Maximo Nivel

Why choose Maximo Nivel?

Founded in 2003, Maximo Nivel is a leading organization in study abroad and educational travel. We are an internationally accredited organization with 4 locally based institutes in 3 of the most beautiful countries in the world—Costa Rica, Guatemala. and Peru. At Maximo Nivel, we strive to set ourselves apart and provide the best education and travel experiences in Latin America, as well as top-notch client service and great home base facilities.

Since 2003, our commitment to quality programs and great client service has made Maximo Nivel the leading study abroad and educational travel organization in Latin America. Our job is to provide you with great work-study-travel programs in a safe and supportive environment. We are here to make sure your experience is nothing short of excellent! The Maximo team is available 24/7, so please reach out and let us know when you need support or help along the way.

Website

maximonivel.com

Founded

2003

Connect with us

Community Photos

A visit to class by Kayla, from Maximo Nivel

View All Photos

Diversity & Inclusion

LGBTQIA+ Support

At Maximo Nivel, we deeply value diversity in all its forms. We maintain an open-minded approach, recognizing the significance of varied perspectives, intelligent discourse, and the transformative power of a positive mindset. We warmly welcome and respect individuals from all backgrounds, irrespective of politics, gender, gender identity, age, race, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, or disability. Whether it’s volunteering, Spanish immersion, TEFL certification, international internships, university courses, or GAP year experiences, members of the LGBTQIA+ community are wholeheartedly invited to participate in our programs.

Learn More

Impact

Ethical Impact

At Maximo Nivel, we work in close partnership with our local communities in Latin America to ensure that volunteer projects align with genuine local needs, fostering meaningful and relevant impact. We emphasize sustainable initiatives designed for enduring change, rather than short-term interventions. By promoting cultural sensitivity, we facilitate enriching exchanges rooted in mutual respect, and our commitment to local employment further integrates and supports the communities we serve.

Learn More

Reviews

I loved the course, Quepos is beautiful and I loved teaching. A lot of this would come down to my TEFL trainer who was brilliant. Annabelle is an AMAZING TEFL trainer, and made all the lessons so fun and engaging! I also had practical teaching experience and loved working with the students. Whilst I was very sad for the course to end, this course has landed me a job as I am now working for Maximo in Peru! The only downside is that it is very hard work but it’s a good qualification in the space of 4 weeks. I would do it again :)

This was a small TEFL program embedded in an institute with an English language program for folks in Cusco, which made the practice teaching quite authentic. There were many additional options, like tandem conversations, cooking classes, salsa classes. The teaching was excellent - Sean Barter is an enthusiastic expert teacher. We got a lot of detailed feedback and learned a lot in a short period of time. I loved Cusco - the mountains, the sky, the people, the food -- I'm so glad that I went. I highly recommend the program.

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

I would stay in Peru for longer!
And if I had longer, I'd try to learn Spanish.

Pros

great course!
good people!
beautiful country!

Cons

host family house was cold at night

I never imagined that I would get so much from a four week course. Wayne's one of the best teachers I've ever had - with his help, all of us on the course felt very guided through the (admittedly challenging workload). I feel so much more capable of teaching after this course, particularly after the practical teaching week. It definitely put me outside my comfort zone, but for the best!
Everyone on the course was also incredibly lovely, and we were all keen to help each other out. Speaking for all of us, we all found this course pretty transformative.

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

My most nerve-racking moment was the first lesson of practical teaching week. It was intimidating to teach a full lesson for the first time, for sure. But, the only way to overcome it was to just do it, and the teaching throughout the rest of the week became gradually easier.

Pros

Wayne's teaching
Practical teaching experience
Beautiful city!

Cons

None!

I've been an English teacher for 20 years and I had never taken a TEFL course before. I decided to take Maximo Nivel's course because of all the wonderful reviews and ratings (I visited webpages that selected the best TEFL Programs and Maximo Nivel was one of them). I’d say this course is worth it. It teaches you things to help you teach, and in my case, since I did it online, this also helped me improve my discipline and perseverance. If you're a teacher like me, I can tell you, it helps you improve your technique. I also learned things that I didn't know and that was really nice. I immediately started including all the new knowledge in my classes and I liked what these new techniques and ideas were helping me achieve. Overall, I’d say go for it!

What would you improve about this program?

More practices would be great (to get better and better) and after that, a job offer :D

Pros

I improved my teaching
I learned to be more disciplined
You have possible job opportunities

Cons

Webpage could be better
In my opinion, the online program is mostly for people who have had some experience teaching

I highly recommend this course for anyone looking to go into the exciting and fulfilling venture of English Teaching. I have had experience teaching English in the past, but this really helped me to strengthen my knowledge and made me a lot more competent.

What makes this course unique is the amount of support you get from their team. Everybody I spoke to was amazing and really friendly. A big shout out to Annabelle, who really helped me to increase my confidence and inspired me throughout! :)

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

Teaching my first lesson online!! The nerves were quickly settled because of how nice and friendly the students were. Plus, the more I did it, the more I enjoyed it and realised how unique and fulfilling English Teaching can be.

Pros

-Great support from my tutor
-You learn a lot and the course is very practical
-Easily accessible

Cons

-None
-None
-None

4.96 •46 reviews

Learn Spanish in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica! Combine fun in the sun...

View Program

Alumni Interviews

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

Why did you choose this program?

I wanted an opportunity to change my career path from a dissatisfying corporate job to a rewarding career that can take me traveling around the world and enable me to gain cultural experiences in different diverse countries whilst helping others in learning a 2nd language to enable better job opportunities.

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

The Maximo Nivel program provided me with top quality information travel assistance, support staff and teachers who were extremely knowledgeable and made the whole experience extremely worthwhile.

They organized my volunteer program and also the accommodation at my host family, and assisted with holiday and activity options.

View Entire Interview

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

If I were to do the course again, I would definitely choose a professional organization that is well-credentialed and respected like Maximo. It makes it so much easier having a strong support base and experienced team.

I would definitely allow for more travel time either before or after the course, so you can get to appreciate the country you are visiting.

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

The program is very solid and lots to fit in every day, as it is a compact course.

Having said that, there were still afternoons off and a couple of free days to chill. And an average day consisted of about 8 hours at school with a mixture of theory and practical class observations and activities.

After school, you would generally need to do 2 hours of homework or reading.

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

Jennifer Pazdzior

2018 Alum

Alain Alisca

2018 Alum

Samantha Ni

2018 Alum

Elissa Tauscher

2018 Alum

Staff Interviews

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

What is your favorite travel memory?

Visiting Panama is definitely my most memorable travel experience. It was my first time traveling alone and I met a lot of new people. Seeing new places, experiencing a new culture and being by myself for the first time was amazing.

I participated in a lot of tours and activities and I learned a lot. This experience motivated me to keep travelling.

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

I would love to be part of the Mini Adventure program in Guatemala. I have always wanted to go to Tikal and learn more about the Mayan Culture in Guatemala.

I feel the Mini Adventure gives you the opportunity to visit really nice places in Guatemala in a short period of time.

View Entire Interview

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

I feel proud of my team every time we happily adapt to last minute changes in order to make the participants experience be awesome and unforgettable.

Becca Wilgosh

Program Advisor

Website

Founded

Connect with us

Community Awards

Alumni Interviews

Richard Lovegrove

Why did you choose this program?

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

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

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

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

Any last thoughts?

Staff Interviews

Annia Alvarez

What is your favorite travel memory?

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

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