7 Best Schools And Immersion Programs To Learn Spanish (In Spain)

With around 543 million Spanish speakers around the world, knowing this language can be beneficial almost anywhere you go.

It’s your gateway to the Spanish-speaking world, whether you hope to use the language to travel the globe or meet new people in your hometown.

But, as with any language, it’s easiest to learn Spanish by fully immersing in it.

That means packing your bags and setting off to one of the 21 countries and territories where Spanish is an official language. ✈️

While you’re spoiled for choice on places to develop your Spanish fluency, Spain remains a top pick among language enthusiasts.

You can’t pass up life in the sunniest corner of Europe, full of exciting cultural traditions and language learning opportunities.

Plus, the wide variety of Spanish immersion schools in Spain should send the country to the top of your list.

To know which schools are best, you can look for accreditation by the Instituto Cervantes and membership with FEDELE, or the Spanish Federation of Associations of Spanish Schools for Foreigners.

Still, you’ll find that the options are nearly endless when you search where to learn Spanish in Spain.

So, I’ve compiled a list to ensure you know some of the greatest programs available in the land of tapas and flamenco.

Let me show you my unique method for learning Spanish:

Here are some of Spain’s top schools, programs, and immersion experiences to help you become a master hispanohablante (Spanish speaker)

1. EF Centro Internacional de Idiomas Málaga

At EF in sunny Málaga, a 20th-century villa surrounded by lemon trees becomes a hub for Spanish language learning.

It’s a school tucked into Málaga’s Pedregalejo neighbourhood. You’ll study just a stroll from the beach, and you can choose to live on campus or in homestays with a local host.

The school has programs grouped for students from ages 13 to 18, 18 to 25, and 25 and up.

You’ll start by choosing your preferred schedule, either 20, 26, or 32 forty-minute lessons per week.

Then, spend the rest of your time enjoying included activities like city tours, horseback riding, and language exchange meetups with locals.

EF Málaga’s most popular program option is an intensive course that starts at $1390 for two weeks.

And if you’d like to stay longer, no problem! You can start your Spanish journey on any Monday and stay any number of weeks up to a full year.

2. Inhispania

Perhaps you’d like to combine life in a bustling European capital with exposure to all things Spanish culture. In that case, Inhispania in Madrid is an excellent choice.

This Spanish language school is accredited by Instituto Cervantes. Plus, it has plenty of valuable course offerings, even for complete beginners.

You can choose from intensive Spanish, evening courses, or create a personalized program with options like private lessons and online sessions.

Then, fill your free time with tapas nights, language exchange events, and excursions to nearby towns like Segovia.

Inhispania has no age limit and pricing for their intensive courses (20 lessons per week) is as follows.

1 week: 155€
1 month: 545€
2 months: 1035€
3 months: 1540€

Plan to start any Monday of the year and stay from one to 20 weeks.

Before setting off, you can count on Inhispania’s staff to help with important details.

They’ll assist with things like applying for a student visa or arranging a homestay for your time in Spain.

3. Academia Internacional de Lenguas (AIL) Madrid

In Madrid’s Salamanca neighbourhood and just steps from charming Retiro Park is AIL Madrid.

This Instituto Cervantes-accredited school was opened by an English native named Chris Haworth. He began his Spanish-speaking journey nearly two decades ago in the Spanish capital.

Most courses are taught in small groups with a maximum of eight students, and you can choose from 4, 10, 20, or 30 hours of Spanish learning per week.

You can even choose classes that include extracurriculars like Spanish and arts, cooking, or dance.

To give you an idea of pricing, this school’s intensive Spanish program will cost you 190€ per week for 20 group sessions of 50 minutes.

Most students can start at AIL on any Monday of the year.

However, complete beginners will need to begin on one of the school’s designated dates for new Spanish learners.

This school offers Spanish classes for people 17 years and older. They also have gap year experiences and offer high schoolers the chance to study for a year in Spain.

4. Taronja Valencia

Just a stone’s throw from Valencia’s historic Nord train station in the city centre, you’ll find Taronja.

It’s a Spanish school named after the Valencian word for orange. This hints at a reason Valencia is such a great place to study Spanish.

The city presents its own distinctive culture and dialect while offering heaps of exposure to the Spanish language.

Taronja puts a youthful and dynamic spin on Spanish courses. Their most popular option, a Spanish intensive course with conversation, is 239€ per week.

Their range of intensive and long-term programs include five socio-cultural activities per week.

Some of these include cooking, language exchange, and a feast of the local specialty: paella.

The school also offers private classes if you prefer a one-on-one approach to learning Spanish.

Each course includes a level test before you begin, a certificate of completion, and support during your time in Valencia.

Spanish learners from 18 and up can start sessions at Taronja any Monday throughout the year.

If you’re a complete beginner, you’ll want to check start dates for this school’s programming.

5. FU International Academy Tenerife (FUIA)

If your ideal Spanish learning experience involves sipping sangria on a tropical island, FUIA in Tenerife should hit the spot.

They have courses for any functional need, like business Spanish, Spanish for tourism, or official exam prep.

Many of their courses also come with an adrenaline-fueled activity like surfing, paragliding, or open water diving.

Talk about an immersive experience! 😉

This is a great Spanish school for digital nomads, as they have a coworking space with 20 desks available for students.

FUIA offers courses for students between 18 and 45, and pricing will depend on your chosen path.

To give you an idea, their package of 20 intensive Spanish lessons plus five surf classes of two hours each will cost you 292€ per week.

The great thing about studying at FUIA in Tenerife is, you can start classes any Monday of the year and still enjoy idyllic beach weather.

6. Expanish in Barcelona

Minutes from Gaudí’s famous Sagrada Familia cathedral, Expanish welcomes students to a colourful and lively learning environment.

It’s a chance to study Spanish in one of Spain’s bilingual autonomous communities. So, you can immerse yourself in a major cosmopolitan city full of linguists and diverse cultural traditions.

They offer group sessions or private classes for students ages 16 and up, taught with their communicative teaching method.

This approach emphasizes self-expression and promises that you’ll be speaking Spanish on day one regardless of your level.

In your free time, the school will connect you to cultural activities like flamenco classes and fútbol matches.

You can also attend excursions with fellow students to beautiful nearby towns like Girona and Montserrat.

Expanish has a variety of courses to fit your needs and budget. For example, to take 20 group lessons a week, you’ll pay 167€ per week for the first four weeks.

After that, you will pay a reduced price per week depending on the amount of time you’d like to stay up to 40+ weeks.

7. Pueblo Español

Now, for those who want to venture away from Spain’s busy city streets, there’s Pueblo Español.

This language immersion program is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to live in a charming Spanish village: Baeza in Andalusia, Cason in Segovia, or La Alberca in Salamanca.

You’ll stay in a four-star hotel and speak Spanish from the moment you wake up.

The program chooses a native language partner based on your language goals to keep you company during your time with Pueblo Español.

Pueblo Español caters to four different groups:

Business professionals and Spanish enthusiasts (ages 24 and up)
High school students (ages 14 to 18)
University students (ages 19 to 23)
Spanish language teachers (ages 24 and up)

It’s worth mentioning that these experiences are on the more expensive side. An eight-day program with 100+ hours of language experience and full room and board will cost you 1980€.

Pueblo Español encourages interested language learners to contact them to learn more about their options and start dates.