TEACH ABROAD

GAP YEAR IN SPAIN

APPLICATION PERIOD OPEN 2024-2025

We recommend you read the program essential information before applying

YOUR GAP YEAR ABROAD STARTS HERE!

Are you looking for an authentic experience in Spain? Are you seeking to do something different, to detach yourself from your daily routine and leave your comfort zone? Are you willing to expand your horizons on a personal and professional level? Taking a gap year abroad can be precisely what you need.

Not only will a gap year abroad give you a new life perspective. It will also steep you with skills that can provide long-lasting benefits. You might be thinking of traveling, considering joining a volunteer program or even wondering about working in a foreign country.

Whatever your situation, our gap year plan will allow you to travel, help others, and gain work experience while receiving economic compensation. Come to teach English in Spain and make your first step into the real world! Sign up for a teaching experience that will turn your gap year in Spain into an unforgettable life event!

BENEFITS

4 REASONS TO SPEND A GAP YEAR IN SPAIN

Dare to step out of the world you know and immerse yourself in the rich Spanish culture. Take the leap into an experience you will remember for the rest of your life!

Gain Valuable Work Experience and Receive a Monthly Stipend

The value of teaching abroad is priceless. Working abroad demonstrates your skills to adapt to an unfamiliar work environment, your willingness to take risks, your openness to live in another culture, and your adventurous spirit. It also shows your ability to make a living in a foreign country and step out of your comfort zone.

Experience One of the Richest Cultures in the World

The heart of the Spanish culture awaits you. Spain has a special beat that will captivate you. From north to south, from east to west, a wide range of traditions, customs and ways of life are waiting to be discovered. Our diverse culture, a result of years of fascinating history, will certainly leave a mark on you forever.

Learn Spanish or Improve Your Language Skills

Spanish is a beautiful language, and it is the second most widely-spoken language in the world, by number of native speakers. If you want to learn another language, live the real Spanish language immersion. Not only that: you will also be able to learn about the other co-official languages in Spain.

Expand Your Horizons

There is no experience quite like living in another country. By spending your gap year in Spain with Meddeas you will truly expand your horizons and open your mind and heart to new experiences. The authenticity of the Spanish culture, the affability of Spaniards and the relaxed pace of life will really enrich your outlook on life.

Gap Year Programs in Spain:
Become a Language Assistant

Meddeas offers a program to those who are looking for teaching opportunities during their gap year abroad. Whether you have a background in teaching or you are looking for a meaningful adventure in another country, Meddeas has something for you.

Through Meddeas, native English, German or French speakers become Language Assistants. But what exactly is this?

A Language Assistant is not a teacher. Rather, it is a native English, German or French speaker who facilitates language learning through general conversation practice, language-oriented activities or games, and who shares the culture of the home country.

Some responsibilities you might find as an English/German/French Language Assistant during your gap year in Spain are:

GAP YEAR PROGRAM

The Basics

STIPEND

You will receive a monthly stipend, which is more than enough to live comfortably in Spain as a young professional, and a certificate of completion at the end of the program. You will be enrolled in a TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) course which will endow you with knowledge and practical tools to make the most of this experience. You will also have guidance from the school and the Meddeas staff, including help with the visa process.

LODGING OPTIONS

There are two accommodation options for your gap year in Spain: full board accommodation with a Host Family or independent housing. Each option offers a slightly different experience. If you’re not sure, and you need a bit of advice to help you make the best decision, head over to our blog where you can read about our Language Assistants’ experiences living in Spain.

REQUIREMENTS

ARE YOU ELIGIBLE?

Our gap year program is tailored for native-level English, German or French speakers who are longing to broaden their minds by living abroad for an academic year.

YOUR NEW HOME

Say hola to Spain!

Spain is an ideal place for youths looking to broaden their minds, and discover other cultures and ways of understanding the world.

You will spend your gap year meeting kind and welcoming people, discovering the Spanish culture, taking Spanish courses, visiting incredible cities, beaches and mountains, trying amazing food, and experiencing life-changing moments.

Spain is a country filled with exciting history, stunning cathedrals and museums, and lavish paintings and sculptures. This ancient country treasures 49 World Heritage Sites, declared by UNESCO.

This is also the place for the foodies: Mediterranean gastronomy is probably the best in the planet, not to speak about festive local culture, traditions, and celebrations in every town.

For nature lovers, Spain offers a diversity of natural landscapes. White sand beaches with coastal villages, lush forests with luxuriant trees, and mountains with cliffs to hike. The peninsula and the islands encapsulate the richness of several countries, all in one.

There is no way of telling what a gap year as a Language Assistant will bring. But what Meddeas can guarantee is that the year will be full of new experiences.

TESTIMONIALS

TRUSTED BY MORE THAN 700 PARTICIPANTS EVERY YEAR

THE BASICS

FAQs about the program

A Meddeas Language Assistant is a recent university graduate who is interested in acquiring international teaching experience. They get the chance to join one of the +300 schools we collaborate with in Spain to support the English, French, or German department and collaborate with them through an internship scheme, receiving a monthly stipend to cover their expenses while having this experience.

If you are a university student who can earn credits for internship opportunities, 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 internship program requires full-time availability and a great deal of energy!

Some of the tasks assigned to the Language Assistant may include organizing group conversation lessons, leading the whole class at the front of the room alongside the teacher, conducting conversation practice with other teachers, or helping to prepare students for standardized language tests.

Depending on the placement, group conversation lessons will include a maximum of 3, 8, or 15 students at a time. Only candidates with a degree in Education OR English Language / Linguistics OR any Degree + TEFL course (at least 120 hours) are eligible for placements with groups of up to 15 students.

You need to be a native-level speaker of English, German, or French. Native German and French speakers should have at least a B2 level (CEFR) in English because the university TEFL-related course is taught in this language.

