Why attend an accredited Spanish school in Spain?

Why attend an accredited Spanish school in Spain?

Read our 10 reasons why attending a Cervantes-accredited Spanish school is a wise choice for anyone looking to learn Spanish in Spain.

If you’re looking into learning Spanish in Spain, you may have seen language schools advertise themselves as being “accredited”. But what does this mean? And is it genuinely worth attending an accredited school?

Speakeasy BCN is a leading Spanish school in Barcelona, with over 1,000+ five-star student reviews. Our school is accredited with both the Instituto Cervantes and the FEDELE federation of Spanish schools in Spain.

Below, our student advisors have prepared 10 reasons why attending an accredited Spanish school is a wise choice.

10 reasons why you should attend an accredited language school

Reason 1: Guaranteed high standard of education

Did you know…the Instituto Cervantes is the only official, government-backed organization that accredits Spanish language schools internationally? 

There are more than 160 Cervantes-accredited centers in Spain, and the accreditation process isn’t easy. Schools must formally apply for an evaluation and then prove they can fulfil 5 important aspects which guarantee a high standard of education. The 5 aspects cover:

• Teaching and educational services (50%)

• Organization and operations of the center (20%)

• Additional services (10%)

• Appropriate facilities and resources for teaching and learning (10%)

• Information and advertising of the center and its services (10%)

Schools that pass the evaluation must sign a contract committing to maintaining the same high standards of teaching. They are then evaluated every 3 years to make sure they continue providing high-quality education.

Non-accredited Spanish schools have no such regulation and oversight. 

Reason 2: Qualified teachers

Accredited centres must have teachers who demonstrate a high level of training and qualifications. The criteria includes:

• Have a university degree related to Spanish language or culture

• Have the Instituto Cervantes qualification to teach Spanish as a foreign language (ELE)

• Have at least 600 teaching hours

• Be properly employed at the language school

The official Instituto Cervantes requirements explain that at least two teachers must fulfil the above criteria. But at Speakeasy BCN, all our teachers are both highly qualified and are native speakers of Spanish.

Reason 3: Structured curriculum

The Instituto Cervantes requires that all accredited schools offer courses based upon the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). This internationally recognized framework distinguishes between 6 different language levels:

• A1 (beginner)

• A2

• B1 (intermediate)

• B2

• C1 (advanced)

• C2

Accredited schools must offer Spanish courses tailored to students at different stages in their language learning. For example, students in an A1 class will be learning about basic grammar, vocabulary and navigating everyday situations. Meanwhile, students in C2 classes should demonstrate conversational fluency and be able to write in Spanish at the level of a native speaker.

At Speakeasy BCN, our teaching methodology is based upon the CEFR. But we go further in two key ways.

13 language levels

We add “mini levels” in between each of the 6 CEFR stages, ending up with 13 unique language levels. This approach means you’ll always be placed with students of the exact same level as you. And you’ll recognize your progress much faster.

Immersion philosophy

Our teaching method is founded on a modern immersion philosophy, designed to improve your real-life communication ability. From your first day, all classes and materials are exclusively in Spanish. You’ll be encouraged to speak with your new classmates only in Spanish while at the school.

Reason 4: Official exam preparation

Interested in learning Spanish to improve your resumé and apply for jobs? Then you’ll need to prove you have official Spanish qualifications. The two most internationally recognized ones are:

• DELE: The official Spanish examination issued by the Instituto Cervantes and backed by Spain’s Ministry of Education. Necessary for applying for jobs, university programs and citizenship in Spain.

• SIELE: An international Spanish examination, backed by the Instituto Cervantes as well as universities throughout Spanish-speaking countries in Central and South America. Important for applying for jobs and university programs throughout the Spanish-speaking world.

Only Spanish schools accredited by the Instituto Cervantes in Spain can prepare you for DELE exams. Many of these schools, such as Speakeasy BCN, offer both DELE exam preparation courses and double up as an official DELE examination center. 

Accreditation is not necessary for a school to offer SIELE exams. But at Speakeasy BCN, we are also a SIELE examination center.

It’s important to note that both DELE and SIELE qualifications follow the CERF mentioned above. Your qualifications will prove that you can speak Spanish according to your level – for example, A2 or C1, etc.

A school that is not accredited – and does not offer these exams – will not be able to give you qualifications that an employer or university admissions team will recognize.

Reason 5: Recognized certificate

Thinking of applying for jobs or university programs within Spain after you learn Spanish? Then you may not need to take a DELE or SIELE exam alongside one of our intensive, combined or part-time Spanish courses.

Both the DELE and SIELE exams follow the CEFR, where language levels and qualifications go from A1 to C2. All schools accredited by the Instituto Cervantes must also follow this framework. At the end of your course, you can request a certificate from Speakeasy BCN – depending on your employer or institution, this could be accepted as equivalent to an official certification.

