One week before the course starts, we usually offer a free online beginners' sample class, allowing you to see the style of our classes, and decide whether you would like to join the course or not. Find the date of the next available sample class here.

Both online and in person options are usually available for the lower levels. At higher levels, however, courses may only be available in a single mode: online or classroom-based.

If you were planning to take the in-person course but we only have an online option for your level, check if you can take a sample class.

In the adult Spanish courses and for levels A1 to B2, we use the book Aula Internacional Plus, from Editorial Difusión. For level C1 we use the book C de C1, also from Difusión. Books can be purchased at the centre, provided you are taking a course with us, for AED 250 inc. VAT.

No, but it is recommended, as the class will follow the contents of the book.

Typically, one book can be used for more than one course:

• Aula Internacional Plus 1: for all A1 levels (A1.1, A1.2 and A1.3)
• Aula Internacional Plus 2: for all A2 levels (A2.1, A2.2 and A2.3)
• Aula Internacional Plus 3: for all B1 levels (B1.1, B1.2, B1.3 and B1.4)
• Aula Internacional Plus 4: for B2.1 (part 1 and part 2)
• Aula Internacional Plus 5: for B2.2 (part 1 and part 2)
• C de C1: for all of C1 (C1.2, C1.3, C1.4, C1.5 and C1.6).

Yes, as long as you are taking a course with us, you will be able to buy the paperback book for AED 250 inc. VAT. If you are in Dubai, you can either come and pick it up at the centre or request a delivery with Careem. If, on the other hand, you are in another Emirate, you can have the book delivered by courier.

At UCAM we work with the levels of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, which divides the language into three main blocks:

• Beginner: A1(A1.1, A1.2 and A1.3) and A2 (A2.1, A2.2 and A2.3)
• Intermediate: B1 (B1.1, B1.2, B1.3 and B1.4) and B2 (B2.1 parte 1, B2.1 parte 2, B2.2 parte 1 and B2.2 parte 2)
• Advanced: C1 (C1.1, C1.2, C1.3, C1.4, C1.5 and C1.6) and C2

• To travel to a Spanish-speaking country, completing the beginner level would be enough. As a reference, an A2 level is required to obtain the Spanish nationality.
• To work in a Spanish-speaking country, it is better to complete the intermediate level B1 or B2.
• To become a Spanish teacher or have native competence, you should complete the advanced C1 or C2 level.

In such case, you can take the Instituto Cervantes' free online assessmen and tell us your results.

Before we can recommend the best level for you, you must complete the test with an assessment of your spoken Spanish, by means of a telephone call (5-10 minutes) with one of our teachers. Feel free to contact us with your availability to schedule a call.

No, this is only necessary if you already have some previous knowledge of Spanish, so that we can recommend the best level for you.

Alternatively, you may know some Spanish but want to start from scratch, and in that case, you would not have to take the placement test either.

• If you take the General Spanish Course (60 Hours) you will be able to do one level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, for example, A1.1 and A1.2.
• If you take the Regular Spanish Course (30 Hours) you will be able to do one sublevel of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, for example, A1.1.
• If you take the Intensive Spanish Course (24 Hours) you will be able to do one sublevel of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, for example, A1.1.
• In private lessons, in order to complete one sublevel of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages you must receive at least 18 hours of classes.

More information

In our courses, teachers work on the four language skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. You will be able to communicate easily in all four ways right from the beginning. For example, after the first subleve, A1.1, and starting from scratch (the alphabet, numbers, etc.), at the end of the course you will be able to: introduce yourself, ask others what they do for a living, express yourself in simple sentences in the present tense, etc. You will learn something new in every class.

Yes, you must attend at least 80% of the classes in order to be able to take the final exam.

Online classes are live but the sessions are recorded, so if you miss a class, you will be able to watch the recording later —recordings are shared the next day.
If you miss an in-person class, your teacher will tell you what has been taught in class, and you can ask any questions you may have at the beginning or end of the next class. In case you miss a couple of classes and want to take make-up classes, you can do so by takin private lessons.

Before finishing a sublevel, e.g. A1.1, in the 30-hour Regular Course, you will have to take the final exam to check if you have reached the level. Your teachers will announce the date of the exam on the first day of class. In addition, at each level you are required to give an oral presentation on a given topic and write two essays.

In the 60-hour General Course, there will be only one exam, at the end of the level, e.g. A1.

In such a case, you will have to pay a fee of AED 200 inc. VAT to take the exam on another date. Please note that you may be examined by another teacher, not necessarily by the teacher you have had during the course.

