By savannahhayes Last updated: August 9, 2022

12 Intensive Spanish Courses for Extreme Language Language

Be honest.

How long have you been wanting to learn Spanish?

Maybe you are a beginner who has wanted to learn for years and never had the chance.

Or maybe you have been learning for years and never given it quite enough commitment to become fluent.

Either way, now is the time to get serious.

Get your learning in gear and give your language skills a serious boost by taking a Spanish intensive course.

You’ll be learning Spanish as well as getting an immersive cultural experience in Spain, Latin America or the US. It doesn’t get much better than that!

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What Is an Intensive Spanish Course?

You might be asking, what is an intensive course? How is it different from any other Spanish course?

Well, it is simple: An intensive course offers the opportunity to learn Spanish at a level of greater intensity!

Allow me to clarify. Intensive courses require you to dedicate more time and effort per week than standard Spanish courses for an intense burst of learning. They also offer a greater reward, as they provide a very effective way to learn Spanish well in a fairly short amount of time.

Generally, intensive courses hold classes from Monday to Friday for several hours a day. Instead of learning Spanish once or twice a week for an hour or two, you receive a full dose of Spanish learning every day of the week!

Some courses will focus on different aspects of learning Spanish, like grammar or conversational skills, and certain courses can even be tailored to individual needs! It all depends on the course you choose.

Why Take an Intensive Course?

Now, if you have not already realized, intensive courses are pretty effective, and that is really a good enough reason to give them a go. However, there are plenty of other reasons that prove going intense is well worth it.

It is fast: If you have never learned Spanish before or only know the basics, an intense course is the fastest way to become conversational. If you already know some Spanish, it is a highly effective way to build on your previous learning and turn you into a Spanish-speaking wiz.
There are many options: You can find plenty of different courses to accommodate various skill levels and availability. There are intensive courses for everyone from the absolute beginner to those who have studied Spanish for years; you just have to find the right one for you.
It is flexible: Are you a morning person? Book a course that conducts all of its classes early in the day. Are you one of those lucky few who can retain more than four hours worth of new information daily? Go for it! Book a course that includes extra hours of teaching.
It is a chance to meet other language learners: Choosing an intense course also allows you to build relationships with fellow Spanish learners. After all, sitting together in the same classroom for several hours a day, five days a week is bound to lead to something. It is encouraging to be surrounded by people who are still learning, just like you!
It is fun! Finally, it is the perfect excuse to get up off of that sofa and see a new part of the world. Immerse yourself in learning Spanish!

There are plenty of amazing places to learn Spanish. If you have always wanted to visit Europe, this is your opportunity. If you have never been to South America, there are plenty of places to study there. Or, if you prefer to stay in a country where you can still use English outside of the classroom, there are a few intensive courses in the USA.

It comes down to this: Do you want to become fluent without wasting another second? The answer should be yes!

Convinced yet? Now, the only problem is figuring out which one is the most appealing!

Go Intense! 12 Intensive Spanish Courses for Fast-track Language Learning

Before you pack your passport, there are a few things you need to consider. Prepare yourself, as this might surprise you: Spanish is not the same everywhere you go!

The main question to consider is whether you want to learn Latin American Spanish or Castilian Spanish. Generally, courses in the USA teach Latin American Spanish due to the large population of Latin Americans living in the USA.

If you decide to go to Spain, bear in mind that languages and dialects can vary from region to region. For example, if you have always wanted to visit Barcelona, beware! Their primary language is Catalan.

Wherever you decide to go for a course, it is a good idea to prep a little on your own before you go, to give you a leg up. You can do this with a program like FluentU, which shows you the natural use of the language in its many forms. Watch authentic Spanish videos like movie clips, interviews, vlogs and news segments, save words as flashcards directly from the subtitles, take personalized quizzes and more.

And FluentU has an iOS and Android app that you can take with you wherever you are—ideal for the traveling language learner.

Intensive Courses in Spain

1. Estudio Sampere

This course has a range of intensive courses in Madrid, Salamanca and Alicante.

