All of these are amazing ways to practice your Spanish, but eventually, you will have to let go of the wall.
Participating in a Spanish immersion program is the perfect way to throw yourself into the deep end.
These 9 Spanish immersion programs will give you the support you need to stay afloat and improve so much, you will never need to rely on metaphorical floaties again.
Price: Starting at €140 ($153) per week for intensive courses, €27 ($30) per day for homestay accommodation
Location: Valencia, Spain
This school in Valencia has a variety of options that allow you to create the best immersion experience for yourself.
The school offers different courses including a full homestay immersion, a one-day Spanish lesson for tourists and immersion programs specifically designed for people who want to improve their Spanish skills.
Most of the courses allow for some time inside the classroom and plenty of free time to explore the city.
I studied abroad in Valencia and it is an absolutely wonderful city. As the third largest city in Spain, it is large enough that there are always things to do but also small enough to feel comfortable getting around. The people in Valencia are also extremely nice and helpful.
Valencia is also in a great location for those looking to explore more of Spain. Within a short train ride, you can get to Barcelona, Madrid, Toledo and countless other cities.
The program I participated in was an amazing immersion experience. It really helped to have the ISA staff available to help out at all times.
The leaders of the program even give students a personal number to call in case they run into any problems during their stay. It is a very supportive environment, where you feel safe and can focus on learning.
ISA includes in-class teaching in addition to planned excursions throughout the program. You also get plenty of free time to explore on your own.
The company has a great matching service that will help you find a compatible family to live with. The experience will likely vary by the location of your program, but ISA is definitely a good place to look if you want to find a longer immersion experience.
Price: Starting at €100 ($110) for classes, from €450 ($492) for homestay accommodation per week
Location: Madrid, Spain
At ih (International House) Madrid, you can choose from multiple programs to find the right fit for you.
Courses range from intensive to even more intensive (“designed for people who want to improve their Spanish language in as short a time as possible,” according to the website).
The time you spend on a course is extremely flexible, and most programs allow you to choose a number of weeks to suit you.
No matter which option you choose, you will get the chance to spend some time with the locals in the beautiful city of Madrid. The city has so much to offer in terms of art, culture, dining and much more—it is sure to provide a rich experience for visitors.
You can choose from either a homestay or a student room for the duration of your program.
The course offers in-class teaching in addition to planned cultural experiences. Make sure to take advantage of being in Madrid! And remember to use your Spanish skills as you navigate through the city.
The class sizes at Mente Argentina are only eight students per instructor, which will allow for maximum one-on-one attention. If you want individualized attention, that is a great perk.
There are cultural excursions in addition to classroom time. The program fee includes many perks, providing you with a free local cell phone, tango lessons, a gym membership, safe accommodations and more.
Classes start every Monday throughout the year. The program will allow you to dive in with little or no Spanish experience if you want to give it a try or skip straight to a more advanced class if you are more experienced.
Price: Starting at $285 USD for classes, $195 USD for homestay accommodation per week
Location: Heredia, Costa Rica
Tico Lingo is located in Heredia, Costa Rica, and offers a variety of intensive immersion experiences.
With the most basic option, you will be in the classroom for 20 hours a week and receive a homestay with a local family.
You can upgrade your experience to include afternoon yoga sessions and dance lessons if you would like to experience a more structured time. Or you can use the rest of your time to freely explore the town of Heredia.
In addition to all this, you will receive a local conversation partner that will help to show you around the city. The easy environment of one on one practice will really help to accelerate your learning.
The courses in San Juan start every single Monday of the year, so you can choose which time will work best for you. The program includes a homestay, cultural activities and potentially academic credit if you ask about it.
The class sizes are small and you can request that instructor cover specific topics if you have something in mind.
Reach out to the school for more options about personalizing your immersion experience. And when you are not studying, you can hit the beach, located just 15 minutes away from the school.
This resource offers Spanish courses in three different countries and a variety of cities. The immersion program focuses on the dialect of the region you are in, so choose the country you are most interested in.
You will be placed into a suitable class for you through a precise testing procedure, ensuring that you are placed into a class that will neither frustrate you nor leave you behind.
In addition to Spanish courses, you can also choose to take part in an internship or volunteer experience during your immersion program.
You can also choose a more involved course package that will take you on excursions around the country of your choice, showing you everything from beautiful scenery to cultural and historical spots.
These options are great ways to immerse yourself even further into the country’s culture.
You can choose to participate in either a homestay with a family or a student housing living situation.
8. Best for Specialized College Courses: IES Abroad
Length: Three months to a full academic year
Price: Starting at $6,212 USD
Location: Santiago, Chile
This option is for anyone who wants to specialize in a certain educational field and do it all in Spanish. Courses include topics like health studies, politics and social justice and a number of other options.
This total immersion experience is perfect for someone looking to earn college credit for their Spanish learning. Throughout your stay in Santiago, you will be living with a host family and attending college-level courses (at least 15 credit hours).
Most of these programs require you to have taken four years of college-level Spanish studies.
You can also take part in internships and service learning outside of the classroom. On the weekends you can participate in some cultural activities as well as have time to explore the great city around you.
You might have read through the all options and decided that you actually do not want to spend any time in a classroom. Well, this last option is for you.
A Broader View is a nonprofit that will pair you with a volunteer project in a Spanish-speaking country.
For a fee that includes lodging with a local family, you will have the chance to work in the country of your choice.
The great thing about this program is that there are so many different options to choose from as far as places to volunteer. You can choose to work in a medical clinic, in a museum, on a youth-oriented project and so much more.
The choice is entirely yours! You will still have an immersion experience without having to sit through any classroom lessons.
How Can a Spanish Immersion Program Improve Your Language Skills?
When you visit a Spanish-speaking country for your immersion program, you will have no choice but to use your Spanish skills constantly. Instead of working through grammar exercises and vocabulary-building activities, you will have to just speak the language.
Spanish will surround you 24/7. Simple things like getting something from the grocery store or finding your way home will require you to use your Spanish skills.
The value of learning from native speakers cannot be understated. You will not only improve your conversation skills, but you will learn how words and phrases are actually used. That information can be hard to glean from a textbook.
You can also use a language learning program such as FluentU to hear how native speakers use Spanish in context.
FluentU takes authentic content such as movie clips, music videos and more, and adds interactive subtitles so you can see the meanings and definitions immediately.
Spanish skill improvement is just one of the many benefits of using an immersion program. In addition to all the language-learning benefits, you will also be learning about the culture and the people through hands-on interaction.
It will help you to better understand an entire country in a meaningful way by making connections with its people.
How to Choose an Immersion Program That Is Right for You
Find a suitable program duration. Be realistic about the amount of time you are able to commit to a program. Find a program that works with the time you are able to commit. Keep in mind that the more time you are willing to commit to a program, the more effective your experience will be.
Choose the right country. When looking for a program, pick a country and city that you want to get to know better. It helps to be very interested in the place around you throughout your immersion experience. Also, if you are set on learning a specific kind of Spanish, then choose a program in that area.
Balance your experience in and outside of the classroom. Some people learn better from hands-on experience, while others learn better in a classroom. Find a program with the right balance of instructional guidance and self-learning to suit your learning requirements.
Pick where you will stay. A homestay experience will complete the immersion experience. Some programs will help you find a family to stay with, while others are more of a gamble as they randomly assign students to families. If you do not feel comfortable staying with a local family, then look for a program that lets you live on campus or in a rented apartment.
So many excellent programs! Which one you choose really boils down to your goals. Decide what you want to get out of a program and then start looking for that experience.
You should really give this a try if you have the opportunity. It will change your Spanish—and maybe even your life—for the better!
