The Department of Biological Sciences offers a unique and exciting study abroad opportunity for field studies in Costa Rica. Here, you will find the basic information to help you decide whether you should join us on this exciting trip.
You will be accompanied throughout the whole trip by two experienced Saddleback College professors of biology, Dr. Bruno Passarelli and Dr. Marcelo Pires. Both professors have taken Saddleback College students to field studies in Brazil for three consecutive years (2015, 2016, 2017) and to Costa Rica in 2019 and 2023. This is the third group of Saddleback College students going to Costa Rica.
The deadline to apply and pay the $450 deposit is Friday, April 4, 2025. Secure your spot now!
There are no prerequisites to take these courses - students of all majors and academic backgrounds are welcome!
These courses will be fulfilled through your participation during our two-week field studies in Costa Rica. We will have one mandatory pre-trip meeting on campus with the whole group of students (date to be announced in mid-April), but no meetings after the trip.
All students participating in the field studies must be enrolled in both courses.
You must be a Saddleback College or Irvine Valley College student during summer to be eligible to take these courses. If you have never been a college student or are a returning student, you must apply to Saddleback College.
In all cases, course registration requires you to contact one of the faculty leaders.
During the trip, you will complete worksheets, species identification assignments, and a field journal.
This 14-day trip will be full of activities: while hiking, zip-lining, whitewater rafting, doing "sky walk" canopy tours, going on boat tours, or visiting different national parks, we will see and learn about the biodiversity and ecosystems of Costa Rica. The natural environment will be our classroom as we explore the natural history, ecology, and evolutionary history of the fauna and flora of this amazing country. Transportation to all locations will be done in a private bus and we will stay in hotels every night. All logistics, payments, and trip details are under the coordination of AIFS, a leading provider in study abroad services since 1964.
Based on an enrollment of 15-19 participants, the fee per person is $3640 ($3485 for 20+ students).
The fee includes:
Besides Financial Aid, scholarships, and savings, students today have to think out of the box for ways to help fund their study abroad experience. In this video, Paula Messina (Regional Directors, AIFS) offers ideas and real-life stories with emphasis on in-person and virtual fundraisers.
For a list of potential scholarship opportunities, see the Financial Aid Scholarship Information page.
Contact Dr. Passarelli or Dr. Pires to:
Getting ready to zipline at the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve.
Geoffroy's spider monkey (Ateles geoffroyi) in Tortuguero National Park.
Talking about sea turtles by the Caribbean Sea, Tortuguero National Park.
A female, Green-crowned brilliant (Heliodoxa jacula) at the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve.
Ziplining over the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve.