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Frequently Asked Questions

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1. How old do I have to be in order to participate?

This programme is designed for UK students between the ages of 14 and 17 who wish to improve their Spanish Knowledge.

Students who are not yet 18 years of age must provide written permission to attend from their legal guardians.

Students who are 14 years of age may not register individually for these classes.

2. Can I sign up individually or do I have to go with a group?

Students can register individually or in groups accompanied by a teacher. Written permission to participate from his or her legal guardian(s) must be included with the registration form of any student younger than eighteen. No student younger than 14 will be allowed to register individually.

February session:

Individual enrollment

1. Students should enroll online and send the payment sheet and nonrefundable deposit by fax or mail before December 15. On the Pre enrollment Form, the student must list in order of preference four of the participating schools described in this programme.After December 15, applications will be accepted on a space availability basis.
2. While Eduespaña will try to assign students to their first-choice schools, final decisions will be based on space availability. Students will be notified of their assigned schools by January 10. At that time, they will also receive instructions on how to submit payment.
3. Students must send the final Enrollment Form with payment by January 15. Until payment in full has been confirmed, the student will not be considered officially enrolled.

Group enrollment

Students may also enroll in groups. For group enrollment, the teacher in charge should contact Eduespaña by December 15 for instructions on how to enroll the group.
If there are 12 or more students from the same school wanting to take the course, a schedule can be tailor-made to meet their specific needs.

July session:

Individual enrollment

1. Students should enroll online and send the payment sheet and nonrefundable deposit by fax or mail before March 30. On the Pre enrollment Form, the student must list in order of preference four of the participating schools described in this programme.After March 30, applications will be accepted on a space availability basis.
2. While Eduespaña will try to assign students to their first-choice schools, final decisions will be based on space availability. Students will be notified of their assigned schools by April 15. At that time, they will also receive instructions on how to submit payment.
3. Students must send the final Enrollment Form with payment by April 30. Until payment in full has been confirmed, the student will not be considered officially enrolled.

Group enrollment

Students may also enroll in groups. For group enrollment, the teacher in charge should contact Eduespaña by March 30 for instructions on how to enroll the group.
If there are 12 or more students from the same school wanting to take the course, a schedule can be tailor-made to meet their specific needs.

3. What are the programme scholarships?

The Spanish Language Programme for UK Students in CEELE-accredited schools is organized by Eduespaña and sponsored by the Education Office of the Embassy of Spain in UK and Ireland.

For each group of 24 students that attend the course from one school, a full scholarship will be granted to one student from that school. This scholarship does not include any travel expenses.

Lastly, teachers who escort groups will receive benefits such as room and board and a travel allowance depending on the number of students in their group.

4. What classes can I take?

All of the schools participating in this programme offer the same courses: Foundation and Higher. These courses are designed to help students prepare for GCSE Spanish Language Exam. The courses consist of 20 hours of class time per week. The classes help students develop their Spanish language communication skills (reading, writing, speaking, and listening) with the aim of preparing them for the GCSE Spanish Language Exam.

5. What level should my Spanish be in order to enroll in the course?

Students who wish to enroll in these courses must have at least GCSE “Foundation” level Spanish. A placement exam will be administered on the first day of class at each school.

Students who do not have the minimum level of Spanish required to attend GCSE classes will be able to take general Spanish classes at their assigned school.

6. What will the classes be like?

Classes will be conducted in Spanish and there will be a maximum of 12 students per class. In class, students will study the Spanish language and practice the four skills (reading, writing, listening and speaking) using diverse classroom materials provided.

7. Will my Spanish improve?

How much your Spanish improves will depend largely on your attitude, the number of years of Spanish you have studied, and your level upon entering the programme. If you apply yourself, in one or two weeks you can deepen your knowledge and speak with greater fluency. If you also practice Spanish outside of class with other students and Spaniards, and you read Spanish newspapers and magazines and listen to Spanish music, you will make significant academic progress and will strengthen your understanding of Spanish culture.

