How to Maintain Spanish After Study Abroad

By Milagros de la Horra

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June 01, 2025

Contents

Introduction

Why It’s Important to Continue Spanish After Study Abroad

What Schools Can Do to Help Returnees

Tips to Keep Up Spanish After Returning From Abroad

What Schools Can Do About Teacher Shortages

Keep Spanish for Career Success

Help From School Leaders

Summary: Keep the Language Alive

Introduction

Studying abroad is a great way to improve your Spanish. You get to live in a Spanish-speaking country, talk to locals every day, and learn the language through real-life experience. But once you return home, it can be hard to keep those Spanish skills. So how can you maintain Spanish after study abroad?

This blog offers simple tips for students to keep practicing Spanish after their immersion program ends. Whether you’re a returnee or a school leader trying to support your students, this guide is for you.

Why It’s Important to Continue Spanish After Study Abroad

When you live in a Spanish-speaking country, your brain gets used to hearing and using Spanish every day. This makes learning fast and easy.

Once you're home, you may stop using Spanish. That's when language attrition occurs. You begin to forget what you’ve learned.

That’s why it’s important to maintain Spanish skills regularly. Practicing even a little each day helps you remember the grammar, vocabulary, and fluency you worked so hard for. Plus, keeping your Spanish strong can give you better career options in the future.

What Schools Can Do to Help Returnees

Universities and high schools can do a lot to help students maintain Spanish after study abroad. Here are a few ways schools can support language maintenance after immersion.

1. Offer Spanish Proficiency Exams

These tests help students know how much Spanish they remember and what they need to work on.

Assessment: Tests help measure your language level.
Improvement: They show your strong and weak areas.
Certification: You get proof of your Spanish level, which is useful when applying for jobs.

Many universities now use these tests to help students continue learning even after they return from abroad.

2. Include Study Abroad in Classroom Activities

Students should use their study abroad stories in class. This helps them connect what they learned overseas with what they’re learning now.

Some ideas include:

Reflective writing: Students can write essays about their time abroad.
Cultural events: Schools can host Spanish movie nights, food days, or culture clubs.
Spanish projects: Teachers can give group or solo projects that require using Spanish.

Some schools even have guest lectures from past students who talk about their study abroad journey. It inspires others and helps keep Spanish alive on campus.

Tips to Keep Up Spanish After Returning From Abroad

If you’re a student back from a Spanish immersion program, don’t worry. You can keep your fluency. Here are easy ways to practice Spanish after returning home.

1. Make a Daily Practice Routine

Creating a Spanish practice routine helps you stay consistent. Try these daily Spanish habits to stay fluent after returning home:

Read in Spanish: Books, blogs, or news articles.
Use language apps: Duolingo, Babbel, or Rosetta Stone.
Watch Spanish content: YouTube videos, Netflix shows, or TikTok in Spanish.

Just 15–20 minutes a day can make a big difference in your fluency maintenance.

2. Join Spanish Language Communities

Keep talking with others! Practicing with people makes it fun and helps with memory.

Language exchange meetups: Find a local group where people speak Spanish together.
Online groups: Join Spanish-speaking social media groups or Discord channels.
Attend events: Go to Spanish music nights, film festivals, or cultural fairs near you.

3. Take More Spanish Classes

If you miss structured learning, go for online courses. Many websites offer lessons you can take anytime, anywhere.

One of the best ways to keep up your Spanish after studying abroad is to continue learning and how to create a Spanish immersion environment at home. You can practice grammar, vocabulary, and cultural topics.

What Schools Can Do About Teacher Shortages

Some schools, especially in K-12 districts, struggle with not having enough Spanish teachers. Funding can also be a problem. Here’s how higher education can help with language maintenance after immersion:

Scalable Solutions for Schools

Partner with online language platforms: Schools can use outside programs like Comligo to offer Spanish learning even if they don’t have teachers.
Train the teachers they already have: Short courses or workshops can help K-12 teachers become better Spanish instructors.

This helps both current students and post-study abroad Spanish learners stay on track.

Keep Spanish for Career Success

Spanish isn’t just useful in class it can also open doors in your career. That’s why it’s so important to maintain Spanish skills after study abroad.

Here’s how Spanish can help your future:

Bilingual jobs: Many companies want employees who speak two languages, especially for sales, customer service, or international business.
Global networking: Knowing Spanish lets you connect with professionals in over 20 countries.
Cultural understanding: Knowing the language also means knowing the culture this can help in marketing or business roles.

So if you want to stand out to employers, don’t lose your Spanish. Keep practicing!

Help From School Leaders

Administrators can support their students and teachers with strong programs. Here are some good steps to take:

Partner with trusted platforms: Schools can team up with language learning companies like Comligo.
Use student data: Track how students perform so programs can improve.
Get feedback often: Talk to students and teachers about what works and what doesn’t.

These steps help keep post-study abroad Spanish practice effective and exciting for students.

Summary: Keep the Language Alive

To sum up, if you want to maintain Spanish after study abroad, you need to stay active and consistent. Whether you're a student or a school leader, there are many tools and strategies you can use to keep your language strong.

Here’s a quick checklist for returnees:

Make a Spanish practice routine
Join language exchange meetups
Use Spanish apps and websites
Take online Spanish courses
Stay connected with Spanish culture

And for schools:

Offer Spanish proficiency tests
Add study abroad stories to lessons
Help students join Spanish communities
Solve teacher and funding issues
Prepare students for global jobs

Comligo Can Help

At Comligo, we’re proud to support schools and students with strong, flexible Spanish programs. Our platform helps you build fluency and confidence long after your study abroad trip ends.

Let’s work together to make sure no student loses their language skills after returning home. Keep your Spanish alive. The journey doesn’t end this is just the next chapter.

Milagros de la Horra

Academic Team

Milagros De La Horra is a Spanish teacher from Rosario, Argentina, with experience teaching learners of all ages. She brings her background in creative writing, editing, and literature into the classroom. Passionate about culture and language, Milagros uses games, videos, and poetry to create engaging, meaningful learning experiences.