Spanish for foreigners Schools and Programs in Spain

Spanish for foreigners Studies in Spain

Spanish for foreigners (español como lengua extranjera, ELE) is taught in Spain by private language schools and by the language centres of universities. Most courses are short and open all year: students choose the number of weeks and hours, join a group at their level and can prepare an official exam at the end. Levels follow the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), from A1 to C2.

How the courses are organised

At the Centro Superior de Idiomas de la Universidad de Alicante, for example, an intensive course runs for 4 weeks per level, with 60 hours and 6 ECTS credits, all year round, from Monday to Friday between 9:00 and 12:00. The centre divides the scale into 12 levels from A1 to C2 and lets students add complementary courses up to a maximum of 5 hours of class a day.

University centres also run semester programmes for study abroad students. The Centro Universitario Internacional of the Universidad Pablo de Olavide in Seville, founded in 2002, offers a semester programme in Hispanic studies taught in Spanish and English, alongside intensive Spanish courses such as a two-week course in January 2027.

Quality: Instituto Cervantes accreditation

There is no official degree in "Spanish for foreigners"; what matters is the quality of the school. The Instituto Cervantes runs an accreditation system for schools that teach Spanish as a foreign language. It reviews the organisation of the school, its teaching, extra services, facilities and the information it gives students, and accredited schools go through the evaluation again every three years.

Several schools in our directory appear in the Instituto Cervantes list of accredited centres in Spain, among them Tenidiomas in Jerez de la Frontera, UCOidiomas of the Universidad de Córdoba, the Spanish Institute for Global Education in Seville, CESTE in Zaragoza, Speakeasy in Barcelona and the Centro de Estudios Luis Vives in Madrid. The Spanish courses of the Universidad Internacional Menéndez Pelayo are also on the list, and the Universidad Pablo de Olavide states that its international centre has been accredited since 1 March 2008.

Where to learn Spanish in Spain

In our directory, Barcelona has the most schools for this subject, followed by Madrid and Málaga; there are also schools in Seville, Salamanca, Córdoba, Granada, Alicante, Valladolid, Jerez de la Frontera and Bilbao. Options range from small private academies, such as Academia CILE in Málaga, which has taught Spanish since 1988, to university centres such as the Centro Superior de Idiomas on the Universidad de Alicante campus in San Vicente del Raspeig.

Costs

Prices depend on the school, the city and the hours per week. As an example, the Universidad de Alicante's centre lists a 2026 price of €635 for four weeks of the intensive course at 3 hours a day, and €1,690 for a 12-week long stay at the same intensity. Textbooks are not included in that price.

Certificates and recognition

A course certificate shows attendance and level, but the widely recognised proof of Spanish is an official exam. The DELE diplomas are official qualifications awarded by the Instituto Cervantes on behalf of Spain's Ministry of Education. They cover all CEFR levels, are valid indefinitely and can be taken without first doing a specific course. In Spain, DELE A2 or higher meets the Spanish language requirement for nationality applications from people of non-Spanish-speaking countries, and the Ministry of Health accepts DELE C1 or C2 for access to MIR and FIR training places.

The SIELE is a digital exam promoted by the Instituto Cervantes, the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), the Universidad de Salamanca and the Universidad de Buenos Aires; results and the certificate arrive within three weeks at most. Many schools are exam centres: the Universidad de Alicante's centre for DELE and SIELE, and the Universidad de Salamanca's for DELE, SIELE and CCSE.

Visa for a Spanish course

According to Spain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, study stays of less than 90 days do not need a student visa, although some nationalities need a short-stay visa. For longer stays, a student visa can cover Spanish courses taught in person at official language schools or at centres accredited by the Instituto Cervantes, as long as Spanish is not the student's mother tongue or the official language of their country. The application includes proof of admission and of payment of the course, and students must apply for a Foreigner Identity Card within one month of entering Spain.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a visa to take a Spanish course in Spain?

Not for a course of less than 90 days, although some nationalities need a short-stay visa. For longer courses, a student visa is possible if the course is taught in person at an official language school or a centre accredited by the Instituto Cervantes.

How long does it take to complete one level?

It depends on the school and the intensity. At the Universidad de Alicante's Centro Superior de Idiomas, each level of the intensive course takes 4 weeks and 60 hours of class.

Should I take the DELE or the SIELE?

Both certify Spanish against the CEFR levels. The DELE is an official diploma with indefinite validity; the SIELE is taken on a computer and gives results within three weeks.

How can I tell if a Spanish school is reliable?

Check whether it appears in the Instituto Cervantes list of accredited centres. Accredited schools are evaluated on their teaching, services and facilities, and the review is repeated every three years.