2026 SLP Study Abroad – Costa Rica!

​July 19th-24th – 20 CEU Hours

This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience earning ASHA CEUs and learning how to serve diverse populations.

Registration Now Open!

Trip size is limited due to the unique places, accommodations, and special cultural events.

Watch a Replay of our Info Session

Join us for a week of fun, learning, and culture as we spend our next study abroad trip in Costa Rica! Each day we will spend half our day learning the newest and most innovative approaches to evaluating and treating children from any culture or language background. Then we will venture out into the beautiful countryside learning about the educational system, the influence of the economy and ecotourism on language acquisition, food, history, culture, and diversity.

Why Costa Rica?

Our goal is that you return to your work re-energized to serve your incredible caseload with fresh tools to understand cultural & linguistic diversity—so you can confidently dismiss more kids who don’t truly have a disorder.

  • Costa Rica is known for its rich Indigenous and Afro-Caribbean heritage alongside Spanish influence. Deepening our understanding of these experiences helps us better connect with the multilingual families we serve.

  • Costa Rica is famous for its pura vida spirit—you’ll experience it through the warmth of its people, colorful festivals, and traditional foods.

  • Rainforests, volcanoes, and beaches—this is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to blend professional learning with the natural beauty of Costa Rica.

  • It’s a perfect jumping-off point for more adventure—add extra days to visit Panama, Nicaragua, or explore more of Costa Rica’s breathtaking national parks.

Here’s a glimpse of what our 5-day journey together will look like:

We spend our mornings learning together and our afternoons engaged in the community.

Sunday, July 19th

Arrival and Group Dinner with Local Lecturer

Sunday arrivals mean the ease of weekend travel and the ability to get settled in before we kick things off on Monday. Fly into San Jose, Costa Rica (airport code SJO) and get the airport transfer to Croc’s Resort in Jaco. It takes an hour and a half to get there.

Costa Rica Day 1 Arrival
Costa Rica day 2 health

Monday, July 20th

Evaluating Students who Speak a Language You Don’t, Working with Interpreters, Join Costa Rican Professionals to Learn about Local Approaches in Healthcare.

We begin the conference by walking you through the steps to evaluating students who speak a language you don’t and then diving into working with interpreters. These video-rich presentations will boost your confidence in evaluating multilingual children.

After lunch we’ll engage in a thoughtfully designed four-hour program that brings Costa Rica’s healthcare system to life through the lens of rehabilitation and speech-language pathology.

Tuesday, July 21st

Difference or Disorder – Speech, Difference or Disorder Language, Tarcoles River Boat Safari

One of the trickiest parts of evaluating bilingual students is understanding which of their speech and language patterns are typical for bilinguals and which patterns are indicative of a disorder. These courses will help you master this element of multilingual evaluations!

After the workshop, we’ll head out for a boat safari on the Tarcoles River, home to one of the world’s largest crocodile populations. Along the way, local guides will share insights into Costa Rica’s incredible biodiversity, from scarlet macaws to iguanas, as we float toward the Pacific and back.

Costa rica day 4
Costa Rica Day 3 Crocodile

Wednesday, July 22nd

Dynamic Assessment and Literacy-Based Intervention and a Free Afternoon to Play!

 

We’ll show you how to implement practical dynamic assessment approaches within your evaluations so you can be fully confident in your outcomes. Then we bust out the books and shift to literacy-based intervention .

So much to see and do that we couldn’t fit it all into our itinerary. We added a free afternoon for you to design your own Costa Rican adventure. Options include surf lessons on Jaco Beach, a hike to 10 waterfalls, horseback riding, a Costa Rican food tour, a canopy zipline tour, exploring boutique shops and cafés in town, or simply unwinding with toes in the sand. Families and guests are encouraged to join in—there’s something for everyone.



Thursday, July 23rd

Curriculum-Based Intervention and Parent Involvement followed by Dinner on the Beach

In our final day of content, the cultural and linguistic diversity picture is made complete as we tackle curriculum-based intervention and how to engage families in the intervention process. We share intervention strategies that not only work with children from all backgrounds but accelerate growth in the classroom.

