Celas Maya offers special services to groups of colleges, universities, and other parties connected to churches, organizations or institutions. The group can come to Celas Maya to realize a part of their curriculum here. We do not offer this only in Guatemala, but also in other countries like Ecuador, San Cristóbal de las Casas, Oaxaca and Puebla in Mexico, and Masaya and Suchitoto in Nicaragua.

Group arrangements

We have the experience and administrative capacity to host (large) groups of students to study Spanish. Each spring for the past six years, CELAS Maya has hosted a group of more than 30 anthropology students from Utrecht University, the Netherlands, for three weeks of intensive language study. Various university and ministry groups from the United States, Canada and Europe have counted on our program year after year for their members.

For large groups, we arrange home stays with two or three students per family, and we communicate with a group leader prior to the group's arrival to plan special activities, and make schedules for equitably distributed internet access. Airport pick-up service and practical services such as laundry may also be arranged.

University Agreements

Celas Maya has agreements with Saint Johns University in Minnesota (USA) and with the University of Utrecht in Holland. With the University of Utrecht we have been working for 6 years, Saint Johns University for 4 years. Each year, groups of students from these universities arrive to realize investigations and to develop certain part of their study curriculum. The experience that these groups have in our programs is one of the understanding of the Spanish language and following specific courses which are in their curriculum (for example for anthropology students this includes Mayan cosmos vision, Mayan socio-economy, Guatemalan indigenous groups etc.)

After having taken intensive Spanish courses and the classes of their curriculum, the students are ready to go to the communities and realize field research in different subjects regarding their interests. Finally, they realize a report with the collected field research data. Furthermore they visit different indigenous communities to learn more about the Mayan culture, their believes, religion, habits and traditions.

These groups have chosen for Celas Maya, because we offer university students, especially for social sciences and business, the opportunity to develop a part of their studies abroad, not only in Guatemala but also in other countries like Mexico, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador and Ecuador

Each student group counts with 2 coordinators, one assigned by their own university, and one on behalf of Celas Maya. The university coordinators are responsible for the group; they provide the necessities and expectations of their groups. Based on that information, the Celas Maya coordinators will plan the work that has to be realized with the students groups.

The work of the Celas Maya coordinators is the constant training of the teachers team that work with the group, as well as the training of the families where the students will be accommodated.

The preparation of the material for the groups as well is an important aspect for the Celas Maya coordinators. They work very close with the team of teachers to update didactic material and implement new methods in teaching Spanish and Mayan languages like Quiché.

For your group, any personalized arrangement is possible. Please write us if you are interested ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ).