Academic Excellence

University of Costa Rica Admission Examinations, Students placed:

  • 1st in 1995, 1997 and 2001
  • 3rd in 1994
  • 5th in 1996 and 1998
  • 4th in 2003
  • 9th in 2000 and 2007
  • 11th in 2005 and 2014
  • 13th in 2013
  • 4th, 7th and 20th places in 2015
  • 10th and 27th places in 2016
  • 5th, 14th and 20th place in 2019
  • 15th= and 15th= places in 2022


Technological University of Costa Rica Admission Examinations, Students placed:

  • 1st in 2003
  • 27th in 2013
  • 4th, 5th, 7th and 30th in 2014
  • 15th in 2020
  • 29th in 2016
  • 2nd and 27th in 2017
  • 21st and 27th in 2018
  • 25th in 2015 and 2019


Placement and Scholarships to leading Universities:

  • 1998
    • – Anthony Varilly: partial scholarship to Harvard
    • – Catherine Darke, obtained a place at Trinity College, Cambridge
  • 1998
    • – Rhys Wolff: full scholarship to the University of Toronto, Canada
  • 2000
    • – Alfonso Gomez: obtained a place at University College, London
  • 2001
    • – Patrick Varilly: scholarship to MIT
  • 2003
    • – Marisol Valerio: full scholarship to UBC, Canada

* Both Anthony Varilly (’98) and Alfonso Gomez (’00) continued as post-graduate students at the University of Cambridge, England

  • 2009
    • – Manuel Nivia: full scholarship to New York University, Abu Dhabi
  • 2010
    • – Virginie Fostroy: partial scholarship to UBC, Canada
  • 2011
    • – Claire Hennig and Andrés Rodríguez: full scholarship to New York University, Abu Dhabi
  • 2013
    • – Anna Hennig and Alejandro Mora: full scholarship to New York University, Abu Dhabi
  • 2016
    • – Paula Mora: full scholarship to New York University, Abu Dhabi
  • 2017
    • – Daniel Nivia: full scholarship to New York University, Abu Dhabi
  • 2018
    • – Queenie Fan obtained a place at University of California Berkeley
  • 2019
    • – Andrés Wu obtained a place at Cornell University
    • – Nathan Dozier obtained a partial scholarship to John Hopkins University
  • 2020
    • – Keoni Gilman obtained a place at University of California, Berkeley
  • 2021
    • – Mariana Castro obtained a full scholarship to NYU Abu Dhabi
    • – Javier Gutiérrez obtained a partial scholarship at Amherst College
  • 2022
    • – Nicole Lipschitz: Partial Scholarship to MIT
    • – Julia Bonanno obtained a partial scholarship to Northwestern University
    • – Diego Laurencich obtained a partial scholarship to University of Notre Dame
    • – Valentina Sosto obtained a place at University of California, Berkeley

International Baccalaureate Diploma: (Maximum score in IB Diploma = 45 points)

