Birdseye view of UPB campus.
Medellín offers a variety of Spanish classes for foreigners throughout the city, and amongst different types of groups and organizations. Below is a list of schools and websites that have helped me choose the one best for me.
Free Language Exchange
UPB Conversational Classes
Every day from 2 – 4 PM. Location varies between 2 different buildings, 6 and 12 and classrooms. Speak with Gustavo, the Director of the language center at UPB in Buliding 6. Remember to bring an ID with you to get onto the campus.
Couchsurfing
Couchsurfing is a great website to help you manage in Colombia, meet new friends, see what’s new, where people are going, find a place to stay AND have free el intercambio de idiomas. Free language exhanges usually take place on Wednesday or Thursday evenings in a very relaxed environment, like at a park or pub. People get together, eat, drink and talk.
Spanish Classes
Three major universities offer Spanish classes, as well as help you get a Student Visa to allow you to stay in the country for up to 6 months at a time.
UPB
Has an expanding language center run by Gustavo Jaramillo Cardona (Gustavo.jaramillo@upb.edu.co, 574-354-4564). They have 14 levels of Spanish classes and offer group classes at 17,000 COP ($9), semi-private 26,000 COP ($14) and private lessons 44,000 COP ($24).
The drawback is that there are not enough students to offer group classes at every level. As I’m writing this post, they only have enough students for level 3 and level 8 so everyone must fit into one of these levels or wait until more students come.
University of Antioquia
Recently cut back on their Spanish as a foreign language department and currently only offer private classes for about 44,000 COP ($24).
EAFIT
Offers 4 levels of Spanish programs with 12 courses in total, with no more than 8 students in each class.
All three universities offer assistance with finding housing, getting a student visa, and providing orientation to Colombian culture through the ability to sit in on certain classes for no credit.
Furthermore, there are many language centers that offer English, German, French, Italian, Japanese and Portuguese as well as Spanish for foreigners. Many of them can be found by browsing the web.
Why don’t you get Eafit or UPB to sponsor this blog? They definitely have the cash to do so and it would reach a broad audience of foreigners looking for a place to take Spanish classes. Think about it.
Good info in this article… One extra note: the buildings are called “bloques”… So when you go to UPB, for example, look for a map of the campus or ask someone where “Bloque Seis” (Building 6) is. And the language center is on the first floor.
Ryan´s last [type] ..Manizales: A Little Strange, A Lot of Rain & Mudslides, and A Volcano
Hey buddy,
Any ideas through word of mouth of good schools in Bogotá? I have a friend looking for somewhere.
Ryan
Ryan´s last [type] ..Salsa Al Parque
Hey Jessica, any chance you could shoot me an email? I am thinking about moving to Medellin in a few months and you touch on some things I’ve been thinking about… I just wondered if I could bug you and ask you a couple questions. Thanks! Jennie
Hi Jennie, I dont remember if I ever responded to you, so if you are still planning on moving here, or you are here.. send me a note.. sattvictiger@gmail.com
Jessica