You’ve heard about the teaching assistant life and you want to try it yourself? Then, you are reading the right post.
Every year, Spain runs its program to find new English teaching assistants and more than 4.000 people apply for it to become a teaching assistant in Spain. The good news is, if you are from a native English speaking country, it’s relatively easy to become a teaching assistant in Spain.
Please note: applying for the program to become a teaching assistant in Spain is free. Do not trust anybody that asks for your bank details or anything like that.
What you’ll experience as a Teaching Assistant in Spain
- Assignment lasts from October 1st to May 31st; June 30th if you go to Madrid.
- You’ll work only 4 days a week. You’ll enjoy a 3 days weekend every week.
- The monthly allowance is around 900€, more if you live in a city (believe me, plenty for the cost of living in Spain) and you can always make more tutoring.
As a teaching assistant in Spain, you’ll have time and cash to enjoy your life in Spain and travel around Europe.
If you want to know more about what the English teaching assistant job is like, read this post.
What you’ll need for the program
There are just a few things you need to be a suitable candidate and apply to this program to become a teaching assistant in Spain:
- Passport
- Copy of your undergraduate degree
- Recommendation letter
- Letter of intent (250 – 300 words in English)
You’ll have to fill in your application through PROFEX. I know, it’s a lot of paperwork. It’s all in Spanish and on top of that, you want to do it right so you can come to Spain. Don’t fret! I have prepared a pdf step by step guide to help you with that.
Spain has 17 communities (similar to US states) and in the application you’ll have to specify your top three. Think about the regions and do some research so you can pick the one you would like to go the most.
Once you have been assigned to a school
Congratulations! You are one step closer to become a teaching assistant in Spain.
At this point, you got your carta de nombramiento (acceptance letter) and now, you need to apply for your VISA.
It’s crucial to apply for your VISA before you come to Spain, never earlier than 90 days before the beginning of your placement. It would be a good idea to create a reminder on your phone for July 1st.
Sometimes getting an appointment takes time so don’t leave it to the last week!
Some of the documents you’ll need to become a teaching assistant in Spain and get your VISA are a background check, medical certificate, passport and more.
You can learn more about the process and all that you’ll need in the Manual for US applicants.
Upon Arrival in Spain
Your visa will be only valid for 90 days. Within the first 30 days in Spain, you’ll need to take your VISA, acceptance letter, original health certificate and the original police record to the closest police station and request your NIE. A NIE will act as your identification card while you are in Spain.
Check where the closest police station is beforehand.
That would be the last step you had to do. At this point you could start exploring the city, getting some extra cash through tutoring or making some new friends in Spain.
If you have any other questions about the program or you need any help you can contact me here:
