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: 4.63 (167 reviews)

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4.63 Rating

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Location

Spain
- Madrid

Length

52+ weeks

Classroom Audience

Early Childhood Pre-School Elementary Middle School High School

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 11, 2024

Wish List

169 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

4.63 Rating

based on 167 reviews

Leave a Review

Rating Spread Teach Gap Year TEFL

5 rating 72.46%
4 rating 22.16%
3 rating 3.59%
2 rating 0%
1 rating 1.8%

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 17 - 24 of 167 reviews

So far, I've loved my time in Madrid. CIEE made it so easy to get here with step by step instructions for the visa and everything in between. I definitely think this program is worth it, coming from someone with no travel experience and having never left the states. CIEE sends weekly updates as well throughout the year about things going on in Madrid and even help with Spanish.
Everyone has been so helpful thus far. My school placement is perfect, right in the heart of Madrid, in the Salamanca neighborhood.

What was the most nerve-racking moment and how did you overcome it?

I think the most nerve-racking moment for me was finding housing because I speak 0 Spanish. I joined every Madrid Facebook apartment search group I could find and eventually found one close to my school, in my budget, and with girls my age.

Pros

Living in Europe!
Getting more career experience (for teachers)
Improving/learning Spanish

Cons

Language barrier
More hours of work in the city (schools practice siesta)

Teaching in Madrid with CIEE has been a wonderful experience so far. The program offers in-country support which is invaluable. There will be many challenges in your move abroad and they are there to help you with all of them - from filling out government forms to finding laptop friendly cafes! Support during the visa process was also helpful as the embassy I used was extremely delayed. Additionally, CIEE runs an in-country orientation which is a great way to get settled; you have a comfortable place to stay while you retrieve your transport card, tour apartment, and go to document appointments. The biggest plus of in-country orientation is that it is an opportunity to meet people and start your experience abroad with friendly faces who are facing the same challenges you are. While CIEE Spain does not provide housing, finding an available and affordable apartment is doable, though it can be difficult in Madrid.

What would you improve about this program?

Though they try, CIEE cannot fully prepare you for what to expect when working in a Spanish school. From my experience, different age levels, schools, and neighborhoods can create drastically different environments. Also your school will utilize you how they see best. For example, I independently create lesson plans and teach full class periods every class (with the teacher only stepping in to translate particularly difficult things) while some of my friends assist teachers in the classroom and never lead a class independently. Also, while CIEE mentioned cultural differences in the classroom, it would be helpful to have discussions about homophobia, racism, and sexism in the classroom (especially high school) from students and teachers and strategies to deal with that in a culturally aware way. My only other suggestion is that CIEE offer social events or day trips available to teachers for a small fee like they do for study abroad programs.

Pros

Easy to meet people
Language immersion
Gain teaching experience

Cons

No housing provided
Mixed work expectations

I think CIEE website at times was a little bit difficult to navigate. I remember there being twenty tabs open just so I could figure out how to submit my stuff for my visa. If there was maybe a website that had all the information instead of opening up a bunch of different tabs. I think that’s where there was a lot of difficulty. as well it seemed really difficult to find the right information which made it really stressful and difficult at times. If there were major problems CIEE was great about communicating and helping out. I feel like when we got to Madrid the orientation was great but after I felt like CIEE did little to help us get accustomed to Madrid life. I know that’s not apart of the program, but it was difficult to adjust at first without much help especially on housing. I’m grateful for CIEE and all the friends I’ve made through the program and getting to be placed within the community of Madrid was so helpful!

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?

Don’t be afraid to reach out to anyone you know in Madrid. If you know someone whose done the program I think it would be really helpful to reach out to them! It’s always great to have a resource and familiar face that can help you in times of need!!

Pros

Placement in Madrid
Help with TIE
Help with making friends

Cons

No help with housing
Difficulty navigating website/sheets
Information seemed to be all over and hard to find at times

Response from CIEE Teach Abroad & TEFL

Hi Graham, thanks for sharing this review! We know that it can be overwhelming trying to stay on top of things with the visa, apartment shopping, and other preparations. We can't do it for you, but before departure we make sure all participants get detailed resources on the visa process and housing hunt, both in written format and in live online presentations with Q&A. We're always looking for ways to make our visa guides as simple and clear as possible, while still being detailed and comprehensive and explaining all the variation at each different consulate. Thanks for the feedback!

By CIEE Teach Abroad and CIEE TEFL on January 23, 2024

I have loved my experience with CIEE so far. What I've loved most is how helpful they are with the application and getting my visa. This was the most stress-inducing aspect of applying for me. At the time, I was working a full time job and did not have hours each week to try and figure out the visa process. Because of the knowledge and guidance that CIEE provided, I was able to get my visa on time and arrive in the country when I needed to. The consulate changed their visa process in the middle of me applying and without CIEE's help, I would have had no idea how to navigate it. Even though there are several different programs that are available for teaching English in Spain such as NALCAP or BEDA, the cost of CIEE was well worth it.
In addition, CIEE offers orientations when you first arrive in Spain. This was almost as valuable, if not as valuable as the guidance they offer with the visa process. When you move to a new city, you have to start from scratch with making social connections. Almost all of the friends that I have in Madrid are through CIEE. I do have a few friends who went through the NALCAP program and some of them really struggled to make friends and find people to live with. Overall, I would recommend CIEE to anyone who wants to teach in Spain, ESPECIALLY if you want to teach in Madrid!

