Program Reviews

I am a 22-year-old art major, and I can honestly say I have been enjoying this experience so much more than I expected. Teaching abroad has been such a fun, exciting, and eye-opening opportunity. I have loved being able to experience a new culture while also bringing my creativity into the classroom and connecting with students in ways I never imagined. The program has been really supportive throughout the whole process, which made moving abroad and adjusting feel way less overwhelming. I’ve gained so much confidence, independence, and real world experience from this program, both personally and professionally. Every day feels like a learning experience, and I genuinely look forward to what’s next. I’m so grateful for this opportunity and would definitely recommend it to other young people who want to travel, grow, and do something meaningful while figuring out their next steps.

So far experience has been pretty good. Finding an in person practicum for teaching hours for TEFL was a nightmare, but eventually I found one.

As for living in Korea there is very little "moving in" period. Once you get your housing its almost like less than 24 hours.
That being said taking care of all the documents could be difficult since banks and offices are usually closed on the weekends and you work all day at work, either you go REALLY early in the morning or its going to be closed. Also not all jobs pay for your ticket to Korea, so keep that in mind.

Still the pay is as advertised no surpises, also the housing is nice although its not always going to be close; it takes me around 40 minutes to get to work each day and another to get back. The work itself is like any job, some days are harder than others , but it seems to be going well.

In conclusion, pay is great, the team is helpful, and respond quickly. However, the housing is not always close, and there is almost never anytime to get personal documents for living arrangements done.
Would recommend!

Hey everyone!

I’m going to try and summarize my experience in this short review. I did my TEFL training in the spring of 2023 while I was finishing my bachelor’s degree and it was a great experience! The course itself was very flexible and easy to navigate. I was taking 18 credits and working full time, but I was still able to complete my teaching hours and the course itself!

I think that the only part that was difficult for me was getting the paperwork together and actually traveling from Seoul to my city once I arrived in Korea. The person who was helping me told me the wrong way to get to my city and I ended up stranded in a different city for the night and had to buy a hotel room. Luckily it was very easy, but I was it was more clear since I didn’t know a lot about the transport when I first came to Korea and it was difficult to get the documents I needed. I called so many government offices to finally figure out what I needed.

The move in September felt so daunting but also thrilling. It was something that was hard to explain to others who never had done the same thing. However, you being to realize really quickly that the daunting feeling was just your nerves taking over of what the unknown consisted of. Within week 2, the thrill starts to creep up and it doesn't really leave you. Madrid has so much to offer, as an aux and as an expat now living here. I have learned so much about myself and the world as days go on. The teaching aspect is so much more fulfilling than I ever thought it would be honestly. You realize very quickly that the students admire your presence in the classroom and the teacher values your knowledge and English Language. It's not just something you attend for a year of your life but rather a year that will make your life. What I mean by that is, your perspective on people, places, and things changes for the better. As cliche as it sounds, it really does and I am only 4-5 months in. You realize that being lucky enough to wake up in a different country was the goal all along. Your travels, work, and the people you meet will linger within you. The people here are so friendly and welcoming that it was so easy to adjust into the work schedule and way of life they simply execute here in Madrid. It's almost as if Spain isn't just a country filled with people but a country that is entirely a community. The romanticization of the city commute was something I didn't realize would happen naturally coming from a suburban child and young adult. It naturally gives you time to breathe, think, people watch, gather inspiration whether that be from human interaction or through the lens of your own eyes and ears. You see a lot but you also feel a lot, emotion that is. However, it is always a nice feeling knowing I am not alone in this journey even if I feel like it at times. That is always comforting...knowing there are other aux's out living in Madrid experiencing the same emotions you are. Also, the CIEE community is always offering events to attend and people to see/hangout with that bring a sense of comfort if you are ever feeling like you need a pick me up and need to get out and do something or meet people. The city is truly overwhelming in the best way. That's what I've been telling everyone from home. Overwhelming because it offers so many things that you feel like you are going to miss out on not doing it all. However, you start to realize that time here moves differently than in America. It's slower...your days feel longer. Travel is less expensive. Making memories and experiencing new places and environments seem to feel more less of a task that has to be completed but more of a habit and routine that you partake in because it's so assessable. Life as an aux is a blessing, truly, it's just how you choose to view that blessing that will make it or break it. I'll tell you now, it will make you if you make it.

CIEE was a huge help in all stages of the process. They helped me get a placement at a local school, helped me get a visa, helped me with settling into a new culture and navigating Spanish bureaucracy, and continued to be available if I needed anything throughout the school year. I would recommend their program to have a smooth transition to living in Spain. Once you’ve been placed in a school, the rest of the experience is up to the individual school admin and the teachers there, and your own attitude. There are difficulties to working in any public school, and each schools may have different expectations of you as a language assistant and a standard of student behavior that is different from what you’re used to at home. It’s all part of the intercultural experience! Be flexible and you will have an extraordinary journey of personal growth.

I have always dreamed of moving to Spain, and CIEE Teach Abroad made it so easy. They offered so much support before and during the process of becoming an aux. I was really worried about the visa process, but they were so helpful and made sure that I knew everything I'd need to know. Now that I'm in Spain it's been so nice to have connections within the country- I never feel like I'm on my own! I also have met some of my best friends through this program. It was such a great way to meet like-mided people. I can't recommend it enough.

It was definitely challenging adjusting to living and working in a different country! It was difficult to find housing but we made it work. Despite the challenges, it has been an overall very rewarding experience. I have loved teaching at my school and working with the other Auxs at my school. I do think the pay is not great and you have to come in with a lot of savings to be able to live your life. It is challenging to budget such a small pay while having to pay a lot for rent/utilities and food. There’s not a lot of extra money for fun.

CIEE is a great help, I am very happy I made the decision to move to and teach in Madrid. Although it was a quick decision and not as planned out as it could have been. things are going reasonably great. Make sure you stay on top of the critical stuff and the rest is just fun! Can't wait to see what the rest of this journey holds. Five more months I definitely want to travel to more countries, explore Spain more, and knock more things off of my bucket list! I'm sure if you save and plan wisely, with the help of CIEE you'll have an amazing timeeee.

I recently completed the CIEE 150-hour TEFL certification course in November of 2025, and I couldn't be more pleased with the experience. The course was well-structured, offering a perfect balance of theoretical knowledge and practical application. My instructor was knowledgeable, supportive, and always available to answer questions. The course materials were comprehensive, engaging, and relevant to real-world teaching scenarios. Overall, this certification has been instrumental in helping me transition from a sales career to teaching. It's provided me with the skills and confidence to teach English abroad, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking to embark on a similar journey of travel and teaching.

It was a good program I felt supported however the time difference made it difficult as well as the workload on top of my regular school work. The live recordings were helpful and I’m sure I’ll reference back to the resources that are on the modules as well. Overall the course was very informative and it was a good introduction to teaching especially for a beginner like me. It felt like a normal online class and the instructor was very available and incredibly helpful. The small class size also made it easy to connect.