FAQ

1. General Information

1.1 Why should you choose Expanish?
1.2 Do I need a visa to study in Argentina?
1.3 Am I too old for a language school? Too young?
1.4 How do I choose between the General Spanish and University Programs?
1.5 How do I get from the airport to my accommodation?
1.6 How will I meet other people and make friends while in South America?
1.7 Are the accommodations close to the University or my placement?
1.8 Is there someone I may speak with about your schools?
1.9 What additional services do you offer?

2. Language Courses

2.1 What level of classes should I take?
2.2 What qualifications do the teachers have?
2.3 How many weeks should I study?
2.4 What is the focus of the advanced classes?
2.5 What is the class size?
2.6 Should I bring any materials to class?
2.7 When are the class start dates?
2.8 What is a typical day like?
2.9 How long is each class?
2.10 I would like to focus on business, health care, law, etc. Do you offer such programs?
2.11 May I receive university credit?

4. Housing

4.1 Do I need to book accommodation with my course?
4.2 May I begin my homestay before my classes start?
4.3 What do you offer for accommodation?
4.4 What is the difference between a homestay and shared student apartment?
4.5 Can I find less expensive housing once I come?

5. Workshops

5.1 How many workshops can I take per week?
5.2 How far are them from School?
5.3 What are the benefits of the Workshops?

6. Pricing & Payments

6.1 I would like to split my studies between multiple destinations. How will that affect my price?
6.2 Can you help me find a discount airfare?
6.3 When is the program start date?
6.4 When should I pay for Expanish Spanish courses?
6.5 How is my payment determined for Expanish Spanish courses?
6.6 How should I pay?
6.7 What is your cancellation policy for Expanish Spanish courses?
6.8 Why do you use PayPal/Why did I receive an invoice from PayPal?

7. Registration

7.1 How does registration work?
7.2 How far in advance must I register?

1. General Information

1.1 Why should I choose Expanish over other Spanish schools in Latin America?
Expanish has taken on the challenge of creating the context for an enriching, unforgettable experience for students seeking to study Spanish in Latin America. Unique among Spanish schools in Latin America, our programs are meant to offer students a high quality language education throughout the Spanish-speaking countries of the Americas. Each day we attempt to make Expanish synonymous with the chance to live, breath, and truly experience the Spanish language. We hope that all students who choose to study Spanish with Expanish will leave Latin America with improved communication skills and wonderful memories involving the language in and out of the classroom.

Our base in metropolitan Buenos Aires and our strong contacts all over South America provide a unique experience for visiting students. Furthermore our commitment does not end after your first day of class. We are available of the duration of your program, and we are dedicated to providing you the best possible experience abroad.

1.2 Do I need a visa to study in Latin America?
Citizens of many countries only need a passport to enter each country where Expanish Spanish schools are located and can stay without problems for up to 90 days. You should, however, check our Student Visa page for country details, and ask your Consulate to determine specific entry requirements.

1.3 Am I too old for a language school? Too young?
We welcome all students who are at least 18 years old. A diversity of ages, nationalities, professions, and interests contribute to the unique experience each of our students have; regardless of age, any student who is interested in learning Spanish and meeting new friends from all over the world will feel right at home with Expanish programs.

1.4 How do I choose between the Expanish Spanish courses and University Programs?
Expanish offers students from 18 to 80 many flexible programs with a variety of options to choose from. If you are having trouble deciding between a General Spanish Program or a University Study Abroad Program, or you are unsure how to organize your Gap Year in South America, please check out our Program Comparison Chart to help you decide.

1.5 How do I get from the airport to my accommodation?
Expanish offers students an Airport Pick-Up service in each destination, where we arrange for you to be met upon arrival at the airport and transported to your accommodation - please check the Prices page for the Airport Pick-Up cost in each Expanish city. If you do not want the Expanish Airport Pick-Up service, students can always take taxis or hired car services to their accommodation, however foreigners coming from abroad should be aware of who they hire. Firstly, make sure the cab is part of a cab company. Secondly, be aware that many cab drivers have tricks for charging foreigners more, especially individuals who do not speak the language or are not familiar with the cities they are going to. Carry small increments of cash on you to pay with and look out for counterfeit bills in your change.

1.6 How will I meet other people and make friends while in South America?
You will begin your stay at your chosen destination with a program orientation where you will have the opportunity to meet other program participants. You will be able to meet individuals in your Classes, during Workshops, during weekly Activities, in your Homestay or shared apartment, and through the local Expanish staff.

1.7 Are the accommodations close to the school?
We place you as close as possible to your Spanish language school, however regardless or your placement, all of our accommodations are within short walking distance to public transportation and reasonable access to your class location.

