Immersion

* Classes per week:  20 group lessons + 4 cultural lessons
* Minimun Duration: 2 weeks.
* Spanish Level:  Advanced, Beginner, Elementary, Intermediate.

Price per week: USD 400.00

The immersion course consists of lessons that aim at developing the language skills and the use of language in real contexts of use, taking into account aspects such as social appropriateness. The Immersion course combines 20 group lessons plus 4 cultural lessons per week.

More Info about this course      Book Now!

Private

* Classes per week: 20 private lessons
* Minimun Duration: 1 week.
* Spanish Level:  Advanced, Beginner, Elementary, Intermediate.

 Price per week: USD 260.00

It is designed for those students who wish to learn Spanish in a short time and at their own pace. Classes focus on the specific needs of the student and are organized according to their interests and goals.

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Video & Map       The best of the city         Featured Trips      Transport        Climate

Located in a valley of the Andes Mountains, Cuenca is the third largest city in Ecuador, and capital of the Azuay Province. It is know as a commercial location for most of southern Ecuador, leading a large portion of the country’s trades and manufacture.Mountains enclose the whole city along with four winding rivers that cross Cuenca. This natural beauty is complemented by the presence of Cuenca’s buildings.

The city displays rich architecture dating from many different cultures. Among them, Incan and Spanish.The moment you arrive to the city you’ll notice that an endless number of church domes form a skyline that surrounds it.UNESCO declared Cuenca a World Heritage Cultural Site in 1999 to protect its original roots. Stroll  around the historical center of Cuenca, where you’ll find the major concentration of street artisans, traditional streets, museums, churches, and national monuments worth of admiration.

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The best of the city

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Transport

Cuenca has an airport and intercity bus lines that will connect with the rest of the country and allow you to get around the city.

Climate

Like the rest of the Ecuadorian Andes, Cuenca enjoys a mild climate year-round. Days are generally warm and nights are cool enough that you should pack a sweater. The average daily temperature is 14.6 degrees C (58 degrees F). The rainy season is the same as Quito's and generally lasts from mid-October until early May. During this time, mornings are typically sunny and afternoons cloudy with light, periodic rains.

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Available Accommodation Options in Cuenca

Families & Homestays

Our families know, due to their experience, what it means to be a real host. They have received many students from different nationalities, occupations and ages. We will take into consideration your likes and preferences.
Living with a local family is the best way to learn their customs, likes, flavors, while you learn a new language.

Families & Homestay Features

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Ecuador frontiers at the north with Colombia, at the south with Peru, to the east  with the Amazonian and to the west with the pacific ocean.  
It is a country provide of many aspects that make Ecuador worth to visit. On the one hand  the Galapagos Islands, a paradise of biodiversity where one day Darwin developed his theory of natural selection.

On the other hand the Andes, volcanoes such as Chimborazo that is the farthest from the core of the earth and rivers like the Amazon make Ecuador a very beautiful country. Ecuador is a land of mega diversity in flora and fauna. Places like the capital, Quito and the Sangay National Park have been declared World Heritage Sites. Ecuador has a warm climate, according to its geographical location, being situated on the equator. Definitely a great place to start your adventure!

The best of the country

Food & Drinks	Music & Dance
The Ecuatorian cuisine is very diverse, but there are some ingredients that you'll always find in the recipes, ingredients which are the base of Ecuadorian diet. The fish, bananas and meat are very common in the dishes. The “bolón verde”, the ceviche, the stew, the meat with onions or “palito” are just some of the dishes you will have the opportunity to taste.	In Ecuador, the music has a very important role. Styles such as salsa, guaracha, parade, preemptive strike, bolero, bachata and mambo dances are very influential in the country. A prominent composer Luis Humberto Salgado wrote classical music and is very valued in the country.
Plastic Arts	Cinema
It is a country that stands out in crafts, the reason may be the tradition of making everyday objects out of ceramic, metal or basketry. Ecuador has also some local artists that are internationally recognized like Oswaldo Guayasamín, Gonzalo Endara, Eduardo Kingman or Camilo Egas and Oswaldo Viteri.	Ecuador has produced several important documentaries and short films but the most important may be "The Tiger", "Between Marx and a Naked Woman" and "Rats, mice, thieves", although they are not internationally known they won awards in various festivals.
Science and technology	Sports
7 out of 10 Ecuadorians use Internet with regularity, and today there are more telephone line than inhabitants what shows that the country is developing in technology.	Soccer is the most popular sport in Ecuador. Important clubs would be Barcelona Sporting Club and El Nacional. In race walking they've got Jefferson Pérez that won 3 gold medals.
Spare time	Literature
Ecuatorians like to enjoy of their free time. It's usual to go out to dance or to have drink with friends, but spend time with the family is very important, too.	Literature in Ecuador is above all costumbrismo, what means that tried to show the way of life of the people, reflecting the ecuadorian reality, specially the indigenous one. Some important authors are Jorge Icaza, Juan Montalvo y José de la Cuadra.

