Returning to Spain
After study abroad, you may find yourself in a position, like many other past students, that you want to come back to Spain after graduation! The good news is, you can! There are various programs that allow you to teach English all around Spain that are outlined below. Please note, the program information below applies to U.S Passport holders*
These three programs give you the opportunity to work as an Auxiliar de Conversación (Language Assistant)
The Education Office of the Embassy of Spain promotes diverse educational outreach programs in the United States. Located in Washington D.C., the primary goal of the Education Office of Spain is to foster collaborative educational programs between the USA and Spain, building long lasting ties among their citizens.
The flagship program, both in number and scope is the North American Language and Culture Assistants Program (NALCAP). American college students and graduates – who are native-like speakers of English – partner with elementary and secondary schools in Spain to bolster language programs, as language assistants (TAs) under the supervision and guidance of teachers in Spain.
Placements are offered across Spain, in practically every city and town in the country, running from October 1st to May 31st for most assignments. Short term contracts and/or alternative starting dates are unfortunately not available. Depending on the assigned region, NALCAP recipients receive a monthly stipend of 800 to 1000 euros and medical insurance from either the Ministry of Education of Spain or the regional governments of Spain. Hours of assistant teaching range from 14 to 16 hours per week also depending on the assignment awarded.
The BEDA program places you in private (usually Catholic) schools.
The UCETAM program places you in semi-private charter schools. This program tends to pay more, but requires you to work more hours.
Does this sound like something you would be interested in? We asked some alumni why there came back, and this is what they had to say!
“I moved back to become fluent in Spanish! I felt like I needed more practice. I’m so glad that I did! I lived in Galicia for two years and taught English with the BEDA program, and I loved every second of it! Now I’m fluent in Spanish and have been dating my Spanish boyfriend for 4 years. I even still keep in touch with my host family from Madrid, and we have become very close over the past couple of years.”
“After I finished studying here, I realized just how impactful my short stay in Madrid was. Even though it can be chaotic, it brings me a sense of joy I haven’t found elsewhere- something about the city and the culture is just so liberating. I was thrilled to learn I could come back as an Auxiliar !!”
“I moved back because of how incredibly happy Madrid made me, I felt it took a piece of my heart when I initially left after abroad. I also was able to obtain work experience that was impossible to get in the states, and later get into grad school with said experience.”
“I decided to go back to Spain because I absolutely loved the easygoing culture and people I met through my time at BU Madrid. After college was a good time for me to try something new, and the Auxiliar program is a great opportunity to make professional connections and see if living abroad long-term is a good fit for me. I’m excited to see how the year goes!”
“I chose to return to Spain because I wanted to ability to continue to immerse and participate in a cultural identity and environment that felt important to explore. The intersections between my own heritage and Spain are vast, so returning allows me to continue to learn about a place that is not as foreign as I first imagined”
“Even before finishing my semester abroad in Madrid, I knew I had to come back there to live ASAP and for a longer time. I felt like my own values and priorities in life aligned so well with how Spanish people live their lives, and I couldn’t wait to get back to such a rich culture and quality of life!”