If you have any questions or require further information please visit the relevant section of the Frequently Asked Qestions. If you can’t find what you’re looking for you please contact us via email or give us a call on: +54 11 4345 5954.
Courses
Click on any of the courses we offer and scroll down to see the conditions and prices of these courses. They all include taxes and other extras.
The maximum class size for group courses is 7 students. No exceptions. We make sure that all students are of the same level. Our program is based on 9 skill levels, each of which lasts between 40 and 60 hours (2 and 3 weeks). If no course on your exact level is open, we guarantee that we will open one for you, even if that means that you will be on your own in class. Every Monday, year-round, guaranteed. The price of your course stays unchanged. When constituting classes we also take into account the background of our students, especially on the lower levels. For instance, an English speaker who has never learned a foreign language before and starts Spanish classes on level 0 most probably will not be in the same group as a Portuguese native speaker.
No, you do not. We have beginner’s courses starting every Monday, year-round.
We will send you a written test that gives some indication on your vocabulary and grammar skills. Upon arrival you will have a short interview with our academic coordinator to determine whether your oral level is similar to your written test results. We then determine in which group you best fit. Both oral and written tests are not part of your classroom hours. We ask you to come a little earlier on day 1 so that we can start classes on time at 9:30 am or 2 pm.
Most of our group courses run in the mornings from 9:30 am to 1:30 pm. The other part runs from 2 pm to 6 pm. In both cases there is a 20 minute break in the middle. While you can express your preferences for morning or afternoon classes, the final decision is ours, based on the availability of classrooms and your compatibility with existing groups. The level test is done before your first class, since you are asked to show up 30 minutes before class on day 1. An introduction to the school is done during the first 15 minutes of class on day 1.
One classroom hour lasts 55 minutes.
Yes. After you complete a level, you can (no obligation, but highly recommended) take a short exam to measure your progress. If the end of your stay does not coincide with the completion of a level, you can take a partial exam covering the areas/units that you covered in class.
Yes, you do! All students who have attended classes get a diploma stating the level at which they studied, the length of their stay and the amount of classroom hours they attended. Students who took the exam at the end of their stay and obtain a grade of at least 60/100 have their grade mentioned on the diploma. In all cases, the diploma mentions the equivalency of the level attained with the European frame of reference for languages. Our diplomas are valid as certificates, but do not have the same status as a university diploma. In case you need university credits, you can either directly talk to your university registrar at home and ask if they our courses as credit (we will be happy to help you in convincing your university) or you can benefit from our special cooperation agreement with UBA and take an additional exam at the Universidad de Buenos Aires to get a recognized university certificate for credits.
In this case your daily classes are reduced from 4 to 2 hours. Be assured that experience has shown that students learn the same or more in 2 hours of one-on-one classes than in 4 hours of group classes.
We will distribute a textbook on day 1 of your classes. This textbook is copyrighted material designed and produced by Academia Buenos Aires especially for intensive teaching of Spanish as a foreign language, taking into account the cultural and linguistic particularities of the Rio de la Plata region. The textbook includes a description of the learning objectives for your course and compiles all the texts, grammar descriptions, exercises and homework that you will be using on that level. In addition this written material, you will be using audio and video material in class, depending on your skill level. While our teachers are obliged to reach the teaching objectives of a given level within a certain amount of hours, it is up to them (and you) to what extent additional elements (newspaper clippings, songs, games etc) are incorporated in the class.
This depends firstly on your learning objective (to improve general language skills, to acquire a particular certificate, etc) and on your ambition. Your language level, work/study experience and the time you are willing to dedicate to your progress play an equally critical role in deciding the type of course which fits you the most. Upon registration our academic coordinator will suggest you the appropriate level after a personal interview and a placement test.
All of them are native speakers, of course. Most of
our teachers speak at least two other languages and have extensive experience in working with students from abroad.
Sure! Every week we propose a wide list of activities with respect to our students’ interests, age and budget. The programs we recommend are ranging from free Spanish language workshops, movie nights with discussions, tango and yoga classes, to name just a few. For more detailed descriptions please visit the
Cultural activities page on our website.
All activities are free of charge for our students except if stated otherwise. To participate, be at the indicated place and time and join the group. You do not have to be fluent in Spanish to participate. Both the tour guide and your fellow students will help you translate if necessary, even though we try to make this a 100% Spanish speaking experience. The activities do not require particular physical skills, unless stated otherwise. If you want more extracurricular activities, outside of our regular program, we can help you organize them or put you in contact with third-party providers. Prices vary.
