Spanish Courses in Bogota, Colombia
Located in the center of the country at an altitude of approximately 2,600 meters, Bogota enjoys an almost perfect climate with average temperatures varying from 9 to 23 degrees centigrade.
The city has a population of around 8 million and is divided into a number of different areas including the historic center ‘La Candelaria’, the downtown business district and several modern and prosperous suburbs.
Getting around is relatively easy and inexpensive thanks to the city’s innovative TransMilenio metro-bus service. There are too many things to do and see in the city to list here but among the highlights are the colonial style buildings of La Candelaria; the Gold Museum with its unique collection of pre-Colombian gold work; the view from the Monastery of Monserrate which overlooks the city and the Botanic gardens which is like a miniature national park.
Spanish Courses at International House Bogota
International House Bogota, one of the newest members of the International House World organization, has been set up in collaboration with International House Barcelona (Spain) to offer Full Immersion Spanish Courses in Colombia to students from all over the world. They teach English to the natives of the city (both adults and young learners), offer CELTA and TKT (Teaching Knowledge Test) courses for English teachers, and run Spanish courses for students from all over the world.
The International House World Organization, founded in 1953, is a network of more than 150 schools around the world, all committed to the highest standards in education and business. A key aim of International House is to raise the standards of language teaching around the world. One important way in which they do this is through Teacher Training courses for which International House has a world-wide reputation. They train our own (as well as many other schools’) teachers to enable language students to learn the language of their choice simply, quickly and efficiently in a rich linguistic and cultural environment.
To ensure that every school maintains the high standards that are specified in the Affiliation Agreement, an external assessor visits each school every two years and conducts a thorough investigation into all aspects of the school’s activities. These visits ensure that the unparalleled reputation International House enjoys for the quality of its services is safeguarded.
The International House Bogota, established in 2007, is located in the center of La Candelaria, the city’s historical district, less than 10 minutes walking distance from Plaza de Bolívar, which is the old city’s main square. The school building which dates to the early 19th century is stunningly beautiful and has been lovingly preserved. It has many original features including beautiful tiled and wooden floors, ornately carved wooden ceilings, a wide, wooden staircase that sweeps up to the first floor, high ceilings and two spacious interior courtyards that flood the building with natural light. Nicknamed ‘el Palacio’ by the owners, the school is famous for being the building that several former presidents used to dress at before their swearing in ceremony.
The International House Bogota school’s facilities include: 11 spacious classrooms all with natural light, a computer room with high speed Internet access which our students can use free of charge before or after class, “Multimedia” facilities, which include video beams and computers which allow teachers to use the latest, interactive class materials (some classrooms have interactive boards), an auditorium with space for up to 30 people, and two beautiful courtyards where teachers and students can relax and enjoy each other’s company. WI-FI access is available throughout the building.
Students at International House Bogota come from all over the world. The majority of them are from the USA and European, with a smaller percentage of Asians and even some Brazilians who come to take Spanish Language Courses at IH.
Please click on the following tabs for more information on our Spanish Courses in Bogota:
International House – Spanish Courses in Bogota, Colombia
(All programs: Please add USD 100.00 Lingua Service Worldwide Application fee. See Application Procedures.)
Minimum enrollment age: 18 (16 with parental consent). Prices include registration fee, number of lessons as listed below, language level testing on arrival, certificate of completion and a social and cultural program (entrance fees and transportation not included). Each lesson is 55 minutes long.
Intensive Spanish Courses: 20 Spanish Lessons per week. Maximum of 8 students per class (average 4-5). Course consists of 20 lessons per week (4 Spanish lessons per day from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM, Monday through Friday). A program of social activities is included in the prices.
Intensive Spanish Courses – LONG TERM Course: 20 Spanish Lessons per week. Maximum of 8 students per class (average 4-5). Same as the Intensive Spanish Course above, but with considerable discounts being offered to students enrolling for more than 12 weeks. Course consists of 20 lessons per week (4 Spanish lessons per day from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM, Monday through Friday). A program of social activities is included in the prices.
Private Spanish Courses: 15, 20 or 30 private Spanish lessons per week, One-to-one Spanish Language Training, all levels from Beginner to Advanced. With private lessons the content of the course as well as the tempo is personalized according to the student‘s needs and wishes. Therefore students are afforded the maximum amount of flexibility and individual support. Private Spanish courses start every Monday for all levels from Beginner to Advanced.
Spanish Courses in Bogota – Prices 2019 and 2020:
| Course Description | One week | Two weeks | Three weeks | Four weeks | Twelve weeks | Twenty-four weeks | Extra weeks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intensive Spanish Courses 20 lessons per week. | $230 | $460 | $690 | $920 | -- | -- | $210 |
| Intensive Spanish Courses - Long Term\ | -- | -- | -- | $2,520 | $4,440 | -- | |
| Private Spanish Course - 15 Less/wk\ | $450 | $450 | |||||
| Private Spanish Course - 20 Less/wk\ | $600 | $600 | |||||
| Private Spanish Course - 30 Less/wk\ | $900 | $900 |
Notes: Books are not included and must be bought locally upon arrival (Approximate price: USD 40.00)
Spanish Courses in Bogota Starting Dates:
2019 Starting Dates – International House Bogota Spanish Courses: Intermediate and advanced students may start any Monday. Complete beginners MUST start on the following dates: 14 or 28 January / 11 or 25 February / 11 or 26 March / 8 or 22 April / 6 or 20 May / 4 or 17 June / 2, 15 or 29 July / 12 or 26 August / 9 or 23 September / 7 or 21 October / 5 or 18 November / 2, 16 or 30 December. Notes: When a holiday falls on a Monday, classes will start on Tuesday.