1.8 How do I find out more information about partner schools?
You can contact the Expanish staff with any specific questions you may have, using the information listed on the Contact Us page.

1.9 What additional services do you offer?
A comprehensive list of our support services is available under the Support Services link. You can be assured, however, that all the necessities of your stay, both foreseen and unforeseen, will be taken care of by the Expanish team. Whether students need airport transportation, insurance, conversational partners, staff assistance, and much more, Expanish students can count on our assistance from the very first day through the very last no matter the circumstance.

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2. Language Courses

2.1 What level of Spanish language classes should I take?
To know which level of Spanish Language Courses corresponds to your Spanish knowledge, you will take a basic placement test upon registration for your courses, sent via email by an Expanish staff member. Do not worry if you do not speak a word of Spanish - many of our students have no prior Spanish knowledge before they arrive! You will, however, be speaking Spanish in the classroom from your first day.

2.2 What qualifications do our language teachers have?
All teachers are native speakers, university graduates, and have extensive prior experience teaching their language to foreigners. In addition to their professional credentials, teachers are chosen for their abilities to keep students entertained and interested in intensive classes over a long period.

2.3 How many weeks should I study?
It generally takes four to six weeks of full immersion courses (15 - 20 hours of classes per week, plus a homestay) to advance to the next language level. A 10-14 week course is recommended to move from the most basic level to an advanced knowledge of Spanish.  For our Expanish Spanish courses we highly recommend a minimum of 2 weeks is required per destination in order to advance with the language.

2.4 What is the focus of the advanced classes?
Advanced classes focus on learning the finer points of grammar, such as uses of the subjunctive and idiomatic expressions, as well as conversational and written skills. Classes at all levels have a maximum of six students and discussion topics vary according to student interests.

2.5 What is the average class size?
Classes have a minimum of 2 students and a maximum of 6. We keep the maximum class sizes small to ensure rapid language development.

2.6 Should I bring any materials to class?
While some schools provide all materials, it is always safest to bring a notebook and writing materials to class. You should also consider keeping a pocket dictionary and a grammar reference book handy!

2.7 When are the class start dates?
Official start dates are every Monday. We realize that students cannot control flight abilities and that not everyone can meet these dates. If you will be starting on another date, it is possible to take additional private hours to catch up with the group courses.

2.8 What is a typical day like?
Classes normally begin at 9am. Students and teachers generally show up a few minutes early for coffee, tea, etc. Your class may occasionally take place outside of the school, at a cafe or a park, for example. After class most students eat lunch with other students and/or teachers. Afternoon classes (2PM-6PM) are usually reserved for students requesting private lessons. Many days include cultural activities in the afternoon or the evening.

2.9 How long is each class?
Expanish Spanish courses classes are generally 4 hours/day, Monday-Friday, are oftentimes in the mornings, and include two breaks.

2.10 I would like to focus on business, health care, law, etc. Do you offer such programs?
Students wishing to have specialized classes have two options. You can either enroll in Private Lessons or Customized Content Courses (in Buenos Aires only) to focus on your specific area of interest. Your other option is to enroll in the Super Intensive program of study and take a group class with supplemental private lessons in the afternoons.

2.11 May I receive university credit?
In order to ensure you receive university credit for your language instruction, you should sign up for one of our University Programs offered year-round. For students who have a conflict with these programs, you can contact the Expanish staff in order to customize a program of study for you that will also comply with academic standards at your home institution.

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3. Housing

3.1 Do I need to book accommodation with my Expanish Spanish course?
No. You are allowed to book your Spanish courses without accommodation, however a local homestay is always highly recommend to encourage language fluency.

3.2 May I begin my homestay before my classes start?
Yes, you may begin your homestay at any time. Please register as early as possible, however, as homestay families are limited and we want to find you the best match for your length of stay.

3.3 What do you offer for Accommodation?
We maintain a well-established network of high quality apartments and houses located in the exciting areas of each destination. Decide between the camaraderie and social dynamic of a shared apartment, the hospitality and cultural opportunities of a homestay, or the independence of a private apartment. For more information, all our housing options are outlined within each of our destination pages.

3.4 What is the difference between a homestay and shared student apartment?
Students often ask about the main differences between a homestay and a shared student apartment. These two types of housing usually fit two different needs and expectations of students. Students who stay in a homestay often want to live with a family and see the local customs and culture of the country played out on a daily basis, including through the option of daily meals. Students who stay in a shared student apartment usually want to live with other young people and are looking for a greater level of independence. Both experiences, however, allow you to practice your Spanish skills on a regular basis and see local culture played out in home life. Please check our housing comparison chart for more information.

