A Transition Year is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to pause, explore, and grow before preparing for senior cycle exams and university. While many Irish students spend this year volunteering or interning at home, for example, some students are rather looking abroad for a different experience. Nacel Espana has been welcoming Irish students in Spain for years!
Choose Spain for your TY program abroad! You will enjoy a warm climate, sun, a very different culture from yours, and a different daily routine! Spanish is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world. Adopt this language and culture!
Why should you choose Spain for your TY Study Abroad program?
1. A Spanish immersion: learn Spanish outside the classroom
It is very different to learn Spanish while living in Spain from learning Spanish in a classroom back home. You learn daily life's vocabulary from living real-life situations, on the spot! Be immersed in Spanish 24/7 makes it much easier to learn the language.
At school, you’ll be following lessons with your Spanish classmates - in Spanish; at home, you’ll be sharing meals and conversations with your Spanish host family - in Spanish. You will learn the language more naturally. Fluency will come if you interact in Spanish with local people.
Imagine how well you will perform at your Leaving Certificate Spanish exam after such an experience!
2. Live like a Spanish teen!
Our cultural exchange programs in Spain are not tourism - it’s real life. If you participate in such a TY program abroad in Spain, you don’t just visit Spain; you live the daily life of a Spanish teen: sharing meals and family life, going to school, participating in extracurricular activities, and having plans for the weekends with your new friends and siblings. By the time you return to Ireland, you’ll have lived the life of a Spanish teenager, started new friendships, and tell new stories to your Irish friends back home!
3. Explore the Spanish culture first-hand
Flamenco, tapas, cathedrals, sunny Mediterranean beaches? Those are typical Spanish attractions. During a cultural program in Spain, you go deeper into the everyday culture.
Each region has its own personality: Andalucía is known for music, history, and traditions, Asturias offers wonderful natural landscapes, watersports, and culture. Wherever you are placed, you’ll discover a side of Spain tourists may not see.
4. Make Spanish friends
You not only meet a new family, but you also meet new classmates, neighbors, teammates, or family relatives. Enjoy these new connections and opportunities to boost your Spanish and learn more about the Spanish culture. We hope you return to Ireland with long-lasting friendships!
5. Grow and become more independent
All in all, a Transition Year in Spain is not just about learning Spanish and exploring the Spanish culture; it is also about growing as a person! As you change your environment, the school system, and your daily life, you become more flexible and independent. Enjoy the adventures and challenges! be open! Learn more about yourself. Prepare for University and personal life.
Transition Year programs in Spain: have a look at your options!
Nacel España provides different lengths and styles of programs to suit each student’s goals:
Short-Term Homestay & School Integration (2–10 weeks)
This program is ideal for those who are not comfortable leaving for a complete school year but who would still like to have the exchange experience. You’ll attend a local school, live with a Spanish host family, and enjoy full immersion in language and culture: perfect for Transition Year flexibility.
Go for a short-term program in Spain
Trimester, Semester, or Full Academic Year
If you are ready for the academic year program abroad, Nacel offers longer stays. You’ll attend classes in a Spanish high school (public or semi-private) and follow the academic year from September to June.
Go for a High School exchange in Spain
Your daily life at school
Spanish schools typically run from 8:00 AM until early afternoon, leaving plenty of time for homework, sports, or family activities in the evening.
Depending on your school, you may take subjects that are both familiar and new, which adds to the excitement of learning abroad. Don’t worry, you’ll be supported by teachers, classmates, and your host family as you adapt. Core subjects you will attend are Spanish Literature, History, Mathematics, and Sciences.
Your Spanish host family becomes "Home Away from Home".
Placement in a host family is at the heart of the program. Spanish families are carefully selected and are eager to welcome international students into their daily lives. They provide full-board accommodation and act as your support network, sharing meals, routines, and traditions.
A Nacel staff member accompanies you while in Spain
You’re never on your own. Nacel España’s local coordinators are there to assist with integration, answer questions, and support both you and your host family whenever needed. There is also a 24/7 emergency hotline to ensure peace of mind.
Transition year in Spain: how does it work?
Eligibility requirements:
You must
- Be between 13 and 17 years old
- Have at least 1–2 years of Spanish study
- Be open-minded and flexible
- Show motivation to participate actively in family life and school activities
- Be ready to make new friends and embrace cultural differences
Apply to the program:
Speak with your Irish school to ensure support for your Transition Year plan.
Submit your application with a passport copy, school transcripts, and a personal letter.
Receive your placement once a suitable host family and school are selected.
Get ready for Spain! Prepare by practicing Spanish, learning about local customs, and keeping an open mind.