FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Yes. The San Diego Trolley to the border is safe, clean, economical and efficient. The coaches from Tijuana to Ensenada are also safe, clean, economical and efficient. And fun.

Yes. The drive to Ensenada is all well marked and the toll way (cuota) is in superb condition. Legally you must have at least liability insurance on your personal car. Rental agencies will insist you purchase Mexican insurance from them directly.

Students arriving from the US and Canada should fly into San Diego International Airport.

Ensenada has a private airport, but it does not allow commercial flights. Tijuana has an international airport. If your flight originates outside of the US or Canada, flying into Tijuana may be your best option.

Students arriving at the San Diego airport intending to use public transportation should allow around three hours to get to Ensenada. The trip to the trolley is about 15 minutes. The trolley to the border is about 50 minutes. The bus to Ensenada is about 90 minutes.

The College is a 1 hour and 45 minute drive from the San Diego International Airport.

No. A passport is not required to enter Mexico and reenter the US. However, it is always a good idea when traveling abroad. A government issued photo ID is all that’s needed to enter Mexico and to reenter the US.

No. In fact, most Ensenadenses do NOT speak English. Most do know some English words. It is easy to avoid English speakers in Ensenada. English is spoken mainly in the center city “tourist” area.

The College and the homestays are in Spanish speaking areas.

First of all, Ensenada is not a border town. It' 75 miles south of the Tijuana/San Ysidro border. Ensenada does not have the daily tourist traffic of a border town. Once south of Tijuana en route to Ensenada you’ll immediately realize that you’re no longer in the border zone.

Ensenada actively promotes tourism and is popular as both a travel destination and a resting point for those driving or yachting up and down the Baja Peninsula. The center city area caters predominately to the tourists and cruise ship passengers.

If you want to entirely avoid English speakers, stay clear of the center city area.

Absolutely. The streets are safe to walk. The sidewalks are even safer.

No. There are no pyramids. No ruins either.

The climate has been described as mild Mediterranean. We rarely see any temperatures above 80F in Ensenada during the summer. There is a lot of sun and a cool Pacific breeze. Average highs are around 74F. Some of the hottest days are when the winter Santa Ana winds blow. Daily highs can reach the 90s in December and January.

It's best to dress in layers as the mornings and evenings are cool while the afternoons are sunny and mild. We think the climate is just a little better than that in San Diego.

You may enroll for a single day or for as long as 10 weeks. There is no specific start or end day to the Spanish Immersion Programs.

The Small Group Spanish Immersion Program is a weekly course. Students enroll for a week or several weeks. Multiple classes are in session concurrently every day. In short, you may enroll for as many weeks as you like.

The Private Spanish Immersion Program may be taken weekly for as many individual days as you like. Including weekends.

The Small Group Spanish Immersion Program begins every Monday throughout the year. There is a orientation on Sunday at 2:00PM for all new students who plan to start on Monday. Classes are Monday through Friday from 8:30 to 2:30. The Private Spanish Immersion Program can begin on any day. Hours are also 8:30 to 2:30 Monday through Friday.

If enrolled in the Small Group Immersion Program, it is best to start on a Monday. However, it is not mandatory. You are welcome to join a small group during the week. A daily tuition rate applies to students who join a group after Monday. Students in the Private Immersion Program may begin on any day; including weekends.

The Small Group Spanish Immersion Program is limited to a maximum of 5 students per instructor. It is our most popular program. Although students receive plenty of personal attention, the topics covered are those that benefit the entire group and not of just one individual.

Some students thrive in a one-on-one environment. Mostly they demand the challenge, need the individual attention or have specific subject matter they would want to cover. In this case the Private Immersion Program is the best selection.

Many students find that starting with a week of Private and then taking Group classes works best for them. Others will take group classes during the week and private classes during the weekends.

There is no registration fee. A $40.00 deposit is required to accompany each application. The deposit must be received at least one week prior to enrollment before placement can be guaranteed. We do not accept credit cards. Deposits cannot be made by telephone. You must mail a check or money to our San Diego mailing office. The deposit is non-refundable. However, it will be applied to your tuition when you arrive for your orientation on the determined date. You can enroll by mailing in hardcopy applications, homestay forms and deposits. You can also enroll by completing the online forms and mailing just the deposit.

Yes. We are partnered with Arizona Western College in Yuma, Arizona. Spanish immersion students can earn up to 6 fully transferable US college credits. Two credits per 30 hour week can be earned. Students must first enroll at AWC before they attend the College in Ensenada. Students must be at least 16 years old and must complete all required assignments and homework.

You must request an official transcript from Arizona Western College. It is a very good idea to first check with the Spanish language department where you want the credits transferred. Each college and university has different policies about transferring credits. Arizona Western College is a fully accredited US institution.

Yes. The Medical Spanish Program is sanctioned by the California Board of Registered Nurses. Our certified provider number is #14344. Students earn 30 CE units by completing a one week program.

Yes. The Medical Spanish Program is offered for four weeks in March and four weeks in October every year. Students may enroll for as many weeks as they wish without worrying about repeating subject matter.

