Where Should I Teach English in Spain?
Teaching English in Spain is a fantastic — and lucrative — way to move to Europe without spending a small fortune (although, we can’t promise you won’t still spend a small fortune on the tapas). English teaching jobs in Spain aren’t difficult to come by, especially as the demand for English skills skyrockets worldwide. However, that means you’ll need to choose your home base from amongst the best places to teach English in Spain...and there’s a lot of them.
Barcelona? Madrid? Find the best places to teach English in Spain!
If you know you want to be an educator abroad but are left wondering where to teach English in Spain, we’ve got a handy list for you to check out. Spoiler alert: Madrid and Barcelona are two excellent choices, but don’t sleep on the smaller, lesser-traveled locations — especially if one of your main goals is Spanish language immersion (and for that, consider adding on an additional immersion course to your teach abroad experience!). Check out the top contenders for English teaching jobs in Spain and find the perfect backdrop for your professional endeavors!
Where to teach English in Spain
1. Madrid
Madrid is a clear-cut choice for teaching English in Spain. This place is hopping with things to do and sites to see, and culture oozes from every bend in the cobblestone roads. During your downtime from teaching, you won’t have any shortage of museums to visit, small shops to peruse, or high-rise clubs to ascend. Plus, the big city means big money; expect teaching English in Spain salaries to be a bit bigger here (and make sure to confirm with your program if you’ll be receiving a stipend!).
Wondering where to teach English in Spain? You’ll be stunned by Madrid’s traditional beauty!
Madrid is also an excellent choice to teach English in Spain during the summer, but keep in mind that this is peak tourist season, so crowds will be a bit larger at that time. All the more reason to get out there and meet some expats and locals alike, right? And don’t worry — there will be plenty of English-speakers in Madrid to converse with, but it wouldn’t hurt to brush up on your Spanish before heading over. It’ll only make your experience that much more fulfilling!
Recommended programs in Madrid:
2. Barcelona
Barcelona is another one of the best places to teach English in Spain. Between the amazing weather, intriguing Gaudi architecture, and delicious street food, you’ll think you’ve stepped into a teach abroad dream. Barcelona is, unsurprisingly, an excellent location to teach English in Spain during the summer — have you seen what the beach looks like? You’ll be spending your weekdays teaching kiddos the basics of English, and then hit the gorgeous, world-renowned playa on the weekends.
Teaching English in Barcelona will also give you the chance to pick up an additional language — Catalan. However, a large majority of the population in Barcelona speaks both Spanish and English, so being fluent in Catalan isn’t absolutely necessary...but it would be a pretty cool skill to go home with, right? You won’t regret heading to Barcelona to find English teaching jobs in Spain!
Recommended programs in Barcelona:
3. Seville
Seville is often passed up for bigger and more well-known locations like Barcelona and Madrid, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t one of the best places to teach English in Spain! The capital of Andalusia doesn’t sit far from the southern Spanish coast, which makes it an excellent launching point for short trips to Morocco and North Africa (or, y’know, around your host country!).
Seville will keep you endlessly entertained during your downtime from English teaching jobs in Spain.
During your down time, don’t miss out on Seville’s tapas scene, and make sure to eat as much gazpacho as you can. There’s no doubt you’ll get an authentic Spanish experience in Seville; with fewer English speakers than in the larger cities up north, you’ll be immersed in the Spanish language whether you like it or not. That only means more students for you, plus a better chance of picking up Spanish language skills that you can take home with you. Win-win!
Recommended programs in Seville:
4. Murcia
Murcia is another oft-skipped city in Spain, but offers amazing opportunities for ESL jobs given the lower population of English speakers. As just the seventh-largest city in Spain, you can also expect the cost of living here to be below that of Madrid and Barcelona; your salary will definitely go farther and you can expect to save up a bit more if you’re extra frugal.
By the way, if you’re around for Easter, you’ll witness one of the most popular and well-known Holy Week processions in the entire country. Between access to authentic cultural events, the potential for full language immersion, and unrelenting breathtaking scenery, your teaching job in Murcia will have more than just monetary value.
