TEACH IN SPAIN
Volunteer Teaching Experience
AN EXCEPTIONAL OPPORTUNITY TO TEACH ABROAD
Have you considered volunteering in Spain? Immerse yourself in the Spanish culture for 3 months while helping students in schools to improve their language skills. This is a great opportunity to learn Spanish and enhance your resume with international experience.
This short-term volunteering program in Spain will open your mind and become a lifetime memory!
WHY TEACH AS A VOLUNTEER IN SPAIN WITH MEDDEAS?
If you are looking into how to volunteer abroad, this is for you. Teach your language and share your culture with Spanish school students. You will help them to develop their language and communication skills in a different language. See them brightening their future while you thrive both personally and professionally.
- No fees to participate
- 3-month length program
- Homestay with a Spanish family for a full cultural immersion with 3 meals a day included (you can choose independent accommodation if you prefer at your own expense)
- 20 contact hours a week as a Language Assistant
- Certificate of Recognition to boost your resume/CV with international experience
- Medical insurance included and paid for by the program
- Pre-departure assistance
- In-country guidance
- Spanish not required
- No previous experience required
- No need to apply for a visa
HOMESTAY WITH A SPANISH HOST FAMILY
We recommend that you read the Host Family Conditions before selecting this option.
You can always choose to look for your accommodation independently if you feel the homestay option is not for you. In this case, you will need to find housing by yourself and it will be at your own expense as Meddeas does not provide accommodation.
WHAT WILL YOU BE DOING AS A MEDDEAS VOLUNTEER IN SCHOOLS IN SPAIN?
You will witness firsthand how your students bloom in their second language acquisition with your help. Experience the rewarding feeling of seeing how students develop their foreign language skills. You will help them through:
Leading the whole class alongside the main teacher
Organizing group conversation lessons with a maximum of three students at a time
Conducting conversation practice with other teachers
Helping to prepare students for standardized language tests
REQUIREMENTS FOR VOLUNTEERING IN SPAIN WITH MEDDEAS
- Be a native-level speaker of English, French, or German
- Meet one of the following:
- Hold a high school diploma if you are up to 22 years old
- Hold a 3+ year degree or be enrolled in the 3rd or 4th year of your degree if you are up to 26 years old
- Hold a 3+ year degree in any subject if you are above 26 years old
- Hold a valid passport from a country that is exempt from obtaining a visa under the 90-day rule (e.g., Austria, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States, etc.)
- Have a clean criminal record
- Stand out in our selection process
GET TEFL CERTIFIED
If you wish to make the most of this experience, you can get TEFL certified before starting your One-Term Volunteer Teaching Experience in Spain. This will not only help you while volunteering in Spain but will open the doors to developing your career as an English teacher abroad.
Meddeas has partnered with tefl.org in order to offer advantageous conditions to their participants. More details will be given to accepted candidates.
THE BASICS
FAQs about the program
A Meddeas Volunteer is a native-level English speaker who is interested in acquiring international teaching experience. Our volunteers enhance their resumes while immersing themselves in a different culture. They join one of the 300+ schools we collaborate with in Spain to support the English, French, or German language departments.
If you are a college student looking for an opportunity to earn credits through an internship for a full academic year, you should have a look at our Student Co-op Placements instead.
Unlike Teaching Assistants, Language Assistants are expected to use their own initiative to prepare and deliver engaging and creative activities and fun games, following the guidelines given by the main teacher, in order to motivate the students, improve their speaking skills and make them fall in love with the language. This rewarding program requires a great deal of energy!
Some of the tasks assigned to the Volunteer may include organizing group conversation lessons, leading the whole class at the front of the room alongside the teacher, or conducting conversation practice with other teachers. Group conversation lessons will include a maximum of 3 students at a time.
You need to be a native-level English, French, or German speaker and meet one of the following requirements at the beginning of your placement:
- If you are 22 years old or less, hold at least a high school diploma.
- If you are 26 years old or less, hold a +3 years degree in any subject OR, be enrolled in the 3rd or 4th year of your degree.
- If you are above 26 years old, hold a +3 years degree in any subject.
You must have no criminal records, and you need to hold a valid passport (not needed to apply, but necessary to join the program) from a country that is exempt from obtaining a visa under the 90-day rule (e.g., Austria, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States, etc.)
Program conditions
Not at all. There are no fees to participate in Meddeas. You will have to transfer a refundable deposit of €450 after accepting your placement as proof of your commitment to the program. This deposit will be refunded to you at the end of the program, once you successfully complete your school placement.
