Thinking about teaching English in Spain? It’s no longer news that Spain has become an established destination for foreigners to teach English and earn while at it. This comes with gaining experience while at your job and experiencing new cultures.
The good news about teaching English in Spain is that your teaching experience will not be required. And also, without a TEFL certification, you are still sure to find a teaching job suitable enough for you. That is to say that you need no degree to land a job. However, you will need more than the ability to speak English to qualify as an English teacher in Spain.
We have researched the requirements and benefits of teaching English in Spain, and we hope this guide will meet your immediate needs and straighten out every question you have about how to teach in Spain in 2023, the requirements, and its benefits.
Table of contents
- Why Spain?
- Benefits of Teaching English in Spain
- What You Need to Know Before Teaching English in Spain
- How Much Do English Speakers Make in Spain?
- What Qualifications Do I Need to Teach English in Spain?
- What Jobs are Available for Teaching English in Spain?
- How to Get a Job in Spain to Teach English
- FAQs – Teaching English in Spain
- Conclusion
- Recommendations
Why Spain?
Spain presently has a large ex-pat community that makes teaching English possible. It is a country rich in culture and centered around art, foods and drinks, and flamenco dance. It has been one of the favorite destinations for foreigners looking to move abroad, especially for retirement plans.
Spain has a high quality of living and a pleasant climate. And this has since added to the reasons why an ever-growing number of young professionals is continuously drawn to Spain.
While you are here, check out: 13 Best Paid Online Teaching Jobs
Benefits of Teaching English in Spain
Travel Opportunity
If you have ever wanted to see the world outside your country/continent, moving to Spain to begin a teaching career in a huge step forward. If you are opportune to teach in the largest city, Madrid, travelling will be easier and affordable for you within and outside the country.
Learning a new language
Remember that one of the requirements for moving to Spain to land a teaching job will be to learn Spanish. Madrid is one of the best cities in Spain to learn Spanish, mainly because the Spanish language is the dominant language in the city.
Networking
It’s no longer news that your network is your net worth and new wealth. Moving and teaching in Spain will help build your network. First, you can get to know your students. We have heard stories where students and their teachers become like a family.
This could also stretch to other staff in your school of employment. And all of these could make a living in a foreign country so much easier. And you can never always tell what opportunities and beauties these friendships and networks hold for the future.
Student Diversity
You would agree with us about how fun and fulfilling this could feel. Say you find yourself taking up different jobs at different schools or job types. You could teach some adults from different walks of life in the morning, some of whom could be CEOs and VIPs at top organizations or companies. And by afternoon, you teach children classes and any other by evening.
This variety of students will help take off the stress from your job as you can get to not only impact their lives but also build friendships and have meaningful interactions.
International Certification
This is as explanatory as it sounds. Moving and teaching in Spain will earn you international certification. That are the certificates required for landing teaching jobs teaching English in Spain. This certification brings stricter standards to your job. This is because teachers who completed theirs are usually preferred over the ones who didn’t.
Holidays
There are over 20 holidays in Spain. The beautiful thing about this is that you could plan your travels for these holidays to see the other parts of the country and outside. You could use them to do some other things you enjoy doing too.
Exposure to New Cultures
Have you ever been interested in learning and understanding a different culture? One very different from where you come from? This will be a great opportunity to do that. To completely throw all of yourself in a new culture. This could teach you many things and make you understand why people behave the way they do.
Possible transition from and into any career
Teaching comes with some transferable skills that people almost only get to realize they have after they have begun their jobs. These skills include managing groups or people management and strong communication skills. Teaching English in Spain could help you improve these skills.
What You Need to Know Before Teaching English in Spain
Moving and getting a teaching job in Spain demands a lot of preparation and knowledge about the teaching business. If you have always wanted to gain experience in education and, at the same time, make money while you are doing it, teaching in Spain might be a great way to do that. Living in Spain as a teacher is highly relaxing. Although you might be underpaid and overworked occasionally, be assured that teaching in this country is far less intense than in other countries.
Below are some things you need to know to guarantee a stable transition to life abroad and favorably obtain a teaching job.
Know the hiring seasons.
September/October, and January are top hiring seasons in Spain. We suggest arriving in Spain for your interviews after the application in mid-September. This is because early October starts a new term in Spain, as many language schools resume from the summer holidays.
A subsequent hiring period follows by the second week of January and runs for several weeks. By this, we don’t imply that getting jobs in other months is impossible. There are only a few jobs available by then and your chances of getting one might be below.