8. Is taking this course a guarantee that I will pass the GCSE Spanish Language Exam?

The Spanish Language Programme for UK Students serves to complement the courses you should be taking in your own country to prepare for GCSE Spanish Language Exam, but they do not guarantee a passing score. You will, however, see your written and oral communication skills in Spanish noticeably improve, due to direct and daily contact with native Spanish speakers, and the Spanish community.

9. How and when do I have to pay for the courses?

Students can register individually or in groups accompanied by a teacher. Written permission to participate from his or her legal guardian(s) must be included with the registration form of any student younger than eighteen. No student younger than 14 will be allowed to register individually.

February session:

Individual enrollment

• Students should enroll online and send the payment sheet and nonrefundable deposit by fax or mail before December 15. On the Pre enrollment Form, the student must list in order of preference four of the participating schools described in this programme. After December 15, applications will be accepted on a space availability basis.
• While Eduespaña will try to assign students to their first-choice schools, final decisions will be based on space availability. Students will be notified of their assigned schools by January 10. At that time, they will also receive instructions on how to submit payment.
• Students must send the final Enrollment Form with payment by January 15. Until payment in full has been confirmed, the student will not be considered officially enrolled.

Group enrollment

• Students may also enroll in groups. For group enrollment, the teacher in charge should contact Eduespaña by December 15 for instructions on how to enroll the group.
• If there are 12 or more students from the same school wanting to take the course, a schedule can be tailor-made to meet their specific needs.

Students will receive information from their host families and detailed information from their schools at least two weeks prior to the start of the course.

On the final Payment Sheet (which must be submitted by January 15), students should confirm their flight information (airline, flight number, date and time of arrival) so that they can be met at the airport. The deadline for submitting student flight information is January 30.

July session:

Individual enrollment

• Students should enroll online and send the payment sheet and nonrefundable deposit by fax or mail before March 30. On the Pre enrollment Form, the student must list in order of preference four of the participating schools described in this programme. After March 30, applications will be accepted on a space availability basis.
• While Eduespaña will try to assign students to their first-choice schools, final decisions will be based on space availability. Students will be notified of their assigned schools by April 15. At that time, they will also receive instructions on how to submit payment.
• Students must send the final Enrollment Form with payment by April 30. Until payment in full has been confirmed, the student will not be considered officially enrolled.

Group enrollment

• Students may also enroll in groups. For group enrollment, the teacher in charge should contact Eduespaña by March 30 for instructions on how to enroll the group.If there are 12 or more students from the same school wanting to take the course, a schedule can be tailor-made to meet their specific needs.

May – June:

Students will receive information from their host families and detailed information from their schools at least two weeks prior to the start of the course.

On the final Payment Sheet (which must be submitted by April 30), students should confirm their flight information (airline, flight number, date and time of arrival) so that they can be met at the airport. The deadline for submitting student flight information is May 15.

10. What is included in the price of the programme?

The price of the programme includes the following:

• Spanish classes: 20 class hours per week
• Lodging and three daily meals with a Spanish family in a double room (shared with another student)
• 2 extracurricular activities per week and one daytrips
• Transportation to and from the closest international airport to the Spanish family or residence where the student will stay on the predetermined dates indicated for the beginning and end of the course
• Health and accident insurance
• Textbook
• Student manual
• Student ID card
• Certificate of grades attained issued by the school
• Certificate of participation issued by Eduespaña and the Education Office of the Embassy of Spain

11. Is insurance included?

Yes, all schools include insurance but each school offers a different insurance policy. All policies guarantee medical attention in case of illness or accident, up to 1,000 sterling pounds for hospitalization expenses, surgical procedures and medical taxes in case of illness or accident that occurs while in Spain, and evacuation of the participant or repatriation of the cadaver in case of death.

Insurance coverage begins once the student arrives at his or her destination in Spain and lasts for the duration of the course. Additional insurance coverage is recommended to cover other expenses or greater need.

In case of accidents or urgent medical needs, there will be a 24-hour telephone number to call for assistance.

12. Is the cost of the airline ticket included?

No, the cost of the airline ticket is not included, except for teacher’s travel allowance when accompanying a group of more than eighteen students.

Students are highly recommended to purchase their tickets well in advance as summer is the high season in Spain and there is great demand for tickets at that time.

