Spain

Study

Courses

A spot of study in Spain is an excellent way to meet people – Spaniards as well as other travellers – and learn something more about the country and culture. More than anything else, people are drawn to Spain from all over Europe and North America for language courses – after all, Spanish is the world’s third most spoken tongue after Chinese and English!

The Instituto Cervantes (www.cervantes.es), with branches in over 30 cities around the world, promotes the Spanish language and culture. It’s mainly involved in Spanish teaching and in library and information services. The institute’s London branch has a library (020-7235 0353; 102 Eaton Sq, London SW1 W9AN) with a wide range of reference books, periodicals, videos and DVDs (including feature films), language-teaching material, electronic databases and music CDs. You can find more addresses on the institute’s website. It can send you long lists of places offering Spanish-language courses in Spain. Some Spanish embassies and consulates can also provide information on courses.

A number of Spanish universities offer good-value language courses. Barcelona, Granada, Madrid, Salamanca and Seville are popular locations. The Escuela Oficial de Idiomas (EOI; www.eeooiinet.com) is a nationwide language institution where you can learn Spanish and locals other languages. Classes can be large and busy but are generally fairly cheap. There are branches in many major cities. On the website’s opening page, hit EOIs en la Red to get to a list of schools.

Private language schools as well as universities cater for a wide range of levels, course lengths, times of year, intensity and special requirements. Many courses have a cultural component as well as language. University courses often last a semester, although some are as short as two weeks or as long as a year. Private colleges can be more flexible. One with a good reputation is ¿?don Quijote (www.donquijote.com), with branches in Barcelona, Granada, Madrid, Salamanca and Valencia.

Costs vary widely. A typical 40-hour course over two to four weeks will cost around €300 to €400 at a university. At private schools you could be looking at up to €1000 for a month of tuition at 30 hours a week. Accommodation can be arranged with families, or in student flats or residences. You might pay €450 per month in a shared student flat or €800 to €900 for full board with a family.

It’s also worth finding out whether your course will lead to any formal certificate of competence. The Diploma de Español como Lengua Extranjera (DELE) is recognised by Spain’s Ministry of Education and Science.

Of course, language is not the only learning route you can follow. You might join salsa classes in Barcelona, a flamenco school in Madrid or cooking courses in Valencia city.