Compare intensive programs at local schools, universities, live online academies and immersion schools abroad. Every listing shows hours per week, length, start dates and price, checked on 2 November 2026.
Pick a format, check the next start date and contact the school directly. No sign-up, no fees.
Made by Parrot, the app for practising Spanish between classes. About this site
An intensive program packs many more hours into each week than a regular evening class, often 15 to 25 hours of lessons. It usually lasts from one week to a few months.
An intensive Spanish course suits people with a deadline, such as a move, a new job or a trip. Learners with only a few free hours a week usually do better with a steady weekly class.
Spain, Latin America, and Online
Medellín, Colombia
Medellín, Colombia
Medellín, Colombia
Medellín, Colombia
Oaxaca, Mexico
Oaxaca, Mexico
Oaxaca, Mexico
Oaxaca City, Mexico
City language schools run daytime or evening intensives over a few weeks. They suit people who want fast progress without travelling.
Universities and colleges run level-based intensives, often in the evenings or over the summer. Some give a certificate or academic credit at the end.
Online academies teach small live groups by video for several hours a day. They suit people who cannot leave home but can clear their schedule.
Schools in Spain and Latin America combine morning lessons with a full day of using Spanish in the street. Compare destinations on the Spanish immersion programs page.
A private teacher for several hours a day gives the fastest progress per hour but costs the most. It suits professionals with a fixed deadline.
Most programs start the day with grammar and new vocabulary in a small group. Classes are usually grouped by level after a placement test.
Later sessions focus on conversation, role play and listening. This is where new grammar turns into words you can actually use.
Expect an hour or more of homework most days. Reviewing each evening is what makes the hours in class stick.
Programs abroad often add cooking classes, walking tours or film nights in Spanish. Local and online programs may add conversation partners or online exercises.
Introduce yourself, ask simple questions and handle everyday basics like ordering food or asking directions. This is the right start if you know only a few words.
Talk about your routine, your family and past events in simple sentences. Short, everyday conversations start to feel possible.
Handle most travel situations and talk about plans, opinions and experiences. Many learners choose an intensive to break through to this level.
Follow fast native conversations and discuss work or current topics with some fluency. Programs at this level often prepare students for the DELE exam.
Ask about registration fees, books and placement tests before you book. Some schools waive these for longer stays.
An intensive only works if you can attend every session and do the homework. If work or family limits you to evenings, choose an evening intensive or a steady weekly class.
Travel, work, exams and moving abroad each need a different focus. Tell the school your goal so they place you in the right group.
Groups of 4 to 10 give everyone time to speak. A placement test stops you repeating what you already know.
Studying abroad adds a full day of real Spanish around your classes, but costs more and needs time off. A local or online program keeps your routine and your budget.
New Spanish fades fast without use. Book a weekly class or conversation group for when the program ends.
A few weeks of short daily lessons before you start means less time on greetings and more time on real conversation. Parrot teaches Spanish through short, fun videos.
After the last class, a few minutes a day keeps new words and phrases from fading. Watch a lesson on the bus or in a coffee queue.
Listening practice helps you keep up with native speed once you are back home. Learners rate Parrot 4.7 stars from over 17,000 ratings.
Parrot makes this site. It is never listed as a local class.
Most intensive programs on this page run between 15 and 25 hours of lessons a week, compared with two or three hours in a regular evening class. Some evening intensives run fewer hours over a longer period.
Programs listed here run from one week to several months. Abroad, many schools let you book by the week, while local and university programs usually follow fixed terms with set start dates.
Progress depends on your starting level, the hours you attend and how much you practise outside class. Learners who study every day and speak Spanish after class improve much faster than those who only attend.
A live online program can match the lesson hours of a school abroad and costs less. Studying abroad adds hours of real Spanish outside class, which builds listening and confidence faster.
Yes. Most programs have a beginner group and place everyone with a short test. Starting with a few weeks of basic vocabulary first makes the first days much less tiring.
Every listing is a real school, university or academy with a published start date, checked on 2 November 2026. We do not take payment for rankings, and Parrot is never listed as a course.
