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4.7 / 5Overall Rating
3,272Reviews
47Programs
2003Year established

About MAXIMO NIVEL

Maximo Nivel is a leading educational travel and study abroad organization. We offer a range of programs in Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Peru, including Volunteer Abroad, International Internships, Native Spanish Program, TEFL Certification, Adventure and Culture programs, and more. We offer comprehensive instruction and learning, academic credit for most programs, and a fun and professional environment. Founded in 2003, Maximo Nivel is a professional, ethical, and hardworking organization dedicated to providing a great experience to every student, participant, and client. We aim to deliver safe, affordable, high-quality programs, provide the best Spanish language immersion in Latin America, improve the impact at every volunteer project site where our volunteers work, train and certify world-class ESL teachers, organize excellent internships, and help people see the world.

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MAXIMO NIVEL Reviews

Hear what past participants have to say about MAXIMO NIVEL

4.7
3,272 reviews

Rating breakdown

5
730
4
263
3
5
2
0
1
2

Top categories

Support Services
5.0
Quality of the Course
4.9
Course Instructor
4.8
Practical Experience
4.8
Host School or Placement
4.7
Program Administration
4.7

Participated in a MAXIMO NIVEL Program? Share your experience now.

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Showing 1-20 of 3,272 reviews

Josie CrowderUnited States · October 2026
From: Get TEFL Certified in Costa Rica! Job Placement Guarantee

I had an amazing experience with TEFL

I had a great experience in the TEFL program. The workload was manageable and the class was very practical. The teacher Russ was very kind and intelligent. It was a great experience overall, no complaints.

Marc HigginbothamUnited States · October 2026
From: Get TEFL Certified in Costa Rica! Job Placement Guarantee

Life Changing Experience!

I cannot say enough good things about my experience with Máximo Nivel in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica! I came into this program excited to begin a new chapter in my life, and I’m leaving with so much more than just a TEFL certification. The four-week program is intensive, challenging, and incredibly rewarding. The combination of classroom instruction, lesson planning, observations, and hands-on teaching experience really pushes you to grow and develop your skills. One of the things I appreciated most was how much emphasis the program places on actually applying what you learn. By the end of the course, I felt significantly more confident in my ability to plan and deliver effective English lessons. I especially want to recognize Russ, who is an incredible instructor! His knowledge, experience, and dedication to helping his students succeed really make a difference. He provides constructive, thoughtful feedback that challenges you to improve while also helping you recognize your strengths. It’s clear that he genuinely cares about preparing his students to become successful teachers, and I couldn’t have asked for a better instructor to guide me through this experience. What really stands out to me is how much personal and professional growth I’ve experienced in just four weeks. This program challenged me to step outside my comfort zone, develop new skills, and discover a passion for teaching. If you’re considering earning your TEFL certification, I highly recommend Máximo Nivel. Come prepared to work hard, embrace the experience, and challenge yourself. You’ll walk away with practical teaching experience, valuable knowledge, and memories that will last a lifetime. I’m incredibly grateful for this experience and excited to take everything I’ve learned into the next chapter of my teaching career!

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Camila PattonUnited States · October 2026
From: Get TEFL Certified in Peru! Job Placement Guarantee

I had an AMAZING time!

I was scared to do this program but Sean is a very cool and nice teacher made me feel comfortable and confident, I loved having Sean as a teacher he made sure I was understanding all the concepts and took time to guide me.

Mary ReaCanada · October 2026
From: Get TEFL Certified in Peru! Job Placement Guarantee

Best TEFL experience you could do

Sean at Máximo Nivel in cusco peru is absolutely outstanding. He has a wealth of knowledge and experience he’s eager to share, provides incredible insight on future opportunities and is dedicated to your future as an esl teacher. The international in house team are there for you every step of the way for any concerns. Highly recommend

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Ryan McNelisIreland · October 2026
From: Teach English in Guatemala! Volunteering Projects Abroad

Once in a lifetime experience

Had an amazing time in Guatemala with Maximo Nivel. Everything ran very smoothly. The staff were nice and the facilities were great. Events were organised every week to help volunteers get to know each other as well.

