Logotipo Cervantes Spanish School

FAQ

You probably have some questions about our school, Miguel de Cervantes and your attendance here. Here are a lot of frequently asked questions. If you have any other questions feel free to contact us via e-mail or telephone.

  1. Why should I stay with a family?

    If your reason for coming to Guatemala is to improve your Spanish-speaking skills, then it is important to stay with a family. You will get lots of practice speaking Spanish with your family members. It is common for students to be invited on family excursions to the market or elsewhere. If it is practice you want with speaking Spanish, as well as home-cooked meals, warm showers, and your own rooms…why not stay with a family. Staying with a family is also a money saver.

  2. Who gets the additional money when a student stays with a family?

    All money in addition to the language courses goes to the family.

  3. Will I have privacy if I stay with a family?

    Of course you will have privacy. The families are asked to provide you with your own private room, your own private keys (one for your room and one for the outside door), a desk with a lamp in your room (for studying), and three different meals a day. Your family should provide warm water, a clean bathroom, and purified water for drinking. We evaluate our families in order to ensure they are meeting our requests. We also assure you that all our families live in safe neighborhoods.

  4. Can more than one student stay with a family?

    It is our general policy to place all students traveling alone with their own family. This way the student is surrounded by Spanish in the school and the household. However, couples or families are more than welcome to stay together. Let us know if you need any special requests or preferences with a home stay. During the high season families closest to the school will have more than one student staying in there house due to the many requests to stay close to the school.

  5. What if I’m vegetarian?

    We have the capability to set the student up with a family that is able to cook based upon the students’ dietary needs, whether the person has allergies, is lactose intolerant, or has chosen the vegetarian lifestyle.

  6. What if I arrive a few days early for classes?

    We can set you up with your family a few days early, given proper notice. You will need to pay a few dollars a day for this arrangement, which will all go to the family. We can also give you space in our guesthouse connected to the school. We can help you find a hotel or hostel within your financial means, as well.

  7. How do I register for classes?

    To reserve your place at our school and with a host family, we request a reservation deposit of USD 21.75. This deposit will be deducted from your total payment upon arrival. Please note that online payments are subject to a 7.5% processing fee charged by the payment platform. For this reason, the amount deducted from your final balance corresponds to approximately Q140, depending on the daily exchange rate and the local bank buying rate (not the international rate), after fees are applied. We keep this deposit intentionally low to avoid higher online payment fees for our students.

  8. When do I pay for classes…and how much are they?

    You pay for your class on your first day of class or if you are abroad, you must register.

    You pay for the entire week (or more if you want). Once you give the money, we will not refund it for that week since we need to pay the family and the teacher for the week of work or stay. We happily accept Guatemalan Quetzales and we can also accept US dollars, as long as they are $50 or $10 bills and in perfect condition, since local banks cannot accept damaged or marked bills. We can accept credit cards however there is an extra fee of 7.5% of the total amount paid. You must get permission from the school first before paying your tuition by credit card. Once you have permission you can pay using this Tuition Payment Form. Also, it is easy to get a cash advance on a VISA card or to take out money from a check or debit card at a bank near Parque Central.

  9. What if I miss my class?

    If you did not inform us  at least 24 hours in advance that you will not be able to attend your lesson, you will be charged for that lesson. Otherwise you should  give us a phone call as soon as possible since an email is not as fast sometimes. That way we can tell your teacher not to come to the school and he/she can make other plans.

    Only in the case, that your teacher was informed previosly that you will not be coming to class, you will not be charged for the lesson and you both can reschedule the lesson.

  10. Do I have internet access?

    We provide free internet access, wifi, to all our students and guests.

  11. Who owns and runs the school? And what does my money go towards?

    Sary Muñoz is the owner of the school. Half of the tuition fee goes to the teacher, the other half goes to the school and it expenses.

  12. Can I contact former students?

    Yes, feel free to contact former students. Contact us first, and we will send you a few e-mails of former students. We do not publicize the e-mail addresses of our former students for obvious reasons.

  13. Can I obtain college/university credit?

    We are working on this options. Currently we suggest that you work through your university on an independent study program. We can provide you with documents showing what you have learned here at the school along with a diploma when you finish.

  14. How do I get to the school? Xela? Guatemala?

    Option 1: uber + bus

    Take an Uber from the airport (Uber app + internet required).

    • Ask the driver to take you to Alamo or Xela Bus station (they are one block apart).
    • Buy your bus ticket to Xela:
      • Alamo: Q100 (more departures, no bathroom)
      • Xela Bus: Q120 (3–4 departures, only 2 premium with bathroom)
    • The trip takes about 4 hours.
    • In Xela, take another Uber to the school:

      🏫 Miguel de Cervantes School of Spanish
      6a Calle A 0-142, Zona 4
      Colonia CERES, Quetzaltenango
      📞 Tel / WhatsApp:+502 4348-0044
      📧 Email:xelacervantes@gmail.com

    ⚠️ Important: Google Maps shows the wrong entrance to Colonia CERES. Please tell the Uber driver: from Avenida El Cenizal, take Diagonal 2 for one block, enter at the security gate on the right, show your ID, say you are going to house 0-142, then turn left and go to the end of the street. See the video below.

    Option 2: Airport Assistance

    We work with a trusted person, Raquel Gressy de López, who speaks basic English.

    • Airport pick-up + transfer to the bus station: USD 20 (bus ticket not included).
    • If you arrive at night: overnight stay + dinner (served until 7:00 pm) + breakfast + transfer to the bus station the next day: USD 45 (bus ticket not included).

    📍 Raquel’s address (Guatemala City):
    Avenida Elena C 15-59, Zone 1, Guatemala City
    📞 Tel / WhatsApp:+502 5307-8336

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