# University of Costa Rica

> public university in Costa Rica

**Wikidata**: [Q1305486](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1305486)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Costa_Rica)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/university-of-costa-rica

## Summary
The University of Costa Rica (UCR) is a public university and open-access publisher founded in 1940, located in Montes de Oca Canton, Costa Rica. It is the country's flagship higher education institution, offering bachelor's degrees, master's degrees, and doctorates across fields including biology, chemistry, international trade, and public administration. As of 2018, the university enrolled approximately 30,436 students.

## Key Facts
- **Founded:** 1940
- **Location:** Montes de Oca Canton, Costa Rica (coordinates: 9.9358°N, 84.0506°W)
- **Elevation:** 271 meters above sea level
- **Student Enrollment:** 30,436 (2018); 32,969 (general figure)
- **QS World University Rankings:** Ranked 544th (2024) and 497th (2025)
- **Degrees Granted:** Bachelor's degrees (including international trade, biology), Master of Science (biology, chemistry), Bachelor of Public Administration, and doctorates
- **Short Name:** UCR
- **Website:** https://www.ucr.ac.cr/
- **Official Social Media:** Twitter @UniversidadCR; Instagram @universidaddecostarica

## FAQs

### Q: What type of institution is the University of Costa Rica?
The University of Costa Rica is a public university and open-access publisher. It serves as an academic institution for further education and is a member of the International Association of Universities.

### Q: Where is the University of Costa Rica located?
The university is located in Montes de Oca Canton, Costa Rica, at an elevation of 271 meters above sea level. Its geographic coordinates are 9.9358°N latitude and 84.0506°W longitude.

### Q: How does the University of Costa Rica rank globally?
According to QS World University Rankings, the University of Costa Rica was ranked 544th in 2024 and improved to 497th in 2025.

## Why It Matters
The University of Costa Rica holds a central position in Costa Rican higher education as the nation's principal public university. Its membership in prominent academic organizations—including the Consejo Nacional de Rectores, Consejo Superior Universitario Centroamericano, and International Association of Universities—demonstrates its leadership role both nationally and within Central America. The institution serves tens of thousands of students and operates as an open-access publisher, contributing to the broader dissemination of academic research. Its Vice-Rector for Research and facilities such as the Herbario Luis A. Fournier and Escuela de Biología highlight its commitment to scientific advancement. The university's improving trajectory in global rankings (from 544th to 497th in QS rankings within one year) reflects its ongoing academic relevance and institutional development.

## Notable For
- **Flagship Public University:** The premier public higher education institution in Costa Rica, founded in 1940
- **Regional Leadership:** Member of the Consejo Superior Universitario Centroamericano and Sistema Editorial Universitario Centroamericano, coordinating with universities across Central America
- **Research Infrastructure:** Houses specialized facilities including the Herbario Luis A. Fournier and Escuela de Biología
- **Global Recognition:** Ranked among the top 500 universities worldwide by QS World University Rankings (2025)
- **Open-Access Publishing:** Functions as an open-access publisher, advancing the accessibility of academic knowledge

## Body

### Institutional Overview
The University of Costa Rica (UCR), natively labeled "Universidad de Costa Rica," is a public university established in 1940. It operates as both an academic institution for further education and an open-access publisher. The university's main campus is situated in Montes de Oca Canton, Costa Rica.

### Academic Programs
The university grants multiple degree types:
- **Bachelor's Degrees:** Including programs in international trade and biology
- **Master of Science:** With specializations in biology and chemistry
- **Bachelor of Public Administration**
- **Doctorate Programs**

### Organizational Structure
The university comprises several component parts and subsidiaries, including:
- Vice-Rector for Research
- Herbario Luis A. Fournier
- Escuela de Biología (School of Biology)

### Memberships and Affiliations
UCR maintains memberships in numerous academic organizations:
- Consejo Nacional de Rectores (as of 2023)
- Open Education Global
- Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment
- Sistema Editorial Universitario Centroamericano
- Consejo Superior Universitario Centroamericano
- International Association of Universities

### Student Population
The university serves a substantial student body, with recorded enrollment figures of 30,436 students in 2018 and 32,969 in general counts.

### Global Rankings
UCR's performance in the QS World University Rankings:
- **2024:** Ranked 544th
- **2025:** Ranked 497th

### Digital Presence and Identifiers
The university maintains an active digital footprint:
- **Official Website:** https://www.ucr.ac.cr/
- **Twitter:** @UniversidadCR (account created February 5, 2016)
- **Instagram:** @universidaddecostarica
- **Social Media Followers:** 20,576 (as of February 2023)

The institution is indexed under numerous international identifier systems, including:
- ROR ID: 02yzgww51
- GRID ID: grid.412889.e
- ISNI: 0000000419370706
- GND ID: 1010557-8
- VIAF ID: 124031228
- Library of Congress Authority ID: n79074287

## References

1. Directory of Open Access Journals
2. GRID Release 2017-01-10
3. Virtual International Authority File
4. CiNii Research
5. BnF authorities
6. [Source](https://www.conare.ac.cr/conare/universidades-signatarias/)
7. [Source](https://web.archive.org/web/20230322221352/https://www.oeglobal.org/about-us/members-list/)
8. [Source](https://web.archive.org/web/20231109092552/https://coara.eu/coalition/membership/)
9. [Source](https://web.archive.org/web/20240302192214/https://seduca.csuca.org/index.php/miembros)
10. [Source](https://csuca.org/es/universidades-miembros/)
11. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
12. [Source](http://www.sherpa.ac.uk/romeo/pub/2841/)
13. [Source](https://www.qschina.cn/en/university-rankings/world-university-rankings/2024)
14. [Source](https://www.qschina.cn/en/universities/universidad-de-costa-rica)
15. [Source](http://www.ucr.ac.cr/)
16. [Source](http://km.aifb.kit.edu/services/crunchbase/)
17. [Source](https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/university-costa-rica)
18. GRID Release 2015-12-14
19. GRID Release 2016-12-06
20. Aligned ISNI and Ringgold identifiers for institutions
21. Microsoft Academic Knowledge Graph
22. HAL
23. National Library of Israel Names and Subjects Authority File