Program Reviews

Teaching in Madrid has been an incredible experience so far. Moving to a new country can be daunting, but CIEE provided plentiful resources, guidance, and pre-departure support. They provide an online course which provides a broad overview of Spanish culture and the education system in Spain, as well as resources for things you will need once in Spain such as comparing rent in various neighborhoods, phone companies, electric, wifi, etc. The online course also included information about the visa process and other important documents that was super helpful.
In addition to the pre-departure online course, there is a four day in-person orientation once in Spain. The in-person orientation basically repeated all the information that was in the online course, however, it was an opportunity to meet other people who were also moving to Madrid which I found invaluable. If you are worried about finding roommates and don’t have anything set up by the time you head off to Spain, do not stress, you will definitely find people you connect with during the in-person orientation.
CIEE also offers an online TEFL certificate course with various start dates. If you have no background in teaching it is a great way to feel more prepared before stepping into the classroom. The course relays teaching methodology, has mini grammar lessons, and strategies for teaching. I tend to over prepare and took the course even after receiving my Masters in Teaching in June before leaving in September. If you have a background in education, the TEFL course is not necessary and you will get all the information you need from the pre-departure course. However, I still learned new strategies and have used some of the materials from the course.

I joined the Auxiliary Program with CIEE to take a break from teaching in the States. I was torn between working another year as a teacher in the USA or taking the chance to teach abroad and regain my passion for teaching. It helped that I knew people who lived in Spain and had visited before, so it wasn't an unfamiliar place. Between different programs, I chose CIEE because it was a guarantee that I would be placed in Madrid, where I wanted to work. I also enjoyed the pre-departure help to recieve my visa and the communication on when to do documents where and the exact way to fill them out. It is a bit pricey compared to other programs for teaching abroad, but the help you recieve before traveling and at the 4 day orientation which includes the hotel, food, etc. helps justify the cost. I met some really great friends through the orientation process that help with the adjustment of living abroad and have been able to travel within Spain and in Europe has been great! I think this is a great program for recent college graduates who want to have an experience abroad while building skills and having the opportunity to travel.

Teaching in Spain is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Imagine how incredible it is to be in a brand new place, about to meet a whole bunch of like minded people in the same place as you. I wasn’t expecting so many people to have the same outlook on life. The CIEE support team sets you up for success in the city of Madrid. From the beginning of orientation to the end of your time in Madrid/end of the program, they’re there for you. They’re kind and responsive and understanding. It’s a great program!!

I would do this program over and over! There are many challenges to moving abroad but CIEE helped it go as smoothly as possible. The team is very helpful with visa and moving information. I don’t think I could’ve done it without the extra help. I was able to start the teaching position just fine without any prior experience. The school placements aren’t always ideal but Madrid is well connected and the hours aren’t long anyway. I feel like the pay and benefits are fair and with savings suffice.

So far, I've loved my time in Madrid. CIEE made it so easy to get here with step by step instructions for the visa and everything in between. I definitely think this program is worth it, coming from someone with no travel experience and having never left the states. CIEE sends weekly updates as well throughout the year about things going on in Madrid and even help with Spanish.
Everyone has been so helpful thus far. My school placement is perfect, right in the heart of Madrid, in the Salamanca neighborhood.

Teaching in Madrid with CIEE has been a wonderful experience so far. The program offers in-country support which is invaluable. There will be many challenges in your move abroad and they are there to help you with all of them - from filling out government forms to finding laptop friendly cafes! Support during the visa process was also helpful as the embassy I used was extremely delayed. Additionally, CIEE runs an in-country orientation which is a great way to get settled; you have a comfortable place to stay while you retrieve your transport card, tour apartment, and go to document appointments. The biggest plus of in-country orientation is that it is an opportunity to meet people and start your experience abroad with friendly faces who are facing the same challenges you are. While CIEE Spain does not provide housing, finding an available and affordable apartment is doable, though it can be difficult in Madrid.

I think CIEE website at times was a little bit difficult to navigate. I remember there being twenty tabs open just so I could figure out how to submit my stuff for my visa. If there was maybe a website that had all the information instead of opening up a bunch of different tabs. I think that’s where there was a lot of difficulty. as well it seemed really difficult to find the right information which made it really stressful and difficult at times. If there were major problems CIEE was great about communicating and helping out. I feel like when we got to Madrid the orientation was great but after I felt like CIEE did little to help us get accustomed to Madrid life. I know that’s not apart of the program, but it was difficult to adjust at first without much help especially on housing. I’m grateful for CIEE and all the friends I’ve made through the program and getting to be placed within the community of Madrid was so helpful!

I have loved my experience with CIEE so far. What I've loved most is how helpful they are with the application and getting my visa. This was the most stress-inducing aspect of applying for me. At the time, I was working a full time job and did not have hours each week to try and figure out the visa process. Because of the knowledge and guidance that CIEE provided, I was able to get my visa on time and arrive in the country when I needed to. The consulate changed their visa process in the middle of me applying and without CIEE's help, I would have had no idea how to navigate it. Even though there are several different programs that are available for teaching English in Spain such as NALCAP or BEDA, the cost of CIEE was well worth it.
In addition, CIEE offers orientations when you first arrive in Spain. This was almost as valuable, if not as valuable as the guidance they offer with the visa process. When you move to a new city, you have to start from scratch with making social connections. Almost all of the friends that I have in Madrid are through CIEE. I do have a few friends who went through the NALCAP program and some of them really struggled to make friends and find people to live with. Overall, I would recommend CIEE to anyone who wants to teach in Spain, ESPECIALLY if you want to teach in Madrid!

I feel like my experience has been wonderful! I am in a great school, I made friends with the bakery lady by my metro stop, and I have been in love with the city since I stepped off the plane! I think the initial presentation and steps leading up to the first day have been very informative and educational. Knowing that people like Lauren, Luke, and the "Lauras" are there for you while you start this next chapter is amazing! I feel like I have my very own safety net and support system all wrapped up into one. With the comfort of feeling safe I have been able to travel outside of the country, let my foodie flag fly, and even get an opportunity to share my stories on the CIEE Blog page. I have enjoyed my experience so much that I am planning on renewing for next year!

This has been an amazing experience. I’m so glad I have had to opportunity to do this. I have met so many cool people and have been able to immerse myself in a new culture. I have learned so much, and seen the coolest places. My school and my kids are awesome and the support I have from the programs are incredible. I am so glad that I chose to do this after college as a way to get to know myself and see more of the world. I recommend this to anyone who doesn’t know which career path they want to take.