This program doesn’t require a visa. All of the following are included:
- Placement as a Volunteer Language Assistant in a Spanish school.
- Medical insurance.
- If you want to, homestay with a Spanish family (breakfast, lunch, and dinner included while at home or school).
- Pre-departure assistance and in-country guidance.
Travel expenses, cost of the Medical Certificate, cost of Absence of Police Records Certificate and any other cost not specified as covered by the program.
Our program’s allocation process is profile-based. That means that our Human Resources Team will match your profile with a specific school placement (with its own requirements) so that you can make the most of this experience. Therefore, we cannot guarantee that you will be placed in a specific location.
Since we run a profile-based allocation process, we only consider individual applications. If one of your friends or your partner has also applied, please bear in mind that it is unlikely that we will place both of you in the same town or even region.
Our program length is approximately 3 months (around 75-85 days). It runs from:
- October to December
- January to Easter break (March/April)
- Easter break (March/April) to June
The Volunteer’s schedule will be set and modified by the school according to its needs, which means that placement’s characteristics depend only on the school, and participants are not able to change its schedule or conditions.
You will have 20 contact in-class hours for 4 days (mornings and afternoons) or 5 mornings per week. You may be expected to dedicate an additional 2 hours to coordination meetings with other teachers, and may also have additional gaps between lessons. You can take advantage of these gaps to prepare classes/games and activities.
You are expected to show initiative and commitment and perform professionally. Meddeas and/or the school have the right to cancel a Volunteer’s participation in the program if any of them consider that the participant exhibits a lack of professional behavior.
If this occurs, the Volunteer loses the deposit and all inherent rights (placement, insurance, etc.).
If you decide to leave the program, you will lose the €450 deposit and all inherent rights (placement, insurance, etc.).
Lodging options
Yes. Living in Spain is a great way to practice the Spanish language, and staying with a Spanish Host Family will be the best way to make the most of this unique experience. The family will introduce you to many typical Spanish traditions that will help you discover a new culture and, most likely, make friends for life.
Through this very special opportunity, you will find yourself being part of an authentic Spanish family and all that comes with it: living in their home, eating together, playing games, and going on family trips. It is a dream come true for those who want to live like a Spaniard for a few months. Check the Host Family Conditions.
Yes. If you decide to live by yourself, we strongly recommend that you look for a shared apartment located close to your school. It will be easier for you to walk to school each day instead of relying on public transportation.
Meddeas does not provide independent accommodation, so you will be responsible for finding an apartment/room to rent. Our Admissions Team will offer you tips and links for finding an apartment in Spain. You will also be invited to the Meddeas Facebook group, where you can communicate with other Volunteers who might also be looking for an apartment in the same area. Nevertheless, negotiating an apartment contract or security deposit will be your own responsibility.
You can check this blog post to have an idea of the cost of living in Spain.
The school
Schools understand that you might have little teaching experience. At the same time, they expect you to show serious commitment. You will be expected to be involved with your students, demonstrate motivation, maintain professional behavior, and use good interpersonal skills. Proactivity, flexibility, and initiative are essential to planning, preparing, and delivering your own activities.
One of the school’s teachers will be appointed as your tutor. You can ask them for advice when needed, but you will be expected to independently plan your own activities and games.
Meddeas collaborates with private and concertado (charter or grant-maintained) schools. Some of them are non-religious, whereas others are Catholic. In a Catholic school, a Language Assistant is expected to be respectful of the school’s beliefs and customs, and to avoid controversial topics. It is not necessary to share its ethos, but the above is a must. If you have any questions on this matter, you will be able to address them during the interview.
Successful candidates will receive all the relevant details, including location, students’ age group, and school characteristics before accepting a placement offer. Once accepted, details cannot be changed upon the Volunteer’s request. The school defines them and may adapt the ages of children that participants are placed with, according to their needs.
THE APPLICATION PROCESS
If you are interested in becoming a Meddeas Volunteer, you can apply through our website by filling out the online Application Form.
We will evaluate your profile and, if you meet the requirements to enroll in the program’s available placements, we will arrange a first online interview with you.
If you make it to the second stage of the process, you might be invited to a second online interview. If you are successful, you will be considered for one of the available placements for which your profile matches.
Finally, you will then be asked to sign an agreement. You will receive the name of your school before transferring the refundable deposit to ensure your placement. You will then receive guidance to join the program.
FUNDING THE PROGRAM
Participants who have studied at a university associated with the Erasmus program may also be eligible for Erasmus+ funds for up to 12 months after their graduation. For specific requirements and how to apply, please consult your university.
