Universidad Metropolitana Castro Carazo

What Universidad Metropolitana Castro Carazo does

Universidad Metropolitana Castro Carazo (operating as Universidad Castro Carazo, DBA UMCA) is a private Costa Rican higher education institution founded in 1936 by Professor Miguel Ángel Castro Carazo as the Escuela Comercial Castro Carazo. It achieved full university status through CONESUP Agreement No. 305-96 on July 29, 1996, and currently operates six campuses across Costa Rica, with its central headquarters in San José and regional locations in San Ramón/Occidente, Paso Canoas, Pérez Zeledón, Puntarenas, and Puriscal. The institution's academic portfolio spans bachelor's degrees, licenciaturas, master's programs (Business Administration, Educational Administration), and over 20 technical certificates including tracks in AWS Cloud Computing, Cybersecurity 2.0, Semiconductors, Python Application Development, and Data Analysis.

The university's underlying technology infrastructure comprises the AVATAR student information system for enrollment and academic records management, the e-CC+ virtual learning environment (LMS) for online course delivery, the Repositorio Institucional digital repository, the SIABUC9 library catalog system, and a mobile enrollment application available on Google Play, Apple App Store, and Huawei AppGallery. Microsoft Office 365 is provisioned to students and staff via Azure AD integration, and the institution distinguishes itself through an Ecoformación educational model anchored by the 1,518-hectare La Marta Wildlife Refuge — Costa Rica's first private national wildlife refuge, established in 1991 through a Conservation International donation and situated within a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.

Revenue is generated primarily through semester-based tuition (matrícula and colegiatura) with rates varying by subsidy status and program level, plus customized corporate group training programs (minimum 15 students, 35 courses across 12 four-month periods) and technical certificate programs. The go-to-market model combines direct-to-consumer enrollment via online portal and in-person campus channels with B2B partnerships through employee solidarity associations at major Costa Rican employers (BAC, Banco Nacional, CCSS, Coca-Cola, Boston Scientific). Primary customer segments include working adults seeking flexible higher education, traditional undergraduates, graduate professionals pursuing master's degrees, and enterprise groups. Zero-interest installment financing is offered through partnerships with BAC, BCR, BNCR, Banco Popular, Banco Lafise, Banco Promerica, and CONAPE educational loans.

Name

Universidad Metropolitana Castro Carazo

Legal name

Universidad Castro Carazo

Website

https://castrocarazo.ac.cr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1936

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Universidad Castro Carazo is a private Costa Rican university founded in 1936, operating six regional campuses and offering bachelor's, graduate, and technical programs primarily to working adults and corporate employee groups through in-person and virtual learning modalities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Cooperative Education (Co-op) Technical Universities (EDAHAEAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Technical Community Colleges (Applied/CTE-Focused) (EDAHADAD)

Keywords

• Higher education
• Undergraduate degrees
• Graduate programs
• Technical certifications
• Corporate training

Headquarters

HQ city

San José

HQ country

Costa Rica

HQ region

Latin America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Registration Fees: Semester-based tuition (matrícula and colegiatura) charged per course load, with rates varying by subsidy status and program level. Fee schedule published annually for 2026.
2. Technical Programs: Short-term technical certificate programs generating revenue from specialized workforce training courses
3. Graduate Programs: Master's degree programs with higher tuition rates than undergraduate programs
4. Corporate Group Training: Customized enterprise training programs for business groups with minimum 15 students, offering exclusive pricing and payment plans

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Universidad Castro Carazo is a private Costa Rican university offering undergraduate bachillerato and licenciatura degrees, master's programs, and technical certification courses across six regional campuses. The institution serves primarily working adult learners through flexible scheduling, online enrollment via the AVATAR system, and virtual coursework through the e-CC+ learning environment. The university also provides customized corporate training programs for enterprise groups with minimum 15 students.

Product overview

Universidad Castro Carazo operates as a comprehensive higher education institution offering a multi-level academic portfolio. The university's core technology products include AVATAR (student information system), e-CC+ (virtual learning environment/LMS), and the Repositorio Institucional (digital repository). Supporting infrastructure includes a mobile enrollment app, library catalog (SIABUC9), and Microsoft Office 365 integration. The academic offerings span 10 bachelor's degrees, 8 undergraduate degrees, 2 master's programs, and 20+ technical programs including technology-focused tracks in Cybersecurity, Cloud Computing (AWS), Semiconductors, Data Analysis, and Python programming. The institution also provides student services through digital help desks, welfare programs, and maintains La Marta wildlife refuge as an ecoformative learning laboratory. With 6 regional campuses across Costa Rica, the university serves primarily working adult populations through flexible learning modalities combining in-person and virtual instruction.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• La Marta Wildlife Refuge: Private wildlife refuge of over 1518 hectares of forest, established in 1991 through Conservation International donation. Part of the Amistad Biosphere Reserve and serves as a living laboratory for environmental education.