Your safety first...            Travel Cancellation           Transfer Service

Your safety first...

When engaging in any of our programs a travel and health insurance is essential for yours and your familiy's peace of mind. We want your experience to be as exciting as possible and in order for it to be like that, feeling safe and protected is a must. We offer an International Travel Insurance tailored specially for experiential travelers like you.
You can choose different plans according to your insurance needs and expectations. The plans Silver and Bronze feature Travel Health/Accident Insurance, Emergency Travel Insurance, Travel Accident Indemnity Insurance, Travel Assistance, Travel Luggage Insurance, Travel Third Party Liability Insurance limited to your desired coverage amount. The Gold plan features unlimited coverage (including extreme sports) at a really competitive market price.

Some of the benefits of booking your Travel Insurance with us are:

• You'll be making sure that your full experience is organized as a whole, taking care of each aspect of it
• We make sure that you get the best coverage, adapted to your individual needs.
• Our International Travel Insurance is known worldwide and accepted by health facilities and professionals all over the world.
• Our insurance provider offers the best cost/quality rates of the market with over 20 years of experience and has been taking care of our participants for many years.
• Our tutors will be able to assist you with the insurance usage, the contact with the company and the relation: hospital-insurance

For your safety, we will ask you your insurance information when you book your program. We recommend that you use our Travel Insurance provided by CareMed International Travel Insurance. You'll be able to enjoy your journey knowing that any sudden or unexpected situation will be taken care of. And your family will be able to feel happy for you and your life-changing experience instead of worrying during your stay abroad.

Prices insurance for destination Latin America

For more information please click here!

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Travel Cancellation Insurance

For more information please click here!

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Transfer Service
 

COINED provides airport transfer service to meet students at the airport and transfer them to their accommodation. We can meet students at the domestic or international airports.

Students must always inform COINED about the date and time of  arrival, even in cases where the transfer service has not been requested. Airport pick-up only transfers students from the designated airport to the designated accommodation.

- Flight details (date, time, airport, airline, and flight number) must be confirmed in writing before arrival; otherwise COINED shall not guarantee the transfer service and no refunds shall be given for this service.
- All costs incurred due to failure to notify COINED of arrival information in due time are the participant's responsibility.
- In case of flights delays, changes, and so on, COINED will provide the transfer service but will reserve the right to charge additional costs, if necessary.
- If any changes regarding flight details are not duly informed, COINED shall not take responsibility for the proper provision of the transfer service.

For more information regarding our transfer service please contact us. We will be happy to assist you!.

* Please contact us for more information about Arrivals / Departures Transfer Service.
** Price per person, per week.

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Students' favorite outdoor activities are:   Tour to Gualaceo and Chordeleg with Lunch, Inca Ruins of Ingapirca with Lunch, Tour to National Park of Cajas with Lunch, Canari-Inca Ruins of 'Todos los Santos'.

School activities calendar example

Spanish Courses 2012:

The Prices are in US$

For programs longer than six weeks, please contact us

What’s included

• Welcome package
• First day placement exam
• Spanish Course
• Recreational activities
• Course certificate
• 24 hrs emergency phone
• Local mentor
• Internet access
• Access to kitchen facilities at the school
• Coffee, tea, spring water

Registration fee USD 75 in any Latin American destination and 75 € in Spain Courses start every Monday except on closed dates No lessons will be held on school’s closed dates and there will be no extra lessons to compensate for them Study material included at Argentina’s, Chile’s and Guatemala’s schools.

