How I Moved to Spain and How You Can Too!

Written By Caty Neeser

I could try, but there's really no humble way to put it… For the past year I’ve been living the dream in Spain. I live close to the beach, it's always sunny, my rent is a fourth of what it was at home, and I barely ever work. Not to mention the opportunity it’s given me to travel all over Europe. I’m not really sure it gets better than this. 

Intrigued? If so, I’ve got great news. You can make it happen too! Actually, much easier than you may think.  

What is NALCAP?

No, I didn't win the lottery nor am I tapping into a trust fund. I’m employed by the Spanish Government through a program called NALCAP, The North American Language and Cultural Assistant Program. Every year the program accepts thousands of native English speakers to move to Spain and work in public schools as “Auxiliares de Conversación” (conversation assistants). The goal of the program is to facilitate a cultural exchange: increase Spanish students' exposure to English while providing foreigners with an insight into Spanish culture. So basically, I teach English in return for the chance to experience Spain. 

What do Auxiliares de Conversación do?

Because the program is intended to be more than just a job, but instead a cultural experience, it’s an insanely sweet deal. Auxiliaries are only contracted to work 12-16 hours, four days a week. They are placed in primary schools, high schools, and sometimes vocational programs for adults.

Auxiliares are not teachers, but assistants, which conveniently comes with far less responsibility. Typical work includes being in the classroom and supporting the teacher with things such as pronunciation, spelling, creating engaging activities like vocabulary games and more. 

Do Auxiliares get Paid Enough?

Auxiliaries earn 700 euros a month (1000 in Madrid). While you would literally die in the U.S. with this salary, money goes much further in Spain. How far the stipend will get you depends on a lot of factors (where you live, if you want roommates, etc.) but it is definitely enough to pay your rent, buy groceries, and maybe even have some left over. Oh and you will be given health insurance! 

In my case, I make 700 euros and live in a very affordable city in Andalucia. Last year  I paid 180 euros per month for a stunning apartment in the city center with 3 roommates. This year I pay 280. So 700 euros is more than enough for me. 

You won’t be getting rich from the program, but your basic needs will be taken care of. However, if you like to treat yourself and travel, then you will want to come with sufficient savings. You will also have ample opportunities to earn extra income through private tutoring if you wish. 

What are the Requirements?

With less responsibility, also comes less necessary qualifications. There are endless programs to teach English across the world, but most require a TEFL certification or teaching degree first. Not this one! The requirements to apply are pretty basic. 

Quoting the official NALCAP website  in order to apply you need to:

• Be a U.S. citizen and have a valid U.S. passport.

• Have a conferred BA, BS, AA or AS degree or be enrolled as a sophomore, junior or a senior in a BA or BS program.

• Be a native-like speaker of English.

• Be in good physical and mental health (required when applying for a visa). 

• Have a clean background check (required when applying for a visa).

• Aged between 18-60. You must be 18 years old as of January 1, 2023, and not be over 60 years old on January 1, 2024, to participate in the program. Age ranges have been designated according to educator labor regulations in Spain.

Note - There is no Spanish Language requirement to apply. 

What do I Need to Apply?

If you meet the requirements above and are ready to take the jump, I’ve got more good news. The application is very simple. There are only four components. 

Quoting the official NALCAP website, the necessary application documents are:  

• A copy of the main page of your valid U.S. passport

• An official college transcript or a copy of your diploma

• A signed statement of purpose

• A letter of recommendation (dated no sooner than September 1st of 2022) 

How do I Apply and What Should I Expect?

If it was seeming too good to be true, here’s where it finally gets tricky. While this is an incredible opportunity with relatively simple requirements, the application process can be a bit… stressful. If you do end up making it to Spain, you will quickly learn that the same sense of urgency and order simply does not exist here as it does in the U.S. What does this mean for you? Well, that you may not find out where you are going to live until a month before it’s time to move! 

Below are some key points regarding the application process, but please refer here for detailed instructions on how to apply. 

Application Window

The application is open from February 1st to April. The program is not competitive in terms of qualifications but is rather on a first come first serve basis. Meaning the sooner you apply, the more likely you are to receive a placement, and a more favorable one at that. This program has gained a lot of traction in the past few years, and many are ready to apply the day the application opens. 

Application Portal

You will complete the application through a portal called Profex. It is also where you will be able to track all of your application status updates. It is a bit outdated, but NALCAP has provided extensive resources on how to use it here. 

Choosing Where to Live

Spain consists of 17 regions, all of which have something unique to offer. The application will allow you to express your top 3 regional preferences, but not specific cities. This means there is no such thing as applying to live in Madrid, but rather you would be applying to receive a placement in the entire province of Madrid (which is far bigger than just the city). 

Each region offers a different number of placements. Madrid and Andalucia offer around 1,000 spots each, while Cataluña (the region of Barcelona) only offers 20. So, if you want to increase the chance you are placed in a region of your choice, it doesn’t make sense to choose 3 regions with a low number of available positions. Here you can find exactly how many spots were offered in 2022 by each region. While the program does make their best effort to assign you in a region you requested, it is not guaranteed and is highly influenced by when you applied.

Another very important thing to keep in mind is that this program provides placements across the entire country, not just the big cities. There are hundreds of positions in pueblos, which can be very tiny towns in the middle of nowhere. While that may not sound ideal to some, I think it can be a beautiful and authentic experience if you are brave enough to try. Take time to evaluate your priorities and what you wish to get out of the experience when choosing your regional preferences. 