All students who complete the Medical Spanish Program are mailed an official Certificate of Completion at no charge.

Students in the Small Group Immersion Program and the Private Immersion Program must pay $25 for a Certificate of Completion or a transcript. These are mailed to students once payment is received and course completion is verified.

Once we receive your completed application and homestay form we have enough information to properly place you with a family. We make every effort possible to match the preferences you indicated on your homestay form with the appropriate family.

Final placement isn’t made until the Friday or Saturday before your Sunday orientation.

Yes. If for any reason you are not happy in the homestay where you were placed, you may switch to another family.

All of the host families are within three miles of the school. Most are much closer than three miles.

If you prefer not to walk to school and do not have personal transportation, your host family will drop you off in the morning and pick you up in the afternoon. The homestay will expect $20 per week extra for this service. Taxis cost $7 per ride anywhere in Ensenada. Public transportation is also an option.

All host families provide a private room and three meals per day. They also provide clean towels, sheets, blankets and pillows. They are responsible for laundering your towels and linens, but NOT your personal laundry.

There are laundry facilities close to every homestay. You can drop off your laundry in the morning and pick it up in the afternoon after class. The cost is about the same as if you were to do it yourself in a US laundromat.

Not necessarily. However, if you’d like to bring them something, bring a something consumable like chocolate, cheese, wine, jam, jelly, etc. If every student brought a little knick-knack the families would need warehouses to store them all.

The best gift of all would be to leave a generous tip upon your departure.

Yes. There are many gyms and clubs that offer daily and/or weekly rates.

Some are for women only, others feature racquetball, and others are more geared for body builders. There is also a new “24 Hour Fitness Type” gym that has been getting good reviews by students. Daily rates for these facilities range from around $5 to $10 per day.

There is never a slow weekend in Ensenada. Ensenada hosts a wide variety of festivals throughout the year. It is also the host of sailing regattas, SCORE Baja off road races, Rosarito-Ensenada Bike Ride, a half marathon, tequila celebrations, Carnival, etc. The list goes on and on with things to do during the weekends.

The best beach for swimming is about 7 miles south of Ensenada at Estero Beach. The boardwalk at the Ensenada harbor is only 14 blocks from the school.

Yes. There is surfing at Playa San Miguel which is about 4 miles north of Ensenada. It is difficult to rent boards and wetsuits so it's best to bring your own equipment. There are many famous breaks along the Baja coast both north and south of Ensenada.

Sullivan Field is a centrally located recreation area with basketball courts, a soccer field, an outdoor synthetic 440 meter track and there is a skateboard park, too.

No. The College only accepts checks drawn against US bank accounts, US currency, travelers checks in US dollars and money orders in US dollars.

Tuition balance is due at your Sunday orientation. In certain instances it can also be paid on Monday morning before class begins.

Your host family is to be each week on Sunday. They are to be paid in cash. Either US or Mexican currency will be accepted. Host families do not accept checks, travelers checks, money orders, etc.

There are ATMs all over Ensenada that use the same network as US banks. Most all of them dispense pesos. It is not necessary to change dollars to pesos. All businesses accept US dollars. However, the exchange rate usually favors the business and change is typically given in pesos.

Yes. We offer a Pre-Pay Discount. Students who pre-pay for 5 or more weeks receive a 20% tuition discount.

Students who pre-pay for 10 weeks receive a 25% tuition discount. The pre-paid weeks do not have to be taken consecutively. However, they must be redeemed within 12 months from the date of purchase.

A Senior Discount is offered to students who are at least 65 years old. The 10% Senior Discount is only applied to the weekly Small Group Immersion Program.

A Family Discount of 15% is offered when 3 or more immediate family members are enrolled in the weekly Small Group Spanish Immersion Program at the same time.

Immediate family member is defined as parents and offspring only. It DOES NOT include brothers, sisters, in-laws, cousins, friends, or neighbors.

It's very possible. Even probable. And it's possible that it won’t work. There are no hard and fast rules about cell phone use in Ensenada. Some students have great success. Some can't get a signal.

The most surefire way to dial internationally out of Ensenada is by using a public telephone and a pre-paid calling card purchased in Ensenada.

Students are welcome to use our email account at the school to send and receive emails. However, the College does not provide WWW access to students.

There are internet cafés on virtually every street. There an internet café close to every homestay.

Taxis are safe and the drivers are honest. All transportation within the city of Ensenada is about $7 US. Be forewarned that a ride of 5 blocks cost the same as a 5 mile ride. The taxis do not have meters. Thus, there is a minimum fare.

Don’t think you are getting ripped-off when you are charged 70 pesos for a one mile ride. The taxi prices are the same for everyone.

Yes. However, it takes some getting used to. There are no printed bus schedules our printed routes. There are ‘micro buses’ that travel about the city and outside the city limits. They are economical and reliable. There are also green and blue community taxis that cost a fraction what a yellow private cab costs. Your host family or the instructors at the school can explain the public transportation system to you when you are in Ensenada.

Yes. There is safe parking in front of the College and across the street.

Homestays also have safe parking in front of their homes. Some homestays even offer a lock up area when students may park their vehicles.