School and Course Considerations
The first thing you will have to decide is the type of Spanish language course program you wish to do as this might have influence on the Spanish language schools available in Spain.
Thereafter you have to decide what period you wish to study Spanish and how many classes per week you wish to study Spanish. If you are only able to study Spanish for a short period or it is important to progress fast, we recommend an intensive Spanish language course.
When you have thought about the type of Spanish language course you are interested in you will have to choose the type of Spanish language school. The two main types of Spanish language schools are the private Spanish language schools and the public Spanish universities.
The main differences between Spanish universities and private Spanish language course schools are:
Programs available
- A few years ago Spanish Universities only offered long term Spanish courses but nowadays, many are offering both long term Spanish language courses and monthly Spanish courses and some with additional subjects apart from the Spanish course. Private Spanish language course schools offer all types of Spanish courses and there is a greater flexibility regarding to the length and starting date.
The number of students per Spanish course class
- The number of students per Spanish course class in private Spanish language schools (about 4-10) is normally much lower than in Spanish universities (15-40) but some Spanish universities are starting to offer special intensive Spanish courses with less students per class, which is very important as the students learn faster and get more individual attention from the teacher.
The extra service included
- A private Spanish language school offers more free-time activities / excursions and there is a better personal service whereas a Spanish university offers the facilities of the university and the advantages of studying together with Spanish students.
The Spanish course prices
- The average Spanish course price per week for studying in a university is lower compared to studying in a private Spanish language school but as mentioned above some Spanish universities have been improving the type of Spanish language courses and service offered.
The diploma
- A mayor advantage of studying Spanish in a Spanish university is that you will receive a Spanish language diploma which looks much better on your CV.
