Craving world-famous pintxos or dreaming of golden beaches and fluent Spanish conversation?
In San Sebastián, you’ll enjoy an unforgettable language-learning adventure in one of Europe’s most stunning and culturally rich cities.
School
Study Spanish in San Sebastián, Spain
San Sebastián is more than a beautiful coastal city; it’s the perfect place to immerse yourself in the Spanish language. With its sparkling beaches, world-class food, and laid-back lifestyle, every day brings new opportunities to connect, explore, and learn.
Our Spanish immersion program combines high-quality instruction with real-world practice, giving you the confidence to speak in everyday situations, from cafés and shops to sunset strolls along La Concha beach. The city’s friendly, walkable atmosphere and active cultural scene make it easy to meet people and practice Spanish outside the classroom.
Whether you’re a first-time learner or looking to polish your skills, studying in San Sebastián offers the perfect balance of structure, fun, and cultural discovery.
Program Info
Tuition FeesAverage of $500/week with accommodation
Language levelsBeginners and up
Location
?
X
In-country
In-country classes are when you travel overseas to study the language in a country where the language is spoken natively.
In‑country
Minimum age18
FrequencyStart almost any Monday
Group Size
Average7
Course Timings
DurationMinimum of 1 week
About our Spanish language school in San Sebastián
Our partner school in San Sebastián offers a warm, student-centered learning environment grounded in excellence and flexibility. The teaching team works closely with each class group to adapt the methodology to student levels, using an eclectic, best-practice approach that mirrors ILI’s own standards of communicative, immersive instruction.
Classes are small (4 to 10 students), with a strong emphasis on speaking confidence and fluency. You’ll benefit from a mix of textbooks, interactive whiteboard activities, and real-world conversation tasks. Teachers are highly supportive and often go above and beyond to assist students with everything from grammar questions to practical daily needs.
The school also provides help with housing, offers daily cultural activities, and connects students to the local community, all helping create a rich and memorable learning experience.
At our partner school in San Sebastián, the teachers are native Spanish speakers who are experienced, qualified, and genuinely passionate about helping students succeed. They create an inclusive, supportive environment that encourages conversation, curiosity, and confidence.
Many teachers also assist students outside of class, answering questions about Spanish life, helping with local logistics, and offering great recommendations. You’ll feel both challenged and supported by people who care deeply about your progress.
“ILI helped me find a language school in Spain this year. The school in studied at in Spain was exactly what I was looking for this year!! I am a French teacher who wanted to start learning Spanish and hopefully teach it! I feel it was a great place to get started to do that, I think I accomplished what I wanted to! Malaga is such a beautiful fun city with so many great restaurants, museums, and of course the beach!”
Ryan Boeding
studied Spanish in Malaga
Program Info
Tuition FeesAverage of $500/week with accommodation
Language levelsBeginners and up
Location
?
X
In-country
In-country classes are when you travel overseas to study the language in a country where the language is spoken natively.
San Sebastián is an ideal place to learn Spanish. The Spanish spoken here is standard Castilian, clear, neutral, and easy for learners to understand. It’s the same Spanish taught in textbooks and recognized in official exams, making it perfect for students at all levels.
You need to know that Basque (Euskera) is also an official language in the region, though nearly everyone in San Sebastián is fully bilingual. Spanish is used and understood everywhere, but to help you create connections faster, the school offers a beginners’ Basque class as a social activity. This gives you some fun phrases to use in shops and cafes. Not everyone you meet will use it, but even just a “Hello” or “Thank you!” in Euskera will surprise and delight the locals. After that, you can go right back into speaking Spanish!
Fishing port of Donostia-San Sebastián with boats and blue sky
The friendly, relaxed vibe of the city makes it easy to strike up conversations, listen in on native speakers, and practice your skills naturally. Whether you’re ordering pintxos or a Menú del día, bumping into Spanish speakers along the Paseo de la Concha, or asking for directions, you’ll find daily life full of immersive Spanish practice.
Each of our study abroad partner schools in Spain will offer a slightly different range of program formats to choose from, but these are likely to include, as a minimum:
International group classes
This is where one of the big benefits of studying Spanish in Spain becomes clear – your fellow classmates will be native to other countries. The common language in and out of the classroom is Spanish.
Your teachers in Spain will all have learned to teach Spanish using the same methodology – one which lends itself to using Spanish every moment of your time together.
That may seem daunting at first, but because your classes will be at your level of Spanish, you really have nothing to worry about. Even if you’re a complete beginner, your Spanish teacher will make you feel comfortable and confident. And then the fun starts!
Extra private Spanish lessons in Spain
While you will usually attend group classes, it is generally possible to add a handful – maybe 5 or 10 per week – of private Spanish lessons where you’ll pay extra to have your own personal Spanish tutor.
Just like the private Spanish classes we offer at ILI, you’ll be able to use that private time to boost your learning, focus on a troublesome area of language, or prepare for a specific event or situation which can’t be covered easily in a group context.
