Universidad Bíblica Latinoamericana

What Universidad Bíblica Latinoamericana does

Universidad Bíblica Latinoamericana (UBL) is a private, non-profit theological university headquartered in Cedros de Montes de Oca, San José, Costa Rica, with a 100-year institutional history tracing to missionary Susana Strachan's 1922 founding and formal university status granted by CONESUP in 1997. It delivers accredited bachelor's, licentiate, and master's degree programs in biblical sciences, theological sciences, and socioreligious studies (gender and diversities), supplemented by open free courses, professional update certificates, and the non-university Pastoral Biblical Institute (IBP) channel. Programs are offered through both in-person instruction at the Costa Rica campus and a virtual learning platform (campus.ubl.ac.cr) that reaches students across more than 15 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean; the institution's student body represents 31 nations and 19 Christian denominations.

The underlying technology stack is modest: a Moodle-based campus portal serves as the primary online learning environment, paired with an academic registration system (registroacademico.ubl.ac.cr), an institutional website and blog, an online bookstore, and a digital research center hub. UBL also operates the Enrique Strachan Library, which holds over 30,000 books and 20,000+ journal volumes and is described as one of the largest theological libraries in the region.

UBL's revenue model blends tuition (course-by-course and per-trimester fees priced in Costa Rican colones for undergraduates and US dollars for postgraduates), charitable donations and scholarship funding routed through international partners (notably Presbyterian Church (USA) and United Methodist Advance), bookstore sales of biblical and theological publications, and rental of campus facilities including the Hostel El Bambú. Over 80% of students study on scholarship support, which both defines the institution's accessibility positioning and signals deep dependence on donor networks. Strategic academic partnerships with Universidad Nacional (UNA) for postgraduate programs and with churches and faith-based organizations via the IBP channel extend reach without proportional headcount expansion, supporting a community-led, donor-anchored growth posture.

Name

Universidad Bíblica Latinoamericana

Legal name

Universidad Bíblica Latinoamericana

Website

https://ubl.ac.cr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1922

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Universidad Bíblica Latinoamericana is a private theological university in Costa Rica delivering accredited bachelor's, licentiate, and master's programs in biblical and theological sciences across Latin America and the Caribbean via in-person and virtual modalities, serving a student body drawn from 31 nations and 19 denominations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Theological Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Bible Colleges (Undergraduate Ministry & Biblical Studies) (EDAHAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Online Divisions of Traditional Universities (Hybrid/Extension) (EDAHALAB)

Keywords

• Theological education
• Biblical sciences
• Higher education
• Pastoral training
• Distance learning

Headquarters

HQ city

San José

HQ country

Costa Rica

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Course Fees: Students pay tuition fees per course and per semester. Bachelorhood and licentiate programs charged per course cycle (matrícula and curso fees). Postgraduate programs charged per course at $160 per subject with $30 annual enrollment fee.
2. Bookstore Sales: UBL operates an online bookstore selling books, journals, and publications on biblical, theological, and pastoral topics in both print and digital formats. Prices range from approximately 3,000 to 11,000 Costa Rican colones per item.
3. Donations and Charitable Contributions: International donors, churches, and partner institutions provide scholarship support. Over 80% of UBL students study thanks to scholarship support. Donations accepted via check, credit/debit card, and through Presbyterian Church (USA) and United Methodist Advance tax-deductible project accounts.
4. Event Hosting and Accommodation: Campus facilities including the Hostel El Bambú, event halls, and classrooms are rented to external groups for conferences, workshops, seminars, and retreats. Minimum 15 people for 3 days for meal service. Contact: [email protected] for quotes.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Universidad Bíblica Latinoamericana (UBL) is a private theological university offering accredited bachelor's, licentiate, and master's degree programs in biblical and theological sciences, supplemented by open courses, professional certificates, and a non-university Pastoral Biblical Institute. Programs are delivered in both in-person (Costa Rica campus) and virtual/remote modalities, serving students across Latin America and the Caribbean with an ecumenical, liberation-oriented, and contextual curriculum.

