Technology in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning is a Diploma program offered by Mech-Tech College in Caguas, PR. The program takes 9 months (3 quarters) to complete, with a total tuition of $9,120.
Program Overview
Technology in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning gives students the technical knowledge and skills to work at a high level of efficiency as refrigeration and air conditioning technicians in private industry, or in a business of their own. The occupation requires the Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Technician license.
Students progress from the electrical and mechanical fundamentals of refrigeration to residential, commercial and industrial systems with laboratory, complex refrigeration and air conditioning systems, electrical circuits and controls, automobile air conditioning, blueprint reading and programmable logic controllers.
It is a 40-credit, 800 clock hour program completed in 9 months over three quarters, at the Caguas, Vega Baja, Bayamón and Mayagüez campuses (it is not offered in Ponce).
What sets this Program apart
- Three scales of system. Residential, commercial and industrial refrigeration and air conditioning, each with laboratory.
- EPA certification on the way. Students take the EPA 608 and 609 certifications during or at the end of the program.
- Controls and PLCs. Electrical circuits and controls, fundamentals of electronics, and programmable logic controllers with laboratory.
- A short route to a license. Nine months to the Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Technician board exam.
Admission Requirements and Process
Mech-Tech College serves all of those who decide to attain their academic goals through careers which allow them to develop personally and professionally. The Institution establishes a flexible Admissions Policy which allows access to anyone who shows genuine interest in pursuing higher education courses and meets the Institution’s admission requirements.
General Requirements
- High School Diploma or GEDOriginal and sealed high school credit transcript or its equivalent (Law 188); evidence of high school completion or GED must be provided.
- Minimum AgeFor students who have a High School Diploma or are from homeschooling, the minimum age requirement is 16. For students admitted through GED, the minimum age requirement is 18.…
- Admission Application and FeeA completed and signed Admission Application and a $40.00 non-refundable admission fee (valid for one year).
- Photo IdentificationA valid driver’s license, passport, or other current photo identification.
- Birth Certificate and Social Security CardAn original or certified copy of your birth certificate and a copy of your Social Security card.
- Vaccination CertificateOriginal PVA-3 vaccination certificate (green paper) for candidates who are under 21 years old.
- College Transcripts for TransferIf requesting transfer of credits, an official transcript from the college or university must be provided.
- Admissions InterviewAll applicants must undergo an interview with the Admissions Representative, who will offer a general orientation regarding admission requirements, programs offered, duration,…
- Criminal Background DisclosureApplicants must disclose prior criminal conduct, criminal background, or pending charges in the Admission Application; the Institution evaluates these applications. Applicants…
- Enrollment AgreementRead and sign an Enrollment Agreement with the Institution.
Application Process
- 1Contact AdmissionsRequest information and our staff will contact you within 24 hours to start your admission. No prior experience is needed.
- 2Meet with Our StaffAn Admissions Representative will guide you through program options, available schedules, costs, payment options, and next steps, in person or virtually, and offer you a tour of the facilities.
- 3Submit Your Application and DocumentsOnce you have decided on a program, fill out the Admission Application and submit the required documents. Applications are evaluated to determine whether the candidate is accepted.
- 4Financial Aid Orientation and FAFSAReceive Financial Aid orientation and coordinate your financial assistance plan with the Financial Aid office; an orientation from the Finances (Collections) Office is also provided.FAFSA Code for Caguas: 030255Fill Out the FAFSA
- 5Sign Your Enrollment AgreementOnce accepted, you complete the Enrollment Agreement and the Registrar’s Office prepares your file and enrollment and provides guidance on your class schedule.
- 6Start ClassesReceive your orientation, calendar, and campus access. Welcome to Mech-Tech.
Program Schedule
Technology in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning runs 9 months in 3 academic quarters: 40 quarter credits, 800 clock hours. The catalog counts one credit as 20 hours of lecture, laboratory or practice, and each quarter lasts between 10 and 13 weeks.
Mech-Tech enrolls new students every quarter, in August, November, February and May. On the 2026-2027 academic calendar for the Puerto Rico campuses the next quarter begins November 2, 2026, with enrollment from September 28 to October 30 and a week of late enrollment and changes. The institution may also open courses on other dates when classrooms and instructors are available.
Classes are offered in four sections, depending on enrollment each term: day, Monday to Friday 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.; afternoon, Monday to Friday 1:30 to 5:00 p.m.; night, Monday to Friday 5:00 to 10:30 p.m.; and Saturday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Classes are taught in Spanish, the official language of instruction at the Puerto Rico campuses.
Campus Location
Why Accreditation Is Important
When you attend an accredited institution, you attend a school that has been independently evaluated for educational quality.
Mech-Tech College is institutionally accredited by the Accrediting Council for Continuing Education & Training (ACCET), and its catalog lists Technology in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning among its institutionally accredited programs. It is licensed and authorized by the Puerto Rico Council of Education.
- A reliable indicator of quality
- Approved program of study
- Qualified instructors
- Recognition by employers nationwide
Accreditations
Student Demographics
These are demographics for all students at the Caguas Campus (IPEDS, 2024).