Products and services

• Bachillerato Degree Programs Undergraduate bachelor's degree programs in fields including Customs Administration (Administración de Aduanas) and Business Administration (Administración de Negocios) with emphases in Banking and Finance, Marketing and Sales, International Business, and Human Resources. Designed for recent high school graduates and working adults seeking professional degrees.
• Licenciatura Degree Programs Graduate-level undergraduate degree programs (Licenciatura) in Customs Administration, Business Administration and Management, Computer Science with emphasis in Software Application Development, Education Sciences with Teaching emphasis, Public Accounting, Law, Human Resources Management, and Strategic Information and Communication Technologies. Designed for students who have completed a Bachillerato and wish to earn a full undergraduate degree.
• Master's Degree Programs Master's degree programs including Maestría en Administración de Negocios (MBA) and Maestría en Administración Educativa (Educational Administration). Designed for professionals seeking advanced credentials, leadership development, and specialized knowledge for career advancement.
• Technical Certification Programs Short-term technical certificate programs in high-demand fields including Cybersecurity (Técnico en Ciberseguridad 2.0), Cloud Computing with AWS (Técnico en Computación en la Nube AWS), Semiconductor technology (Técnico en Semiconductores), Cisco CCNA Networking v7.0, Python programming applications (Técnico de Aplicaciones en Python), Data Analysis (Técnico en Análisis de Datos), and Executive Tax Management (Programa Ejecutivo de Gestión Tributaria). Designed for workforce training and professional certification.
• Corporate Group Training Programs Customized enterprise training programs for business groups with minimum 15 students, offering exclusive pricing, fixed tuition rates, first course convalidation free, and 35 courses over 12 four-month periods. Designed for HR departments and corporate benefits administrators seeking employee education and professional development programs. Clients include BAC San José, Banco Nacional, CCSS, Coca-Cola, and Boston Scientific.
• English Language Courses Free-form English language courses offered as part of the academic catalog for students seeking language proficiency.
• Open High School Program (Educación Media Abierta) Special programs for high school completion (Bachillerato por Madurez y Tercer Ciclo) for adult learners seeking to complete secondary education credentials.

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration13 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Northern Arizona UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Collaborative declaration of interest signed between Universidad Castro Carazo and Northern Arizona University to establish international academic cooperation and exchange opportunities for students and faculty.
• Conservation InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1991Donation from Conservation International in 1991 established La Marta as Costa Rica's first private national wildlife refuge, spanning 1,518 hectares and serving as environmental education center.
• Colegio de Contadores Públicos de Costa RicacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional association partnership providing continuing education, seminars ('Gotas de Actualización' weekly publication), and professional development for accounting graduates.
• BAC San José / CredomaticmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFinancial institution partnership through ASEBACOM solidarity association offering preferential tuition rates and 0% interest financing for employees pursuing education.
• Banco Nacional de Costa RicamajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNational bank partnership through COOPEBANACIO and HR department programs providing employee education benefits and financing options.
• Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (CCSS)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGovernment health institution partnership through multiple solidarity associations (ASECCSS, ASODEPO, ASOPROCA, COOPECAJA) providing employee education benefits.
• Fundación CarolinaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSpanish foundation promoting Ibero-American knowledge space and Agenda 2030 implementation, offering scholarship opportunities for students.
• Longo MeiminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint specialized program in teaching for professional development and certification.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Universidad Nacional (UNA): Costa Rica's other major public university with broad program coverage including business, education, and technical fields — overlapping with UCC's portfolio segments.
• Universidad de Costa Rica (UCR): Costa Rica's flagship public university with comprehensive program coverage. While a public institution, it competes indirectly for adult learners and sets price discipline in the market.
• Tecnológico de Costa Rica (TEC): Costa Rica's public technical university with strong engineering/computing programs. Overlaps with UCC's technical certificate portfolio (cybersecurity, cloud, data) and competes for the same technical-talent pool.

Regional players

• Universidad del Valle de Guatemala (UVG): Leading Guatemalan private university with strong business, engineering, and social-science programs. Comparable as a high-quality Central American private university serving similar adult-learner segments.
• Universidad Centroamericana (UCA): Jesuit private university in Nicaragua with a comparable comprehensive program model, multi-campus presence, and similar adult-learner orientation — comparable as a regional Central American private-university peer.
• Universidad Iberoamericana (UNIBE): Private Dominican university with comprehensive programs and a working-adult orientation similar to UCC, providing a Caribbean/Latin American private-university comparable.

Direct peers

• INCAE Business School: Top-tier Central American business school offering MBA and executive programs; directly competes with UCC's master's and corporate training portfolio for high-end adult learners in the region.
• Universidad Latina de Costa Rica: One of Costa Rica's largest private universities offering a comparable portfolio of bachelor's, licenciaturas, and continuing-education programs aimed at adult learners across multiple campuses.
• UNED (Universidad Estatal a Distancia): Costa Rica's main public distance-learning university — the closest substitute for UCC's adult/working-student segment given its emphasis on flexible scheduling and geographic reach.
• ULACIT (Universidad Latinoamericana de Ciencia y Tecnología): Major private Costa Rican university serving similar working-adult populations with multi-campus presence and technical/business programs. Competes head-to-head for the same undergraduate and corporate training market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/UniversidadCastroCarazo
• Facebookfacebook.com/UniversidadCastroCarazo
• Instagraminstagram.com/ucastrocarazo
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/universidad-castro-carazo

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Universidad Metropolitana Castro Carazo