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Internship in Madrid

Build Your Resume in Madrid

Madrid is the heart of Spain, its economic, cultural, and political center, and it’s also home to Adelante’s longest running and most developed internship program. Interning in Madrid means stepping into a real professional environment, working alongside Spanish colleagues, and building your resume with international experience employers notice.

When you arrive, you’ll be picked up at the airport and brought to your apartment in a centrally located, well-connected neighborhood, close to Metro stations and everyday city life. From there, you’ll spend your first weeks in Spanish language classes before your internship placement begins, a rhythm designed to ease you into the language and the city before you’re expected to perform in a workplace.

Every Madrid program includes housing, a guaranteed internship placement in your chosen field, language classes, airport pickup, and in-country support. Our internship program is unpaid and does require upfront fees, so financial planning is part of preparing for the program.

Program Pricing

1 Month
*Teaching English or Social Media Only*
$4,150
6 Weeks
*Mid-May Only*
$4,650
2 Months$5,150
3 Months$5,900
4 Months$6,650
5 Months$7,400
6 Months$8,150
Seville, Spain

What You’ll Gain from an Internship in Madrid

  • Real professional experience. Placements span 30+ fields, from business and law to teaching English and social media, so you’re doing genuine work, not shadowing.
  • Language growth with a safety net. Spanish classes at the start of the program mean you’re not thrown into a Spanish-speaking workplace on day one.
  • A city that rewards independence. Madrid’s public transit, walkability, and central location in Spain make it easy to explore the country on weekends, with day trips, regional travel, and everyday city life all part of the experience.
  • A support system without hand-holding. You’ll have a country director for ongoing support and a clear point of contact for logistics, while still living and working with the independence the experience is built around.

Every Adelante Program Includes

AFFORDABLE PROGRAMS

Both our Internship Abroad and Study Abroad Programs are among the most affordable you’ll find. Explore a new country and gain meaningful internship experience that makes a difference, without being limited by your budget.

CENTRALIZED ACCOMMODATIONS

Enjoy your own private room in a shared city-center apartment, conveniently located near your placement, local life, and weekend adventures.

GUARANTEED, CONTRACTED INTERNSHIP PLACEMENT

You’ll receive a signed contract from your host organization before you arrive. We have placed 100% of our candidates in one of their requested fields and stand behind that with a guarantee.

CUSTOMIZED PROGRAM BUILDING

Your Adelante director builds your placement around your background, interests, Spanish proficiency level, and areas of interest. No cookie-cutter placements.

GUIDED REFLECTION EXERCISES

We help you identify and articulate the skills you’ve built abroad, an essential step in translating impactful international work into language that resonates on your resume, in interviews, and on graduate school applications.

ACADEMIC CREDIT SUPPORT

Nearly every Adelante intern who needed academic credit has received it. We provide full documentation and can work with your home institution to meet their requirements.

Location & Program Information

About Madrid

Madrid is Spain’s capital and largest city, a hub for business, culture, and daily life that moves at its own energetic pace. Museums, plazas, and a dense Metro system make it a city built for exploring on foot or by transit, and its central location puts the rest of Spain, and nearby countries like Portugal, within easy reach on weekends.

Eligibility

Applicants must be at least 18 years old. Most internship sectors require at least a B1 (low-intermediate) Spanish level and a minimum two-month program length, since placements move quickly and participants need to manage daily life independently from the start. Teaching English (1 to 6 months) and Social Media (2 to 6 months) placements are open to beginners with no prior Spanish required.

A valid passport is also a starting requirement, since placement work begins well before your travel dates and passport processing typically takes about two months. This isn’t a barrier to applying: start your application, then work on your passport in parallel so it doesn’t delay your timeline later.

Housing

Standard housing is a shared apartment with other Adelante participants or Spanish roommates, fully furnished, with Wi-Fi, in a well-connected neighborhood. A $500 housing deposit is required and is refundable as long as you leave the apartment in good condition.

view of a bedroom

Life in Madrid

Outside your internship, Madrid is yours to explore. Tapas bars, parks, and museums fill the weekdays, while weekends open up day trips or overnight travel around Spain and neighboring countries. Many participants use their time in Madrid to build a routine that mixes work, language practice, and travel. The program provides the structure, but how you spend your free time is up to you.

archbishop's chapel of madrid

Visa Information

Visa requirements depend on your nationality, so confirm specifics with your local Spanish consulate or embassy well before your program starts. Adelante’s Letter of Acceptance confirms your admission to the program, but some consulates also require proof of accommodation or financial means, which the LOA alone doesn’t cover. In those cases, Adelante prepares a separate visa support letter.

Academic Credit

Many participants earn academic credit through their home university while interning in Madrid. Check with your study abroad office or academic advisor for your school’s specific requirements and how credit transfers.

Is This Program Right For You?

