Seville still wants qualified English-medium teachers. The celebrated assistant program is gone, but licensed hires at private and international schools can land around €2,000–€3,000 gross a month—and here’s what it really takes.
The Claim Versus The Reality In 2025
Seville headlines can be confusing because they mash two job markets together: the old auxiliaries (cultural assistants on stipends) and fully employed teachers at private, international, or charter-like “concertado” schools. The first category has been canceled in Andalusia for 2025–26 after a labor inspection and legal fights. The second category keeps hiring—often year-round. There is no citywide €2,500 program, but there are jobs that pay near €2,500 if you have the right credentials. That distinction matters.
What changed this fall. In September 2025, the regional government announced it would eliminate ~1,800 foreign language-assistant placements in bilingual schools across Andalusia (Seville province included). Those posts historically paid a modest stipend (€800–€1,000) for 12–16 hours a week and were designed as cultural exchange, not full employment. They no longer exist here for 2025–26. Schools that counted on them are now hiring staff teachers or contracting academies to fill gaps. That’s the door licensed Americans can walk through.
Where “€2,500” comes from. International schools and some private secondary schools in Seville post salary bands that commonly sit in the €24k–€38k gross per year range (roughly €2,000–€3,100 gross/month over 12 months). Middle of that band rounds to “about €2,500.” It’s gross pay, not net, and it assumes you’re a qualified teacher, not an assistant. Set your expectation accordingly.
Who Is Actually Hiring (And Why)
Bilingual private and concertado schools. Seville’s dense network of bilingual primaries and secondaries still has English-medium subject hours to cover. With the assistant program gone, schools are backfilling with full teachers, often seeking native-level English plus a teaching license.
International schools. IB and British-curriculum schools hire year-round, expanding cohorts and replacing departures. These employers offer the highest salaries in the city, typically where you’ll see €2,500-ish gross/month for experienced teachers, department leads, or hard-to-fill subjects (STEM, IGCSE/IB). International schools are the lane where €2,500 lives.
Language academies (academias). Evening and after-school academies are everywhere. They hire CELTA/TEFL teachers on hourly contracts; monthly income can vary with hours and season. Total take-home often lands below €2,500, but schedules can be flexible.
Stopgap demand from the assistant exit. With 1,800 assistant posts removed, schools have a short-term staffing gap in conversation and oral-skills hours. Some are converting those hours into part-time employment or outsourcing to academies. That flurry is where quick interviews happen now. Assistant cuts created immediate hiring pockets—if you’re fully employable.
What “€2,500” Looks Like In Your Bank App
Gross vs net. Spain taxes income at progressive rates and with social security. A rough teacher profile at €30,000 gross/year sees net ~€1,900–€2,100/month depending on personal circumstances and number of pays (12 vs 14). At €35,000 gross, net might rise to the €2,200–€2,400 zone. Scan-hook: €2,500 gross can feel like ~€2,100 in your pocket. (Ranges vary by personal deductions and regional tables.)
12 vs 14 pays. Some schools pay 12 monthly salaries, others 14 (with extra half-salaries in summer/Christmas). The annual gross is the figure that matters; the monthly line can look smaller under 14-pay systems.
Cost of living. Seville’s rents are lower than Madrid/Barcelona but have climbed; a realistic single-teacher rent in the city is €650–€900, utilities €80–€120, transport (TUSSAM) €35–€45 with a monthly pass. A €2,100 net comfortably covers a modest flat and normal expenses; sharing a flat boosts savings. (We’ll leave these as directional and not prescriptive.)
The Paperwork: Visas, Recognition, And What Schools Expect
Visas for non-EU citizens. To teach legally, you’ll need an employer-sponsored work visa (cuenta ajena) or to be in Spain with an existing work-authorized residence (EU family, long-term, etc.). Some Americans apply via the student route first (master’s or Spanish study) to get limited work authorization, then convert later; others are hired from abroad with a full sponsorship. Schools familiar with international hires will guide you. Scan-hook: No sponsorship, no classroom—papers drive the offer.
Credential recognition (homologación/équivalences). International schools often accept U.S. state licensure + relevant degree, especially for their own curricula. Concertado and private Spanish schools may ask for degree recognition to teach specific Spanish-curriculum subjects. If you’ll teach English/CLIL, schools sometimes proceed on contractual roles without full homologación, but career progression is smoother if you pursue recognition.
What gets interviews.
- State licensure (or PGCE/QTS) plus a language-teaching credential (CELTA/DELTA/MA TESOL) is gold.
- Two years of documented experience, IB/IGCSE familiarity, or STEM specialization open doors fastest.
- B2–C1 Spanish helps you handle staff meetings, families, and admin.
How To Navigate The 2025 Job Market (Month-By-Month)
October–December 2025: mid-term needs. With assistants gone, schools are identifying winter staffing fixes. This is a good time to walk CVs to academies and private bilingual schools and pitch conversation and oral exam prep capacity.
