Recognition and Equivalency of Foreign University Degrees (CONARE)

Anyone who earned a university degree abroad and wants it recognized in Costa Rica must process it through the Office of Recognition and Equivalency (ORE) of the Consejo Nacional de Rectores (CONARE) — this system has been in place since 1986.

What the ORE does: together with the Commission for Recognition and Equivalency of Degrees and Titles, it is the body responsible for recognizing and equating degrees earned at universities outside Costa Rica with the Costa Rican higher education system.

Responsibility of the applicant:

• Gather and submit all required documentation to start the process.
• If official documents are in a language other than Spanish, they must be officially translated, and the translation must be certified by the Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores y Culto de Costa Rica.

Fees (based on migration status):

• Costa Rican citizens, or foreign nationals with permanent residence, refugees, or asylum seekers: ₡104,000.
• Foreign nationals (other migration conditions): ₡208,000.
• Each member institution of CONARE may have a different fee — confirm the exact amount according to the university where you are applying.

Special cases: professions in the health or legal fields have specific additional requirements, which are indicated by the institution responsible for the validation in each case (for example, the relevant professional associations).

Where to start the process: the ORE online system is available at ore.conare.ac.cr, with general instructions for the process.

Note: the complete and exact list of required documents (usually includes the original apostilled degree, study program, grade certification, among others) and the typical processing time were not confirmed in this verification — confirm directly at ore.conare.ac.cr before starting the process.