Teaching English in Spain vs other European countries

Spain has become one of the top destinations for those looking to launch a career teaching English as a foreign language. With an amazing culture, glorious weather, an abundance of great TEFL schools and plenty of post-course job opportunities, there’s plenty to love about TEFL in Spain.

There are potential drawbacks, of course. Spanish bureaucracy is seriously annoying, for one.

But how does TEFL in Spain compare with other countries throughout Europe? Let’s take a look.

TEFL in Spain vs Rest of Europe

Getting a Visa

Let’s kick things off with the all-important visa. 

Regardless of whether you’re looking to teach English as a foreign language in Spain or anywhere else in Europe, if you’re a US, Canadian, Australian or UK national (thanks a lot Brexit), you’ll need a visa.

In Spain, the bureaucratic system can make things difficult. However, you’re entitled to work 20-30 hours per week on a Spanish student visa. In fact, many TEFL academies tailor their courses to visa requirements, meaning you’ll be eligible for a visa just by enrolling in a Spanish TEFL course.

What’s more, the best TEFL schools in Spain have dedicated student visa programmes that help you every step of the way towards securing your student visa.

Across the rest of Europe, the difficulty of getting a visa can vary. Germany offers a special freelance visa, while the Czech Republic offers a visa specifically for English teachers. Countries like Portugal, Italy and Hungary have student visa systems that are similar to Spain’s, allowing you to work a certain number of hours per week.  

Quality of TEFL courses

Spain is one of the best countries when it comes to teaching English, mainly due to the choice of top TEFL schools. You’ll find a range of excellent native-English-run TEFL schools and academies, particularly in Barcelona and Madrid. 

Other top countries when it comes to high-level TEFL courses include France, Germany and the Czech Republic.

Job availability 

Spain has the highest demand for English teachers of any country in Europe. With an increasing focus on the ability to speak English in schools, universities, companies and everyday life, there are more job opportunities for TEFL teachers in Spain than ever before.

The demand for English teachers in Spain is so high that new TEFL teachers in Spain can find work easily enough.

When it comes to English teacher job availability in Spain, the best cities are Barcelona, Madrid and Seville.

Other countries with a particularly high demand for English teachers include Italy, Hungary and the Czech Republic. 

Lifestyle

Few countries can compete with the Spanish lifestyle. Teaching English and living in Spain opens you up to a rich fascinating culture, with amazing food, architecture and art, not to mention all-year-round good weather.

Choose a location like Barcelona, and you've even got a beach and the surrounding countryside and mountains to while away the hours!

Spain strikes a good balance between a great lifestyle and an affordable cost of living. While it’s true that the likes of Barcelona and Madrid are getting increasingly expensive, they are still far cheaper than major cities in the UK, the US and Australia, for example.

Several up-and-coming destinations for TEFL teachers can provide a great mix of culture and entertainment. The likes of Hungary and the Czech Republic have the buzzing capital cities of Budapest and Prague, respectively, with rich histories and thriving cultural scenes, while English is widely spoken. They also offer a low cost of living, particularly when compared to other European capital cities.

The likes of Germany and France offer excellent lifestyles for TEFL teachers, although the cost of living is much higher than in other European countries.

Find out more about TEFL teaching in Spain and in Europe.