if you’re away for long stretches.
Website: waldorf.cr
How to Choose a School in Tamarindo
Full-time or part-time?
This is the first question, and it narrows things quickly. If you’re splitting the year between Costa Rica and home like we did, you need a school that’s built for kids coming and going. TIDE was that for us. CRIA publishes clear quarter and semester pricing. Journey and the Waldorf school are both set up for full-year families and say so in their fee policies. Talk to your home school too before you leave, especially for high schoolers who need their credits to transfer.
The commute
Don’t underestimate this one. Twenty-five minutes each way on a good day is close to two hours of driving for school drop-off and pickup. If you’re looking at CRIA or La Paz, think about living closer to Flamingo or Brasilito instead of Tamarindo. If you want to live in town, TIDE is right there, and Journey and Educarte are a short drive.
Language
Every school here teaches in both English and Spanish, but the mix varies a lot by school and by grade. TIDE’s Pre-K and kindergarten are taught mostly in Spanish, for example, while Educarte follows the Costa Rican national curriculum. Ask each school how much of the day is in each language at your child’s grade level.
Budget
For a new 4th grader, the first year ranges from about $7,000 to almost $15,000 once fees are included (see the table above). The fees matter as much as the tuition, especially in year one. And ask about sibling discounts, because most of these schools offer one.
Go see them
This hasn’t changed since the first version of this page. Tour the schools and meet the teachers. It’s really hard to get a good feel for a school from its website alone.
FAQ
What schools are in Tamarindo, Costa Rica?
TIDE Academy is the only school right in Tamarindo. Journey School of Costa Rica and Educarte are about 10 to 15 minutes away on the road toward Villarreal. Pacífico Internacional (a Waldorf-inspired school) is in Cañafistula, and CRIA and La Paz Community School are both in Brasilito, about 25 to 35 minutes north.
How much does private school cost in Tamarindo?
For the 2026-27 school year, published annual tuition near Tamarindo runs from $4,950 (a four-day nursery program at Pacífico Internacional) to $12,950 (grades 6 to 12 at CRIA). One-time and yearly fees add roughly $700 to $3,750 in the first year, and La Paz charges an extra $3,000 a year for students without Costa Rican residency.
Which schools near Tamarindo offer the IB program?
La Paz Community School offers the IB Diploma Programme. Journey School of Costa Rica is an IB World School and is currently a candidate for the IB Middle Years Programme. CRIA follows a US college prep model with AP courses instead of IB.
Can my kids go to school in Tamarindo for one semester?
Yes, but not at every school. CRIA publishes a partial-year policy with a minimum of one quarter. TIDE Academy is set up for flexible schedules, and it worked for our split-year family for over a decade. Journey says it cannot prorate tuition, and Pacífico Internacional expects a full-year commitment.
Are schools in Tamarindo accredited in the United States?
CRIA and Journey are both accredited by the Middle States Association, and TIDE’s high school is accredited through a partnership with North Atlantic Regional High School, which is accredited by Middle States. Educarte is certified by Costa Rica’s Ministry of Public Education. Always confirm current accreditation with the school before you enroll.
Is TIDE Academy a real school?
Yes. TIDE is not a traditional school and doesn’t pretend to be. But it has a real building with real desks and real teachers, and it runs on a real schedule. Our three kids went there from 2012 until our youngest graduated in 2023, and it is a great option for families who need an economical and flexible school.
Last checked October 2026. Tuition and fees change every year, so always confirm with the school before you plan around a number. If you spot something out of date, let us know.