Daniel WalshUnited States · October 2026
From: Conservation in Latin America: Sea Turtles, Wildlife, & More

Great turtle time!

Overall, turtle conservation was a great experience. I got to see many, many turtles throughout the Aribada. Though, much of the day was boring due to a lack of work and activities to do during the day.

Nikolai LangilleUnited States · October 2026
From: Volunteer in Guatemala! Community Construction Programs

Guatemala Experience

I volunteered through this organization in summer of 2026 in Antigua Guatemala. Such a wonderful program. I felt safe and welcomed. My volunteer experience was appreciated.I was able to interact with the locals and experience Guatemalan Culture. I had plenty of time to also engage in tourist activities and brush up on my Spanish speaking skills. The program is very affordable for the solo traveler. I would volunteer with this organization again. I had a great time traveling abroad. I love the Latin-American culture. Awesome people and good culture.

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David MursetUnited States · October 2026
From: Volunteer in Latin America! Costa Rica, Guatemala, & Peru

What a wonderful and rewarding experience!

We really enjoyed working with the staff. They were very professional, friendly, helpful, fun, and informative. We loved our project! It taught us so many wonderful lessons of compassion, friendship, patience, and diversity. We definitely want to come again!

John SykesUnited States · October 2026
From: Customize Your GAP Year Program in Costa Rica!

Pretty awesome.

Spanish classes were good I’m definitely improving which is spectacular. The volunteering was really cool for turtle conservation - not much sleep but a whole lot of turtles. Haven’t finished program but am looking forward to Manuel Antonio.

Ella GallagherUnited States · October 2026
From: Volunteer in Latin America! Costa Rica, Guatemala, & Peru

Learned how to live the pura vida lifestyle!

This program was very cool! we got to experience so much with all the other volunteers from night patrols, trash pickup and more! I loved all the people I met, and I feel like I made such great connections!☀️🪷🌊🌿🏄🤙

Abigail OlsonUnited States · October 2026
From: Customize Your GAP Year Program in Costa Rica!

very cool experience

Spent a month volunteering with the turtles in ostional. Such an incredible experience to see the arribada and all of the turtles in the night. Beach and sunsets were so beautiful and I met so many amazing cool people!

Henrietta BaranyaiHungary · October 2026
From: Volunteer in Latin America! Costa Rica, Guatemala, & Peru

Volunteering at the jungle

I´ve spent a month at Panthera Sanctuary. I have the utmost respect for the Aldo and Cristobal. They´ve made me feel welcomed and safe from day 1. I had some reservations and fears of course before my arrival considering the remoteness of the location. But they made sure we were well informed and looked after at all times. The place is a paradise, I would recommend this program to everyone who wants to be a part of something bigger, who loves animals and nature or just for digital detox. Even though we´ve had no internet connection in the sanctuary, the guys from Maximo Nivel´s office sent us regular updates and checked-in on us. I thank the whole team for this once in a lifetime experience.

Nicole JacksonUnited States · October 2026
From: Online TEFL Certification with Job Placement Guarantee

TEFL Practical Teaching Week

I would like to mention Sean who encouraged me throughout my Practical Teaching week. I appreciate him sharing his confidence that I could finish the week well. I am greatful for his experience and guidance.

Jeffrey WheatleyUnited States · October 2026
From: Get TEFL Certified in Guatemala | Job Placement Guarantee!

Fantastic!

My experience with Maximo Nivel in the TEFL Certification Program was amazing. My instructor was so energetic, knowledgeable and caring, it made the whole course very doable. I would suggest this course to anyone thinking about teaching English as a foreign language, if you’re on the fence this will help get you into teaching!

Daniel StuckeyUnited Kingdom · October 2026
From: Intern in Latin America! Costa Rica, Guatemala, & Peru

Amazing Experience overall!