Madrid tends to be a strong fit if you can answer yes to most of these:

Are you 18 or older by your program start date?
Are you comfortable navigating daily life somewhat independently, including public transit, a new city, and a different pace of life?
Do you have at least a low-intermediate (B1) level of Spanish, or are you interested in a beginner-friendly field, like Teaching English or Social Media?
Are you looking for a placement that runs for 1 to 6 months?
Are you looking for a program duration between 1 to 12 months?

Not sure your Spanish is ready? That doesn’t rule you out. Teaching English and Social Media placements don’t require prior Spanish, and every application is reviewed individually regardless of level.

Have Questions About the Program? Ask Us!

How the Application Process Works

1. Apply Online

Fill out our simple online application. There is no fee to apply, and it takes only a few minutes to get started.

2. Get on the Calendar

Eligible candidates receive a link to schedule a free, first assessment interview by phone or Google Meet.

3. Interview

We’ll learn about your background, areas of interest, Spanish level, and goals so we can start building the right placement for you.

4. Interview Results

In real time or within 1–2 business days, you will receive your interview results by email. Successful candidates receive an acceptance letter with clear next steps.

5. Confirmation

Confirm your spot within one week of acceptance with a $325 confirmation fee. This means there is no tire-kicking, and you are committed to going abroad. A second interview and full placement details follow soon after.

6. Pre-Departure

Once confirmed, you will receive a comprehensive Pre-Departure Information Packet with everything you need to prepare for your time abroad, including visa guidance if required, along with cultural prep.

Hear From Adelante Abroad Candidates

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Intern in Madrid FAQs

What Happens After I Apply Online, Step By Step?

Once you apply online for free, we will send you a link to our calendar to schedule an initial phone or video call assessment interview. The first interview is hosted by our Program Director and is focused on determining if you are a good fit for the program. It’s also your change to find out what the program offers, and confirm it aligns with what you are wanting to do.

Once both parties have mutually assessed positively, then we send out a Letter of Acceptance and a setup date for a second, longer Google Meet interview. Prior to this second meeting, you will be emailed a link to confirm your spot in the program via a $350 confirmation fee.

Before the second interview, we will also require two references. Once it’s completed, the next step will be for us to send your file to our team in your program city abroad.

They then begin presenting your file to our participating companies abroad, in your desired sector.  Once the best company for your specific program parameters chooses your file, we then contract you, with them, for your international internship. There are lots of other little details in between, and then no later than about 30 days prior to your program start date everything will be finalized. All our candidates will know both where they are living and where they are interning long before they arrive abroad.

Is housing included in the price of the program?

Yes – You will have your own room in a shared apartment with other Adelante candidates/international students or with Spanish roommates…you choose! Plan on doing your own food shopping and your own cooking, quite an eye-opener that first time in a Spanish grocery store! A refundable housing deposit is required before you step foot in country. This deposit will be returned to you as long as the housing is in the same condition as when you arrived. The apartments are in sought-after, working neighborhoods in Madrid, near to Metro and multiple bus stops. All apartments are fully furnished, with bedding, fully equipped kitchens, washing machine, sheets, towels, pots, pans are also included.  All apartments have Wi-Fi.

What Spanish language classes are included?

For the first two weeks, you are enrolled in an Intensive Spanish Language course for 4 hours per day, 5 days per week (approximately 40 hours). This course takes place at a prestigious private language institute and your level is determined by a placement test.  Each level course is no more than 10 students.

How much should I budget for living expenses per month, other than what is included in the program fee?

For Madrid we suggest approximately $150 USD per week, and this covers normal expenses like groceries, metro money, some going out and one or two nearby excursions a month. The price goes up when you start going out at night more and when you begin to travel further abroad (which we do encourage!  For example, you can get to Portugal, France, Morocco or Andorra very inexpensively from Madrid).

Is there an Adelante contact in Madrid?

Yes – We have an Adelante Director for this program. Angel Pinuela will be the person handling your housing accommodations and will also be your internship adviser abroad. You will be meeting with Angel during your first week of classes before your internship starts. You will be given Spanish contact information and emergency contact information for the director, and Angel speaks English.  Angel has ample experience in the education abroad industry and is a successful professional.

Ready for an Internship in Madrid?

Madrid offers one of Adelante’s most established programs: real placements, a built-in language runway, and a city made for exploring on your own terms. If you’re ready to build your resume while living somewhere new, this is a strong place to start.

Why Choose Adelante Abroad?

Adelante Abroad has earned the trust of thousands of candidates worldwide through 25 years of guaranteed placements and life-changing experiences. Since 1999, we’ve specialized in providing affordable, customized internship and study abroad programs across Spain, Latin America, and Scotland, and we’re not a large, impersonal agency. We’re a team of seasoned travelers and international education professionals who’ve lived abroad ourselves and know what it takes to make your experience a success.

Every program is built around you: your goals, your values, your background. With in-country directors operating full-time in every city where we have programs, you’re never on your own. No matter where in the world you are.

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