Teach English in Spain with CIEE | Guaranteed Placement in Madrid

Name: Teach English in Spain with CIEE | Guaranteed Placement in Madrid
Brand: CIEE Teach Abroad & TEFL
SKU: 29255
Rating: 4.64 (168 reviews)

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4.64 Rating

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Location

Spain
- Madrid

Length

52+ weeks

Classroom Audience

Early Childhood Pre-School Elementary Middle School High School

Financial Support

Payment plans

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Program Details

Qualifications

Bachelor's degree (in any field)
Native-level English fluency
Citizenship in the U.S., Canada, or Ireland

Job Type

Government

Classroom Audience

Early Childhood Pre-School Elementary Middle School High School

Weekly Classroom Hours

Age Min.

Age Max

Pricing

Salary / Benefits

Monthly Stipend: 1000 Euros;
Temporary accommodations during orientation
Local health insurance coverage with $0 deductible
Ongoing support from CIEE staff in Madrid, including 24/7 availability for emergencies

Starting Price

2350

Price Details

Guaranteed placement as a Language and Culture Assistant in the region of Madrid
Pre-departure Preparation– including extensive visa guidance and resources for apartment hunting
Insurance with 24-hour emergency assistance
24/7 support from CIEE staff in Madrid
Airport pickup and transportation to your orientation hotel on arrival day
Four-day orientation in Madrid (with hotel) on topics including housing, banking, residency, health & safety, and more
Cultural activities during orientation with your new best friends

What's Included

Some Accommodation Some Activities Airport Transfers Travel Insurance

What's Not Included

Accommodation Airfare Meals

What's Not Included (Extra)

Visa fee not included

Last Updated: Feb 02, 2024

Last Reviewed: Apr 12, 2024

Wish List

166 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

CIEE's Teach in Spain program offers guaranteed placement as a Language and Culture Assistant in the region of Madrid, and support through every step of your journey.

Before departure, CIEE will provide you with expert visa guidance, an online pre-departure course, regular communication, and help you find your community of like-minded teachers that will be heading to Madrid with you. After arrival, CIEE provides airport pick-up on arrival day, a comprehensive orientation, 4 nights of accommodation at orientation hotel, cultural activities, and 24/7 support from CIEE staff in Madrid so you'll be set up for success!

As a language assistant in Madrid, you'll spend 16 hours per week in the classroom supporting local teachers and helping students practice conversational English. With three-day weekends you'll have plenty of free time to travel or study Spanish.

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Video and Photos

CIEE Teach in Spain teachers at metro station in Madrid

CIEE Teach in Spain teachers at cafe in Madrid

CIEE Teach in Spain teachers at plaza in Madrid

CIEE Teach in Spain teacher a Retiro park in Madrid

CIEE Teacher in Spain teachers exploring Madrid

CIEE Teach in Spain teachers and friends on outing together

Bring joy and learning to classrooms of children in Madrid

CIEE Teach in Spain teachers at historical site in Madrid

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Program Highlights

Guaranteed placement as a Language and Culture Assistant in the region of Madrid
Airport pickup and 4 nights at orientation hotel in Madrid upon arrival
Network with other CIEE teachers before departure and at CIEE orientation in Madrid
Orientation in Madrid with cultural activities and workshops on housing, transportation, residency, and more
Optional: 2-4 weeks of Spanish language immersion course and homestay before starting teaching position

Program Reviews

4.64 Rating

based on 168 reviews

Leave a Review

Rating Spread Teach Gap Year TEFL

5 rating 72.62%
4 rating 22.02%
3 rating 3.57%
2 rating 0%
1 rating 1.79%

Benefits 4.25
Support 4.5
Fun 4.65
Facilities 4.3
Safety 4.75

Housing 5
Support 4
Fun 5
Value 5
Safety 5

Instruction 4.35
Support 5
Value 4
Academic Rigor 3
Job Assistance 3

Good for Solo Travelers, Adventure travelers, Building your resume

Showing 49 - 56 of 168 reviews

CIEE helped to make my transition from the U.S. to Spain seamless. There was ample information provided throughout the pre-departure orientation and even a canvas course to help! Once I arrived in Spain, CIEE was there to make sure I knew how to get settled in a foreign country and also was incredibly helpful in helping me to navigate and secure the long term documents for residency. They also planned a few cultural events throughout the year. Price was worth it for me never having lived abroad.