Product overview

Universidad Bíblica Latinoamericana (UBL) is a higher education institution offering a comprehensive portfolio of theological and biblical education products across Latin America. The core offering consists of undergraduate degrees (Bachillerato and Licenciatura) in Biblical Sciences and Theological Sciences, graduate programs (Maestrías) in Theological Studies and Socioreligiosos/Genre/Diversity Studies, and open formation programs including free courses, professional certificates, and a Pastoral Biblical Institute. These programs are supplemented by an online bookstore, a research center, a physical and digital library (Biblioteca Enrique Strachan), and campus facilities including the El Bambú guesthouse for events and lodging. Programs are delivered in both in-person and virtual modalities, serving students across Latin America and the Caribbean.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bachillerato y Licenciatura en Ciencias Bíblicas (Bachelor's and Licentiate in Biblical Sciences) Undergraduate and graduate degree programs focused on the critical study and interpretation of the Bible from literary and historical perspectives, enabling students to promote human rights, interreligious dialogue, and environmental spirituality. Delivered remotely with 4-year duration.
• Bachillerato y Licenciatura en Ciencias Teológicas (Bachelor's and Licentiate in Theological Sciences) Undergraduate and graduate degree programs forming professionals for theological work and pastoral ministry across Latin American and Caribbean contexts, developing skills to interpret biblical texts and facilitate liturgical and missionary action.
• Posgrado Universitario en Estudios Teológicos (Master's in Theological Studies) Master's program offered jointly with Universidad Nacional (UNA) in virtual format, promoting theological dialogue based on personal experience with four axes: respect for diversity, gender equity, interculturality, and ethics. Two-year duration.
• Posgrado en Estudios Socioreligiosos, Géneros y Diversidades (Master's in Socioreligious Studies, Genders and Diversities) Professional master's program applying feminist methodologies and gender approaches to the study of religions to denaturalize hegemonic categories that promote violence and social exclusion. Joint program with UNA, virtual modality.
• Cursos Libres (Open Formation Courses) Open formation courses providing accessible and interactive training for anyone wishing to learn more about the Bible and Theology in its practical and contextualized application to daily life, work, or ministry.
• Certificados de Actualización Profesional (Professional Update Certificates) Short, flexible professional update certificate programs in Biblical Interpretation and Theological Work, each consisting of six courses available in-person or virtually over one to two years.
• Instituto Bíblico Pastoral (Pastoral Biblical Institute) Non-university pastoral training program that promotes contextual, prophetic, and solidarity-based diaconia through study materials and advice for churches and faith-based organizations, delivered through local facilitators.
• Librería en Línea (Online Bookstore) Online bookstore offering UBL's publications on biblical, theological, and pastoral topics in print and digital formats, with prices ranging from approximately 3,000 to 11,000 Costa Rican colones per item.
• Hostel El Bambú and Event Facilities On-campus guesthouse and event facilities including classrooms, auditorium, event hall, and accommodation services rented to external groups for conferences, workshops, seminars, and retreats (minimum 15 people for 3 days).

Quantifiable outcome

• 122 current students enrolled, with 150+ online students in more than 15 countries
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Universidad Nacional (UNA) - Costa RicacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint postgraduate programs with UNA including the Master's in Theological Studies and Master's in Socioreligious Studies, Genders and Diversities. Programs offered virtually in a collaborative arrangement between UBL's biblical-theological expertise and UNA's academic infrastructure.
• Escuela de Agronomía, Universidad de Costa RicasupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlliance supporting the UBL Verde ecological justice project. The agricultural school's expertise contributes to biodiversity and urban sustainability initiatives on the UBL campus and in the surrounding Cedros de Montes de Oca community.
• Churches and Faith-Based Organizations (FBOs)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe Pastoral Biblical Institute (IBP) signs agreements with churches and faith-based organizations across Latin America to deliver UBL-formatted theological education through local facilitators and training programs.
• International Volunteers and CooperantssupportingOthersInternational volunteers contribute expertise in library work, technology, English teaching, community gardens, campus maintenance, strategic planning, and translations. Cooperants form part of the UBL Verde ecological project team.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Seminario Teológico Centroamericano (SETECA): A Guatemala-based evangelical theological seminary offering bachelor's and master's degrees in biblical and theological studies across Central America. Direct peer because it competes for the same Latin American Spanish-speaking theological students with similar degree programs and an in-person/extension model.
• Columbia Bible College: A small Canadian Bible college offering diploma and degree programs in biblical and theological studies, with a comparable size and mission focus. Comparable because it operates as a small private Bible college delivering accredited theological degrees with a community of faith-based students and faculty.
• Costa Rica Theological Seminary (ACTS): An evangelical, English-medium theological seminary based in Costa Rica offering accredited master's-level theological programs to a Latin American and international student body. Direct peer because it operates in the same host country, competes for similar theology students, and delivers accredited programs in both in-person and online formats.

Broad incumbents

• Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales (FLACSO): A Latin American graduate social sciences institution with regional campuses, including Costa Rica, offering master's and doctoral programs. Broad incumbent because it overlaps with UBL's postgraduate work on gender, religion, and socioreligious studies, even though its core identity is social sciences rather than theology.
• Tyndale University: A Canadian Christian university offering accredited bachelor's and master's programs in biblical/theological studies, with both on-campus and online delivery. Comparable because it shares the niche of accredited Bible-college education with a hybrid delivery model, though at a larger scale.
• Princeton Theological Seminary: A leading U.S. mainline and ecumenical seminary offering master's and doctoral theological degrees with a globally diverse student body and faculty. Comparable because it serves a similar ecumenical student demographic with international reach, although at substantially greater scale and resources.
• Fuller Theological Seminary: A major U.S. multi-denominational theological seminary offering accredited master's and doctoral programs with significant online/hybrid enrollment. Comparable because it shares the evangelical-to-ecumenical theological education market, online delivery model, and Latin American student outreach.

Regional players

• Universidad Bíblica del Sur (Southwestern College): A U.S.-based theological institution that, like UBL, offers accredited Bible and theology degrees and supports Latin American ministry education, including Spanish-language programs. Comparable because it serves a similar theological-student audience with accredited programs and pursues Latin American outreach.
• Seminario Teológico Bautista Internacional (STBI): A Spanish-language Baptist theological seminary serving Latin America and U.S. Hispanic ministry from the U.S. Comparable because it provides accredited theological training in Spanish to the same student demographic UBL targets, but is U.S.-headquartered.
• Facultad de Teología SEUT: A Spanish-based evangelical theological faculty offering accredited theology degrees with an explicit focus on Ibero-American church formation. Comparable because it operates in the same Spanish-language theological education space, but from a European base and primarily serving Spain/Latin America via extension.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/UBLuniversidad
• Facebookfacebook.com/UBLuniversidad
• Instagraminstagram.com/ubluniversidad

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Universidad Bíblica Latinoamericana