Location
Multiple Locations +3
  • Peru
    • Cusco
  • Guatemala
    • Antigua
  • Costa Rica
    • San José
Length
4 to 52 weeks

Program Details

Timeframe
Academic Year Fall J-Term Maymester Spring Spring Break Summer Winter Year Round
Housing
Apartment Host Family Hotel
Language
Spanish
Age Min.
17
Age Max
99

Pricing

Price Details
We strive to offer all-inclusive program fees that affordable, transparent, and accessible to everyone. Along with Maximo’s professional program management, multi-lingual team, and 24/7 in-country support, your internship program includes:

Airport pick-up
Host family accommodations (private room)
Breakfast and dinner, 7 days/week
1 hour/day Spanish classes
6-8 hours/day practical work, Monday-Friday
Program orientation and walking tour
Official certificate of internship work
Letter of recommendation
Spanish books and materials
Spanish language tutoring table
Tandem Conversation Program
Office-wide WiFi and computer lab
Salsa dance classes
Cooking classes
Free coffee and tea a
What's Included
Accommodation Activities Airport Transfers Meals
What's Not Included
Airfare Travel Insurance
Feb 12, 2025
Jan 09, 2025
61 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

Get practical work experience, develop Spanish language skills, and build your international network. An international internship helps you standout in the eyes of future employers and it can also determine future studies and career direction. At Maximo Nivel, internship programs start every Monday throughout the year. Internships placements are available across a wide range of career fields in Costa Rica, Guatemala, or Peru. If you’re an aspiring international intern, you can choose from a 4-week practicum, an 8-week internship, or you can organize your experience abroad for up to 24-weeks!

Internship Placement Options:
- Education (K-12)
- Special Education
- Micro-Business
- Hospitality & Tourism
- Human Rights
- Medical
- Dental
- Veterinary
- Customized placements available!

Video and Photos

Diversity & Inclusion

At Maximo Nivel, we deeply value diversity in all its forms. We maintain an open-minded approach, recognizing the significance of varied perspectives, intelligent discourse, and the transformative power of a positive mindset. We warmly welcome and respect individuals from all backgrounds, irrespective of politics, gender, gender identity, age, race, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, or disability. Whether it’s volunteering, Spanish immersion, TEFL certification, international internships, university courses, or GAP year experiences, members of the LGBTQIA+ community are wholeheartedly invited to participate in our programs.

Impact

At Maximo Nivel, we work in close partnership with our local communities in Latin America to ensure that volunteer projects align with genuine local needs, fostering meaningful and relevant impact. We emphasize sustainable initiatives designed for enduring change, rather than short-term interventions. By promoting cultural sensitivity, we facilitate enriching exchanges rooted in mutual respect, and our commitment to local employment further integrates and supports the communities we serve.

Program Highlights

  • New internships start every Monday year-round
  • Dedicated internship advisor
  • All-inclusive—Private accommodations, meals, & Spanish classes
  • 24/7 in-country support
  • Academic credit available

Program Reviews

5.00 Rating
based on 9 reviews
  • 5 rating 100%
  • 4 rating 0%
  • 3 rating 0%
  • 2 rating 0%
  • 1 rating 0%
  • Growth 4.7
  • Support 4.8
  • Fun 4.8
  • Housing 4.8
  • Safety 4.9
Showing 1 - 8 of 9 reviews
Default avatar
Noah
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

UK Uni student year abroad

Really enjoyed my 4 weeks here, the host family was really nice and the support staff was very helpful. I had an internship at a hotel which was really enjoyable and good to practice Spanish speaking. The Maximo Nivel institute has lots of activities planned for the week, and the Spanish lessons were of great quality and very flexible to the sorts of things you would want to learn. The actual workbook itself was very detailed and the teaching was superb. Would recommend to university students who need or want to spend time abroad, the perfect place for this.

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
Go out and about to explore different places in Costa Rica, your not here forever and there’s plenty to see.
Pros
  • Good Spanish practice
  • Friendly staff
  • Helpful
11 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Madeline
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Maximo Nivel Internship in Cusco, Peru

I just spent some of the best six weeks of my life in Cusco. I highly recommend this experience. It is the kind of highly valuable learning experience that you simply cannot get in the classroom, and I will certainly benefit from it in my future endeavors and career. Cusco and its surroundings are unlike anything in the world, and you WILL NOT regret it. Do not get discouraged by the cold - the climate is beautiful during the day. Also, Cusco is very safe. I am a young, single woman traveling alone and I never felt unsafe. This was the experience of a lifetime.

Pros
  • Social scene - so easy to make friends here and have a good time
  • Natural beauty
  • Learning experience
Cons
  • Maximo Nivel is not very organized
  • No heat at night - bundle up
169 people found this review helpful.
Lauren
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Special Education Student Teaching

I student taught in Costa Rica in August and September 2015. It was truly the most incredible experience. Maximo Nivel has very knowledgeable staff members and provide fantastic support and services. They are also working to better support the countries in which they serve. I would recommend this program to anyone going into the field of education. They provide intensive Spanish lessons as well as various different cultural opportunities and excursions.