3.5 Can I find less expensive housing once I come?
Expanish does its absolute best to cut costs for students and keep our prices as close as possible to real rates within each city. While you may be able to find your own housing once you come, you must keep in mind that prices are always higher for short-term renters (less than six months to one year), as well as for foreigners, as subletters have no access to credit checks or assurance that the renter will indeed keep up their end of the contract. Additionally all our housing options are fully furnished and include utilities, combining both costs into one price per week for our students.

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5. Workshops

5.1 How many workshops can I take per week?
You can take as many Workshops as you want as long as they do not conflict with your course schedule (usually meet in the afternoon). We generally recommend students take 2 or 3 workshops per week.

5.2 How far are the workshops from school?
All of our Workshops are at most 30 minutes away from each school and are always within close distance of local public transportation.

5.3 What are the benefits of the workshops?
The core of our programs revolves around various skill Workshops, from rock climbing to photography, and Cultural Activities that offer opportunities to spend time with locals. All of our Workshops and Activities invite students to flex both their linguistic and physical muscles as they participate in endeavors outside of formal classes. Decide on one or several of our cultural immersion options from our constantly growing list.

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6. Pricing

6.1 I would like to split my studies between multiple destinations. How will that affect my price?
If you decide to combine destinations, it will not affect your price at all; your lessons will be charged at the regular cost of each destination. We highly encourage studying at multiple locations as a way to experience different cultures and become acquainted with a variety of accents. Our network of schools provides an easy transition for most students between destinations.

6.2 Can you help me find a discount airfare?
Expanish works with several discount travel agencies and can help students make their travel arrangements. Simply Contact Us and mention you would like this assistance!

6.3 When is the program start date?
Each program start date is defined as starting on the first day of classes or the first day of accommodations, whichever comes first. If the client is studying in multiple locations, the program starts on the first day in the first location.

6.4 When should I pay for my Expanish Spanish courses?
You will be sent an invoice for the total amount after you have registered for your complete program. If it is more than two weeks before the program start date, you may choose to pay either the deposit or the total at that time. If you are registering less than two weeks before the program start date, you must pay the full amount of the program. If you elect to pay only the deposit, you must pay for the complete program two weeks before the program start date.

6.5 How is my payment determined for Expanish Spanish courses?
You must pay a deposit of minimum U$S 500 (or the full amount for programs less than U$S 500) to confirm class registration and accommodation. For programs over U$S 2500, a deposit of 20% of the total program fee is required to confirm registration. If registration is submitted less than two weeks before program start sate, clients must pay the full program fee. The client must pay the full program fee by the program start date.

6.6 How should I pay?
Payments can be made by Visa, MasterCard, PayPal or Money Transfer before the program start date.  We welcome U.S. dollars, Euros, or currency local to each destination country.

6.7 What is your cancellation policy for Expanish Spanish courses?
If the cancellation is made prior to the program start date, only the deposit will not be refunded. If the cancellation is made after program start date, the deposit will not be refunded and the refund will be 50% of the remainder of the program beginning with the Monday following the cancellation date. For programs that have already started, the cancellation date is defined as the last day of classes, accommodations, or excursions, whichever is latest.

6.8 Why do you use PayPal/Why did I receive an invoice from PayPal?
We use PayPal as our invoicing system for credit cards, debit cards, and actual PayPal accounts - once you register, you will receive a follow up email from an Expanish staff member and an email invoice sent via PayPal. Once you click on the link included in the email, you enter into a secure PayPal webpage where you can pay by credit card - we use PayPal because it is a secure database that protects you from identity fraud and is thus safer for your credit card number.

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7. Registration

7.1 How does registration work?

To sign up for our Expanish Spanish courses, click on the link that says Registration at the top of any page. Complete the registration form to register you program, verify that you have read and agree to our Terms and Conditions, and then Submit the form.

Once Expanish receives your registration form, you will be sent an invoice for either the deposit amount or the total amount. If it is more than two weeks before the program start date, you may choose to pay either the deposit or the total at that time. If you are registering less than two weeks before the program start date, you must pay the full amount of the program. If you elect to pay only the deposit, you must pay for the complete program two weeks before the program start date. 

Once the deposit or course fees have been paid, Expanish will book all of your courses, and accommodations.

7.2 How far in advance must I register?
To guarantee a spot in our schools, you should register at least two weeks in advance. For registrations less than two weeks before the start date, we cannot guarantee a place in a group class or in a homestay, but you can write or call us to check for availability in these cases.


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