About Us

Spanish Study Holidays was founded in 1991 by a team of language teachers, as an advisory service for students who wished to study Spanish in Spain, learning Spanish at schools in Spain and in Latin America.

We only sent our students to carefully selected schools, those which had been visited by us and which met the very strict criteria we set: highly-qualified and experienced native tutors, small group sizes, well-equipped schools using modern teaching techniques, carefully selected host families and a good standard of self-catering accommodation.

Our students attended Spanish courses in Barcelona, Seville, Salamanca, Granada, Costa Rica, Cuba and various other locations in Latin America.

Accreditation

In September 1999 Spanish Study Holidays became a full member of FIYTO (Federation of International Youth Travel Organisations) and ALTO (Association of Language Travel Organisations). Such membership is only granted to well-established and financially stable companies, with a proven track record of providing a high quality and professional service in the field of international youth travel. Our FIYTO/ALTO membership is your guarantee that you are dealing with a professional and well-respected organisation.

Courses

We aim to enable our students to learn as much as possible in the time available to them, whilst at the same time ensure that they have a thoroughly enjoyable experience that they will want to repeat!

Learning Spanish in this way, studying at a specialist language school in Spain or in Latin America, and at the same time practising out of class what you have learnt, is an effective and very enjoyable way to learn Spanish.

Our students come from all over the world, so there is a wonderful 'international atmosphere' at all our schools.

Whether you are coming for just one week or for several months, we want you to feel at the end of your course that you learned far more than you had imagined possible, and that what you have learned is not just theory, but a practical ability to communicate in Spanish, to understand and to make yourself understood.

Learning a language in the country in which it is spoken is, of course, a far more effective and rapid process than studying a few hours a week in your own country. It is also an opportunity to mix with local inhabitants, come to a far deeper and intimate knowledge of the people whose language you are studying and gain an insight into their culture.

Our Schools in Spain

As every student is different and their reasons for studying are varied, our schools provide a wide range of courses.

All levels are offered, from complete beginner to advanced learner.

Some of our schools offer American College Credits. Others are authorised to receive CSN-Högskoleverket grant-funded Swedish students. Many have Bildungsurlaub recognition from German States, or else are members of prestigious quality-control organisations such as CEELE or EAQUALS.

If you are interested in American College Credits, please see the American College Credits page.

There are 'Spanish Club 50+' Spanish courses (55 years plus) which are specifically designed to meet the needs and interests of the more mature student, as well as 'Spanish Summer Schools' for the younger learner. The majority of our courses are for adult learners of any age, who may also choose to study 'Business Spanish Courses' or 'Examination Preparation Courses' (D.E.L.E. and Spanish Chamber of Commerce Examiners in Spain). There are also specific A- Level Spanish Revision Courses and courses suitable for 'A' level students, as well as a wide range of special interest courses.

Teaching Approach:

Our schools employ only highly qualified native tutors with proper training and experience in the teaching of Spanish to foreigners. Group sizes are small and the teaching approach is student-centred. Modern 'communicative' teaching techniques are used, with students learning Spanish through using it, and not just 'studying' it passively. Learning a language is a practical skill, which anyone is capable of, and which is best acquired by intensive practise and maximum exposure to the language. At the same time, the importance of grammar is not neglected, with frequent grammatical explanations being given in order to reinforce and deepen the students' knowledge of and ability to use the language. Finally, of course, language learning must be fun and non-threatening if it is to be effective. People learn much better when they are enjoying themselves and so our teachers do all they can to ensure that the lessons are both serious and intensive but at the same time very enjoyable!