Application Process/Timeline

After you submit your application, the several month long waiting game begins. There are three important terms you will want to be familiar with in order to track the status of your application through Profex: inscrita, admitada, and plaza aceptada. 

Inscrita: 

• Immediately after submitting your application, you will be assigned an “inscrita number” (registration number). While it would make sense that applications are processed in order of these numbers, that unfortunately isn’t the case. A lower inscrita number will increase the likelihood of receiving a placement and having more preference, but it does not necessarily mean your application will be processed faster than others. For example, someone with the inscrita number 3245 could receive their acceptance letter before someone who was assigned number 840. 

• Around 4,200 people received awards in 2022, so generally speaking, if your number is under 5,000-6,000 you are very likely to receive an offer (many who apply will not accept their final offer). First time applicants and first-year renewals are given priority of preference.There really isn’t any rhyme or reason to this system so try your best to not become obsessed with your number or with when others receive their acceptance. I have provided my timeline below only to give an idea of just how long this all can take and I know many who waited even longer than I did.

  My Timeline: I applied on February 22nd (which can be considered late for this process) and received inscrita number 4697. 

Admitada:

• After your application has been evaluated and it is confirmed that you have all of the necessary components, your status will change to “admitada” (admitted). This does not mean that you have a placement, but rather that you are officially eligible to receive one. 

My Timeline: My status changed from inscrita to admitada on May 18th. So it took 3 months just for them to approve my application. 

Plaza Acceptada:

• You are only guaranteed a position after your application status changes to “plaza acceptada” (place accepted). They will send you an email with a regional offer. You only have 3 days to accept this offer, otherwise your application is revoked. So check your email regularly!

• This is merely when you are notified which region you will be placed in. You will then have to wait until the regional office sends you a specific school assignment for that region. 

My Timeline: My status changed from admitada to plaza acceptada on June 10th, just under a month after they first evaluated my application. 

Letter of Acceptance and School Assignment 

After you endure the several month long process waiting for an offer, you then have to wait a little bit longer to receive your specific school assignment, which will come in your “carta de nombramiento” (letter of acceptance). It is not until you receive this through email that you will know exactly where you are going to work. You also will not be able to apply for your visa until this document is received. 

My Timeline: I did not receive my school assignment until August 12th. This was by far the worst wait, especially considering I was planning on leaving in mid-September. 

What’s the Catch?

Like I said, my life is pretty great here, but it hasn’t come at no cost at all. There are some things you should be aware of if you are serious about applying and moving. 

Delayed Payments

Starting off strong - you may not get paid until January! Historically this has been a major issue with the region of Valencia, but has also been a big problem in Andalucia this year. If you are not prepared financially to live for 2-3 months without a paycheck you may want to reconsider if this program is for you. I have luckily never had this problem as my school has always paid me on time. 

Hours

While you are contracted to work 12-16 hours a week, your schedule will likely not be organized in consecutive hours. For example, I may have a class at 9:00, then another at 11:00 and another at 1:00. Meaning I’m actually at the school from 9:00-2:00pm. However, I am not expected to be working in the hours in between. Personally, this is not a deal breaker for me given I am still only clocking around 20 hours a week,, which is not even part time in the U.S.! 

Possible Commute

As mentioned, placements are given across the entire country and there is a chance you get placed in a smaller town. However, in most cases there is a “bigger” city nearby that you would probably rather live in. For example, I live in Almeria, a medium size city with a lot to do, but my actual school is in a neighboring town 25 minutes away by car. While I am lucky to carpool almost every day, I know many auxiliares who have to commute by bus. And these commutes can be brutal (1-2 hours each way)… When I do have to take the bus, it is an hour and half journey. This is something you don’t need to worry about until you actually receive an assignment and should not deter you from applying. 

Those are my only advisories and aren't even problems I personally have experienced, but I know they are common enough in the program that they warrant being shared. As mentioned, Spain just has a very different culture than the U.S. Things that fly here would never be allowed at home, but it is how you choose to look at these things that will make the difference; like I may work more than my contract says I should, but I still don’t work that much at all. If you get caught up in the nitty gritty details, like many of us are conditioned to do, you probably will not be pleased with a lot of things here. 

Helpful Resources

If you’ve made it this far and are ready to apply, here are some resources that will be very helpful to familiarize yourself with: 

NALCAP Website: 

• Their main webpage is where you will find all of the up-to-date and detailed information you need. You will find a guide to the application, Profex portal handbook, and more!  https://www.educacionyfp.gob.es/eeuu/convocatorias-programas/convocatorias-eeuu/nalcap/applying-program.html 

Facebook Groups:

• These are LIFESAVERS. They have endless threads answerings almost anything you would need to know. I find them to often be more helpful than what is published on NALCAPs official website. Have a question? Search it in one of these groups and you will very likely find an answer. 

• Auxiliares de Conversación en España https://www.facebook.com/groups/spainauxies/

• Lady Auxiliares de Conversación en España https://www.facebook.com/groups/ladyauxiliares/ 

Ok, that was a lot! I know the amount of information can be overwhelming, but I promise you it is a relatively easy process given that you are being handed a paycheck and visa to live in Spain. This experience has changed my life in so many beautiful ways and I hope this finds someone who is ready to make the jump too. If you have any questions at all, you know where to find me!