National University of Costa Rica
Ranked
Sustainability Impact Rated
Heredia, Costa Rica
1501+ in World University Rankings 2026
About National University of Costa Rica
Basic information and contact details for National University of Costa Rica
Created in 1973 from the Normal School of Costa Rica and the Superior Normal School, The National University of Costa Rica brought together some of Latin America’s greatest minds to lay the foundation for an institution that serves the underprivileged in Costa Rica and offers access to a good education for everyone.
Located in the province of Heredia, the Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica (UNA), is one of five public universities in the Republic of Costa Rica, in Central America and is known for its strengths in the teaching of ecology, sociology and education.
It has five faculties: the faculty of philosophy, the faculty of exact and natural sciences, the faculty of health sciences, the faculty of social sciences and the faculty of land and sea. The Omar Dengo Campus, which is the nucleus of UNA, comprises the administration buildings and the majority of the colleges. Most other buildings are located on the Benjamín Núnez Campus, named for the founder of the National University and its first president.
It is home to the Volcanological and Seismological Observatory of Costa Rica (OVSICORI), which is dedicated to the research of volcanoes, earthquakes and other tectonic processes in Costa Rica, which is in the Central American Volcanic Arc. The geologists at OVSICORI particularly observe Poas Volcano, which is a 2,708-metre active volcano in central Costa Rica. It has erupted 39 times since 1828.
Heredia is only 11km from San Jose but is far from Costa Rica’s capital in terms of personality. The university adds a scholarly, bohemian air to the city (population: 123,000) and it is a good base from which to explore the Parque Nacional Braulio Carrillo.
Rankings
Select the type of rankings below to see stats
Impact Rankings
Select the type of ranking below to see stats
Discover similar universities
Find out more about studying, research and jobs at these universities
suggested
Key Student Statistics
- Student gender ratio
- 56 F : 44 M (1)
- International student percentage
- 3% (1)
- Students per staff
- 10.4 (1)
- Student total
- 19328 (1)
Based on data collected for the (1) World University Rankings 2026
Jobs you might be interested in
You may want to explore jobs from other universities which are relevant to you
See all
Subjects Taught at National University of Costa Rica
See below for a range of subjects taught at National University of Costa Rica
Arts and Humanities
- Art, Performing Art and Design
- History, Philosophy and Theology
- Languages, Literature and Linguistics
Business and Economics
- Accounting and Finance
- Business and Management
- Economics and Econometrics
Computer Science
- Computer Science
Education Studies
- Education
Engineering
- General Engineering
Life Sciences
- Agriculture and Forestry
- Biological Sciences
- Sport Science
Medical and Health
- Other Health
Physical Sciences
- Geology, Environmental, Earth and Marine Sciences
- Mathematics and Statistics
- Physics and Astronomy
Psychology
- Psychology
Social Sciences
- Geography
- Politics and International Studies
- Sociology