Teach English in Spain with CIEE | Guaranteed Placement in Madrid

One year ago, I decided to make a bold life decision and go to Spain to teach abroad through the CIEE Teach in Spain program. Other than one semester in England as an undergrad, I had never done anything like this before. CIEE helped me through the arduous task of getting a Schengen visa, and helped me get settled in. Their orientation process was fun and informative, and throughout the year they had kept me informed of developments in the program and invited me to various dinners and meetings that they held. I made friends for life through the CIEE program. I also received my TEFL certification through CIEE as well. I stayed a second year in Spain, and continued with CIEE through their alumni ambassador program. I even contributed back by working as an orientation leader for the next generation of auxiliares.

CIEE was a great experience for me and I highly recommend it for anyone interested in traveling and teaching abroad. They prepared me very well for teaching English to students, living in Spain, and getting accustomed to Spanish culture.

Before I decided to embark on this journey with CIEE, I had already been abroad several times on my own and through my school. Thus, having a decent level of international exposure and experience with many international providers that cater to students and volunteers studying or working aboard, allows me to truly gauge this CIEE experience without any "first-timers" bias and "perfect-world" expectations.

Bottom line, CIEE is the best in the business of placing volunteers in teaching positions abroad. To make it plain, this company really stretches its arms and makes the effort to reach out to each individual volunteer that has signed up for its program. It is no secret that the greatest challenge that these types of programs face is being able to keep tabs on all of their signees. But CIEE has a cobra grip on this issue, and performs it with ease. Communication is actually this program's strongest asset. They don't just say in a tag-line on their website or send emails explaining how much they value their signees. They show it. I can appreciate a company that doesn't run like a "company" or a "system." This company makes sure that you have everything that you need, and holds an orientation that is beyond informative. They bring in providers that lend you their services throughout the duration of your stay aboard.

I couldn't be more pleased with this program, and if you are looking to channel your inner "Indiana Jones" or just go out and gain some life-changing international experience working with students of a different culture, choose CIEE. Don't pass up on this opportunity of a lifetime. I thank the Lord everyday that I didn't. I hope this helped!

I had the pleasure of teaching two years in Madrid through CIEE and wouldn't have had it any other way. Moving to a country where you don't know anyone, or speak the language can be an extremely nerve-wracking experience, but through the help of CIEE, this process couldn't have been better. The support I received, pre-departure, during orientation, and even throughout my first year made my decision to re-apply through them in my second year.
Although there are numerous programs one can use when applying to the auxiliar program, I truly felt like the assistance, support, and knowledge of the staff at CIEE is unparalleled. I enjoyed this program so much that I applied to be a Orientation leader both the summer of 2015 and 2016. It is such an incredible way to share experiences and advice with those who are in the same position as I was when I first came to Madrid. Being able to see both sides of this Teach Abroad program (applicant and staff) only reinforced my satisfaction with using CIEE to come abroad.

I've currently been living in Spain for two months now and I have loved every second of it. This is the farthest and longest I've been away from my family but it has allowed me to grow as a person, both professionally and personally. CIEE was a big help when it came to the paperwork. They helped walk me through the Visa process, how to find an apartment, getting an international cellphone, opening up a bank account, applying for a TIE, etc. Without their help, I'm sure I would've been really lost because the paperwork is very intimidating to say the least. They made sure that everything was filled out properly and a lot of times, they even made appointments for us which was one less thing we had to do. They placed us in our schools based upon our preferences which was extremely helpful. I am teaching in a secondary school and I know that if I were placed in a primary school, I would not be as happy. Some of my closest friends in Spain are some that I met during orientation. There's also a Facebook page that allows everyone to post for various events or trips so that we can all stay connected which is very helpful and nice as well.

I am currently teaching in Madrid, Spain with the CIEE Teach Abroad (regular) program. I would recommend CIEE for anyone looking to teach in Spain who seeks extra support and guidance with the somewhat difficult transition that comes with relocating your life abroad.
The online summer course and on-site orientation were especially helpful for me; I was given lots of useful information and was able to ask questions and get individual attention with the topics that were most concerning for me. I also enjoyed the opportunity to get to know other auxiliars so I could begin making connections and establishing friendships.
I did feel that the number of people in the program impacted CIEE's ability to provide enough assistance to each individual as might be required. There were about 200 of us, which was a huge increase from the previous year as I've been told, and it showed that CIEE was a bit overwhelmed when we all arrived on site. Things felt a bit chaotic and rushed.
If you do elect to teach in Spain through CIEE, expect help, support and guidance, but do not expect perfection and constant "hand-holding." There is a lot you will have to undertake and figure out on your own. CIEE will try to help you but they will not do it all for you.
Overall, I do not regret going through CIEE despite the high cost and inevitable obstacles. I have really appreciated all the services they have provided, and overall they have given me peace of mind through the most stressful moments which I consider to be priceless.
Best of luck to those of you considering teaching in Spain as your next adventure!

I chose to teach abroad in Spain through CIEE's Four Week Immersion Program. This program is a combination of a Spanish homestay, Spanish classes, as well as your placement as a Language Assistant at a school in Madrid. CIEE made my experience moving abroad more enjoyable and certainly less stressful. They are the liaison between you and the Spanish government and they guide you through every process necessary to apply, move abroad and stay abroad. The support and encouragement from CIEE's staff has been both welcoming and consistent from the people I have been in contact with in the United States and in Spain. This is an excellent organization and would recommend CIEE to anyone looking to travel, work or study abroad.

As far as the program itself goes, I haven't had the best experience. They make it sound like they will assist you throughout the process, but I feel like what I really paid for was a few weeks in a hotel to meet friends and a couple of crash courses about legal stuff we had to do upon arrival which was super overwhelming.

Before I left I tried to get in touch with the office for over a week. I sent emails and left voicemails and I never heard back from them. I understand it is a busy time, but I felt like this was very unprofessional, especially since the information I was requesting was time sensitive for my visa application.

I basically figured everything out on my own and haven't heard from them expect to tell us about big news, which we all know about anyways. I don't think it was worth the money at all. You can do the exact same program through the government and it is 100% free. I just didn't know about it until after I was already here. I would suggest looking into that if you want to come teach here!

The actual job is great though! I work in a secondary school and I have enjoyed being with the kids a lot. I plan to be a teacher when I return to the US so I think the experience has been great for me. The placement of schools has little to do with CIEE though. I work with two other auxiliaries that came here through the government for free. They also really consider your wishes when they place you which is nice.

I would suggest applying directly through the Ministry and finding a Facebook page for the Auxiliares who will be able to answer the questions that you have. I did the teach abroad program here in Spain and I wished that I had saved my money.

They were helpful with the visa application although that is something that you can easily figure out. They also offered a TESL course, which now that I am here seemed very unnecessary for the job (and you had to pay extra).

Once I got to Spain, I was shocked by the level of carelessness and lax that the coordinator in Spain had. In fact it was so bad that she could not answer most of the questions that people had and she gave out wrong information. At this point I am still waiting on documents from them that would have been faster had I just solicited the documents myself when I arrived.