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Maximo Nivel

Maximo Nivel

4.92 Rating
1348 reviews
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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
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Community Photos

Pic
Picture of Guatemala’s mountains from Sky Bar Café
Volunteer Guatemala!
Talking with patient
Playing bingo
65th Birthday celebration
Group physical therapy
Home visit for wound care
Completed the program!
Our campaign group
A visit to class by Kayla, from Maximo Nivel
Hand washing education for students
Mobile clinics across Guatemala!
Hike to the criss
Corn juice
Outside host home

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Community Awards

  • Go Overseas Award
  • Go Overseas Award
  • Go Overseas Award
  • Go Overseas Award
  • Go Overseas Award

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.
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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.
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Reviews

Default avatar
Dialla
23
Female
Canada
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program
Program:
Volunteer in Guatemala with Maximo Nivel - Best Rated Projects

One-month Medical Internship

Jun 7, 2024

I’m extremely glad to have picked my last elective for medical school in Guatemala. From the beginning, Máximonivel has been patient with all the paperwork that my friend and I required for our university, and they were able to find a clinic which fulfilled both of our interests for a clinical rotation. I will never forget the time we spent helping los ancianos in Ciudad Vieja, the beautiful ruins we visited in Antigua and all the delicious food we tried upon recommendation from the staff. Thank you all for this amazing experience!

What was the most unfamiliar thing you ate?
Jócon de pollo, the texture and color are very unsettling!
Pros
  • Support from the staff
  • Good recommendations for things to do and to eat
  • Top-notch Spanish classes
Cons
  • Expensive
  • The internship is not necessarily in Antigua
Default avatar
Emily
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program
Program:
Volunteer in Guatemala with Maximo Nivel - Best Rated Projects

Medical internship

Jun 7, 2024

I did a medical internship at Ciudad Vieja with Maximo Nivel and it was a really nice experience. We had a lot of autonomy as there are no other doctors working there and we were really able to see the lives of patients as we went to their houses to do home visits. The staff were very kind though it took some getting used to the lack of labs and imagery.
Maximo Nivel also proved to be a great experience for cultural immersion as we lived with a family as well as the Spanish classes and opportunities to do salsa, cooking and one on one Spanish practices with natives.

Default avatar
Rachel
26
Female
United States
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program
Program:
Online TEFL Certification with Job Placement Guarantee

Great Program!

Jun 3, 2024

I decided to do the online TEFL courses through Maximo Nivel, while I’m still in college. The courses were still manageable during this time and also very informative. Throughout these courses, I have learned a lot and also had a great instructor who was always there if need be. Mackenzie helped me through the process and gave me helpful & supportive feedback to get me where I should be. Along with this, the practical teaching online is very rewarding and the students are very patient with you, as is the instructor. I highly recommend this course and program!

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
Honestly, if you’re planning to travel and want to teach abroad this is the program for you! You can take this knowledge and learn/teach from anywhere you are at in the world, which I think is pretty incredible.
Pros
  • Informative
  • Practical
  • Fun
Cons
  • None
  • None
  • None
Default avatar
Lev
United States
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program
Program:
Online TEFL Certification with Job Placement Guarantee

Solid program and great support

Jun 3, 2024

In the midst of a career change and a big move, I started the TEFL program. I needed to leave it for a bit, and my mentor supported me through the process of taking time and coming back. In the end, I had a great experience, completed the course and really enjoyed the teaching experience in the program. I look forward to using my certification to teach and tutor in Central America and online, as a paid teacher and volunteer. This has been one of my favorite learning experiences after several university degrees and vocational programs.

What was the most nerve-racking moment and how did you overcome it?
Preparing to teach online with students who don’t show their faces. After about 10 minutes of introductions, I felt like I could “see” them all and enjoyed their participation over the next week. Leaning into the Maximo “listen more than you say” model was a huge help! Students need to and love to hear themselves using a new language. They were so appreciative of the chance to speak with gentle and supportive correction.
Pros
  • My mentor was a huge support
  • The online format was easy to use and 100% fit my lifestyle
  • The teaching videos made the model clear and easy follow
Cons
  • The course requires more writing than I expected
  • I wish I was in country to do part of the course in person
  • I wish students shared themselves on video at least to get a sense of what they looked like.
Default avatar
Ciera
23
Female
United States
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program
Program:
Volunteer in Guatemala with Maximo Nivel - Best Rated Projects

Awesome Experience

May 31, 2024

I appreciated how positive and welcoming the staff were. They were very honest about what to expect from this experience so I felt very prepared before coming to Guatemala. Also, I was surprised at how immersive and hands-on my experience at the elderly home was and it was a great opportunity to learn and practice Spanish. Although I was here for a short time, it was very rewarding to know that my friends and I were able to communicate with the staff of Casa Maria to find out what their specific needs were. We then relayed those needs to the Maximo Nivel staff who were appreciative of the information and eager to utilize humanitarian funds to ensure that those needs are met.

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Programs

Displaying 10 - 18 of 20

Alumni Interviews

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

Richard Lovegrove

Program
TEFL Certification with Guaranteed Job Placement in Costa Rica
Richard Lovegrove

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.

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?

I guess my only fear was not finishing the course or not being able to do the assignments and lesson plans in time. But the course structure and support of the teachers was a huge benefit in allaying my fears. This made a big difference in my ability to manage the course effectively and get everything done.

Any last thoughts?

This is a really fun and rewarding opportunity. It is full-on but satisfying in so many ways. You learn so much about yourself and build up comradery with people from all over the world, with diverse backgrounds and age ranges. It will give you great confidence and belief that you can do whatever you want to set your mind to.

Staff Interviews

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

Annia Alvarez

Program
Volunteer in Guatemala with Maximo Nivel - Best Rated Projects

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.

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.

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