Academic Credit

Academic Credit Overview

It is possible to earn academic credit for most Costa Rica Outward Bound courses. Students can pursue two options to receive credit.

Please note that the receipt and transfer of all academic credit is at the discretion of the school, college or university you attend (or plan to attend). Making arrangements for academic credit is the responsibility of the student and must be done prior to course start date.

Costa Rica Outward Bound must be informed if you are seeking academic credit and which of the two options you want to pursue.

Credit Through Western State College of Colorado

Recommended for high school graduates and enrolled college students.

Costa Rica Outward Bound and Outward Bound International have a partnership with Western State College of Colorado in Gunnison, Colo.

Those who choose this academic credit option will benefit from the streamlined process and will receive an official academic transcript from this accredited four-year college, documenting the number of credits received as well as the student’s grade. Please note that all credits are listed under one course:
Recreation and Outdoor Education 397 (ROE), Outward Bound School.

Please confirm with your school, college or university that these credits will transfer before registering with Western State College of Colorado. We recommend obtaining an agreement in writing.

Please note that Western State College is able to accept financial aid from various federal or private sources, and several can be transferred to Costa Rica Outward Bound for use towards your tuition costs. See our Payment Information page or contact their extended studies department with questions and for clarification.

Western State College charges $125 per credit. For more information, contact Kristin Yorks at kyorks@western.edu or call 970-943-2885.

Credit Through Independent Study

Recommended for anyone. This option is equally appropriate for both high school and university students.

As the name suggests, the student will receive credit for his/her Outward Bound experience through his/her home school, college or university.

The primary benefit to this option is that students can arrange to receive credits in several courses of study (i.e. 2 credits of Spanish and 2 credits of Coastal Ecology for a total of 4 credits). However, this option requires a certain level of persistence on the part of the student and flexibility on the part of the home school, college or university.

Unlike Western State College, many schools are not familiar with Outward Bound and students may be required to “sell” the Outward Bound experiential education philosophy to their advisor. Please contact us at enrollment@crrobs.org to receive detailed information about the selected course, a rationale for academic credit and a variety of sample topics around which to focus an independent study.

We highly recommend that you document all visits to the your academic advisor, registrar or head of school and secure any agreements that are made regarding credit transfer in writing.