Dates & Travel

Travel Dates

We will arrange for a few different pick-up times at a meeting point in the La Aurora International Airport in Guatemala City.  These times will be based on the arrival times of all group members.  Therefore, you may have to wait for a couple of hours in the airport to coordinate with our pick-up times. Please try to arrive by 4:00pm if at all possible.

If you wish, you can choose to book your flight with our travel agent, Northstar Travel Company.

Fall 2025:

• Arrive in Guatemala City on Monday, August 18

• Depart San Jose, Costa Rica, on Saturday, December 13

• Fall Break 2025: October 18-October 25

• Regional dates:

  • Guatemala: August 18 - October 11

  • Costa Rica: October 11 - Dec 13 

Spring 2026: 

• Arrive in Guatemala City on Sunday, January 18

• Depart San Jose, Costa Rica, on Saturday, May 16

• Spring Break 2026: March 28 - April 4

• Regional dates:

  • Guatemala: January 18 - March 14

  • Costa Rica March 14 - May 16

If you need to arrive before the designated travel date, be sure to contact the CGEE Staff as soon as possible to let them know of your plans.

CGEE will provide travel between countries during the program.

General Recommendations

• Arrival (start of program): You should plan to fly into La Aurora International Airport (GUA) in Guatemala City (arrive by no later than 6pm)

• Departure (end of program): You should depart from Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) in San Jose, Costa Rica (depart no later than 6pm)

• If you choose to arrive prior to the designated travel date, you will be responsible for your own ground transportation, lodging and food.

• The advantage to a travel agency is the support they provide should there be any travel disruptions. 

• Tuesdays seem to have the best published fares.

• You will receive a list of the other students on the program. If there are any in your area, you may want to coordinate travel so you will have a traveling companion.

• Once you have made your travel plans, please fill out the Flight Information questionnaire in your Global Gateway account. 

Passports

Be sure to obtain a passport if you do not have one. If you have one, be sure that it is valid for at least six months past your departure from the program.

To obtain a new U.S. passport, you will need to submit materials at an in-person appointment:

• Follow the Steps to Apply for a Passport In Person on the U.S. Department of State Website.

• Along with submitting materials, you will also need to pay for the passport fee. To see the most up-to-date costs please visit: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/how-apply/fees.html 

To renew your passport, you can renew by mail:

• Follow the steps to Renew (Your Passport) by Mail on the U.S. Department of State Website.

• Along with submitting materials, you will also need to pay for the passport fee. To see the most up-to-date costs please visit: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/how-apply/fees.html 

For complete information and application forms, see https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports.html    

Once you receive your passport, make a copy of the photo page to carry with you (in a separate place from your passport) when you travel. You will also need to upload a copy to your Global Gateway account (Passport Information questionnaire).

As a further safeguard, we require that you also bring a certified copy of your birth certificate (see above where this is described) in case you need to reapply for a lost passport during the semester. 

If you are under the age of 18 or are not a U.S. citizen, please contact our Minneapolis office, as there are special documentation procedures you will need to follow.

Tourist Cards/Visas

Guatemala

Entry requires only a valid passport. If Immigration officials may ask how long you plan to remain in-country give the departure date (see tentative calendar). 

Costa Rica

Requires a valid passport. You must also have proof of onward travel to another country, and capacity of at least $100 per month while you are in the country; CGEE will assist you with this documentation before the group travels to Costa Rica. 

Family and friends are more than welcome to come and visit.  The best times are during fall/spring break or after the program ends due to the large number of speakers and excursions and the overall intensity of the academic program.

Some previous students have commented that they found visits by friends and family during regular program time to be extremely stressful.  Absences due to travel with family and friends do not count as excused absences. However, family and friends are often able to attend classes, listen to guest lectures, and participate in excursions with you. They are encouraged to meet up with you and travel when the semester ends. 

A Note to Parents and Legal Guardians:  We very much enjoy meeting you and would love to have you visit. It is important for you to know that sometimes parents’ visits during periods while students have classes puts extra pressure on them, as they feel that they must entertain you in addition to trying to complete their coursework and participate in a very busy schedule. Therefore, you may find that it works best to arrive after the program ends.  We highly discourage you from taking your children to the beach or traveling elsewhere with them at times when they would have to miss classes and other program activities. However, if you arrive prior to a long weekend or at another time during the semester, you are more than welcome to attend speakers and excursions with the group.

Long Weekends and Scheduled Breaks

There is a variety of travel options available, including further exploration of Costa Rica, such as its beaches, volcanoes, cloud forest, and national parks.  When traveling overland on a careful budget, $30 U.S. per day is sufficient. You may want to allow an extra $100 for souvenir purchases, in addition to the $300 for medical emergencies.

Fall/Spring Break

Students are free to travel on Fall/Spring Break. Please see General Travel Guidelines/Dates for more information.

Travel Advisories

Some of you may have relatives in one or more of the countries we travel to and want to visit them while you are in the region. Please be aware that some areas in Guatemala and Costa Rica may have a Level 4 (Do not travel) U.S. State Department travel alert due to violence and/or crime. CGEE does not allow students to travel to areas with a Level 4 alert status, even with a waiver. We understand that this might be disappointing, but we suggest that you consider alternatives, such as having your relatives visit you.

The same applies to fall/spring break and travel on long weekends. You may not travel to Level 4 areas.

More information about U.S. State Department travel alerts

Student Responsibilities Regarding Additional Travel

You must inform the a Program Coordinator of any personal travel plans and complete the Independent Travel Form during the semester and/or over regularly scheduled breaks. Students may not leave the program without informing a Program Director and providing the information requested in the Independent Travel Form (itinerary, including mode of transportation, travel companions, expected return date, phone where he/she can be reached etc.). It is not enough to simply tell another student in the group. In the case of a student who has left the program without informing staff adequately, parents will be notified.