Teaching jobs are mostly open these two times a year because many teachers complete their semester term after living abroad for one or two years.
Pick the right city for teaching in Spain
Presently, Barcelona and Madrid offer the largest English teaching markets in Spain. This information is important because the city you move to in Spain will hugely determine the results of your job search.
Madrid is the largest city in Spain and has the most language schools. As a result, the need for English teachers is continuously on the rise.
Finding jobs and Interviews
It may sound unprofessional to walk into a school and ask for a job instead of submitting your resume via email and waiting to be called up for an interview. Well, this is not odd. It’s the system most schools operate on in Western Europe and Latin America. This is much easier if you go for the job during the top hiring seasons.
By all means, email your resume and cover letters to your chosen workplace before you arrive in Spain. But the most effective way to land a teaching job in Spain is to visit your choice of school or schools and inquire about job opportunities, especially during the hiring seasons.
If your schools of choice require certificates like TEFL, take yours along with your resume and cover letter for your interview or while you are looking out for opportunities, as you can land a job on your first date and are expected to resume work in a few day.
To be on the safer side, ensure you talk to several employers a day while interviewing or waiting to be called back by the first one you went for. Lastly, while teaching jobs are not always lucrative in Spain, you can increase your earnings by teaching English online. You are sure to make at least $10-$20 (USD) an hour & hours are very flexible.
How Much Do English Speakers Make in Spain?
In most major cities, instructors make, on average, between €10 and €15 per hour. For 24 hours a week, the typical monthly wage in places like Madrid, Bilbao, and Barcelona is between €1,000 and €1,200.
For further discussions on English teaching salaries and perks on average in Spain; In Spain, language assistants may anticipate monthly salaries ranging from $730 for 12 hours a week to $1250 for 24. The government’s NALCAP program generally requires 16 hours per week and pays $1,040 USD.
Also, see: Teach English Online With no Degree; Requirements, Salary, and Schools
What Qualifications Do I Need to Teach English in Spain?
First, it is very important to note that you do not require a degree certificate to qualify as a teacher in Spain. Everything else is prioritized over your 4-year degree.
Having known this, let’s move down to the qualifications you need to teach in Spain:
A Recognized Teaching Certificate:
- TEFL (Teach English as a Foreign Language)
- CELTA (Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults)
- TESOL (Teach English to Speakers of Other Languages).
These are the important certificates required to land you a job as a teacher in Spain. While it is possible, more economical and time managing, to take these courses online, finding a reputable academy to obtain these certificates will give you a heads-up in your job search.
Knowledge of the Spanish Language
You are required to learn as much Spanish as possible before you are ready to move to Spain for a teaching Job. You don’t want to struggle with communication when you have finally moved. This is important because you’re never sure where you will land a job until you have landed one, whether in the larger cities or rural areas where communication will be a huge challenge if you are unfamiliar with Spanish.
A Work Permit
All these requirements are important as no one can work in place of another. Getting a work permit is as important as the other requirements. This is a lot different from a visa. It is simply a Government-issued document that allows Spanish companies permission to hire a citizen from outside the EU.
If you have an EU passport, you won’t need a work permit to land a teaching job in Spain.
Before these documents are issued to non-Spiniards and non-EU citizens, the company must prove that there are no suitable candidates in Spain and the EU to take the position the foreigner is coming to fill.
Can I Teach English in Spain Without a Degree?
Wondering if you can teach English in Spain without a degree? You could be good to go if you have some experience and a recognized TEFL certificate. If you meet the other criteria, teaching English in Spain without a degree is doable. A teaching qualification is required, and any relevant teaching experience will be very helpful.
What Jobs are Available for Teaching English in Spain?
After careful research, we have found that there are 3 main types of teaching jobs in Spain;
Conversation assistants otherwise called a Language assistants.
This is the most suitable teaching job type in Spain. Run by the government, it allows mostly EU, Canadian, Australian, China, and New Zealand residents to work in this job type.
It involves working an average of 12 hours a week, health insurance, and consistent pay. It is reliable as it requires a legal visa. However, the teachers do to get to choose their location for this job type. Although you can pick your topic’s top 3 locations, you do not get to decide where exactly you want to be.
The teaching job type comes with lower pay than private teaching jobs, and there’s a chance an employer will teach in more than one school. This job type also has a limited hiring period, and applying is usually difficult as applications must be in Spanish.
Private language school instructors
This job type is a full-time teacher in a private school or a language academy. This is the most popular job type for teachers in Spain. It comes with higher pay than the former and is always readily available.