Accommodation 2012:

The Prices are in US$

For accommodations longer than six weeks, please contact us

WB=With Breakfast
HB=Half Board (Breakfast and Dinner)
WM=Without Meal
Premium=Private Bathroom

What’s included

• Families & Homestay: Cleaning service once a week; telephone service to receive calls (available to make calls with prepaid cards); towels and bed linen (changed once a week). Upon requirement: Kitchen access; internet service; cable TV.
• Residences: Kitchen access; internet service; cable TV; cleaning service once a week; telephone service to receive calls (available to make calls with prepaid cards); towels and bed linen (changed once a week).
• Shared Apartments: Kitchen access; bed linen. Upon requirement: Internet service; cable TV; telephone service to receive calls (available to make calls with prepaid cards).
• Private Apartments: Kitchen access; internet service; cable TV; cleaning service once a week; towels and bed linen (changed once a week). Upon requirement: Telephone service.

How is my Spanish level determined?

You will take a placement test on your first day to establish the Spanish course level you will attend to. You may change levels depending on your learning skills.

What happens if there is not a course available for my level?

If there isn’t a Spanish course according to your level, a course will be opened for you specially and you will have individual lessons until other students with the same level of Spanish arrive. The price of these individual lessons will keep the same as the group ones.

Can I take my lessons in different destinations?

You can take your Spanish lessons in different places in various countries in Latin America. It is possible to combine destinations in any of our schools in Latin America or Spain without extra charge. You will find the same teaching method in all our Spanish schools.

Will I get a certificate after finishing the program?

Yes, you will get a certificate that specifies the level of Spanish achieved and the amount of hours you have taken. You will get also a progress report which includes the skills developed during your course and a recommendation letter from your teacher.

Will I receive university credits?

You can receive university credits for attending to our schools but you should first visit your school’s language department in order to know the specific requirements. Common requests from universities are: course syllabus, talking to other teachers who know the program, classroom hours, course levels, academic policies, receiving progress reports from your teachers while abroad and giving you a test upon your return. We will help you gather all the necessary paperwork and you may schedule an interview with your academic advisor if needed.

How am I going to develop my Spanish skills?

Our methods combine both theory and practice, addressing all of the linguistic and functional pragmatic aspects of the spoken language, along with key socio-cultural information essential for you to gain proficiency and in order to achieve your goals. Grammar, reading, writing, listening, speaking and vocabulary are always integrated in order to approximate you to an authentic communicative environment.
You will begin with practical situations. Grammar lessons will be introduced gradually during the process. Lessons' topics and contents are related to daily life’s situations.

How many levels are there?

COINED offers 3 different levels following the requisites and guidelines from the Common European Framework of Reference. Each level is divided into 2 sublevels varying from lesser to greater linguistic capability: Basic (A), Intermediate (B), Advanced (C).

How many lessons do I need to reach a different level?

It depends on the level you already have, the one you want to reach and the kind of program you are taking. If you are a beginner, it takes approximately 40 to 60 group lessons per week to get you into the next level. But if you don’t have enough time you can reduce the time at half by achieving the same level with private lessons. For further information please contact us. We will be happy to help.

Is the study material included in the Spanish course?

In almost every destination the study material, according to your level, is included. In case you choose a destination that doesn't include it, we will let you know.

What is a typical day like?

You can take lessons from 9 AM to 1 PM or from 2 PM until 6 PM according to your schedule and your program.
Afternoon classes (2 PM to 6 PM) are usually reserved for students requesting additional hours or different programs.
Many days include school activities in the afternoon or the evening.

When do I have to register to the program?

You should register at least four weeks before the program starts to guarantee you a spot in our schools.  For bookins done lless than four weeks before the start date, we cannot guarantee your place in a group but you can write or call us to check for availability in such cases.

 If I want to combine destinations, do I have to register at each separate location?

No, if you are planning to combine your destination simply register at the location you will be at first, and then indicate which date you plan to switch to another school.