Best/cheapest immersion programs in Mexico?

Question

or is it even worth it? would it be better to take a vaca and immerse yourself? im trying to learn spanish and i found tons of immersion programs online with quite a variety of prices. for the cheaper, im wondering what the catch is?

Answer 1

The difference in prices may partly be due to location, quality of teachers, size of classes, frequency and duration of lessons, whether there is homestay included (with meals) and whether there are extracurricular activities offered, such as "conversation clubs" or student outings.

Cuernavaca has many excellent schools and has a good reputation overall, but I think you can find good opportunities elsewhere too. I also know people who have studied in Oaxaca and had good experiences.

You'll want to ask about the quality of the teachers (get details on their experience and training!), whether you get one-on-one lessons in addition to group lessons, the criteria for their homestay families (whether you can switch if it's not a good fit), course books and homework, etc... Also, ask if you could get some references from other students.

I used to teach at a school in Mazatlan, Centro de Idiomas. I think their program was well-priced, and you get to live in a fun city while you're learning. But if you go someplace like Mazatlan, where there are a lot of English-speaking expats, just be sure to get the most out of your immersion experience by trying to circulate among the Spanish-speakers as much as possible