• Gap Year Home
• Gap Year in Spain Options
  • Fluency in Spanish and Culture Experience
  • Travel and Learn Spanish
  • Spanish combined with Work Placement
  • Learn Spanish and Another Language
  • Obtain DELE Spanish Language Certificate
  • Learn Spanish and Latin Dance
  • Cultural and Social Activities
  • Career Breaks
  • Why Madrid
• Accommodation
• Price
• Parents Guide
• Contact Us

Take a Gap Year in Madrid!

Why take a gap year?

Are you thinking about taking a break from your formal education trajectory, work or training? Do you want to broaden your horizons and experience different cultures, people and places, and gain additional professional and personal skills?

A gap year program might be exactly what you are looking for and Madrid is quite possibly the perfect place to start since it offers a huge variety of social and cultural activities and is sometimes even referred to as the "real city that never sleeps."

What does our Gap Year in Madrid program offer?

The International Language Academy Madrid (“AIL Madrid”) offers a gap year (or bridge year) program directed to high school graduates and university undergraduates, graduates and postgraduates wanting a break in study or career. The program is built around you and your goals. We know from experience that our Spanish gap year students value flexibility and are all looking to get something slightly different out of their gap year in Spain. Some wish to:

become fluent in Spanish and experience life in Madrid combine learning Spanish in Madrid with travelling and learning Spanish in another city in Spain. combine learning Spanish with practical work experience combine learning Spanish in Madrid with gaining the DELE certificate (internationally accredited) combine learning Spanish in Madrid with taking Spanish dance (Flamenco, Sevillanas, Danza Espanola,...) or Latin dance (Salsa, Merengue,…) classes

AIL Madrid’s experienced gap year advisors are on hand to discuss your personal objectives and goals for your Spanish gap year sabbatical, and to answer any other questions you may have.

Whatever you are looking for, the International Language Academy Madrid has a Spanish gap year program to meet your needs.

How does our Gap Year in Madrid program work?

Module Structure

Classes start on the first Monday of each month. The first 12 weeks of the gap year are spent on an AIL Madrid Gap Year Spanish course. The choice is then yours.

Available in 6 different levels (A1 - C2) that correspond to the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR)

Some gap year students then decide to study in a different location.
Others fall in love with life in Madrid and wish to continue to learn Spanish at AIL Madrid. After spending several months immersed in Spanish, many students rapidly progress and choose to study for the Spanish government’s official exam for non native Spanish speakers, the DELE. This highly prestigious qualification is highly regarded by universities and employers. In the weeks leading up to the DELE exam, gap year students who have chosen to sit the exam join our DELE Exam Preparation course.

Choosing to do a work placement in Spain is also a popular option. The range of positions available are considerable and include office / administration, IT, tourism, teaching, and marketing. Some gap year students choose to do their work placement in Madrid, others by the coast or in other cities.
Please note: Work placements are usually only open to students who have an upper intermediate level of Spanish. Prior experience may be also required for some placements. Pay varies depending on work undertaken, hours worked and the student’s previous experience.

Again, our gap year advisors are here to discuss your specific interests and will assist you in your gap year program selection.

Flexible Payment Features

When you enrol in the AIL Madrid Spanish Gap Year program, you initially only pay for the first 12 weeks of the program. If you decide you would like to do something completely different with the remainder of your gap year, you are under no obligation to continue with the program – we know that after 12 weeks you will have learned so much Spanish and enjoyed your time in Madrid with the other Spanish gap year students that you’ll want to continue.

Housing Options Tailored to Your Needs

We at AIL Madrid can arrange your accommodation on your gap year for you. There is a variety of housing types available to suit your specific preferences. Options include staying with a Spanish host family, staying at a university student residence, and sharing a flat Gap Year Accommodation with other international gap year students. Please see our section for more information.

Your Safety and Security

AIL Madrid cares about your safety and security. For this reason we offer several additional safety and security services to students, e.g. airport pickup, insurance, etc.

What benefits will you get from a gap year?

Academic Advantage

Many universities consider a gap year abroad as good experience, especially for modern language or international studies students. Universities take into account a period of time abroad in the selection process and a gap year abroad facilitates university entry.

Obtaining the prestigious DELE qualification provides an invaluable additional advantage for individuals planning to study the Spanish language at university. Many universities give academic credit for the DELE and allow such students direct entry into higher level classes.

 Better Career and Earnings Prospects

Employers consider a gap year abroad as a valuable asset on your CV; it will give you a competitive advantage, distinguishing you from other applicants. In particular, it is seen as an opportunity to build both soft and life skills – such as communication and process skills, as well as leadership capacities and self-discipline.

Numerous research studies have found that on graduating from university, students who have completed a gap year abroad are more likely to find work faster and at a higher pay rate than those who have not. Your Spanish gap year should be viewed as an investment in your future – this is how we see it.

Personal Benefits

Taking time out to be embedded in a different culture, learn a foreign language and travel presents a multitude of opportunities to develop personality and aids in the formation and refinement of career choices. A gap year abroad has the potential to not only improve your educational performance, but also to acquire valuable life skills, like intercultural understanding and social values.

What kind of gap year suits you?

No matter what kind of gap year program in Madrid you decide on, the most important thing is to know what you want to get out of it!

Is your objective to gain fluency in Spanish? Or would you rather make a pilgrimage to the Camino de Santiago? Or dance Flamenco?

All of these and more are possible. In your year abroad, you can combine many things.  Our gap year advisors are here to provide you with information on what you want to do on your bridge year and to give you advice and maybe help you make your decision.

Get in contact with our gap year advisors to discuss your year out in Madrid!