Reason 6: Spain student visa

If your country of origin is outside the European Union, you may need a student visa in order to stay in Spain for more than 3 months. This is the case for students from the United States, Canada, Australia, China, Russia, the United Kingdom and more.

So how can you obtain a student visa? If you’re studying at an accredited school like Speakeasy BCN, then proof of enrollment is enough to get authorization.

If you choose to study at a school in Spain with no Instituto Cervantes accreditation, you may not be able to get a student visa. This means you can only study in Spain for 90 days (unless you find another way to secure a visa).

Read more about the 7 requirements to get a student visa here.

Reason 7: Student services

All accredited language schools in Spain must offer adequate services for students. The two requirements for accreditation are:

• At least one full-time administrative member of staff

• At least one full-time employee dedicated to coordinating academic activities

In addition, schools must show that they have a complaints procedure and handle these quickly. They must also demonstrate that processes such as applying for courses, enrolling students and monitoring student progress are effective and efficient.

At Speakeasy BCN, our student support services go further to cover:

• Accommodation: Our accommodation services help language students find a place in a student residence, shared apartment, private apartment or local host.

• Student visa: Our student advisors assist students with their applications for a student visa – whether at the consulate in their home country, or here in Barcelona for prolongations.

• Medical insurance: Providing adequate medical coverage during your time in Spain is one of the requirements for obtaining a student visa. We help students get affordable medical insurance during their stay.

• Student card: All Speakeasy BCN students get a student card which provides discounts as museums, art galleries, clubs, cinemas and more establishments throughout Barcelona

• Activities: Cervantes-accredited schools must offer a program of cultural activities – we have two full-time activity coordinators who organize weekly trips and events throughout Barcelona and northeastern Spain.

Reason 8: Cultural immersion

As mentioned above, accredited language schools in Spain must offer a program of cultural activities. The requirements say this should include group activities, sports and social events that promote Spanish learning and Spanish culture.

At Speakeasy BCN, our activity coordinators organize weekly events such as:

• Tapas nights

• Rooftop drinks

• Museum trips

• Barcelona FC games at Camp Nou

• Bicycle tours

• Outdoors adventures

• Concerts

• Cooking classes

• Vineyard tours

• Catamaran outings

• Gaudi visits

• Day trips to surrounding villages, towns and cities 

You can see videos and pictures from some of our latest cultural activities for students here.

While not mandatory, Speakeasy BCN also implements an immersion-based teaching methodology at our schools. We encourage all students to speak only Spanish during classes, at the school and during our activities. This is to enhance your speaking and conversational ability.

Reason 9: Safe and reliable environment

To become accredited, Spanish schools in Spain must abide by strict health, safety and legal standards. They must be legally valid entities with the proper licenses for carrying out on-site educational activities. They must also be without debts, government fines or closure orders.

But the requirements also include:

• Providing adequate classrooms with appropriate resources and teaching materials

• Having a common area for students to relax between classes

• Have sufficient bathrooms to cater for the student population

• Provide a library with sufficient resources

As Speakeasy BCN is also part of the FEDELE association of Spanish schools, we have stricter requirements to meet, such as:

• Abiding by a strict code of ethics and behavior

• Having protocols against bullying, sexual harassment and discrimination

You may expect a Spanish school in Spain to already abide by the requirements above. But it’s only when you choose a school accredited by the Instituto Cervantes (and also part of FEDELE) that these elements are guaranteed.

Reason 10: Trust & transparency

Instituto Cervantes accreditation also evaluates a school’s marketing and advertising materials. For example, each accredited school must display clear pricing on their website and other promotional materials – and these must match real prices, without hidden fees.

Schools must also have a procedure for evaluating student satisfaction. If the school does not meet Instituto Cervantes’ criteria, then continued accreditation will be contingent upon carrying out improvements.

Is it worth choosing an accredited language school in Spain?

A Spanish language school in Spain accredited by the Instituto Cervantes guarantees a high standard of education, student services, support, safety and reliability.

Schools without accreditation may still provide a positive learning experience – but this is not guaranteed. You also won’t be able to get a student visa to study at a non-accredited school, and you likely won’t be able to get official Spanish qualifications like DELE and SIELE.

An accredited school is therefore a wise choice for an international student interested in learning Spanish in Spain.

Interested in taking a Spanish course in Barcelona?

Speakeasy BCN is a leading Spanish language school in Barcelona. Our school is based in central Barcelona, right on the edge of the world-famous Ciutat Vella or “Old City”. We have over 1,000 five-star reviews online – and you can see more testimonials from students here.