Pros

Recommended for couples (I got a placement at a school with my partner)
So much helpful support before leaving and once I arrived
Weekly newsletters about events and info about Madrid from locals

Cons

Cost

This was my first year with CIEE and hopefully not my last. I had an amazing experience with CIEE and they provided excellent support during the whole visa process and throughout the year in Spain. They were fast to alert us on any changes the consulate had with visas and were super helpful with the TIE process as well. I have gotten job offers right after this experience because it is valuable experience most employers are looking for. I regret not staying another year, but I knew that I wanted to go back to graduate school in the United States.

Pros

Making amazing new friends that will last a lifetime.
Getting out of your comfort zone to try new things.
So much support and assistance through the whole program.

Cons

Finding housing was a little stressful.
Did not save up enough money to travel more.
The commute to work could've been better if I looked better.

Teaching abroad in Spain has been an amazing year and Ciee has really provided so much help to make this transition easier. They helped us with applying for a visa, how to navigate the TIE process, gave us resources on how to get an apartment, a bank account, public transport card, and insurance.
Going abroad is a wonderful experience and it has been so helpful having these resources and advice before and after arriving in Spain. I have met so many other people teaching abroad through other programs that did not have this much support in moving abroad.

Pros

Advice for moving abroad and what to expect
Learning about different cultures

Cons

Expensive

I really enjoyed living in Madrid, and CIEE was a means to get situated here easily (emphasis on easily - they were super helpful with the visa process, the foreigner's identity card process [TIE] and a lot more of the technical governmental things that are pretty confusing to handle on your own). They provide office hours so you can stop by the CIEE center to ask questions which is also really great. During orientation, they put us in a pretty solid hotel and provided us with informational tours and all of the information we needed.

Pros

4 day workweek, only 16-20 hours a week
Do not need to speak any Spanish to be on the program

Cons

The pay of 1000 EUR a month is not up to standard with living costs anymore

Being an aux has been such a fun job, and becoming one through a program is so helpful. I don’t know if I would have been able to get to Madrid without CIEE. They walk you through every step to getting here from getting your visa to your metro card. Things that would be hard to do without speaking much Spanish, like getting insurance, is all set up for you. Also having an orientation before starting school is so helpful because they introduce you to Madrid and help with all the appointments and paperwork that has to be done when you arrive.

Pros

Living abroad
Work experience
Travel opportunities

Cons

Finding housing
Many appointments once you arrive

CIEE is a great program for becoming an auxilliar in Madrid. Because they guaruntee placement in Madrid and help you with your visa and documents once you arrive in Spain, I think this program is worth using if you want to teach abroad. I would have probably given up on the visa process if not for the support and resources that CIEE provided for us. They also were there for any questions or problems througbout the entire year, and this came in handy several times. Additionally, they set up your insurance plan, which is really helpful and would not be something I would want to figure out on my own.

Pros

Living abroad and learning a new language
Access to European travel
Made friends in Madrid through the program

Cons

No say in where your school is located in Madrid
Costly, but effective program
You cannot change your school if you are not happy there

My experience teaching abroad in Madrid with CIEE completely changed the trajectory of my career. I never thought that teaching was going to be a passion of mine, but I ended up staying in Madrid for 2 years as a language assistant. The highlight of my experience with CIEE was definitely the in-country orientation- it was super comprehensive and helped me to successfully start my teaching contract with confidence. During my time in Madrid I was even invited to a few events by local staff and always felt that CIEE employees were responsive, friendly, and attentive to my questions and concerns. Would highly recommend this program to anyone looking for a smooth transition to life abroad!

Pros

Attentive and responsive staff
Visa guidance
In-country orientation

A weekend trip to Sevilla during my time teaching abroad!

Read my full story

The CIEE short term teach english program is a great experience. CIEE provides a lot of support during the lead up to the program and throughout. The visa process and the housing search are the most stressful aspects of the process, and CIEE really helped provide support. The one downside of the program is the price. You have to pay a CIEE fee, which I think is a bit too expensive. If you apply directly through the ministry, I believe it is free, however you do not have the guarantee of being in Madrid.

Pros

Great city
Learn Spanish
Friendly locals

Cons

A lot of variety in the type of school you could be placed in

Questions & Answers

Is it for native speakers only?

This program requires fluent English proficiency and citizenship from the United States, Canada, Australia, Ireland, or New Zealand.