Recommended programs in Murcia:
5. Málaga
Málaga is another beautiful Spanish coastal city, and sits just a stone’s throw from world-renowned Granda, so don’t skip what will be an epic day trip to one of the most awe-inspiring locations in Spain! English teachers in Málaga will love the mild weather (it’s located on the Costa del Sol, after all), and bask in the Mediterranean vibes in the birthplace of Pablo Picasso.
You’ll discover so much about Spain — and a lot about yourself — when you teach abroad.
Economically speaking, Málaga is the fourth-largest city in Spain, so you can rest assured that there’s a lot happening in this mid-sized city. The city is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Europe, having been founded in the 8th century BC. If you’ve got a taste for history, you won’t be disappointed by your time in Málaga.
Recommended programs in Málaga:
6. Valencia
Valencia is one of the most popular destinations in Europe, and hands-down one of the best places to teach English in Spain. As the third-most populous city in Spain (behind Madrid and Barcelona), there is a ton to see and do in Valencia, with the added benefit of being just slightly farther off the beaten path. Here, Spanish shares official language status with Valencian — which is (surprise!) another name for Catalan.
During your time in Valencia, don’t pass on the paella; it’s some of the best in all of Spain. The traditional festival of Les Falles, which is the city’s commemoration of Saint Joseph, is another must-do. You can catch this cultural experience from March 15 to March 19 every year.
Recommended programs in Valencia:
7. Palma de Mallorca
You won’t be able to shake the island vibes in Palma de Mallorca, the largest city on Ibiza’s more chilled-out brother, Mallorca, and the capital of the Balearic Islands. There’s seemingly just as many English teaching jobs here as there are palm trees, and that’s saying something. If you’ve always wanted the experience of living on a tropical island with the convenience of a developed economy, then you’ll have found your dream destination in Palma.
Soak up the sun when you teach English in Spain during the summer!
Although you may admittedly find that Palma is quite touristy to teach English in Spain (especially during the summer), you’ll get over it quickly once you experience island life. There’s no shortage of expats and locals to meet, fun restaurants and clubs to sample, or interesting history to explore — definitely don’t miss the Gaudi-restored Palma Cathedral.
Recommended programs in Palma de Mallorca:
8. Bilbao
If the Mediterranean doesn’t seem like your style, head way up north to Bilbao, the largest city in Basque Country and northern Spain. Bilbao has the fifth-largest urban area in Spain, but a comparatively low population — so you’ll love having authentic Spanish experiences without fighting off droves of tourists.
The surrounding countryside, which includes two small mountain ranges, makes Bilbao one of the most beautiful places to teach English in Spain. It enjoys the same mild climate as the rest of the country, but experiences more rainfall on average. Don’t forget to pack your umbrella!
Recommended programs in Bilbao:
Can’t decide where to teach English in Spain? Talk to our Online Advisor!
What are the requirements for teaching English in Spain?
So now you know WHERE you want to teach English in Spain, but how strict are the requirements? It turns out the answer to this may vary depending on provider, but generally speaking, you should hold a CELTA or TEFL certificate, be a native English speaker, and have a bachelor’s degree in any field.
Keep in mind that if you plan on teaching English in Spain long term or permanently, however, that requirements will be different. Work visas and permanent residency is difficult to obtain in any country, so don’t cut corners on research — it’s likely that there’ll be more than a few hoops to jump through.
The best places to teach English in Spain are calling!
Finding where to teach English in Spain will be a rewarding journey full of tapas and siestas!
Do you know where you want to teach English in Spain? The list goes beyond what’s represented here, so make sure to check out ALL your options. No matter which city you settle in to teach English in Spain, you’ll be well-provided for in terms of delicious cuisine, beautiful architecture, dramatic history, and awe-inspiring countryside. How could you possibly go wrong?
View ALL English Teaching Jobs in Spain
This article was written with help from CIEE. CIEE is a highly-regarded travel program provider, offering comprehensive and valuable experiences abroad. Their Teach English in Spain program offers a generous stipend, visa assistance, and a four-day work week. They are currently accepting applications for the 2020-2021 school year.
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