What would you improve about this program?
Maximo Nivel is trying to improve their special education program. My placement was in an English-only school with typically developing children. They did, however, help me to visit some of the special education public schools.
181 people found this review helpful.
Read my full story
Lucas
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Teaching English to Adults

Through Maximo Nivel, I was able to work on my Spanish language skills with awesome lessons from instructors. They personalized their lessons on areas that I wanted to improve on and I feel that I am much better at Spanish because of it. I also had the opportunity to teach English to adults, which I really enjoyed doing. All of the staff supported me throughout the whole process, where I felt comfortable asking anyone for questions or help My homestay was also a very memorable and positive experience and am so thankful for everything.

177 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Ashley
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Pura Vida

This program was awesome! I am very glad I decided to student teach in Costa Rica. It really was life changing. It opened my eyes to a different culture and way of living. I loved the Pura Vida life style (and even got a tattoo of it! :) ) Staff was all very friendly and welcoming! My host families were also very friendly as well! Our group of 8 became a family from doing this experience together!

183 people found this review helpful.
Emily
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

More Than Worth It

I chose to intern in San José, Costa Rica for 8 weeks during my summer break, and the experience was incredibly worth the cost. I was placed at a small micro-credit lending organization that makes loans to low-income women all over the country. I cannot emphasize enough how welcoming and helpful my coworkers were. From day one they made me feel like an important part of their team and allowed me to take part in their projects and day-to-day business. Having to speak Spanish 8 hours a day in a business setting, improved my command of the language and more importantly, gave me the confidence to speak in groups and under pressure. I even had the opportunity to visit some of the clients, ask them questions, develop business plans, and handle their products. It was truly a worthwhile learning experience that boosted my resume in a big way.

One of the the most memorable stories I can share from my internship is when I got the chance to go with one of the credit assessors to a very poor neighborhood called a "precario" made of tiny houses stacked on top of each other. There, I got to meet firsthand some of the families that were benefiting from the loans we helped them get. We were able to speak about their small businesses and hear about the challenges they faced. All were extremely welcoming and willing to talk. One family even let us try the hydroponic lettuce they grew. This trip was very eye-opening as well as great professional experience.

Máximo Nivel did a great job placing me in a home near the office, and within walking distance of my internship. San José has so much to see and do that I was never bored on the weekends, even if I didn't travel to one of the amazing beaches or cloud forests that are never more than a few hours away. One of the reasons I chose to intern through Máximo is because it was the only program I found that did not include excursions in the price. They work with a travel agency to give you those options, and offer plenty of cultural activities, but I was glad to find a program that did not include all those extra costs.

Besides the natural beauty of Costa Rica, what really made my experience there memorable were the people I met. My coworkers, and mostly everyone I encountered was so friendly and helpful. I did not expect to be welcomed in so quickly and treated like a member of the team, but my time working at the micro-credit firm, Fundacion Mujer, was enjoyable from day one.

My Spanish classes were excellent and extremely helpful. I had never had a one-on-one class with a native speaker, and going 5 days a week forced me to constantly improve. Máximo Nivel gave me enough freedom to explore the city and country without feeling like I was being babysat, but they offer plenty of support and help to those who maybe feel a bit less comfortable abroad.

I loved living in San Jose, San Pedro specifically, because there is so much to do there. With universities nearby, live music, museums, and outdoor spaces, I was never bored. I felt so at home and safe there, and I miss it every day.

Overall, I would definitely recommend the internship program to anyone who wants to get international work experience and improve their Spanish in one of the most beautiful countries on earth. The entire staff was very helpful and friendly and I was completely satisfied with my time in Costa Rica.

174 people found this review helpful.
Brittany
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

You just GOTTA do it

As much as you want to think you have an idea of what it will be like to go abroad somewhere and learn, you will never understand it til you do it. It's a whole different world and makes you find out so much about yourself and the world we live in. It was my first time leaving the United States but Maximo & everyone involved does a great job at making you feel right at home. I found comfort in total strangers, ziplined above the cloud forest, got a volcanic ash facial in natural hot springs and saw spider monkeys and toucans and more. My spanish improved tremendously and I couldn't have done it had Maximo not given me great resources to submerge myself in! Costa Rica and "pura vida" changed my life, let it change yours. Whether its volunteering or studying, DO IT.

179 people found this review helpful.
Asuka Sugiyama
Asuka
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Unforgettable experience

Two-month internship program with Maximo Nivel was incredible. Even though I had little knowledge in marketing regarding tourism, thanks to the advice and feedbacks from Maximo, I could do a great job at my placement (The Avocado Tour) and learn A LOT every day.
Thank you Maximo Guatemala for everything - from giving me very useful tips to bringing me laughs. Thank you for The Avocado Tour for teaching me everything about avocados and making me love and appreciate this fruit a lot more. Thank you Guatemala for always impressing me. I enjoyed every single bit and piece of my life in La Antigua. I am coming back some time!!

183 people found this review helpful.

Questions & Answers