By CIEE Teach Abroad and CIEE TEFL on January 6, 2022

Is it possible to live off 1000 euros a month? How much is average rent?

It’s definitely possible to live off 1000€/month! It’s actually way easier than I thought it would be. I live outside the city center and only pay 360€ a month including utilities and WiFi, but even if you’re in the city center, I think you can find a place for a reasonable price. Groceries and restaurants are way cheaper here than in the states, so cost of living in general is lower, I’d say...

By Derinn Wallace on March 24, 2020

See all 2 answers

What are the differences between TEFL, TESOL, and CELTA?

CELTA—administered by Cambridge Univ and respected worldwide. Must face students in classrooms and be evaluated by peers. The others? Can obtain online without ever meeting a student. Who would you hire?

By Brian Morris on March 18, 2020

See all 2 answers

Where are most opportunities available?

Hi, Clark! We have programs in many countries, take a look at our website to compare programs: https://www.ciee.org/go-abroad/work/teach-english-abroad/pr…. You can reach out to our country coordinators using the 'contact us' tab at the top. Please feel free to reach out to us at teach@ciee.org. Looking forward to working with you! Teach Team

By CIEE Teach Abroad and CIEE TEFL on February 5, 2020

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Alumni Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with verified alumni.

Rachel Dietz

Program

Teach English in Spain with CIEE | Guaranteed Placement in Madrid

Rachel is a Minnesota native who is passionate about multiculturalism and international education. As a CIEE Teach Abroad participant, Rachel was able to live in Madrid, Spain and loved teaching English to students of all kinds. During her time abroad she really enjoyed things like trying all different types of Spanish cuisine, traveling to various cities within Spain and all over Europe, and increasing her vocabulary in Spanish.

Interview

Why did you choose this program?

I chose the CIEE Teach Abroad program in Madrid because I really wanted guaranteed placement in that region of Spain as well as support with the moving process (like the visa assistance). Additionally, I was traveling alone so I wanted to be connected with other people who were going to teach abroad making the in-country orientation another important factor so I could meet new people right away.

What did your program provider (or university) assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?

CIEE assisted me with the visa application process and helped guide me to get all my paperwork in order before leaving the US. After arrival in Spain, I attended orientation with CIEE Staff where they covered information like what to expect for the teaching position, how to get your residency and metro cards, insurance and safety information, as well as planned cultural activities. Throughout my 2 years teaching in Madrid I was also invited to various events with CIEE staff. I didn't have to organize much on my own- CIEE was great about keeping me informed each step of the way on the tasks I needed to complete to successfully teach abroad in Spain. The most work I did was to find housing once I arrived in Madrid, but CIEE did offer advice to help me navigate that process as well.

What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?

One thing I would tell people that are going to teach abroad in Madrid with CIEE is to do your research and plan your trip with adequate time. The earlier you apply to the CIEE program the better, as it allows for more time to save money, apply for your visa without stress, and to be able to source information about Madrid that will make your time in Spain easier. The research process should be thorough- what are the different neighborhoods and what do they offer? Where is your school placement and how would you get there on public transportation? What are the biggest national holidays and what are the local customs? What are cultural differences between US and Spanish schools? These are just some examples, but they are things that are important to know beforehand so that you can show up to your first day at work cool, calm, and collected.

What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?

When I was teaching in Madrid I worked Monday-Thursday and I had 16 classes (all 1 hour each). I was usually at school from 9am-3pm and when I wasn't in class I was either prepping class materials in the staff lounge or in the cafeteria having a coffee and tostada with the other language assistants and the teachers that I had befriended at the school. After school I usually gave private tutoring lessons to make some extra cash and then weekends were for going out with friends, traveling throughout Spain and Europe, and time to relax.

Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it? How did your views on the issue change?

My biggest fear when going abroad was about being able to make friends. Having been abroad before, I knew that having a good support system of friends is important to avoid being homesick and to really make the most of your time living overseas. To overcome this fear, I decided to go through a program like CIEE because I knew that they would connect me with others who were going to teach in Spain. And from there I tried to take advantage of every opportunity I had to meet new people: I went to a meet-up in my hometown in the US with people from CIEE who I met on the CIEE Facebook group, I made plans to go out for drinks with people at orientation in Madrid, made sure to friend/follow people on social media to stay up to date, made an effort to get to know the other language assistants and teachers at my school placement, and attended all the events that I was invited to throughout the year by CIEE and other organizations.

