Enrolment SOS! UBA spanish classes

[Mrkharma78]

Hi there, and happy new year!

My wife and I just arrived B.A. and are planning to enroll in a spanish class as soon as possible. We have looked at the UBA http://www.cui.edu.ar/espanol/english/extranjeros.asp# and for the Course 1 and 2 looks perfect for me, and 3 and 4 for my wife.

But I can not get the link ON-LINE Registration to work. Also it is no information to where these classes are held. I also see that it start in the beginning of every jan and feb, and we are afraid that we are already to late for jan.

Can anybody help us with how to get enrolled at UBA Spanish Language Program for Foreign Students? Anybody have experience with this establishment? Is the price ok (500 US) for 1 month?

Really hope to get an answer as soon as possible from this great forum

Thomas and Camilla

 

[Mrkharma78]

Yes, also: Since there probably are a lot of you expat that has gone to spanish courses here in BA, we are open for other suggestions.
Let us know if you are very happy with a place that you attended. Thanks again.

 

[nikad]

The link works for me. If you are using Mozilla, try filling the form using IE.

 

[Liam3494]

I took the intensive courses at UBA last Jan and Feb, and found them just that, intense. If you have a decent entry level (obviously depending on teh level you are taking) you will benefit from it. The one thing I would say, from memory, was that the building is old, and the classrooms very hot, with no air con, just fans to keep you cool, -The heat did make it hard to concentrate for 3 hours every day.

With an intensive course such as this, you do need to immerse yourself in the subject. Three hours in class, plus another couple of hours every night after school, and you will surely improve really well in two months, but it is tough (well, it was for me anyway!).

As for registration, I went down to the UBA language school on 25 de Mayo, where I signed up, as they make you take an entry test, to assess your level, including an interview, I would head down there first thing Monday morning if you decide to take this option for language learning. Obviously there are many language schools here in BsAs, and different people will recommend others, I guess we can only advise on our own experiences - Good Luck.

 

[Roxana]

I have a Mac, and opened the website!

I read that you will also have a fee of U$S 15, the course include books, material, guided tours and other activities.

The pdf link you posted says the inscription closed on December 30, the tests are until Tuesday January 4th, and the classes begin on Wednesday.

You can make a local phone call to 5238-3008/3044 and/or go to Junin 222, this is Junin and Juan Domingo Peron street, in Once neighbourhood.

I got a good feedback from a school located at Coronel Diaz 1700, next door to the gym. The name of the academy is vamos. I think it is a walking distance from your place. No idea about the prices.

Buena suerte!

 

[KatharineAnn]

I took the intensive courses at UBA last Jan and Feb, and found them just that, intense. If you have a decent entry level (obviously depending on teh level you are taking) you will benefit from it. The one thing I would say, from memory, was that the building is old, and the classrooms very hot, with no air con, just fans to keep you cool, -The heat did make it hard to concentrate for 3 hours every day.

With an intensive course such as this, you do need to immerse yourself in the subject. Three hours in class, plus another couple of hours every night after school, and you will surely improve really well in two months, but it is tough (well, it was for me anyway!).

As for registration, I went down to the UBA language school on 25 de Mayo, where I signed up, as they make you take an entry test, to assess your level, including an interview, I would head down there first thing Monday morning if you decide to take this option for language learning. Obviously there are many language schools here in BsAs, and different people will recommend others, I guess we can only advise on our own experiences - Good Luck.

I just noticed that this poster actually went to a different school than the original poster. The original poster mentioned going to the CUI (centro universitario de idiomas) which has its central building at junin 222 whereas this poster looks like he went to the Laboratorio de idiomas, which has its central building on 25 de mayo.

I have studied for both (for languages other than spanish) and found them both good, although I think I felt that the laboratorio de idiomas had a better level, although maybe I just happened to have a better teacher. However, it is true that I got really really hot at 25 de mayo (and my class only went till december!) whereas the junin 222 school DID have air conditioning, at least in my room, which made me incredibly more comfortable. hehe

 

[Mrkharma78]

Thanks for the quick answers!
Ok, after some google map exercise i found that Junin is acceptable walking distance from where we live. But is this where the actual school is? I can see that Liam3494 went to 25 Mayo and I can only see one place called that, way out of town. I will not have to be dependent on taking train/bus every day.

Vamos looks also like a good option, a bit more expensive but only 4 min walk from where we live.

So the question is, is the UBA language school around Junin or is that only a head office?

 

[Liam3494]

Yep, I went to the one on 25 de Mayo, which is in Microcentre.... Right in town, two blocks from Casa Rosada.

As for other schools, I can say that I know some of the people from Vamos, and do know that it is a good school - at least my teaching friends, tell me that - I claim the fifth as it is personal friends, not personal experience. Good luck....

 

[elhombresinnombre]

Thanks for the quick answers!
Ok, after some google map exercise i found that Junin is acceptable walking distance from where we live. But is this where the actual school is? I can see that Liam3494 went to 25 Mayo and I can only see one place called that, way out of town. I will not have to be dependent on taking train/bus every day.

Vamos looks also like a good option, a bit more expensive but only 4 min walk from where we live.

So the question is, is the UBA language school around Junin or is that only a head office?

Just to make sure we are all on the same page, so to speak, the 25 de Mayo in question is not the town out in Buenos Aires province nor the autopista that intersects 9 de Julio but an address in the Microcentro not a huge distance from Junin that Liam mentioned. Type 25 de Mayo 221, Capital Federal, Buenos Aires, Argentina into google maps and see if we are all talking about the same place.

Although many people have in the past commented on the haphazard and maybe impenetrable admin system at UBA and their language school, I don't think there has ever been a single adverse remark about the quality, value and relevance of their courses in castellano. It would be a shame if you were to miss the experience over a little cartographical inexactitude

 

[Roxana]

To move around the city try www.comoviajo.com and compumap (made by the Municipalidad de Buenos Aires - the county of the city).

Junin 222 is in the hearth of Once neigbourhood, with crowded stores during the day. I went there and yes, all the rooms have a/c.

You need coins to travel by bus around town, the trip costs $1.10 if it is less than 10 blocks, $1.20 for less than 20 blocks and $1,25 to move around the city.

CUI, at Junin 222 is the biggest language school in Latinamerica, because they teach more than 20 different languages, including quechua (spoken by indigenous people of the north of Argentina, Bolivia and Peru), arabic, hebrew, chinese, and japanese.