Yes, taking the exam is a prerequisite to check that the objectives of the level have been achieved before moving on to the next level.

Yes, you can continue. But if you do not pass the second exam at the end of the course, after the 60 hours, we will have to check what has happened.

Will I get a certificate at the end of my course? After passing the final exam, you can get a Certificate of Achievement, specifying the hours, level (according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) and grade obtained. Please write an email to administration to request it (espanol@ae.ucam.edu).
If you plan to continue studying, you can request the certificate at the end of the last course you take, as the higher levels include the lower ones.

The diplomas obtained at the centre may serve as accreditation of the level obtained for your CV, for a job, for some educational centres, etc.

But if you need an official certificate, you can take the official Spanish exam,DELE.

Can I get a certificate even if I do not pass the final exam? Yes, in such case you will get a Certificate of Completion of the course. Please write an email to administration to request it (espanol@ae.ucam.edu).

To register you must complete the registration form. Once you have submitted it, we will contact you and send you the corresponding payment link.

Both online and in person options are usually available for the lower levels. At higher levels, however, courses may only be available in a single mode, online or classroom-based.

We divide children’s courses into four age groups:

• Children: from 5 to 7 years old and from 8 to 11 years old
• Teenagers: from 12 to 15 years old and from 16 to 17 years old

The Spanish course for children is divided into three terms: from September to December, from January to March and from April to June, coinciding with the academic calendar of each school year.

Although you can register your child for one term only, we recommend that they attend the whole academic year in order to fully complete the level.

Yes, you can. And if your child is a beginner, we will open new groups for children starting from scratch.

If your child has some knowledge of Spanish, they may be able to join an existing course without any problem. In such case, they will have to do a placement test before starting the course.

• In our courses for non-native speakers, different books are used depending on age and level: Clan, Reporteros, and Lola y Leo, recommended by the Instituto Cervantes. The price is AED 250 inc. VAT.
• In our native children’s courses, we use books from the Santillana publishing house, which are used in Spanish and Latin American schools. The price is AED 200 inc. VAT.

The same book is usually used for a whole academic year, from September to June. Therefore, if you bought it in September, you will not have to buy a new one until the following academic year. If your child starts school in January, you will need to buy the book, as they will use it until June.

The paperback book is recommended even for online classes, as the class will be based on the book, though complemented with other activities and games. To purchase the book, you can either come and pick it up at the centre or, if you are in Dubai, request a delivery with Careem. If you live outside of Dubai, you can have the book delivered to any Emirate via courier —you will be informed of the cost prior to shipment.

In our courses for non-native children, we use the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, which is renowned worldwide. For children, the levels are the ones available in this table.

In the case of native children, the levels are:

• Beginners: 5 - 7 years old
• Intermediate: 8 - 11 years old
• Advanced: 12 - 15 years old

Different assessment tests are available for children:

• For beginners, there is this test.
• If they already know some Spanish, there is this other assessment.
• And if they are native speakers, they can take thisother test.

Please let us know the results when your child takes the test so that we can analyse it and recommend the appropriate level.

No, this is only necessary if your child already has some previous knowledge of Spanish, so that we can recommend you the best level for him/her.

In our courses, teachers work on the four language skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing.

If your child misses an in person or online class, the teacher will tell them what has been taught in class, and they can ask any questions they may have at the beginning or end of the next class.

In case your child misses a couple of classes, and you want them to take make-up classes, they can do so by taking private lessons.

At the end of each term (December, March, and June) the children will have to take an exam to see if they have reached the level. The following week, parents will receive a report with the grades obtained, as well as some comments on the performance of their child .

No, but it is advisable to ensure that the knowledge of the level is assimilated before moving on to the next one. The next level will begin in September.

After passing the final exam in June —when the level is completed—, you can request a Certificate of Achievement, specifying the hours, level (according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) and grade obtained. Please contact administration to request it (espanol@ae.ucam.edu).
If your child is planning to continue studying, you can request the certificate at the end of the last course taken, as the higher levels include the lower ones.

The diplomas obtained at the centre may serve as accreditation of the level obtained for some universities (please check the criteria of each school), for your child's future CV, etc.
But if they need an official certificate, they can take the official Spanish exam DELE Escolares.

Yes, in such case you will get a Certificate of Completion of the course. Please contact administration to request it (espanol@ae.ucam.edu).

To register your child you must complete the registration form for courses for children. Once you have submitted it, send us an email confirming it to espanol@ae.ucam.edu and we will contact you with the corresponding payment link.