13. Once the course is paid for, can the student still cancel and receive a refund?

A student in considered officially enrolled once payment is made in full. If the student chooses to cancel his or her enrollment, part of the programme cost will be returned, but in no case will the deposit be returned. Depending on the amount of advance notice the student gives when canceling, the following amounts will be refunded:

For courses taken in February:

• Cancellation by February 1: 60% of the programme cost
• Cancellation between February 1-8: 30%of the programme cost

For courses taken in July:

• Cancellation by July 3: 60% of the programme cost
• Cancellation between July 3-15: 30% of the programme cost

No refund will be made if cancellation occurs within three days of the start of the course, if the student quits the program once in Spain, or if the student is expelled.

14. What type of housing is available?

This programme offers a standard type of lodging with a Spanish family in a double room. This is the best way for students to improve their Spanish language speaking and comprehension skills. Contact infogcse-spanish@eduespa.org for other options.

15. Will my particular medical situation be taken into account when lodging is assigned?

Absolutely. On the pre-enrollment form there is space for this information, which will be communicated to the school where a student enrolls. School administrators will be in charge of assigning students to the families that are best able to adapt to the particular needs of each student. Nonetheless, students should bring with them any prescription medicine they may be taking.

16. Can I make phone calls or go on the Internet from the house where I will be staying?

No. If you need to make a phone call, you will have to do so from a phone booth. It is recommended that students arrange with their Spanish families the frequency and timing of calls they may receive from home.

You will, however, most likely have free access to the Internet from the computer room at your school, or at the very least, instructions on how to access it easily from nearby.

17. Is it possible to arrive where I will be staying earlier than the predetermined dates or leave later?

You will need to check with the school and the family with which you will stay. Therefore, we recommend you complete the pre-enrollment form and inquire about the dates as soon as possible in order to obtain approval.

18. Are Spanish families very different from UK families?

Yes, they are, though there are also many similarities. Customs and family life in Spain can be quite different (schedules, types of food, etc.). Learning different customs is part of the experience. Students are expected to be open to familiarizing themselves with other ways of life.

19. If I am a teacher bringing a group, where will I stay?

It depends in each case on the school where the course will take place. Teacher lodging, however, will always be in a single room close to the school with three meals per day.

20. Do I need a visa to travel to Spain?

U.K citizens do not need a visa. Students of other nationalities must consult the Spanish consulate closest to their place of residence. Requirements may vary and can take some time to fulfill, so it is advisable to start the application early and follow up until the visa, if required, is obtained.

21. Pocket money

Most of the expenses of students who participate in this program are included in their tuition. For drinks, movies or other incidental expenses, it is recommended that students have about 60-70 sterling pounds per week. The official currency of Spain (and other European Union countries) is the euro and it is advised to have available euros prior to arriving in Spain.

22. What do I need to bring?

February: temperatures can range from 0-15 degrees Celsius (32-59 Fahrenheit)

Summer temperatures in Spain can range from 20-40 degrees Celsius (77 - 104 Fahrenheit), so students should bring comfortable summer casual and sports clothing, a swimsuit, and comfortable athletic shoes. Please also bring a sweater or jacket and rain gear.

Families and residences typically provide laundry service once per week.

Students should also bring a hat and sunscreen. If bringing an electrical appliance, please remember that the electrical current in Spain is 220v and that a plug adapter is needed.

It is also vitally important that students bring whatever medications they are taking.

23. Will I be picked up at the airport?

Yes. Flight information should be provided on the final enrollment form (the deadline for submitting student flight information is January 30 for the February session and May 15, for the July session) so that a representative designated by the school can meet the student at the airport on the designated date and take him or her to where the student will stay.

Airport transfer will only be done on the arrival and departure dates indicated in the programme. Students who have other plans should make their own arrangements.

24. Where can I find more information on Spain?

To obtain more information on Spain, its autonomous regions, cities, climate, cultural opportunities, food, etc., visit the Web page of the Education Office of the Embassy of Spain at http://www.sgci.mec.es/uk/english.html

25. How can I obtain more information on the programme, the classes, the schools, lodging, or enrollment?

To obtain more information, write to the following e-mail address:

infogcse-spanish@eduespa.org