“Somos 2021” (We are 2021) is the name of the initiative presented by the Costa Rican Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the chancellor Manuel González; this initiative hopes to obtain 200 scholarships by 2021 to celebrate the 200 years of the independence of Costa Rica.

The objective is to find the best universities and the best academic offers in countries such as: Canada, U.S.A., Mexico, Colombia, Cuba, Peru, Chile, Brazil, Argentina, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, Japan, Korea, China, Singapore and Qatar, and in the fields of science, technology, innovation, creativity, entrepreneurship, nanotechnology, medicine, engineering and arts, to send a group of selected Costa Rican students throughout the next few years to study abroad with full coverage scholarships.

“These opportunities that open to the Costa Rican youth do not only allow the country to have more professionals but also specialists in fundamental areas for the economic and social development of the country. To this we should add other benefits that have had great impact in our country: the multiplying effect of the opportunities granted to our young, its impact in terms of social mobility, of interconnection with the academic and scientific community of other countries in the world, the strengthening of friendship ties with other nations and the cultural enrichment that these opportunities provide for the country” said González.

The Ministries of Education, Science and Technology, National Planning and Economic Politics, along with other institutions will also be part of this initiative with the purpose of ensuring the recognition and validation of studies carried on abroad.