The Standard Spanish course is the most popular course amongst foreigners who wish to come to Spain to learn Spanish and is a course where nearly everyone can participate.
Below you can find further information about what to expect from a standard Spanish course, who this type of course can be recommended to and information about the standard courses available throughout Spain.

The standard Spanish courses are arranged by the many private language schools throughout Spain. A typical course offers around 20 Spanish classes per week and normally also a number of free-time activities outside class hours. These activities range from cultural activities like guided visits to museums to welcome parties and weekend excursions.
The average class has around 6-12 students per class, which gives a lot of the teacher's personal attention to each student. Also, as many of the teachers also participate in the free-time activities, it creates a very good relation between the teachers and students. The 4 hour classes per day focus on grammar, vocabulary and understanding of the Spanish language and culture and are based on the active participation of all students.

The standard Spanish course can be recommended for anyone planning to study for about 4 to 20 weeks. This is a course for people who enjoy a lot of free-ime activities arranged and who like to get to know new people, especially as most students travel alone. It can also be recommended if you would like to combine your Spanish studies with any type of vacation or are travelling with friends.

For students who are planning to study for less then 4 weeks (or who would like faster progress in Spanish) we can recommend an intensive course to improve your Spanish as much as possible while you are in Spain (see Intensive Spanish Courses for further information).

If you are planning to stay for more than 20 weeks or if the course price is an important factor for you, a good alternative might be a course in one of the public Universities.

The main differences between a standard course arranged by a private school and a Spanish course arranged by a university are:

The Classes - the qualification of teachers is the same in private schools and universities but as the number of students per class is normally much lower in a private school the students learn faster and gets more individual attention from the teacher. The Service - a private school offers far more free time activities and excursions, the facilities are in general of a more modern standard and the administration are more professional. The Price - the course fees are normally much lower at the universities, especially for long-term courses. The Diploma - you will always receive a diploma when you have finished your Spanish course but in the opinion of many (students, parents and employers) a university course and diploma has more prestige.

For students who are planning to study for long periods (+20 weeks) the main advantages of a private school (service and classes) becomes less important as the student has more time to experience Spain and the Spanish culture on their own (they do not need so many free time activities arranged) and as they are staying a long time they will learn Spanish not only from studying in class but also from living in the country.
Below you can find further information about the standard courses offered by UniSpain. If you have any doubts or just would like a personal recommendation by our Customer Support Team, please Contact Us either by email, phone or by filling out the short form stating your queries.