You want the best for your child — and so do we! We welcome everyone into our warm environment, and teachers and staff show in every gesture that they care deeply about your child’s well-being and happiness.
At CDS, we’re thrilled that 99% of our parents strongly agree that their children have a good relationship with their teachers. This leads to excellent engagement in and beyond the classroom on top of outstanding academic results.
From Pre-Kinder to 12th grade, we provide truly transformational learning experiences that boost your child’s creativity and resilience. While admission to Country Day School is competitive, we encourage all applicants who are ready to innovate in our learning environment.
From our home in San José, our standards are comparable to selective US independent or college preparatory schools and prepare your child for admission to the best colleges or universities in the world. We choose students who show their curiosity and motivation to learn and will contribute to the strength and diversity of our community.
Learn more about our application requirements, documents, admission and placement tests, and interview.
Country Day School was founded in 1963, serving and educating the international and Costa Rican community for 55 years. It has grown from a very small school of 18 students in a house located in the east of San José, to a new purpose-built campus west of San José, in San Rafael de Alajuela, now serving about 750 students.
Our school is comprised of four divisions — Early Childhood, Elementary School, Middle School, and High School — with separate flexible learning spaces for each. Our campus has beautiful grounds and environmentally friendly buildings, with one of the largest solar panel systems of any school, which has helped us attain LEED certification.
We accept applications throughout the year depending on space and availability in the school. However, to guarantee a place for your child at the start of a new school year, the following application deadlines apply:
2025–26 Fall Semester Application Deadline: May 30th, 2025
2025–26 Winter Semester Application Deadline: December 5th, 2025
After completing the admissions process, we will communicate with you about a week after the family interview and student assessment.
There is a $50 non-refundable application fee when you send your application.
Classes begin at 8:00 am and end at 3:00 pm Mondays through Fridays.
We offer an amazing after school program at Country Day School for EC and ES students, which runs from Mondays through Thursdays from 3:15 pm through 4:30 pm. Our athletics program runs from 3:00 pm through 4:30 pm from Mondays through Fridays.
Yes, at CDS, we have a full-service cafeteria that offers a comprehensive nutrition program to all our students. It includes snacks, hot lunches, a salad bar, fresh fruit, and fruit juices—all aimed at developing healthy habits that will last a lifetime!
Students can also bring lunch from home or can buy meals offered in the cafeteria.
Our class sizes are:
Early Childhood: Between 16 and 18 students per class, with a teacher and a teacher's assistant.
1st Grade–12th Grade: Between 18 and 22students per class.
Join us for a campus tour or virtual meeting to take the first step in your child’s exciting academic experience. We look forward to meeting you to discuss what makes Country Day School special, what we can offer your family, and how our admission process works.
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