Response from CIEE Teach Abroad & TEFL

Hi Savannah, thanks for sharing this review about your experience. You're 100% right - the visa process is always stressful and changes all the time. We're glad that our guidance helped you navigate it!

By CIEE Teach Abroad and CIEE TEFL on January 23, 2024

I feel like my experience has been wonderful! I am in a great school, I made friends with the bakery lady by my metro stop, and I have been in love with the city since I stepped off the plane! I think the initial presentation and steps leading up to the first day have been very informative and educational. Knowing that people like Lauren, Luke, and the "Lauras" are there for you while you start this next chapter is amazing! I feel like I have my very own safety net and support system all wrapped up into one. With the comfort of feeling safe I have been able to travel outside of the country, let my foodie flag fly, and even get an opportunity to share my stories on the CIEE Blog page. I have enjoyed my experience so much that I am planning on renewing for next year!

What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?

I would say seeing the different aspects of Spanish culture. For example, I forget the name of the tradition but one of my first few weeks here there was an event where sheep were allowed to run through the streets of Madrid.

Pros

Met some amazing people!
Allowed me to grow independently!
Gave me an opportunity I would have never had without this program!

Cons

Stressful paperwork situations
A little confusing with communicating appointments needed
Clearer instructions for MOOC project

Response from CIEE Teach Abroad & TEFL

Hi Alexis, thanks for the kind words. We're so happy to hear that you feel safe, comfortable, and supported in Madrid, and that you plan to renew for next year to continue the journey!

By CIEE Teach Abroad and CIEE TEFL on January 22, 2024

This program equips you for a successful year teaching abroad, providing essential tools. I'm immersed in diverse cultures, languages, arts, and history, learning extensively. The welcoming people make this experience memorable. I'll definitely use this program for future teaching abroad endeavors. The comprehensive tools in this program ensure success in teaching abroad. Immersed in diverse cultures and languages, I learn about arts and history. The warmth of the people enhances this memorable experience, and I eagerly anticipate using the program for future teaching abroad endeavors.

If you did this all over again, what's one thing you would change?

If I were to do it all over again, I would work with older students instead of infants.

Pros

Lots of flexibility to travel
Kind people
Great learning about language and history

Cons

Working with infants is challenging because they have little understanding of English so the teaching I provide is limited
Missing my family and friends
Not much spending money

Response from CIEE Teach Abroad & TEFL

Hey Cheyenne, thanks for the review and beautiful picture. It's great to hear that you're learning about so many aspects of Spanish culture! As for the kids, I bet they're learning more from you than you might guess at first :)

By CIEE Teach Abroad and CIEE TEFL on January 22, 2024

I chose CIEE mainly because they provide a lot of support throughout the visa-applying process and continued support once you arrive in Spain. It was very reassuring to know that I could always call/email them with any questions I might have about my stay here or Spanish bureaucracy issues.
The only thing relating to my placement is that there has been construction going on near my school so occasionally we have not had water nor internet. The internet is not a huge issue, but the water can be. Clearly this is not the fault of CIEE, but it is just something I was not expecting.
But overall, I've had a very positive experience with CIEE and would recommend this program to someone who wants to work abroad!

What was your funniest moment?

Probably people never knowing my age--during my first month or so, teachers occasionally thought I was a student. On the flip side, students would ask me if I was here alone, if I was married and even if I had children!

Pros

Learned how to nap in the middle of the day like a pro
Have seen what a TRULY social culture looks like
Have improved my travel and trip planning skills

Cons

Living in any US city is ruined for me! (They will never come close to matching the wonderfulness that is the Spanish public transportation system.)
It can be hard to find vegetarian-friendly food when you're out to eat
Gyms don't have early morning hours like they do in the US

Response from CIEE Teach Abroad & TEFL

Hi Julia, thanks for the endorsement. Sorry to hear about the construction and water issues at your school, hopefully that work finishes up quickly for you and your students sake!

By CIEE Teach Abroad and CIEE TEFL on January 22, 2024

Teaching abroad was a great experience, it gave me such an amazing insight into possible careers while allowing me to learn and invest in other cultural practices. CIEE is the best support system living abroad. They provided assistance through the VISA application back in my home country all the way to ensuring I had all the help available when applying for my TIE in Spain. They sends weekly updates with current events as well as a support line with any questions one may have throughout the year.

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?

Invest. Invest yourself in everything you do abroad. Invest in you community, your school, the culture. By keeping an open mind and being willing to try new things, your perspective on life will change immensely. Investing in the culture in which you are living in was the best thing I could've done, I attended my city's parades, local customs and traditions and learned about the holidays they celebrate. I was able to immerse myself and felt more confident overall by investing myself in the area I was living.

Pros

Support - having the constant support felt reassuring
Madrid - being placed within Madrid was very nice, it is very diverse and has a lot to do
Pre Abroad help - the help I recieved before attending was immeasurable, I felt completely prepared to apply for my VISA in the states (and in Madrid!)

Cons

Pricey - having the support system and being located in Madrid does come with a price

Response from CIEE Teach Abroad & TEFL

Hi Katelyn, that's awesome that you're getting such great perspectives on career possibilities and cultural differences. Keep up the good work!

By CIEE Teach Abroad and CIEE TEFL on January 22, 2024

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...