It requires an average of 25 hours of teaching per week, and a block schedule is usually possible. This means that your classes will be back to back.
However, this job type doesn’t come with health insurance. There is also a possibility of an open schedule. This means that your classes are spread throughout the day and probably leave you exhausted by the end of the day.
Also, for this job type, the advantages are mostly given to the teachers with a TEFL certification. One of the most important things to know before applying for this job type is that some schools that offer it dispatch their employees throughout the city.
If this is not something you want to sign up for, better fid to if the school you’re applying for operates this way. You can just ask!
Private tutor
This job type is otherwise known as an English tutor for a family. This job type might be the simplest of them all. It allows you the time to engage in other things you need to do.
It comes with higher pay than private school pay, and this job type also allows you to choose or set your own location and schedule. It also allows you to choose the students you want to teach.
However, this job type is somewhat illegal even though you have a work visa. It’s not always easy to find regular students to teach when you are new in Spain.
Now you understand what a teaching job in Spain means and the different job types. And also, why you must choose to move to Spain to teach and the requirements needed. We have compiled a list of the benefits of working as an English teacher in Spain.
How to Get a Job in Spain to Teach English
Here is how you can land a job in Spain to teach English:
Own a TEFL certification
To get hired as an English teacher in Spain, you must first have a professional TEFL certification. If you don’t bring it, you’ll have to take a depressing trip home a few weeks later since no school will hire you.
Move to Spain
In Spain, most language schools conduct local interviews and employ new English teachers. There is a high need for new instructors due to the yearly departure of thousands of foreign English teachers throughout Spain.
Traveling to Spain for a job interview without having a job secured before you leave home may sound scary. Yet, every year, almost every International TEFL Academy graduate who travels to Spain for a job interview during prime recruiting seasons is employed. Why? Because there are positions available, but you must act independently and travel to Spain to get employment as an English teacher.
Be Aware of Hiring Seasons
We strongly advise flying to Spain in the middle of September to do interviews. Consider that early October is the busiest recruiting time, especially in Madrid. The second week of January marks the start of a second significant hiring cycle for positions as an English teacher in Spain, which lasts for several weeks.
Move Into the Largest Cities
By far, Madrid is Spain’s largest employment market. Thus starting your job hunt, there is advised. Additionally, Barcelona and Bilbao are excellent choices.
Plan to spend your first month of lodgings in a hostel or another low-cost option if you do not already have accommodations secured, such as those with family or friends. To locate these places, use tools like Lonely Planet travel guides.
Let Your Friends Know You are Searching
If you have family or friends in the city where you want to land a job, ask them to check out the local schools before arrival.
Additionally, ask them to ask their friends and coworkers if they know anybody who would be interested in individual classes. By doing this, you can earn money and gain experience from the moment you arrive.
Before you go, see: 15 High Paying Teaching Jobs In South Korea
Purchase a Local Phone
Get a local mobile with a local number as soon as you get there, and ensure to include the number in any correspondence with schools and on your CV.
Prepare your resume
Get your cover letter and resume translated into Spanish. If you can, create business cards that include your TEFL certification. Inquiring about teaching positions directly at language schools in person is the best strategy to secure interviews and employment with Spanish language schools.
Expect to start teaching after completing the employment process, including interviews. After you have followed these steps, begin to apply for jobs. To find some, use all the resources available to find schools in the region where you want to work.
FAQs – Teaching English in Spain
Teachers only work roughly 12–16 hours per week. Thus the pay isn’t as high as in a private institution.
Yes, there are English speakers in Spain to give a quick answer. However, there are only a few places where you can hear English being spoken on the streets, along with limited numbers of people who speak it.
Do you need to be TEFL certified? To teach English in Spain, TEFL certification is not required. However, if you’ve never taught before, it can still be helpful as it will teach you various skills that will be useful in the classroom.
There is an “unprecedented” teacher shortage in Australia. By 2025, the federal government estimates there will be a shortage of over 4,000 high school teachers. However, shortages are already present, particularly in rural and distant schools and math and science.
There is a huge need for English teachers throughout Spain, so finding employment is simple whether you live in a small town in Andalucia or a large city like Madrid.
Conclusion
In conclusion, moving to Spain is a great idea and applying for an English teaching job – if you want to see another part of the world and still make money.
You must be sure you have all the requirements and follow the guides in this article to land a job that will best suit you. Be sure of the reasons you want to move and take on the teaching career and then go ahead and enjoy the life of your head.
