Frequently Asked Questions
What is your question about?
Please choose one of the categories below. If you don't see an answer for your question, please feel free to contact us anytime!
General questions
General Questions
1) How do I register for school?
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Complete our registration form (click here)
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Complete our test online (click here)
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Arrive at school 30 min before your first class (for 9am small group classes, arrive Monday by 8:30am) in order to complete a quick oral interview and have a better understanding of your Spanish profile,
3) How far in advance should I register?
Our school doesn't have registration deadlines, and we are always happy to try to accommodate every request, even with little time to do so. However, in order to assure availability during high season (June & July), we strongly suggest that students book their program 3 or more weeks ahead of time (if you didn't, please send us a message to confirm availability first).
5) Am I too old to learn Spanish?
Absolutely NOT! In fact, quite the contrary.
Although you may feel that you don't learn as fast as you used to do, many recent scientific studies have shown that older people can obtain long term results that are just as good as younger learners. Want proof? Swedish scientists tested a group of younger (21-30) and older (65-80) adults for 6 months and ‘did not detect any significant age-related differences in plasticity of white-matter microstructure’. Translation: older brains adapt to learning environments just as well as younger brains do. Not convinced yet? This study from MIT shows that a group of adult students learning Chinese were tested over a nine-month period, during which they showed ‘improved white-matter integrity’. Yes! That white matter is what connects neural cells, so the better connected, the better you can accomplish a cognitive task. In conclusion, the more you challenge your brain, the better it will become at adapting and succeeding at learning.
7) Do you offer airport pick ups?
Yes, It costs US$22. You can select this service when completing your registration online. Please note that our school does not charge any fees to arrange the pickup, service, and you will directly pay the driver.
If you would like to get a taxi at the airport, we suggest using ''Taxi Green'' (about $20). You can find their kiosk inside the airport arrivals hall.
9) How fast will I learn Spanish?
Students are expected to accomplish progress as detailed in our levels & progress section (Click here). However, please note that many other factors can greatly affect how fast students are able to learn Spanish. Some of the most important are: motivation, other spoken languages, previous studies, work after class, commitment, etc.
Please note that we pay great attention to making sure that every single student, as an individual person, is making good progress and developing their Spanish skills (this is checked daily and weekly both by your teacher and our Academic Coordinator).
2) Do I need a visa to come to Peru?
Citizens of the U.S. and most other Western countries don’t require a tourist visa to enter Peru. The maximum period of stay granted is 90 days. Please note that student visas are only issued to those attending professional or technical programs.
4) Where are students from and what are their ages?
We are a very diverse school, and our students come from all over the world. We regularly have students from the United States, Canada, Germany, China, Japan, Australia, England, Switzerland, Brazil, France, Italy, and many more countries. Most students are between 20-45 years old, but students between 50-70 years old are far from uncommon.
6) Are there any school activities ?
Yes! We organize 3-4 activities every week so students can make the most of their time while they learn Spanish in Lima. Activities are free to join, and students only need to pay for their own expenses.
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Example: If a visit to historic downtown is organized, students pay for their own museum tickets (normally US$2), the cost of their own food (if a dinner-together is organized after finishing the activity, normally US$6-7), and their bus ticket to get there (normally US$1).
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Example: If a cooking class is organized, students only pay for the cooking ingredients to prepare a full meal, e.g., appetizer + main dish + Pisco Sours (Buying all the necessary ingredients normally costs $10/person).
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Other activities such as Salsa dancing classes and cinema nights are completely free.
Finally, please note that students can always bring friends to our activities.
8) Can I stop classes for a week and then come back?
Absolutely yes!
In fact, for those learning Spanish for longer periods of time (for example 2-3 months), we strongly suggest taking a week-long break every 4-6 weeks.
After coming back, students will be able to join another group at the same level they were at before leaving for ''vacation''.
10) Is school open during national holidays ?
Even though there are 12 official holidays in Peru, our school makes an effort to keep classes open during most holidays, as we understand how important this is to many of our students, especially to those who only stay for short periods of time. Our registration form has been automated to show you notifications if it finds that a holiday falls during your selected dates.
Please note that we cannot provide private classes during national holidays (click here). However, you can of course make up for those missed hours of class by adding extra hours to your weekly program or any other weeks during your dates of attendance.