Yes, you can purchase a single 1-hour lesson to find out about the teacher's style and teaching method. For online or classroom-based lessons, the sample class costs AED 320. For lessons at home the cost is AED 370.

Private classes can be taught in three different modes of study:

• At our Institute in JLT, Dubai.
• Online from anywhere in the world.
• At home in Dubai (please check with us if we cover your area).

Classes at the centre and online have a different price than at home. Check prices here.

If you let us know before the classes start, we will provide you with a teacher who is available both at the centre and online. Should you want to make a change once the classes have started, we will offer you another teacher if your first teacher is unable to teach both modes.

There are 3 packages of private lessons (excluding the 1-hour sample class):

• 6-hour class package
• 12-hour class package
• 20-hour class package

These hours can be distributed as desired. For instance, a 6-hour package can be divided into 3 classes of 2 hours each, or in 4 classes of 1.5 hours each session. The schedule and structure of the classes must be determined before the start of the lessons.

UCAM recommends that classes last a minimum of 1.5 hours for optimal learning (with the exception of the sample class), but they can be extended according to preference, e.g., 2 hours per session. However, in no case shall classes be less than one hour.

Two adults or two children can share a package of hours, but only if both have the same or similar levels.

UCAM does not recommend that a class be shared between an adult and a child (even if they are both beginners) as each one has a different learning style.

As a general rule, it is recommended to use the book for both adult and children’s classes. For the DELE exam preparation classes, we do not have books for sale, but the teachers have all the necessary materials.
If the private lessons are to prepare for a specific exam or to reach the level requested by the school or university, we recommend using the materials of the corresponding examining centre or institution.

• In the adult private lessons and for levels A1 to B2, we use the book Aula Internacional Plus, from Difusión. For level C1 we use the book C de C1, also from Difusión. Books can be purchased at the centre, provided you are taking a course with us, for AED 250 inc. VAT.
• In private classes for non-native children depending on the level, we use the Clan, Lola y Leo or Reporteros books, recommended by the Instituto Cervantes. They cost AED 250 inc. VAT.
• In private classes for native children we use books from the Santillana publishing house, used in schools in Spain and Latin America. The price is AED 200 inc. VAT.

No, but it is recommended as the class will follow the contents of the book.

Yes, as long as you are taking a course with us, you will be able to buy the paperback book. You can either come and pick it up at the centre or request a delivery with Careem. If you live outside Dubai, you can have the book delivered to any Emirate via courier.

Generally, a minimum of 20 hours (18 hours of class plus 2 hours of exams) is required to pass a level. As a reference, group courses require 30 hours.
However, if a student learns quickly, he/she may be able to pass a level in less time. Nevertheless, if you want a Certificate of Achievement of the level you will need to complete the 20 hours.

• For adults, we recommend taking the Instituto Cervantes free online assessment. Please let us know your results..
  Before we can recommend the best level for you, you must complete the test with an assessment of your spoken Spanish, by means of a telephone call (5-10 minutes) with one of our teachers. Feel free to contact us with your available times to schedule a call.
• Different assessment tests are available for children:
  • Si son principiantes deben realizar this test.
  • If they already know some Spanish, there is this other assessment.
  • And if they are native speakers, they can take thisother test.

You must communicate this to your teacher and UCAM via the WhatsApp group created for this purpose or by email.
Cancellation of the class must be notified 24 HOURS in advance in order to reschedule the class to a new date.

Failure to give 24-hour notice will result in the class being deducted from the total package of hours, i.e., the session will be charged for.

If you want a Certificate of Achievement, you must take at least 18 hours of private lessons (both adults and children) and sit the exam for the level taken.
This certificate shall specify the hours, level (according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) and grade obtained. Please contact administration to request it (espanol@ae.ucam.edu).
If you plan to continue studying, you can request the certificate at the end of the last level studied, as the higher levels include the lower ones.

The diplomas obtained at the centre may serve as accreditation of the level obtained for your CV, for a job, for some educational centres, etc.

But if you (or your child) need an official certificate, you can take the official Spanish exam, DELE o DELE Escolares.

Yes, in such case you will get a Certificate of Completion of the classes. Please contact administration to request it (espanol@ae.ucam.edu).

To register yourself or your child, you must complete theregistration form. Once you have submitted it, we will contact you and send you the corresponding payment link.

TAll private lessons, without exception, must be paid for BEFORE the start of the classes. Once payment has been received, we will assign the right teacher and schedule the first class.
You can pay by payment link, bank transfer, credit/debit card or cash at our centre.