Oxford Language Teaching Paid-Internship Program in Bilbao, Spain
Are you interested in an opportunity to add experience to your CV teaching English abroad?
Are you creative and excited about an opportunity to work with children and teenagers?
Does your University offer placement opportunities for University credits through an internship program abroad?
Do you want to live in one of the most interesting cities in Spain, on the beautiful rocky Northern Coast, surrounded by mountains and right near the beach?
Are you interested in making new friends and learning Spanish as a third or fourth language?
Apply to become a paid teaching intern at Oxford Language School!
Why choose Oxford Language School?
We are a nationally recognized English Language Learning center with over eighteen locations throughout Spain, with our main academies centrally located in Bilbao.
Oxford Language School is officially recognized by Cambridge English as both an exam testing center and provide teaching materials from Cambridge.
We offer a fun and dynamic teaching environment with more tah one hundred teachers and interns throughout all our centers, providing support, encouraging creativity, and helping interns acquire innovative pedagogical methods to carry with them for their future goals and careers.
We are the fastest growing academy in Basque Country and we are seeking people who want to join our team and help us expand. Don't wait, apply now!
What does being a Teaching Intern imply?
Applicants who are interested in becoming a paid teaching internship at Oxford LS are given several opportunities to learn and grow during the placement:
Interns meet with Coordinators for training and lesson preparation guidance
- They have the opportunity to observe and shadow classes from more experienced teachers
- With guidance and feedback, paid interns teach classes between 14-19 hours per week
- With University requirements, they are asked to plan lessons using Cambridge materials but also develop their own ideas, lesson plans, games and activities, for 8-10 hours per week depending on their home University internship placement requirements are.
What is the stipend and conditions of a paid Oxford LS intern placement?
All interns receive a payment of 650 euros per month for a schedule of between 14-19 teaching hours per week and required University lesson planning (between 8-10 hours or what is agreed to by your home University) regardless of holidays.
A full academic year is 8 months from October 1st to mid June, with 2 weeks off for Christmas, 2 weeks off for Easter, and all public holidays. Interns can apply for a full year abroad from October to June, or a minimum of 5 months (October to February, or alternatively February to June.)
What would my weekly schedule look like?
All paid interns would have permanent weekly classes in both our central academy locations and extracurricular classes hosted offsite at local public schools.
Typically, extracurricular classes in public schools are given in the afternoon between 1-3pm once or twice a week, or up to four times a week depending on the center.
Classes given in main Academy Centers in Bilbao such as Basauri, Santutxu, Moyua, Indautxu, Basurto, Rekalde, Barakaldo, Sestao, Deusto, Erandio are typically in the late afternoons as this is when kids and teens finish public school hours and come have class!. These are generally Mondays to Thursday from 5pm to 8pm, Wednesdays from 3-5pm and sometimes Fridays from 3-8pm. But each schedule can differ, so take a look at the table below for some example schedules.
Do I have to work in the mornings?
No. Typically a paid intern’s schedule would start in the afternoon with extracurricular classes at a local public school, then finish with hours in one of our main centers. Mornings are generally completely free and there are no classes on Saturday and Sundays! This gives any intern an opportunity to partake in any activities outside of the internship program to enjoy life in Bilbao. There are opportunities to take Spanish classes, meet people, go to the gym, take surfing lessons in Sopelana, or just explore and experience life in Bilbao!
How is life in Bilbao? Can I travel? Is it easy to meet people?
Bilbao is one of the main central hubs of Northern Spain, well-connected to San Sebastian, only 2 hours from France, and has an incredible public transportation system with buses and trains and an airport 15 minutes outside the city center that allow people to explore cities and travel while they are here. It’s typical for interns living in Bilbao to take advantage of cheap flights to locations like Palma Mallorca, Valencia, Malaga, Barcelona, Milan, and even many places outside of Spain like a few cities in Portugal, France, Germany, England, Holland, and Italy.
Not only that, but you’re not alone! Bilbao is the home of two main University Campuses in Deusto and Leioa which are part of the Erasmus program in the European Union, and has up to xyz international Erasmus students each semester. This vibrant student community plans and organizes countless gatherings, meetups, and provide an additional social atmosphere for Spanish and Erasmus students to mingle and start life-long friendships. Not only that, but there are a number of Meetup and Facebook groups from local expats and English speakers in Bilbao that post opportunities for people from abroad to make new connections and experience everything that Bilbao has to offer!
How do I find somewhere to live in Bilbao? What are the general rental costs?
Renting a room or a flat in Bilbao is similar to renting a flat in any other European city. Interns typically start by joining various Bilbao Facebook groups to network, and/or looking for advertisements posted on local realtor .com websites like idealista and pisos. Typically, University students, Erasmus students, expats and interns look for shared-flat situations of sharing an entire apartment between 2-3 people, or renting per room. The average rate for a room in a shared flat is around 300-350 euros, depending on the neighborhood, number of people you share with, and quality of the flat. This information is best found from the external support networks available online
I’m interested! How do I apply?
Just send your CV to recruitment@oxfordls.com and let us know if you’re interested in a 5 month internship (minimum) from October to February or February to mid June, or the entire year and we will schedule a time to talk with you. In addition, let us know about your minimum University requirements for being eligible for a placement at Oxford Language School so we can provide you with a placement that qualifies for University credits.