CONTACT
Academics & Classes
1) When are the program start dates ?
If you'd like to enroll for small group classes, you can start your program any Monday, all year round.
If you'd like to enroll for private classes, you can start your program any day
from Monday to Friday, all year round.
3) Is group class attendance mandatory?
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Because we schedule small group classes every week based on demand, students who register for group classes need to commit to attending class for the entire week. For this reason, missed days of classes are not subject to refund.
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Students are expected to attend a minimum of 80% of their group classes every week (4 classes in a normal week). Otherwise they may need to repeat the module (since students who miss to 2 or more days normally fall behind the group).
5) Are the teachers all qualified?
Our school is one of the very few in the country where all of our teachers are professionals specialized in teaching Spanish as a Foreign Language. They all come from top universities in Peru and have completed 1 to 3 graduate degrees in teaching Spanish as a foreign language. Additionally, the vast majority are Certified Official Examiners for the DELE International test and hold official Diplomas from the prestigious Instituto Cervantes. This makes us the #1 Spanish school in the country in terms of quality and professional instruction.
7) What is the average class size for groups?
Our small group classes have a maximum of 5 students per group. Often, however, there are only 2 to 4 students per class, which provides even better focus for our students!
Our strategy is to encourage maximum interaction in the classroom between students and teachers, which facilitates a deeper, more personalized, and more efficient language learning experience.
9) Is one hour of class exactly 60 minutes?
No, one hour of class = 55 minutes. This is to ensure that both students and teachers have a little rest time between classes to go to the bathroom, stretch their legs, or have a cup of coffee.
11) Do I need past experience learning Spanish?
If this is your first time learning Spanish, you don't need any prior study or have any basic knowledge to join our Spanish program (in this case, you will be placed a beginners group).
Otherwise, if you have previous study in Spanish, we will carry out a personal interview during your first day and place you in a group that will fit your Spanish profile, language skills, needs, and objectives.
2) What program should I choose?
Our small group classes are great for those who enjoy learning in an active and social atmosphere, practicing with their peers, and studying in an intensive immersion setting. On the other hand, private classes are perfect for those looking to work on specific areas or who cannot devote 20h/week to classes.
4) Can I cancel & reschedule a private class?
Students may reschedule a private class if they send an email to contact@peruwayna.com at least 24 hours before the class is scheduled to begin and only during our office hours. Our office hours are Mon-Fri 9:00am to 6:00pm, and Sat 9.00am to 1.00pm. For example, a class scheduled for 9:00am Monday needs to be cancelled by 1:00pm the preceding Saturday, and a class scheduled at 4:00pm on Tuesday will need to be canceled by 4:00pm on Monday. Classes not cancelled in time are considered to be absences and are billed accordingly.
6) How do you make sure I'll be in the right group ?
All new students follow a 2 step evaluation process:
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Take our online written test.
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Carry out a personal oral interview ahead of your arrival. This normally takes place via Zoom and takes about 10-30 minutes.
These two steps helps us better understand your Spanish profile and make sure you will be placed at the most appropriate group based on your areas of improvement, needs, objectives, and language skills.
8) What is the teaching methodology ?
Our school focuses on modern communicative approaches to teaching Spanish. It focuses on meaningful communication and not on a rigid and traditional structure. In this approach, students are given cooperative tasks to accomplish a correct and controlled use of language, rather than only studying grammar rules in isolation. Classes are student-centered, and students are immersed fully in Spanish to communicate with peers.
10) Should I bring any class materials ?
You only need to bring a notebook and some pens or pencils. Our school will provide you with access to our Online Campusbooklets, copies, and other study materials for free (no extra charges).
12) What is the minimum length of classes I need to sign up for?
The minimum required time to join our small group classes program is one week. For private classes, students can sign up for one day or more (1.5 hours minimum).
Accommodations
1) What's the Difference between a homestay and a shared apartment?
A homestay is a great opportunity to live with a local family and get to know more about our customs and culture on a daily basis. In the other hand,
shared apartments offers the chance to live with young locals and have a greater level of independence. Both experiences allow you to practice your Spanish on a regular basis and in a home environment
3) Is there internet at home?