You need to hold a +3 year degree in any subject OR hold a postgraduate degree related to Education or Linguistics, obtained within the last 4 years before the beginning of the program.

You must have no criminal records, and you need to hold a valid passport (not needed to apply, but necessary to start the visa application process, if applicable).

Program conditions

Not at all. There are no fees to participate in Meddeas. You will have to transfer a refundable deposit of €850 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 and university course.

No. 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 benefit from this internship 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.

You will be enrolled in a TEFL-related course, adapted to school environments, delivered by a Spanish University. The course begins with a one-day session in Madrid or Barcelona (TBC). After that, you will move on to your placement destination to collaborate with the school and complete the online course throughout the academic year.

The university will recognize a portion of your activity at the school as part of their academic training. In addition, you will have to dedicate around 360 hours (225 hours if you start in January) throughout the academic year to complete the course, with the support of forums and your university tutor.

Course completion and evaluation will be based on the assessment of individual modules. Tuition is paid for by the program and its completion is compulsory.

Our program runs from September/October/January to May/June. If you successfully complete the program, you may apply for a second year as a Meddeas Language Assistant. You can choose to stay at the same school or move to a different one.

The Language Assistant’s schedule will be set and modified by the school according to its needs, which means that placement’s characteristics depend entirely on the school, and participants are not able to change its schedule or conditions. The school schedule in Spain usually runs from 9 am to 5 pm.

You will have between 20 and 24 in-class hours per week, needing up to 2 additional hours per week to coordinate your activities with other teachers. As your timetable depends on the other teachers’, you will for sure have some gaps between classes, meaning that, for example, you could have class from 9 am to 4 or 5 pm with gaps in between, including a one or two-hour lunch break. You can take advantage of these gaps to prepare activities and dedicate time to your online TEFL course.

If you live with a host family and your placement has less than 23 in-class hours per week, you will teach them in 4 days (mornings and afternoons), or in 5 mornings every week.

You will receive a monthly stipend that will vary in quantity depending on the number of weekly in-class hours, your lodging option, and the maximum number of students in your group conversation lessons, which are previously defined by the school. Check the amount ranges in the corresponding program brochure.

The monthly stipend will allow you to live in Spain as a young professional, and is enough to pay your rent (in case of independent housing) and cover expenses. Keep in mind that larger cities like Madrid, Barcelona, or Bilbao are more expensive than medium or small cities. We advise you to come to Spain with some savings to help you get settled.

You will be entitled to the same holidays as the rest of the school’s faculty. You will have a Christmas and Easter break, local or regional holidays, and some long weekends (puentes). You will have a set school calendar and you are not entitled to any days off outside the pre-established holidays. Trips and travel arrangements should be made around your class schedule and school calendar.

If there are unforeseen circumstances or special events, such as your graduation, that require you to take a day off, you will have to submit a request in advance to the school principal. Unauthorized absences can result in the loss of your stipend or even your placement.

You will have access to the Spanish Social Security system (national healthcare) for the duration of the program. The Public Administration (Spanish government) will deduct a small amount from your monthly stipend (between €9.40 and €11.50, approximately) in order to pay compulsory Social Security contributions in exchange for nearly universal medical coverage.

Although you will be covered by the Spanish healthcare system, you will need to purchase an additional private health insurance plan if you are a non-EU passport holder to satisfy visa requirements. Successful candidates may look for their own options or contact Meddeas, since we have partnered with a private health insurance provider to offer affordable coverage that complies with visa requirements.

You are expected to show initiative and commitment and perform professionally. Meddeas and/or the school have the right to cancel a Language Assistant’s placement if any of them consider that the participant exhibits a lack of professional behavior.

If this occurs, the Language Assistant loses the deposit and all inherent rights (placement, social security, course, stipend, etc.). In addition, the program is legally obliged to cancel the visa (if applicable).

If you decide to leave the program, you will lose the €850 deposit and all inherent rights (placement, social security, course, stipend, etc.) In addition, the program will be legally obliged to cancel your visa (if applicable).

Lodging options

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 accommodation, so you will be responsible for finding an apartment 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 Meddeas participants 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.

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. In some schools, you might be placed with two or three host families throughout the year.

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.

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 conduct, 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. They will guide you and 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 Language Assistant’s request. The school defines them and may adapt the ages of children that participants are placed with, according to their needs.

THE SELECTION PROCESS

If you are interested in becoming a Meddeas Language Assistant, you can apply through our website by filling out the online Application Form.

We will evaluate your eligibility and, if you meet the requirements to enroll in the program, we will arrange a first online interview with you.

If you make it to the second stage of the recruitment process, you will be invited to a second online interview. If you successfully complete the second stage, you will be considered for one of the available placements for which your profile matches.

Finally, you will 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 be accepted into the program and will be able to start your visa application process, if applicable, with the guidance of our Admissions Team.

FUNDING THE PROGRAM

The program does not include any fees. However, you will have to pay for some things with a set and known cost:

All participants

  • Application for a National Certificate of Absence of Police Records
  • Medical Certificate
  • Travel expenses from and to your country
  • Accommodation in Madrid or Barcelona for the Induction Meeting
  • Travel expenses from Madrid or Barcelona to your destination

Non-European passport holders (visa requirements)

  • Visa application fees
  • Translation of official documents 
  • Apostille/Legalization (if needed)
  • Private health insurance 

Prices vary from country to country. Please check the fees that apply to your particular case.

As Meddeas is a training program, you might be eligible to defer your student loans during the program. Eligibility for deferment will depend on the requirements established by the institution granting your loan.

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.

A GAP YEAR FULL OF STORIES TO BE TOLD

Fill out our online Application Form to begin this teaching adventure

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