International House Bogota Holidays 2019: 1 January, 7 January, 25 March, 18-19 April, 1 May, 3 June, 24 June, 1 July, 20 July, 7 August, 19 August, 14 October, 4 November, 11 November, 8 December, 25 December. Classes lost due to public holidays are not made up. A special 3-day price of $145.00 will apply to the week starting on 2 January and 15 April 2019 due to the holidays.
2020 Starting Dates – International House Bogota Spanish Courses: Intermediate and advanced students may start any Monday. Complete beginners MUST start on the following dates: 13 or 27 January / 10 or 24 February / 9 or 24 March / 6* or 20 April / 4 or 18 May / 1, 16 or 30 June / 13 or 27 July / 10 or 24 August / 7 or 21 September / 5 or 19 October / 2, 17 or 30 November / 14 or 28 December. Notes: When a holiday falls on a Monday, classes will start on Tuesday.
International House Bogota Holidays 2020: 1 January, 6 January, 23 March, 9-10 April, 1 May, 25 May, 15 June, 22 June, 29 June, 20 July, 7 August, 17 August, 12 October, 2 November, 16 November, 8 December, 25 December. Classes lost due to public holidays are not made up. A special 3-day price of $145.00 will apply to the week starting on 6 April 2020 due to the holidays.
Additional Spanish Courses in Bogota:
Spanish for Business Courses
International House Bogota offers Business Spanish courses designed to help students who need to use the language in a working environment. The aim of these courses is to help improve the student’s level of competence in many typical work-related activities such as participating in meetings, using the telephone for business, negotiating and selling, making presentations, etc. Students are also introduced to a wide range of business vocabulary and given an insight into the sort of cultural differences that they may encounter while doing business in Colombia. This course combines the Intensive Group Spanish Course (20 hours per week) with 10 hours per week of private classes (1:1) which focus on Business Spanish.
Starting dates: Same as the Intensive Courses (see above).
Price 2019 and 2020: USD 530.00 per week
Spanish and Salsa Courses
This course combines the Intensive Group Spanish Course (20 hours per week) listed above with 4 hours per week of Salsa lessons.
Starting dates: Same as the Intensive Courses (see above).
Price 2019 and 2020: ADD USD 70.00 per week to Intensive Course Prices.
Other Spanish Courses Offered at International House Bogota:
- Spanish and the Amazon (combine a Spanish course with an Eco-Adventure in the Amazon rainforest)
- Spanish Course and Voluntary Work
- On-Line Spanish Courses
- Teacher Training Spanish Courses
Please contact us for details and pricing for these special Spanish courses.
International House Bogota – Accommodations
International House Bogota offer accommodations in host families (single room or double room occupancy available for students traveling together) or in studio apartments (see description below). There is also a limited number of “Executive Host Families” available, these families offer a private room and private bathroom as well.
Studio Apartments: All apartments are located close to the school and include: bedroom, bathroom, living and dining room with equipped kitchenette, all utilities, Wi-Fi high-speed internet connection, a 32-inch flat screen cable TV, and cleaning service twice a week. Prices listed are for single and double occupancy (double occupancy price is per apartment, not per person).
Accommodation Prices 2019 and 2020:
| Housing Description | One week | Two weeks | Three weeks | Four weeks | Extra weeks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Host Family: (Single room / breakfast) | $190 | $380 | $570 | $760 | $190 |
| Host Family: (Single room / 2 meals a day) | $220 | $440 | $660 | $880 | $220 |
| Executive Host Family: (Single room / breakfast) | $250 | $500 | $750 | $1000 | $250 |
| Executive Host Family: (Single room / 2 meals per day) | $280 | $560 | $840 | $1,120 | $280 |
| Studio Apartment: (Single / no meals) | $490 | $980 | $1,470 | $1,960 | $490 |
| Studio Apartment: (Double Room / no meals) | $630 | $1,260 | $1,890 | $2,520 | $630 |
Important note: double rooms in host families and studios are only available to students traveling together.
International House Bogota – Activities
International House Bogota organizes a varied program of social activities for our Spanish students. These include welcome cocktails, guided visits and excursions to places of interest in and around Bogotá, films in Spanish, concerts by local musicians, and exchange evenings at which students can meet and talk with some of our other students who are learning English in the school. We also take students out in the evening to experience some of Bogotá’s unforgettable nightlife.
Most of these activities are included in the course fee. However, please note that entrance fees and transportation costs (where applicable) are not included and students will therefore have to pay for these themselves. All students are given a copy of the social program planned for the following 2-week period when they arrive.
They also organize full-day excursions to towns and places of interest outside Bogota. These excursions are organized at least once a month. Please note that for these full day excursions outside Bogota we charge a supplement to help pay for the cost of the coach and guide.
Typical 1-week social/activity program Sample:
Monday: Welcome to IH cocktail party
Tuesday: Visit to the Archaeology Museum
Wednesday Colombian Movie
Thursday: Salsa Classes
Friday: Visit to Monserrate
Saturday: Full-day excursion to Boyacá – “El Dorado”
Included: Spanish guide with experience teaching Spanish to foreign students.
Not included: Entrance fees and transport costs (where applicable).
Additional Activities:
International House Bogota will also help students plan their own social activities if they want to do something extra like going to a movie, listening to live music, hiking, etc.
Airport Transfers: From Bogota airport are available upon request and at an additional charge of USD 37 each way.