Yes! However, please note that internet quality and signal will depend on where the modem is located (walls in Peru are made of concrete and, for this reason, strong internet signal inside your bedroom cannot be assured).
5) Are accommodations close to school ?
Yes! Most of our accommodations (both homestays and shared apartments) are located in Miraflores, 15 to 35 minutes walking distance from/to school.
We also have other accommodations and shared apartments located only 15-20 minutes away by public transportation in exclusive areas of San Isidro or in the bohemian neighborhood of Barranco (these two neighborhoods are adjacent to the neighborhood of Miraflores, where the school is located).
7) About shared apartments: with how many other students will I live?
Very likely, you will be sharing the apartment with 2 more people. One of them will be the apartment owner who will usually also live in the same
apartment. The other person staying in the apartment is normally another student from our school or another young Peruvian professional.
9) Why does Peruwayna charge less for housing than the market rate?
In order to make our accommodation prices more affordable, our school does not take a cut from what our students pay to their families/landlords. This
is why payments are done directly with them and cash is the only method of payment available (they can't accept credit cards as they are not businesses). If you know you will not be able to pay in cash, a wire transfer is available as an alternative way to pay your family/shared apartment owner.
2) Can I bring friends home ?
Unfortunately, because of security concerns, neither apartment owners or host families allow guests to stay overnight. Students will be able to invite guests only with the knowledge and permission of their apartment family or owner, and during visiting hours (daily from 10am to 9pm)
4) Can I move-in before starting classes ?
Yes! In fact, we highly encourage you to move to your accommodation before starting classes. This is in order to have some time to settle in, get used to your new house, and get ready to start your new Spanish program.
6) Is laundry included?
Unfortunately, most people don't have washing machines at home as their clothes would take several days to dry off because of the very humid weather of Lima (it usually takes up to 4 days for garments to air dry). Instead, people choose to use laundries where they can get their clothes cleaned in just a couple hours for cheap (normally a regular size load will cost you around $3-$5 including washing, drying, and folding).
8) Can I extend my stay?
Of course! If your plans change, we will happily extend your stay as long as we have the availability to do so (since there may be other students who are scheduled to arrive after your initial departure date). Even though we can't assure 100% that we will be able to successfully arrange your new requested dates, we promise we will do our best to try to make it happen or to find alternative housing options.
10) Do I need to pay for utility bills in a shared apartment?
No. All apartment bills such as electricity, internet, cable, telephone, water, gas, building security, building maintenance, and municipality fees will be paid by your host. In other words, what you pay per day is all you will pay, and there are no extra fees or charges.
11) Do I get a discount for a long stay?
Our accommodation prices have already been reduced to the most affordable prices possible (for this reason, we neither take a cut from what our students pay for their accommodations, and all payments are made directly to our families/shared apartment owners).
Payments
1) When and how should I pay for classes ?
We don't require deposits prior to your arrival at school, and you can pay in person when you begin your program. We offer various payment methods, including cash (in Peruvian soles or US Dollars at the current exchange rate), and all major credit or debit cards (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Diners Club, etc.). For those preferring not to use cards onsite, we can provide a payment link for secure online transactions.
3) Are there any extra fees or registration fees?
No, there are no extra fees. You just need to pay for the cost of your classes and that's it!
Our prices already include taxes, study materials (booklets), a certificate of studies, and necessary interviews. Also, please note that we do not charge any registration fees.
2) When and how should I pay for accommodation ?
To keep our accommodation prices affordable, our school does not take a commission from payments made to host families/landlords. Therefore, payments are made directly to them, and only cash is accepted, as they cannot process credit card payments. Additionally, to provide more flexibility, students can opt to pay for their accommodation on a weekly basis instead of paying upfront for their entire stay. This arrangement allows students to manage their finances more conveniently during their time with us.
4) What is your cancellation and refund policy ?
If for any reason you need to cancel your program, we will be happy to issue a prompt reimbursement for classes you have paid for and have not taken.
However, please note that you should bring your original receipt, and, if you have paid by card, it may take up to 20 days for the refund to be completed.
Finally please note that we do not apply any administrative fees or extra charges to issue refunds.
5) What if I change my program but I already paid?
No problem! The classes you already paid for, but have not taken, will be used as credit for future classes.