  • 1998
    • – Best overall results in the Latin American Region (IBLA):
    • – 6 students with 40 points or higher, average 35 points in the Diploma programme.
    • – Best Individual result in the World – 45 points plus maximum points for 7th subject
  • 1999
    • – 3 students 40 points or higher. Average 33.4 points. All students passed Diploma
  • 2001
    • – 2 students with 40 points or higher. Average 33 points in the Diploma programme.
    • – Best Individual result in the World – 45 points plus maximum points for 7th subject
  • 2002
    • – 3 students with 40 points or higher. Average 35 points in the Diploma programme.
  • 2003
    • – Best individual result in Latin America with a maximum score of 45 points.
    • – 3 students with 40 points or higher. Average 34 points in the Diploma programme.
  • 2004
    • – 1 student with 40 points or higher. Average 30 points in the Diploma programme.
  • 2005
    • – All 34 students passed the Diploma. Average 33 points. 1 student with 41 points
  • 2006
    • – All 34 Diploma students passed. Average 32 points. 1 student with 41 points
  • 2007
    • – All 36 Diploma students passed. Average 32 points. 1 student with 42 points
  • 2008
    • – 45 out of 46 students obtained the Diploma. Average 30 points
  • 2009
    • – 37 out of 40 students obtained the Diploma. Average 32 points. 1 student with 40 points
  • 2010
    • – 31 out of 36 students obtained the Diploma. Average 31 points.
  • 2011
    • – 49 out of 50 students obtained the Diploma. Average 34.5 points. 3 students with 40 or more points (44,42 & 40).
  • 2012
    • – 51 out of 53 students obtained the Diploma. Average 31 points. 1 student with 40 points
  • 2013
    • – 46 out of 49 Diploma candidates obtained the Diploma. Average 32.2 points. 3 students with 40 or more points (42,42 & 40).
  • 2014
    • – 36 out of 38 Diploma candidates obtained the Diploma. Average 35 points. 1 student with 40 or more points (41).
  • 2015
    • – 41 out of 47 Diploma candidates obtained the Diploma. Average 31 points. 1 student with 40 or more points (41).
  • 2016
    • – ALL Diploma candidates obtained the Diploma. Average 32 points.
  • 2017
    • – 40 out of 42 Diploma candidates obtained the Diploma. Average 32 points. 3 students with 40 or more points (1 with 40, 2 with 41).
  • 2018
    • – 34 out of 39 students obtained the Diploma. Average = 31 points, 1 student with 40 or more points (43 points).
  • 2019
    • – 41 out of 43 students obtained the Diploma. Average = 31 points.
  • 2020
    • – All 31 students 31 obtained the Diploma (after 1 resit). Average points = 33. 1 student with 40 or more points (41 points).
  • 2021
    • – 35 out of 36 students passed the Diploma. Average points = 32. 2 students with 40 or more points (40 and 42 points).
  • 2022
    • – All 33 students obtained the Diploma (after 1 resit). Average points = 33. 1 student with 40 or more points (43 points).
    • Please note: IB World Averages Pass Rate = 79.67% Average Total Points = 30.24

IGCSE (International General Certificate of Secondary Education):

(We define our pass rate as the % of students passing at least 5 subjects with a grade of “C” or higher.

UK Statistics, Pass rate = 47.2% but automatically includes Maths and English)

  • 1996 – Best Individual result in the World (6 A* and 3 A grades)
  • 2002 – Pass rate = 90% All subjects A* – C grades = 84%
  • 2003 – Pass rate = 87% All subjects A* – C grades = 82%
  • 2004 – Pass rate = 85% All subjects A* – C grades = 80%
  • 2005 – Pass rate = 89% All subjects A* – C grades = 83%
  • 2006 – Pass rate = 81% All subjects A* – C grades = 80%
  • 2007 – Pass rate = 86% All subjects A* – C grades = 83%
  • 2008 – Pass rate = 90% All subjects A* – C grades = 87% 34% of all results at A* or A grades. Best results were i. 8 A* (maximum score), ii. 7 A* and A and iii. 6*A, A, B.
  • 2009 – Pass rate = 99% All subjects A* – C grades = 95% 42% of all results at A* or A grades. Best individual result in the world in French. Best individual result in the world in Spanish
  • 2010 – Pass Rate = 91% – results affected by national emergency closing school on exam day.
  • 2011 – Pass Rate = 93% . The best results were i. 8 A* (maximum score) and ii. 7 A* and A
  • 2012 – Pass Rate = 91% . 9 students with 5 or more A* or A grades. (2 Students with 6 A* grades)
  • 2013 – Pass Rate = 95% . 5 students had straight A* or A grades
  • 2014 – Pass Rate = 88% . 3 students had straight A* or A grades
  • 2015 – Pass Rate = 85% . 19 students with 5 or more A* or A grades. (1 student had straight A* or A grades)
  • 2016 – Pass Rate = 95% . 7 students with 5 or more A* or A grades. (1 student had straight A* or A grades)
  • 2017 – Pass Rate = 99%. 9 students with 5 or more A* or A grades (1 student with straight A* or A grades)
  • 2018 – Pass Rate = 98%. 4 students with 5 or more A* or A grades.
  • 2019 – Pass Rate = 96%. 5 students with 5 or more A* or A grades. (2 students with straight A* grades)
  • 2020 – 2022 – The IGCSE programme was severely reduced during the Covid-19 pandemic.
  • 2022 – Pass Rate (5 subjects in A* to C range) = 57%, 6 students with 5 or more A* or A grades. (3 students with straight A* grades) … a reduced menu of exam subjects was offered.