Alas, all good things come to an end! We will spend our last evening together celebrating new friendships and new knowledge with an oceanside dinner on the beach with a good dose of food, libations, music, and culture.

Costa Rica Day 5
Costa Rica Day 6 Departure

Friday, July 24th

Departure: Head Home or Plan Another Adventure

We know from our last few trips that the only way to make it better is to not let it end! Tack on a few days to see more of beautiful Costa Rica or neighboring countries.

How Are You Earning Your CEUs?

There has never been an opportunity like this for SLPs

​The Speech Pathology Study Abroad Program offers SLPs an opportunity to travel to beautiful countries like Belize, Thailand, and the Dominican Republic and explore new places, cuisines, cultures, religions, ways of living, and approaches to supporting individuals with disabilities.

Our weeklong study abroad programs offer 20-30 hours of continuing education and address all of the competencies in cultural and linguistic diversity outlined by the American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA), and many more competencies that will advance your cultural competence and cultural humility.

Immersion in Cultural & Linguistic Diversity

Speech-language pathologists need 30 CE hours across three years. And yes, there are other speech and language therapy conferences to choose from. But, how much are you looking forward to going to those? How life-changing will the experience be?

Wouldn’t you rather earn up to 20 hours of CE in a single week? Wouldn’t you rather be in another country to do it?

Bilinguistics has been traveling internationally to present and work for two decades. SLPs routinely share that they would LOVE to study abroad for speech pathology so we were excited when we met Therapy Abroad because they have been putting together speech pathology study abroad programs for undergraduate students for years. Bilinguistics and Therapy Abroad teamed up to bring you amazing adventures too.

Speech Therapy Study Abroad Program attendees will receive a Certificate in Cultural and Linguistic Diversity showing completion of courses with all the information you need to confidently diagnose and treat diverse populations. Plus, you’ll earn all or most of the ASHA CEUs you need for your 3-year earning period.

Here is an example from a prior weeklong program:

July 20th Black Orchid Planning

Arrival, Meet-and-Greet Dinner, and Lecture

Belize is so close! 1-2 flights south and you are in an English-speaking country in Central America. We waited for everyone to arrive and took shuttles inland to the town of San Ignacio.

So nice to meet everyone in person, eat dinner and talk about the week. Dinner was capped off with a local lecturer on Belizean dialects and culture.

July 22nd Day 1

Temple, Market, and Lectures on Diversity and Articulation

What better place to learn about how speech sounds develop in a bilingual household than in a country where most children speak more than one language. Belizeans go to school in English and typically speak Spanish, Mayan languages, or dialects at home.

July 23rd Day 2

The Mayan Women’s Collective and a Focus on Language

When we think about the languages of a bilingual child, it’s important to understand the influences of the home language on English, yet honoring and supporting its existence. 

Today we focused exclusively on bilingual language development and went on a field trip to see the preservation and growth of language and culture firsthand. 

July 24th Day 3

Iguana Sanctuary & Literacy-Based Intervention

Day 3 is about fun! Nothing better than feeding and holding enormous lizards and learning about the most entertaining therapy on the planet – storybook intervention.

July 25th Day 4

Meeting with Local Professionals and a Focus on Intervention

Time for a day trip to the capital to meet with teachers and educators who work with children with impairments.

This event was so eye opening and so interesting to see how our same role manifests itself in a different country.

July 26th Day 5

Garifuna Experience with Music and Dance

All good things come to an end, but that doesn’t mean it has to be sad. We spent our last day together with song and dance!

The Garifuna culture is beautiful. Their stories, clothing, music, language, and song painted a beautiful picture of the vibrancy that a culture can add to a community. We finished with a dinner and a bit of music of our own.

July 27th Heading to Caye Caulker

Optional Bonus Trip

After the event, we often offer an optional add-on trip to explore more of the country and culture. In Belize we headed out to a island for a weekend of relaxation and snorkeling.

Testimonial

What did this SLP attendee have to say about the trip?

Orquidea Tavarez M.S., CCC-SLP

“This experience had such a profound impact on me personally and also professionally. The trip has really equipped me with new strategies and new perspectives that I did not have before, and resources that I can apply directly to my practice.”

WHY THIS TRIP MATTERS NOW MORE THAN EVER

3 global trends are making all western countries become diverse faster than any time in history.

