Information for term Teach In Spain Basics
Application deadline, and cost information.
Overview
Click to OpenWith fewer days of orientation, this program is designed specifically for those who have previously lived, worked, or studied abroad for one or more semesters in a Spanish-speaking country.
Your duties as a Language and Culture Assistant are the same as our other Teach in Spain programs, but personal preparations when moving to Spain will require more independence on your end upon your initial arrival. As a part-time Language and Culture Assistant, you help Spanish students develop their listening and conversational English skills by creating fun and engaging activities and presenting on North American culture.
You will spend 12-16 hours a week in the classroom and usually work four days a week, giving you plenty of time to explore. Immerse yourself in the big-city culture of Madrid, or soak in the slower pace of life in a small town in Andalucía.
Your monthly stipend will let you live a comfortable, basic lifestyle in either region. The stipend amounts reflect hours worked, as well as different costs of living in each place:
Region of Madrid
16 teaching hours per week
1000 Euro monthly stipend
Higher cost of living in Madrid’s city center
Region of Andalucía
12 teaching hours per week
700 Euro monthly stipend
Lower cost of living in small towns
This program is ideal for applicants with upper-intermediate or advanced Spanish proficiency, experience living in a Spanish speaking country and prior teaching experience. Don’t quite meet the requirements? Check out our regular Teach in Spain program.
Add a 150-Hour CIEE TEFL Certification for $1,100 Apply Now
| Location | Start Date | End Date | Compensation | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madrid | Late September | Late June | 1,000 Euro (approx. $1,150)/month |
March 1 |
| Andalucía | Late September | Late May | 700 Euro (approx. $805)/month | March 1 |
About Our Program Fees
CIEE, a non-profit organization, has been sending university graduates abroad to teach English since 1997. Our Basics program in Spain includes an abbreviated orientation on arrival, emergency insurance, and continuing support throughout your experience (see all features below). To cover those costs, there is a program fee of $1,200. Once we accept your application, you’ll make a first payment of $500 to reserve your spot ($1,000 for programs with TEFL). The remaining balance of the program fee is due a few months later when you receive a teaching placement at a Spanish school. CIEE alumni receive a 10% discount!
What's included
Click to OpenWhat's included
- Placement as a Language and Culture Assistant
- Pre-departure assistance – including visa guidance
- iNext international insurance with 24-hour emergency assistance (U.S. Residents)
- Ongoing support from CIEE staff in Spain
- Airport pickup and transportation to your orientation hotel on arrival day
- Two days of orientation with topics including housing, banking, residency, health & safety, and more
- Two nights of hotel accommodation provided during orientation
- Cultural activities during orientation such as sampling cuisine from different regions of Spain
The Destination
Click to Open
The Destination
For this program option, placements are available in two areas:
Madrid is the heart of Spain. More than a rich cultural heritage site boasting world-renowned art museums, Madrid is a lively, artistic metropolis with a variety of food, tapas bars, dance shows, opera, concerts, parks, jazz clubs, soccer matches, ethnic neighborhoods, and contemporary theater and cinema– all ready for you to explore.
Andalucía is a historic crossroads of cultures from across the centuries. It connects Europe to the Mediterranean and North Africa, and you’ll find traces of the peaceful coexistence of Christianity, Islam and Judaism side by side. Teach amidst a beautiful landscape of towns, rivers and farmland and make memories you’ll treasure all your life.
Program Blogs
Follow our Travels:
The Take-Aways
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Compensation
Monthly stipend of €700 in Andalucía or €1,000 in Madrid.
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Preparation
Job placement, pre-departure assistance, an online pre-departure course, 2 day in-country orientation, cultural activities
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Assistance
Visa application guidance, iNext international insurance, 24-hour support from CIEE staff in Spain, resources for finding housing.
Job Description
Click to OpenJob Description
You'll work at a public school as an English Language and Culture Assistant, a role that is part of a nationwide initiative. As a native English speaker, you will be assisting classes or small groups of students in order to develop their listening and conversational skills, as well as their understanding of North American culture. In many schools, you'll also teach English to members of the school staff. If you are placed in a bilingual school you may facilitate English conversational activities in subjects such as science, art, and history.
Exact responsibilities of Language and Culture Assistants vary according to each individual school. However, you won’t be left alone with an entire class of students, nor will you be responsible for grading, discipline, or the independent supervision of students.
Assistants in Madrid typically have 16 classroom hours per week, while those in Andalucía have 12.
Compensation
CIEE Language and Culture Assistants in Madrid work from October to June and receive a monthly stipend of 1,000 Euro (approx. $1,150). In Andalucía, where the cost of living is lower, Language Assistants receive a monthly stipend of 700 Euro (approx. $815) and work from October to May. For most participants, this is adequate to afford a comfortable lifestyle. If you’re careful with spending, you’ll have some money for fun and to explore Spain and other European countries. Your income will go further outside of city centers where the cost of shared accommodations, food, transportation, entertainment, etc., are lower. We will provide you with advice on how to find an affordable apartment and how to best plan your budget each month.
Most program participants also teach private English classes, either through their school or independently. CIEE can help here, too, with advice on how to advertise and find private lessons when you get to Spain.
CIEE participants have paid holidays around Christmas and Easter. Exact dates will be confirmed when the school calendars are approved in September. There is usually a two week break around Christmas. Participants also have Holy Week off, which is the week before Easter. Official provincial calendars are available in September.
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Schools
CIEE teachers are placed at schools participating in an ongoing bilingual initiative led by the Spanish government, including elementary, middle, and high schools. The majority of schools are in suburban and rural areas outside the city centers. In the region of Madrid, it is possible to live in the city center and commute to your school if you are placed in a small town or suburb. Andalucía, on the other hand, is a much larger region and many placements will be in small towns far from any city center but this offers an excellent opportunity for deeper cultural immersion. Location and age-group preferences are considered by CIEE, but we are not able to guarantee specific placement preferences.
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Workload
You will lead conversational activities in English and give presentations on North American culture. You may also participate in other activities, such as music, theater, sporting events, English language clubs, and more. In addition to your classroom hours, you may be required to spend a few hours attending planning or professional development sessions each week. You’ll still have ample time to take part in activities that further enrich your experience, such as finding an internship with a local business, volunteering for a local charity, or teaching private English lessons.
Qualifications
Click to OpenTEFL Certification
Click to OpenOur Team
Click to OpenOur Team
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Laura Canadillas
In-Country Support
Laura worked in various social services positions in France, Scotland and Thailand, before she came back to her hometown, Madrid, to support CIEE teachers in Spain.
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Samantha Erwin
Senior Coordinator
Samantha studied abroad in Granada, Spain, became TEFL certified in Peru, and taught in South Korea for two years.
serwin@ciee.org207-274-5644
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Hilary Leslie
Senior Coordinator
Hilary studied abroad for a year in Seville and later taught abroad in Madrid for two years. She is excited to share her knowledge of Spain and inspire others to experience life overseas.
hleslie@ciee.org207-553-4232
Ready to change your life?
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