Program Reviews

My experience with Maximo Nivel and their Gap Year Country Hopper program has truly been life-changing! So far, I’ve had the incredible opportunity to spend time volunteering in Costa Rica and Guatemala, and every moment has exceeded my expectations.

In Costa Rica, I worked at a preschool where I helped local teachers and spent my days surrounded by the most energetic and loving children. Watching their faces light up as they learned something new made every day meaningful. Then in Guatemala, I got to volunteer on an eco farm, learning about sustainable farming practices and connecting deeply with nature. The hands-on work was rewarding and gave me a whole new appreciation for community-driven sustainability.

Beyond the volunteer projects, what truly made this program special were the people. From the incredibly supportive Maximo Nivel staff to the amazing volunteers I met along the way, everyone was kind, welcoming, and full of positive energy. I’ve made friendships that I know will last a lifetime, and being part of such a diverse, inspiring community made the entire journey even more unforgettable.

Maximo Nivel did an amazing job organizing everything—from accommodations and cultural activities to orientation and ongoing support. I always felt safe, informed, and empowered to make the most of each experience.

If you’re looking for a program that combines meaningful volunteer work, adventure, cultural immersion, and personal growth, I can’t recommend the Maximo Nivel Gap Year Country Hopper program enough. It’s been an unforgettable journey of discovery, connection, and purpose—and I can’t wait to see where the next stop takes me

I had a brilliant time studying the TEFL course at the Manuel Antonio campus. The institute is beautiful and the staff could not have made us feel more welcome - Noily hosted a wonderful cooking class, Viviana did my nails, and everyone always greeted us with a warm smile and genuine interest. Lewis has been an involved and inspirational teacher and I have learnt so much over the 4 weeks. While the course is intense, it never failed to keep us entertained and engaged whilst setting us up for a career as a TEFL teacher and teaching various other life lessons. I would also highly recommend leaving time afterwards to explore the natural wonders nearby.

The course itself is wonderful, but the work is a lot and requires some discipline and dedication to get through it.

One needs to be highly motivated and be ready to put in the extra work in order to make it and do everything right.

You also need to accept criticism more of constructive criticism and be able to learn from it and actually improve from what you are told.

Overall it’s a great course and the support you get from your TEFL instructor is amazing.

Everything on the brochure is exactly what happens ,more support, practical teaching and all of that.

My TEFL program with Máximo Nivel Guatemala was a fantastic experience. I learned so much throughout the course and really valued the strong practical element that helped me build real classroom confidence. The lessons were engaging, well-structured, and supportive. The instructors, Becca and Claudia, were excellent—knowledgeable, patient, and always encouraging. Their guidance made the whole experience enjoyable and truly rewarding. Highly recommend this program to anyone considering teaching English abroad!

I absolutely loved every second of this course! It was challenging but incredibly rewarding, and I would 100% recommend it. The program is intensive, so make sure you’re ready to take it seriously , but the staff are supportive, and the experience is genuinely fun.

I got my first teaching job just three weeks after finishing the course, and I’m certain that without this TEFL program, it wouldn’t have been possible. I’m so grateful for everything I’ve learned, and I feel more than ready to keep growing and developing as an English teacher

I had a great experience earning my TEFL certification through Máximo Nivel. While the coursework and assignments were fairly demanding—especially since I was working full-time alongside the program—I found the content to be thorough and well-structured, ultimately preparing me well for real teaching situations. The course is a great fit for anyone juggling a busy schedule, as it's fully online and self-paced. It took me about 3 to 4 months to complete the modules, followed by a one-week practicum of online teaching, during which an instructor observes your sessions. This one-on-one setup allowed for detailed, personalized feedback on my teaching. Everyone I interacted with, both before enrolling and during the course, was incredibly kind and supportive. Overall, I would highly recommend this program to anyone looking to become TEFL certified.

I had been thinking about taking a TEFL course for quite some time, but never truly committed until now. What a great experience! The TEFL program at Maximo Nivel is a very intense, yet rewarding program that will challenge you inside and outside of the classroom. Be prepared for long hours and a lot of work (but absolutely worth it)! I feel truly fortunate to have had such an excellent instructor and such supportive classmates and staff throughout the program. I 100% recommend the TEFL course with Maximo Nivel!

The facility is clean and accessible and the classroom is well air conditioned. The location in Quepos is very convenient with the bus station, restaurants, and stores nearby. The staff is friendly, kind, and helpful. Lewis, the TEFL instructor, is a clear communicator, knowledgeable, helpful, and he goes out of his way to make himself available. The course is challenging and will have you teaching real students at every opportunity.

P.S. If you like wildlife, the classroom has massive windows out of which you can see birds and monkeys in the trees.

I took the TEFL course with Maximo Nivel in Manuel Antonio/Quepos, and loved every day of the course. I learned a ton about not only teaching, but about myself. I went through many wins and losses, and I was constantly improving each day. I was able to teach real students and receive real genuine feedback from an amazing instructor (Lewis). The course itself was challenging and was filled with late nights and humiliating moments. It was very satisfying to watch myself grow day by day. Outside of the course, Quepos is filled with amazing, friendly people. Not to mention, it's absolutely beautiful. I'd highly recommend taking this course!

My experience with maximo Nivel was amazing. The TEFL course with Professor Lewis was the best class, he is very helpful and real when it comes to feedback. While the course was intensive, it was so rewarding and very enjoyable. We teach real learners, they want to learn and you should be open minded and know not all of them will be at the same level of english. I would highly recommend it for anyone looking to teach English. The course is fast paced and it can be overwhelming but its doable, you can still explore the town and go to the beacg just manage your time. Final Practical Teacheing Week (PTW) is tough, be prepared to work hard. You will have fun, the fisrt two weeks are fun and light but after that is game on!