Environmental Disasters

Events like hurricanes and floods cause huge populations to relocate almost overnight. As families seek stability and education, your community can spontaneously change. 

Political Upheaval

Just a few short years ago, it was rare for SLPs to encounter languages like Khmer and Igbo. With political upheaval all over the globe, the variety of less common languages on our caseload is astounding

Economic Opportunity

One decision by a chamber of commerce or city council can cause the need for an entirely new labor force in your area. That means an expansion of healthcare and education to support our new neighbors. 

Where does this leave us? In the perfect position to help!

At Bilinguistics, we love our jobs and some of our best days are meeting families from around the world and learning about their languages and traditions. But, we have been focused on working with diverse populations for 20 years and are comfortable and proficient at it.

We refer, test, treat, and dismiss students from diverse backgrounds confidently. And now, you can too. We will spend the first half of every day during each speech pathology study abroad program teaching you how to get there. Then, we’ll put our lessons into practice in the community in the afternoons.

Here’s is what we will focus on during each speech pathology study abroad program:

  • Identify the difference between disorder and native language influence
  • Effectively evaluate students from diverse language backgrounds
  • Improve your students’ success in therapy
  • Successfully treat all types of speech sound disorders
  • Reduce therapy planning with literacy-based intervention
  • Increase student interest with culturally-rich therapy
  • Improve your professional interactions with parents and teachers

When added to the cultural activities in the afternoon, you will walk away with 20-30 hours of ASHA CEUs and won’t have to sit on another Zoom workshop for 3 years!

What Are Previous Attendees Saying?

I have been traveling to speech and language conferences for over 20 years, from the big ASHA conference to small local conferences. I have traveled abroad for some too. None of them compare to this experience from a holistic perspective. This was the best gathering of speech-therapists, it was almost as if the group was handpicked and put together. Everyone loved being around another, even though most of us were meeting for the first time. Unlike the conferences in the states, I never ate alone a single time!!! People would just invite themselves to the table if you were there, and it would always grow. Priceless. The country was beautiful. The citizens were precious. Our staff from top to bottom–even the drivers—were outstanding.”

SLP of 20+ years

2022 Attendee

“Often times being a school-based SLP can feel isolating. You’re not a teacher but you’re helping with students and a lot of times you’re overlooked and no one really understands what you do. And when it comes to treating in areas with diversity it’s just lacking. I am thrilled to take this new information into my new job and create an environment of cultural competence and diversity from the start. It was a deeeeep breath of fresh air to be in a room with people with a common goal and similar passions. And getting to learn about another culture in the process was the cherry on top. I have already texted other therapy friends (I was nice enough to include OT/PT) and told them to look into Therapy Abroad for future trips! I’m already ready for the next one!”

School-based SLP

2022 Attendee

Summer Speech and Language Therapy Conference FAQ

We do not know of any other speech pathology summer study abroad programs like this one so we are sure you have tons of questions. Thankfully, we have tons of answers! Bilinguistics is teaming up with Therapy Abroad to host this event. Bilinguistics has 20+ years of experience delivering highly impactful, culturally appropriate continuing education. If you have any question about the content, contact Bilinguistics.

Therapy Abroad has made its name creating speech language pathology internships abroad for students and their mentors. We built an extensive FAQ including information on health, safety, cost, and travel at TherapyAbroad.org. Start there and then reach out to them if you have any logistics related questions.

Which country is best for speech pathology internships and study abroad?

The best countries for speech language pathology experiences are safe, fun, and provide real-world interactions with the cultures, people, and languages that we encounter on our caseloads. We have developed partnerships with the governments and university systems in Belize, Thailand, Dominican Republic, Mexico (Oaxaca), and even Iceland and Bulgaria!

When are the SLP Study Abroad trips held?

We set one speech pathology conference in the summer so that school and clinic SLPs can take advantage of their summer schedule and vacation. Plus! very few speech language pathology conferences are attended by professionals from around the world. We wanted this event to be international in the sense that we go to another country but also international by having SLPs from all over the world attend.

Is there a refund policy and what about COVID?