This program offers the most variety of courses in Spain. In the basic Intensive Spanish course, Estudio Sampere offers 20 lessons weekly of 45 minutes each in groups of up to nine students.

If you are not a morning person, this one might be for you. Unlike most schools, there is the option to take classes in either the morning or the afternoon.

If 20 lessons are not enough for you, the Madrid location offers a Super Intensive course which consists of 30 lessons a week. If this still is not sufficient, the Intensive Plus course includes an additional five to ten lessons of one-on-one tutoring every week.

2. LAE Madrid

This is one of the best language schools in Spain’s capital.

Just like Estudio Sampere, this institution offers a basic Intensive Spanish course consisting of 20 lessons a week in either the morning or the afternoon in groups of six to eight students.

It also has two alternatives for even faster learning: The Power Intensive course adds two additional hours of individual teaching and the Sprint Intensive course offers four one-on-one hours!

3. AIL

This is another great language school based in Madrid.

It offers two intensive courses. The basic course consists of 20 lessons a week, each lasting 50 minutes and taught in groups of no more than eight students. The Premium course adds extra lessons, totaling 25 lessons a week.

4. Salamanca University

Finally, Salamanca University runs monthly and summer intensive programs.

If 20 lessons a week sounds like a bit much, this university offers 15 hours of lessons a week. Too little? The more ambitious students can book 25 hours of learning per week.

However, keep in mind the classes tend to be a little larger than the courses listed above, typically consisting of eight to fifteen students per class.

Intensive Courses in Latin America

5. Maximo Nivel

If Spain does not appeal to you, try a course with Maximo Nivel!

This institute has Super Intensive courses in Costa Rica, Peru and Guatemala. These courses consist of four hours of Spanish learning per day in groups of two to eight students, plus a further two hours daily of one-on-one teaching.

6. Estudio Sampere

Estudio Sampere also offers their Intensive Spanish and Intensive Plus courses in Ecuador.

These follow the same model as the courses in Spain, with the basic course consisting of 20 lessons a week and the Intensive Plus adding another five to ten individualized lessons on top of the group lessons!

7. Tico Lingo

This is another language school in Costa Rica which is raved about as one of the best schools. It offers immersion programs which consist of 20 hours a week.

If fluency is not the only goal you hope to achieve, Tico Lingo might be the perfect fit for you. In addition to Spanish classes, they offer yoga, cooking classes and Latin dance classes.

8. Na’Atik

There are plenty of other courses across South and Central America but the last one we’ll talk about is Na’Atik in Mexico.

This program is committed to teaching and accepts no more than five students per class. The standard course is made up of 18 hours of Spanish education per week.

Intensive Courses in the USA

Finally, if you are more comfortable learning Spanish in a country where you can still make full use of English, try one of the intensive courses in the USA.

9. Language Plus

If you have a hankering to visit Texas, Language Plus offers an intensive Spanish program in El Paso.

There are 20 hours of classes a week plus additional, optional review classes on Saturdays. And since everyone likes to sleep in, they have courses that run in the afternoon as well as the morning.

10. Pasadena Language Center

If California is more your speed, the Pasadena Language Center has full immersion classes comprising of three and a half hours every day Monday through Friday.

The course is divided into two different sections: grammar and conversation. These sections can be taken as separate courses, but for the speediest learning, taking both together is the best plan.

11. Anders Languages

This school offers a different approach to Spanish learning, offering one-on-one immersion programs or programs for pairs, so you can take it with your friend, work colleague or significant other.

You can also personalize this course with optional add-on modules, including a cultural module or, my personal favorite, the gastronomic module.

12. ICLS

For those who are learning Spanish specifically to advance their career, ICLS in Washington, D.C. offers the perfect course for professionals: HILT, High-Intensity Language Training.

The training covers topics such as tackling meetings, acing negotiations and polishing your presentation skills. Give them a call to find out more!

You no longer have any excuses! Go learn Spanish with one of these excellent on-location language programs for a complete immersive learning experience.