Spanish + activity & combination courses
Some schools have packaged together their Spanish courses with popular activities, so that each week you take part in activities around your chosen theme, for example:
Spanish Language and Culture programs for over 50s
Spanish Language, Culture & Gastronomy
Spanish + Surfing
Spanish & Business Spanish
If you’re not sure which option is best for you, please contact us and we can discuss this with you.
Our partners will help you with the whole package – everything you need to think about to get you from where you are now, to sitting in a sunny classroom somewhere in Spain, learning Spanish!
We know it can seem like a big leap, which is why we help you with all the moving parts:
Airport transfer (additional fee)
The school can provide a customized airport transfer service for your convenience, ensuring a smooth journey from your arrival at the airport.
Should you require it, they can also arrange transportation back to the airport on the day of your departure.
Accommodations
They’ll advise you on the most popular accommodation options in each location, and they’ll do everything they can to support any special requirements you have.
Our colleagues in each school will then have you complete their forms to book you into the accommodation of your choice. It’s really that easy. Before you leave for Spain, they’ll be in touch with all the contact details you need, along with clear instructions on how to find your accommodation, and travel between the accommodation and the school.
Excursions
One thing is certain, there will always be plenty to do when you’re studying Spanish abroad in Spain. Sure, you’ll have your Spanish lessons each day from Monday to Friday, but that won’t generally take up the whole day, unless you book a very intensive Spanish course.
Most afternoons your chosen Spanish school in Spain will put on activities and excursions for you. Many will be low-key social activities in and around the school, such as city walking tours, film nights and trips to a local bar or restaurant. However there will also be the opportunities to sign up to extra paid excursions – to visit local art galleries and museums, a palace or castle, or other famous monument during the week.
Then on the weekends, there will frequently be full-day excursions to neighbouring cities to consider, maybe a trip to a big soccer match, an exhilarating concert, moving piece of theatre,… you get the idea!
And of course, if all that sounds like too much, these activities are optional. You can kick back, go find a beach or a quiet cafe, and watch the world go by.
Walking in a Seville street at night, Spain
If you require a different course duration or a different class time to usual, please get in touch and we’ll tell you what’s possible and provide you with a quote.
We’re certain that you’ll have plenty of questions ahead of booking a Spanish in Spain language program, and that’s why we’re here to help.
Here are some of the questions we get asked the most. Please use the form below to get in touch, and we’ll be right back to you.
Selected FAQs
Yes. Many of our partners offer Language + Activity type of courses. Here are some example courses: Spanish and cooking; French and wine tasting; Italian and fashion; Portuguese and surfing and many more combinations.
Some of our partner schools have campuses in different ciites and allow students to spend part of their time in one location and continue their studies in another one as they follow the same curriculum.
We are accredited by the International Association of Language Centres (IALC) and have created great partnerships with other small language schools around the world.
We have sent students to a number of schools and in exchange we receive a commission on the student’s tuition for the recommendation at no extra cost to you. We put this money towards our Free English Program for Immigrants and Refugees. This helps close the gap on funding we receive from the state of Massachusetts and what the program actually costs to run.
Most of our partner schools have a minimum of one week requirement for their language travel program so you can go for a week or more!
Yes. Many of our partner schools offer language classes for younger kids as well so there could be opportunities to plan a family language travel experience depending on your destination.
Most of our partners offer homestay, shared or studio apartments options.
The cost of studying abroad can vary widely depending on several factors, including how long you go for, the type of course. you choose, accommodation, airport transfers, and other expenses. However, as a general guideline, you can expect to budget approximately $500 per week for tuition and accommodation. Keep in mind that the overall cost may fluctuate based on your specific choices and the duration of your stay as well as airfare and spending money.
In most cases, when studying abroad, the availability of food options can vary. Many of our partners offer accommodations with the option of one or two meals a day as part of the package. You may also choose to do all your food shopping or eat out if you prefer.
Click here to see a map of our partner schools’ locations.
When it comes to making arrangements for flights and transportation from the airport to your accommodation, students are responsible for purchasing their flight tickets independently. However, our partner schools often offer the convenience of airport transfers, which can be booked in conjunction with the courses and accommodations. This service simplifies the process of getting from the airport to your destination once you arrive at your study location.
Our students typically travel on their own, accompanied by a partner, friend, or family members. Additionally, our partner schools have the capability to host group trips, and we can assist in organizing these group language travel experiences. However, currently, we do not personally accompany the groups on these trips. Perhaps in the future, we might consider offering such a service as we continue growing!
While San Sebastián is a truly exceptional place to study, ILI offers a range of partner schools in other dynamic Spanish cities. In each location, you’ll find immersive programs with strong teaching and cultural connection throughout Spain. If you’ve started your language journey at our ILI language school in Massachusetts, we guarantee you’ll feel at home in any of our partner schools in Spain.
Study Spanish abroad in one of three captivating Mexican locations. Discover the rich cultural heritage, vibrant traditions, and stunning natural beauty.
Ryan Boeding studied Spanish in Malaga