What is the most important skill to work on if you want to be successful when teaching English abroad?

The most important skill is to be proactive. The process of moving abroad requires you to pay very close attention to various tasks and not doing so can delay or even terminate your plans to move abroad to teach English. Once you arrive, it's really important to be proactive about integrating into the culture and into your job, because you are a visitor, not the protagonist. This means you need to be the one to initiate learning the language, the cultural norms, the social interactions to help build trust, etc.- all of these things can help you to give a good first impressions and set the tone for a positive experience.

Jay Tipton

2019 Alum

Tracy Kuhle

2019 Alum

Valerie Sokolova

2018 Alum

Sebastian Wood

2018 Alum

David Mack

2016 Alum

Sarah Anderegg

2016 Alum

Mark Reese

Staff Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with program leaders.

Lauren Massey

Program

Teach English in Spain with CIEE | Guaranteed Placement in Madrid

Job Title

Senior Coordinator, Teach Abroad in Spain

Lauren grew up in the Pacific Northwest and became interested in travelling while studying abroad in college. She taught English in South Korea for two years and later spent a year and a half in Thailand and Nepal during a career break. While not hiking, skiing, or camping near her home base now in Maine, she loves helping others navigate the process of moving abroad.

Interview

What is your favorite travel memory?

One of my favorite travel memories was heading to Japan for a long weekend when I was teaching in South Korea. We flew to Tokyo and spent the weekend planning our sunrise summit of Mt. Fuji at sunrise. It took multiple trains, buses, and taxis to get there, but it was a really unique experience to be able to summit this mountain in Japan with friends who were from Canada, Italy, and South Africa.

How have you changed/grown since working for your current company?

I think I've learned a lot about the process of moving abroad. Although I've done it twice since college, everyone has their own individual experience. Some people go right after college while others go during a career break. Some people have traveled extensively beforehand while others have just gotten their first passport. Everyone is from a different area of the world with different experiences leading up to this moment. No one has the exact same route or plan even if they're all going to teach in Spain. It's really fun to hear about everyone's individual passions and reason about why they want to go on this adventure and I've been learning so many unique stories along the way.

What is the best story you've heard from a return student?

That they're going to continue on and go to another CIEE Teach program in another country. Teaching abroad is addicting, so this actually happens quite often! I also know of a lot of stories and people who have met their partner abroad and are getting married. You never know what life will bring if you move across the world. It opens up endless possibilities.

If you could go on any program that your company offers, which one would you choose and why?

I would want to teach in China. I never had the chance to go there while living in Asia and think it would be fascinating to live there for a year or two. I really want to eat all the food, be there during Chinese New Year, hike parts of the Great Wall, learn a bit of the language, and see what it's like to really live there.

What makes your company unique? When were you especially proud of your team?

I love the support that CIEE offers to those looking to teach abroad. We connect with our teachers up to a year or even more before they depart. This gives us the ability to connect with people and offer individual guidance. Our team is really passionate about making this process smooth and we've all been through it, so we know what it's like. I'm always proud of my team! We get along and work well together while helping each other when needed.

What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful company?

We all communicate really well and are all able to adapt and be flexible when things get busy. We don't only communicate well internally, but do our best to reach out to all our teachers very regularly and track down that they are going to successfully get abroad on time with the correct documents and preparation beforehand. We don't passively wait for challenges to come to us, but we anticipate new changes and plan out how to resolve them early on.

Miranda Rodway

Senior Coordinator, Teach in Spain Programs

Laura Canadillas

Teach in Spain Senior Program Coordinator

Location

Location:

Madrid

Currency:

Euro

Weather:

Jan-Mar

61 F / 34 F

Apr-Jun

82 F / 43 F

Jul-Sep

90 F / 57 F

Oct-Dec

68 F / 37 F

Airports:

Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas

( MAD )

A world-class European capital city steeped in art, architecture, and history, Madrid is an affordable destination for students and tourists alike. Enjoy parks, museums, and bustling nightlife in this iconic Spanish city.

About CIEE Teach Abroad & TEFL

CIEE Teach Abroad & TEFL will support you through every step of your English teaching adventure, empowering you to explore new cultures, meet amazing people, and make a lasting impact on the lives of your students! CIEE TEFL's online courses will teach you everything you need to know to be a successful English teacher, from how to plan and deliver...