Therapy Abroad has already traveled with students during the pandemic without incident. They choose countries that have been hyper-vigilant about health and safety because of their dependence on tourism. We are confident this speech pathology study abroad program will be successful based on each trip we have hosted so far.  If it is cancelled, you are guaranteed a full refund.

Who Can Earn CEUs?

We’ve had people reach out to clarify whether they can earn CEUs if they are in between these stages (e.g. out of graduate school but not yet started in a clinical fellowship). We consulted with ASHA on this and they shared that in order to get CEUs that go into the ASHA CE registry, you either have to be a graduate student, a Clinical Fellow, or a fully licensed SLP. If you do not meet one of those criteria, you can get a certificate showing that you completed the hours to share with your employer, however, the hours will not go toward your 3-year ASHA certification interval (the three-year period in which you need to earn 30 hours of credit). For those of you who are in a CF, your CE Interval will not start until you are fully licensed.

All that said, we encourage you to come even if you aren’t putting hours on your registry. You’ll have fun, learn a lot, and get an experience of a lifetime!

Can friends and family come along?

What has been one of the most common questions about the trip? Can I bring someone? The answer is yes. Not only that, but we are also putting together some plans for them while you attend the workshop (in case the amazing hotels and nearby attractions aren’t enough!).

And remember those grad school friends you never see enough of? Have them come too!

Is it safe to travel and study abroad?

Therapy Abroad takes groups of speech pathology students abroad over 25 times each year. They have a relationship, knowledge, and familiarity with the countries that we choose.

Safety is a systematic and comprehensive process and we understand that safety concerns are a part of planning for any overseas travel. We have organized this program from beginning to end so that we can account for all of the details. Our goal is to provide you with a smooth and worry-free educational travel experience and superior professional development.

Program Pricing and What's Included

What is included in the SLP Study Abroad Program?

  • Pre-Departure Support
  • 24/7 In-Country Support  
  • Boutique 3 Star Accommodation (2 Bed Shared)  
  • Most Meals  
  • All Domestic Transport  
  • Private Guides  
  • All Coursework  
  • Professional Facilitators  
  • All Scheduled Activities  
  • 30 Hours of ASHA CEUs  
  • Certificate in Cultural & Linguistic Diversity

What is not included?

  • International Flights. Example: approx. $450-600 to Belize (Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport)
  • Travel Insurance  
  • Optional Private Single Room 
  • Friends and Family Reduced Rate (tell us about who you would like to bring to get a quote). Age-related expenses vary depending on the trip.

Is there a refund policy?

All of our programs are covered by Therapy Abroad’s 100% Tuition Refund Policy. If any program is canceled by Therapy Abroad due to SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19), we will refund you all of your tuition (including deposit).  

How much does the program cost and how did you arrive at this price?

Register for the program with a refundable $500 deposit which holds your spot. Full payment will be due 60 days prior to the trip.

Using prior years as an example, trips cost around $2500. This price is subject to change.

Based on recent attendance to the 4-day national convention, SLPs report spending $2500-$3500 for flights, entrance, hotel, and food, earning 8-12 CEU hours. We have been able to keep prices about the same, include incredible experiences, and award 30 CEU hours.

Intermediate Level:  2.0 ASHA CEUs
DISCLOSURE OF FINANCIAL RELATIONSHIPS: Ellen Kester, Ph.D., CCC-SLP. Dr. Ellen Kester is the owner of Bilinguistics and receives a salary. Bilinguistics receives royalty payments for online courses. DISCLOSURE OF NONFINANCIAL RELATIONSHIPS : Ellen Kester does not have any non-financial relationships to disclose related to the speech pathology summer study abroad programs.

DISCLOSURE OF FINANCIAL RELATIONSHIPS: Scott Prath, M.A., CCC-SLP is a salaried employee of Bilinguistics. Bilinguistics receives royalty payments for online courses.

DISCLOSURE OF NONFINANCIAL RELATIONSHIPS: Scott Prath does not have any non-financial relationships to disclose related to the speech pathology summer study abroad programs.

how many CEUs for slp asha

It's Time to Travel!

Give yourself a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Give your community and team the expert information they need to serve all clients well.

 

Questions? Contact us: 512.480.9573 admin@bilinguistics.com