Cost of Attendance and Financial Aid Information
| Charge | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition (40 credits at $228 per credit) | $9,120 |
| Admission fee (non-refundable) | $40 |
| Enrollment fee | $50 |
| Uniform | $150 |
| Maintenance and improvement fee ($45 per quarter, 3 quarters) | $135 |
| Technology fee ($45 per quarter, 3 quarters) | $135 |
| Total program cost | $9,630 |
How the price is built. Tuition is charged per credit — $228 per credit for this program, so 40 credits come to $9,120. The maintenance and improvement fee and the technology fee are $45 each per quarter. Books and materials are not included; the catalog estimates them at $200 to $400. The fee table also lists a $75 graduation fee, $10 student insurance and a $5 ID card. An increase in the credit price applies only to new enrollments and re-entries.
Financial aid. Mech-Tech participates in Title IV federal student aid: the Federal Pell Grant, the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG), Federal Work-Study, and Direct Subsidized, Unsubsidized and Parent PLUS loans. It also takes part in the Puerto Rico Council of Education’s Students with Academic Talent grant (BETA) for eligible students with a GPA of 3.00 or higher. Start with the FAFSA at fafsa.gov using Mech-Tech’s school code 030255; eligibility is reviewed every year.
Paying the balance. At enrollment students sign a payment plan to pay any balance not covered by aid in three installments each term, finishing a month before the term ends. The school’s Net Price Calculator estimates the cost after aid.
Veterans. Mech-Tech is approved by the Puerto Rico State Approving Agency to train students under GI Bill® programs; the catalog notes that veterans’ enrollment is offered at the Caguas and Vega Baja campuses.
Curriculum
Twelve concentration courses over three quarters, 40 credits in all. The catalog prints credits for each course but not per-course hours.
The required courses below are from Mech-Tech College's published catalog.
Required Courses
| Subject # | Name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| TFEER1 | Fundamentals of Electricity and Renewable Energy | 3 |
| TFDAC1 | Fundamentals of Refrigeration and Air Conditioning | 3 |
| TFMRA1 | Mechanical Fundamentals of Refrigeration and Air Conditioning | 3 |
| TRACDL2 | Residential Refrigeration and Air Conditioning and Laboratory | 4 |
| TISRA3 | Introduction to Complex Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Systems | 2 |
| TRACCL2 | Commercial Refrigeration and Air Conditioning and Laboratory | 4 |
| TACIN3 | Industrial Refrigeration and Air Conditioning and Laboratory | 5 |
| TCCEL2 | Electrical Circuits and Controls and Laboratory | 5 |
| TSACOL3 | Air Conditioning System of the Automobile and Laboratory | 3 |
| TLIPL1 | Reading and Interpretation of Blueprints | 3 |
| TFDEL3 | Fundamentals of Electronics | 2 |
| TCPLC3 | Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC) and Laboratory | 3 |
| Totals | 40 |
Required Courses
| Subject # | Name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
Career Outcomes
The catalog prepares graduates for positions such as refrigeration and air conditioning technician, equipment salesperson, air units installer, electrical appliance repair, electrician assistant, automotive air conditioning technician, air conditioning maintenance and repair technician, service advisor, and ventilation, heating and commercial refrigeration manufacturing.
Licensing. During the program or on completing it, students must take the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) 608 and 609 certifications. Once those are passed, graduates can take the board exam for Technician in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning.
This page quotes no job placement rate; Mech-Tech publishes its consumer information, including student right-to-know disclosures, on mechtech.edu.
What to expect as a Mech-Tech College student
Mech-Tech College received its operating license in July 1984 and began operating that September in Caguas, founded to train technicians in metals, electricity and mechanics and later in electronics and refrigeration. It now teaches at five Puerto Rico campuses — Caguas, Vega Baja, Bayamón, Mayagüez and Ponce — and runs a branch in Orlando, Florida as Mech-Tech Institute.
Programs pair theory with shop and laboratory practice. Academic courses are grouped at 20 to 30 students and laboratory courses at 15 to 20. Students wear the program uniform and buy their own textbooks and materials, which the catalog estimates at $200 to $400 depending on the program. For programs that lead to a license, Mech-Tech runs an exam review at the end of the program.
Instruction at the Puerto Rico campuses is in Spanish. The catalog notes that completing a program in a language other than English may reduce employability where English is required.
Technology in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning is offered at Caguas, Vega Baja, Bayamón and Mayagüez:
- Caguas, the main campus, has twenty-two classrooms, twenty laboratory classrooms, a tool room and a library, with parking and 24-hour security; a Special Use Facility in Caguas holds Collision and Auto Body Repair courses.
- Vega Baja has seven classrooms, twenty laboratory classrooms, a tool room, two computer laboratories and a library, with an elevator, parking and 24-hour security.
- Bayamón has fifteen classrooms, three laboratory classrooms, ten laboratories and a tool room, with parking and 24-hour security.
- Mayagüez, in a 33,000 square foot building in the Guanajibo Industrial Zone, has seven laboratory classrooms, six classrooms and 24-hour security, plus an auxiliary building with a collision repair laboratory and tool room.