January–March 2026: prime hiring for August starts. International and private schools push out their formal vacancies. Prepare portfolio lessons, references, and license verification. Scan-hook: International schools recruit early—beat the spring rush.
April–June 2026: late-cycle and maternity cover. Schools finalize timetables; short-term contracts pop. If you want a foothold in Seville, cover roles are credible entry points that often extend.
Where to look.
- School sites and IB/COBIS job boards for international roles.
- Local teacher groups and Spanish job boards for private/concertado posts.
- Door-knocking academies with a demo lesson ready.
What Schools Need Now (And How To Match It)
CLIL and exam prep. Bilingual streams require content teachers (science, history, geography) who can teach in English. If that’s you, you’re rare. Scan-hook: Content in English beats “just conversation.”
Early years and primary. Phonics, literacy frameworks, and classroom management in English are valued. Bring assessments and a classroom video in your portfolio.
Secondary English. Literature + language + Cambridge/Trinity prep. Show schemes of work and outcomes.
STEM in English. Scarce and prized. If you can teach IGCSE Physics/Math or IB MYP/DP, your inbox fills.
Learning support / EAL. Schools need EAL specialists to bridge bilingual cohorts. If you have SEN training, flag it.
Money Talk: Offer Structures And Negotiating
Base + extras. Typical packages include base salary, paid holidays per the Spanish school calendar, and sometimes lunch or professional development budget. International schools might support visa costs and credential upgrades.
What’s negotiable.
- A small bump for hard-to-fill subjects.
- PD funding (IB workshops, safeguarding, SEN).
- Relocation help, modest but real.
- Pays distribution (12 vs 14) in some cases.
What usually isn’t. Spanish social security contributions, hours inside the statutory teacher week, and the academic calendar.
Scan-hook: You negotiate PD and subjects before you negotiate salary.
Common Misreads That Sink Applications
“I did the assistant program; I can teach a timetable.” Assistants shadow; teachers carry legal responsibility for groups, assessments, and families. Hiring panels spot the difference.
“I can arrive on a tourist entry and convert.” Conversions can be slow or blocked; schools prefer candidates with a ready or viable work path.
“€2,500 net is standard.” It isn’t. It’s a mid-range gross in Seville’s private/international market. Budget on net.
“Any TEFL is enough.” For international schools and many private schools, state licensure (or PGCE/QTS) is the ticket; CELTA/DELTA is a strong plus, not a substitute.
Living On A Teacher’s Salary In Seville
Sample monthly net at mid-band. At €30,000 gross, plan ~€2,000–€2,100 net. A solo teacher renting a one-bed at €800, utilities €100, transport €40, groceries €220, phone/fiber €40, leaves €700–€900 for going out, PD, and savings. Sharing a flat adds €300–€400 back to your month.
Where teachers live. Triana/Los Remedios (walkable but pricier), Macarena/Alameda (lively), Nervión (practical, metro), and San Bernardo/San Julián pockets. Scan-hook: Flat-sharing stretches a Seville teacher’s net the farthest.
If You’re Coming From The U.S., Do This Before You Apply
Get your state license docs in order. Digital copies + apostilles if requested. If you’re PGCE/QTS, keep your Teacher Reference Number handy.
Collect proof of safeguarding/child protection training. Spanish employers increasingly ask; international schools require it.
Build a bilingual CV. English first, concise Spanish second. One-page each.
Prepare two demo lessons you can deliver live or on video: a content-in-English lesson and an EAL/readers’ workshop block.
Line up references who can reply quickly across time zones. Delays kill offers.
Scan-hook: Documents win interviews; demo lessons win jobs.
Edge Cases And Smart Alternatives
You want Seville but lack licensure. Consider hourly academies while you earn a license online (or PGCEi) and build classroom video. Expect income below €2,500 until you complete credentials.
You have licensure but no EU work rights. Target international schools first; they’re most used to sponsorship. Keep timelines realistic; visa lead time can run months.
You teach a niche subject. Music, arts, and PE in English exist, but hours can fragment. Pair your niche with EAL or exam prep to round out a contract.
What This Means For You (And For Seville)
Seville is not paying every American teacher €2,500/month. It is hiring qualified teachers into bilingual and international classrooms where €2,000–€3,000 gross/month is normal—and €2,500 sits right in the middle for the right profile. The assistant route is closed in Andalusia this year; the professional route is open. If you bring licensure, subject depth, and a visa path, you will find interviews. If you bring only a stipend-era CV, recalibrate, upskill, and treat Seville’s academies as your launch pad, not your landing spot.
About the Author: Ruben, co-founder of Gamintraveler.com since 2014, is a seasoned traveler from Spain who has explored over 100 countries since 2009. Known for his extensive travel adventures across South America, Europe, the US, Australia, New Zealand, Asia, and Africa, Ruben combines his passion for adventurous yet sustainable living with his love for cycling, highlighted by his remarkable 5-month bicycle journey from Spain to Norway. He currently resides in Spain, where he continues sharing his travel experiences with his partner, Rachel, and their son, Han.