Refrigeración y Aire Acondicionado

The Refrigeration and Air Conditioning program (Refrigeración y Aire Acondicionado) covers the theory and practice of diagnosing and repairing household, commercial, industrial and automobile air conditioning equipment. Students cover the fundamentals of refrigeration and the laws regulating the profession, the refrigeration cycle, welding, refrigerants and their effect on the environment, EPA Sections 608 and 609 with the corresponding certification exams, electricity, psychrometrics and ducts.

Later terms cover motors and controls, inverter air conditioning, domestic and commercial refrigeration, auto air, electronics and PLC, mechanical plans and cost estimates, followed by a supervised externship with residential, commercial, industrial and automotive equipment under a licensed refrigeration technician. The website notes that on a tropical island these services are needed in homes, schools, offices, restaurants, malls and hospitals, and that the career offers the freedom to work for yourself.

Founded in 1964 in Hato Rey, Liceo de Arte y Tecnología has more than 60 years of experience as a postsecondary, non-degree technical institution in Puerto Rico. It has evolved into an eco-friendly institution: in 2009 it integrated renewable-energy technology into its drafting, automotive, electricity and refrigeration programs, training students in solar and wind energy, hybrid systems and sustainable design.

• Accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC) and recognized as an ACCSC School of Distinction 2022-2023 (website: 'ACCSC School of Distinction 2022-2023').
• A multi-floor campus at 405 Ponce de León Avenue with automotive and refrigeration shops, computer labs, recording studios, a film studio, beauty and nail laboratories, and a pet grooming annex.
• Located next to the Polytechnic University and steps from the Tren Urbano Roosevelt station.
• An Advisory Committee keeps curricula relevant to industry, and the technical programs include a supervised externship.
• Group sizes of 16 to 35 students depending on the program.
• Members of AutoDesk, Mitchell and Certiport, with continuing-education certifications such as Autodesk and Pro Tools.

All candidates go through the Admissions Office, where an admissions officer interviews and orients them, explains the costs and the availability of financial aid, and gives a tour of the facilities. General requirements are a completed Admissions Application form, evidence of high school completion (official high school transcript, high school diploma or its equivalent) and the admission fee. Applicants under 21 must also submit an up-to-date immunization certificate, and their parent or guardian signs the enrollment agreement. Home-schooled students submit an equivalency certification or a notarized homeschool certification with a transcript.

Foreign students must also provide references, a diploma homologated by the Puerto Rico Department of Education, an affidavit with bank statements, a passport and an M-1 visa. Up to 12 transfer credits with a minimum C may be accepted for analogous courses from accredited institutions, requested before enrollment; externship credits are never transferred.

The Refrigeration and Air Conditioning program lasts 16 months (51 credits). Classes are in person, Monday through Thursday, on a daytime schedule (8:00 a.m. to 1:50 p.m.) or a nighttime schedule (5:00 p.m. to 10:50 p.m.); each semester lasts 15 to 17 weeks.

Start dates in 2026 were February 16, May 4, August 24 and November 9. The 2026-2027 calendar includes no-class days for Holy Thursday and Good Friday, a summer recess in late July and a Christmas recess from December 21, 2026 to January 5, 2027, with classes resuming January 11, 2027.

Tuition for Refrigeration and Air Conditioning is $14,700, plus $411 in fees, for a total program cost of $15,111 (51 credits, 16 months). Tuition is $4,200 per semester ($233.33 per credit hour). Other charges include the $30 admission application, materials ($250 to $350 a year) and books ($30 to $200 a year) depending on the program.

• Federal aid (Title IV): Federal Pell Grant, FSEOG, Federal Work-Study and Direct Loans for eligible students.
• Puerto Rico aid: the BETA scholarship for students with academic talent from the Board of Postsecondary Institutions.
• Other agencies: Department of Veterans Affairs (GI Bill), Vocational Rehabilitation, WIOA, AmeriCorps and the Department of the Family.
• Payment plans: available for any balance not covered by financial aid; payments by cash, check, money order, debit or credit card, or direct debit.

Upon completion, graduates can be employed in entry-level positions as refrigeration assistants under a licensed refrigeration technician, providing maintenance, repair and installation in air-conditioning companies. After graduation they may apply for the Board of Examiners exam, and with the state license as Refrigeration Technician they can fully practise the profession.

The Placement Office refers graduates to interviews for vacancies with private companies and government agencies, maintains state licensing exam applications and dates, and serves students while they study and for up to a year after completion; the Institution does not guarantee employment. The most recent outcomes the school reported to ACCSC for this program were 80% graduation and 84% employment (April 2023 to March 2024 cohort).

Liceo follows a constructivist philosophy that places the student at the center of the teaching and learning experience, with instructors addressing visual, auditory and kinesthetic learning styles. Class attendance is compulsory, and 7.5 hours of outside work (projects, homework and presentations) are assigned for every 30 hours of class and laboratory, including interviews with professionals, site visits and reading professional literature.

Programs require attendance on campus and follow a dress code by program. Students must keep a 2.0 GPA and complete at least 67% of attempted credits each term. Counseling, tutoring, a Learning Resource Center and a Placement Office that serves students for up to a year after completion are available.