Universities and Colleges where British School of Costa Rica Students have enrolled:

  • CANADA
    • Canada College of Performing Arts
    • Carleton University
    • Emily Carr University of Art and Design
    • Guelph University
    • Trent University
    • University of British Columbia
    • University of Calgary
    • University of Toronto
    • University of Victoria
    • Vancouver Island University
    • Western University Canada
    • York University
  • CHINA
    • Tshingua University
    • University of Language and Culture, China
  • COSTA RICA
    • Escuela de Agricultura de la Región Tropical Húmeda (EARTH)
    • LEAD University
    • Texas Tech University
    • Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica
    • Universidad Alma Mater
    • Universidad Autónoma de Centro América
    • Universidad de Ciencias Médicas
    • Universidad de Costa Rica
    • Universidad Estatal a Distancia Universidad Escuela Libre de Derecho
    • Universidad Internacional de las Américas
    • Universidad Interamericana
    • Universidad Invenio
    • Universidad La Salle
    • Universidad Latina
    • Universidad Latinoamericana de Ciencia y Tecnología (ULACIT)
    • Universidad Nacional
    • Universidad de San José
    • Universidad San Judas Tadeo
    • Universidad Veritas
  • FRANCE
    • École Normale Supérieure
    • Le Cordon Bleu
    • Paris College of Art
    • Sciences Po
  • ITALY
    • Bocconi University
    • John Cabot University
  • SPAIN
    • Elisava, Escuela Superior de Diseño
    • IE University
    • IQS Universitat Ramon Llull, Barcelona
    • Universidad Complutense de Madrid
    • Universidad de Navarra
    • Universitat de Barcelona
  • SWITZERLAND
    • Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne
    • Les Roches Global Hospitality Education
    • University of Bern
  • UNITED KINGDOM
    • Central Saint Martins-University of the Arts London
    • Kent University
    • Kingston University
    • London School of Economics
    • Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
    • The Architectural Association School of Architecture
    • The Art Institute of Bournemouth
    • University of Cambridge
    • University of Edinburgh
    • University of London
    • University of Liverpool
    • University of Manchester
    • University of Surrey
  • UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
    • American University
    • Babson College
    • Bentley University
    • Berklee College of Music
    • Boston College
    • Brown University
    • California College of the Arts
    • California Institute of Technology
    • Carleton College
    • Cornell University
    • Culinary Institute of America
    • Dartmouth University
    • DePaul University
    • Diablo Valley College
    • Duke University
    • Eastern Nazarene College
    • Emerson College
    • Florida International University
    • Georgia Institute of Technology
    • Grinnell College
    • Hanover College
    • Harvard University
    • Johnson and Wales University
    • Louisiana State University
    • Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    • Michigan State University
    • New York University
    • New York University, Abu Dhabi
    • Northeastern University
    • Northwestern University
    • Parsons School of Design
    • Penn State University
    • Purdue University
    • Princeton University
    • Roanoke College
    • Saint Edward’s University
    • Santa Barbara City College
    • San Diego University
    • Savannah College of Art & Design
    • Southern Methodist University
    • Stanford University
    • State University of New York: Buffalo
    • Suffolk University
    • Syracuse University
    • Texas A&M University
    • Tulane University
    • University of California at Berkeley
    • University of California at Irvine
    • University of Central Florida
    • University of Florida
    • University of Georgia
    • University of Kansas
    • University of Illinois
    • University of Massachusetts
    • University of Michigan
    • University of Missouri
    • University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
    • University of Notre Dame
    • University of North Florida
    • University of Pennsylvania
    • University of Southern California
    • University of South Carolina
    • University of Texas at Austin
    • University of Wisconsin
    • West Virgina University
    • Williams College
    • Worcester Polytechnic Institute
  • OTHER COUNTRIES
    • Instituto Tecnológico de Monterrey, México
    • Universidad Javeriana, Colombia
    • Jacobs University, Germany
    • University of Bergen, Norway
    • Universidad Latinoamericana de Cuba
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