Overview
Click to OpenWhether you’re a beginning Spanish learner or an advanced speaker, immerse yourself in Spanish culture by spending two weeks with a local host family and taking Spanish classes before you start your teaching placement as a Language and Culture Assistant in the region of Madrid.
Program Highlights
- 2-week homestay and language immersion courses
- Placement within the Community of Madrid
- Teach 16-hours per week
- 4-day work week with 3-day weekends
- €1,000 monthly stipend
- 4-day orientation in Madrid with hotel accommodation
- 24/7 support from CIEE staff in Spain
- Pre-departure assistance including visa guidance
- No Spanish language requirement
After reading the program overview on this page, be sure to check out our Teach in Spain FAQs!
Interested in boosting your Spanish level even more? Consider 4 weeks of language immerision with a Spanish homestay and language classes before you start your teaching position.
Add a 150-Hour CIEE TEFL Certification For $1,000 ($1,100 Value) Apply Now
Location | Start Date | End Date | Compensation | Deadline |
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Madrid | Late August | Late June | 1,000 Euro (approx. $1,150)/month | June 1* |
About Our Program Fees
As a non-profit organization, CIEE relies on program fees to provide participants with placement assistance, international insurance, orientation, and support before and after arrival. The program fee of $3,550 is paid in two installments:
- $500 commitment deposit after acceptance ($1,000 for programs with TEFL)
- Remaining balance due when you receive your placement
CIEE alumni receive a 10% discount!
COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement
CIEE is requiring all participants to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 before traveling on programs. Read more ›
What's Included
Click to OpenWhat's Included
- Placement as a Language and Culture Assistant in the region of Madrid
- Pre-departure assistance – including visa guidance
- iNext insurance for lost belongings, delayed bags and medical evacuation
- Private health insurance for medical expenses, with 24/7 emergency hotline
- Ongoing support from CIEE staff in Madrid
- Airport pickup and transportation to your orientation hotel on arrival day
- Four days of orientation in Madrid with topics including housing, banking, residency, health & safety, and more
- Cultural activities during orientation, such as a flamenco show and sampling cuisine from different regions of Spain
- Two week homestay with a local Spanish family - breakfast and dinner included
- Two weeks of language immersion courses

The Destination
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The Destination
Madrid is the heart of Spain. The capital city sits at the center of the Iberian Peninsula, and it’s known to set national trends. 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 performances – all ready for you to explore.
CIEE wants all our participants to feel welcomed, supported, and empowered to succeed while teaching abroad. Local CIEE staff have provided details about conditions and cultural attitudes that teachers with specific identities might encounter in Madrid.
Follow our Travels:
The Take-Aways
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Compensation
Monthly stipend of €1,000.
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Preparation
Job placement, pre-departure assistance, an online pre-departure course, 4 day in-country orientation, intensive language classes, cultural activities.
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Assistance
Temporary stay with host family, visa application guidance, iNext international insurance, 24-hour support from CIEE staff, resources for finding housing.
Program Blogs
Click to OpenProgram Blogs
Job Description
Click to OpenJob Description
You'll work as an English Language and Culture Assistant at a public school in the region of Madrid, 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 your home 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. The school year starts in early October and goes until late June.
Learn More About the Experience of CIEE Teachers During COVID-19
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). 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
The schools where you’ll teach participate in an ongoing bilingual initiative led by the Spanish government. The 2014-2015 school year marked the 10th year of this successful program, which pairs native English-speaking teachers with local faculty. Location and age group preferences are considered by CIEE, but we are not able to guarantee specific placement preferences.
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Workload
All Language and Culture Assistants support local classroom teachers in public schools within the region of Madrid. You will lead conversational activities in English and give presentations on your home culture. You may also participate in other activities, such as music, theater, sporting events, English language clubs, and more. In addition to your 16 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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Luke Beland
Teach Abroad Manager
Luke studied abroad in Morocco and taught English in Jordan, and visited many other countries along the way. He is pleased to put those experiences and lessons to good use helping CIEE participants!
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Lauren Massey
Senior Coordinator
Lauren taught English in South Korea for two years and she has since traveled and lived in over 20 countries.
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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.