The pre-administration was a little unclear, but everything else once we got to Costa Rica was amazing, the location was convenient, the activities on offer were numerous, the people were very friendly and the work was valuable, would Pura Vida again

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Mariya PatelUnited Kingdom · October 2026
From: Intern in Latin America! Costa Rica, Guatemala, & Peru

An Invaluable Experience

The staff were very supportive, available, and at hand to respond to inquiries and helped and addressed any issues I had quickly and proactively. The placement was interesting, informative and valuable. The spanish lessons were excellent and well delivered. The internship workshops equally so. Costa Rica is an exceptionally beautiful country and I thoroughly enjoyed experiencing and exploring it.

Mariya PatelUnited Kingdom · October 2026
From: Intern in Latin America! Costa Rica, Guatemala, & Peru

A once in a lifetime experience

I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Costa Rica. The staff were consistently supportive, available and responsive. They were always at hand, ready to help and addressed and solved any issues I had quickly and effectively. The internship workshops and Spanish lessons were very interesting, helpful, well taught and delivered and I learned a lot. Chris (my spanish teacher) and Dakota (my workshop faciliator) are both very kknowledgeable about their subjects and helped me learn a lot. My work placement was well chosen and an invaluable experience from which I gained a lot. Costa Rica is an incredibly beautiful country and I am forever grateful to have experienced it with the support and help of the team at Maximo Nivel.

Alison MatthewsUnited Kingdom · October 2026
From: Conservation in Latin America: Sea Turtles, Wildlife, & More

Working with tye turtles was magical

Total immersion into jungle living, surprise sightings of jungle animals, simple local food and beach patrols under star-filled skies, not to mention the wonder of seeing turtles laying their eggs and releasing tiny hatchlings into the ocean.

Photos

Marco MedaItaly · October 2026
From: Conservation in Latin America: Sea Turtles, Wildlife, & More

the best experience of my life!!

Participating in the volunteer program for the sea turtle conservation program in Costa Rica with MÁXIMO NIVEL was an absolutely amazing experience. To be completely honest, you definitely need an adaptable mindset. You will be immersing yourself in authentic local contexts, adjusting to a different lifestyle, and stepping out of your comfort zone every single day.However, getting hands-on with marine conservation and taking part in night beach patrols, protecting nesting sites in the hatchery, collecting vital scientific data, and releasing hatchlings into the ocean makes every challenge completely worth it. That being said, Máximo Nivel's organization was fantastic from day one. The local team is incredibly professional, supportive, and always available to assist with anything you need—from orientation to daily project management. You feel safe, well-guided, and genuinely valued throughout the entire journey.

ines vielhabenGermany · October 2026
From: Spanish Immersion Online | Fast-Track Your Fluency!

Intensivo y simpatico

Maximo Nivel fue muy flexible a la hora de organizar el curso, adaptándose perfectamente al horario que tenía disponible durante el día. Además, me encantó poder participar en actividades con otros estudiantes en San José y vivir de cerca experiencias culturales, como las celebraciones y los desfiles del Día de la Independencia de Costa Rica. También recomiendo mucho el programa de tándem, ya que me permitió conocer y conectar con personas de Centroamérica y practicar el español en un ambiente muy agradable y auténtico.

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MAXIMO NIVEL Interviews

Read interviews from alumni or staff

Sarah Danielle Mestas

Sarah Danielle Mestas

Participated in 2018

Alumni

Sarah Danielle is a 24 years old who is currently a kindergarten teacher in California. She has worked with children ages 1-16 over the last six years...

After teaching English in Italy in 2016, I realized that I wanted to take this career path more seriously and invest in my education with a TEFL certification. I want to teach in a country that is different than America, where I can genuinely make a difference and help children to have more opportunities in their lives by speaking English and having me as their teacher.

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Ken Jones

Ken Jones

Interviewed in 2018

Staff

Ken and his partner Giovanna are the Founders of Maximo Nivel—the Intercultural Center of Latin America. Maximo Nivel is a locally-based, social enter...

Today on GoAbroad we bring you an interview with Ken. Our interview today jumps into some of the new and exciting developments at Maximo Nivel. See why going abroad with this dynamic organization could be the perfect fit for you!

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Tyler Werboweski

Tyler Werboweski

Participated in 2017

Alumni

Tyler is a primary care paramedic from Canada. He has traveled to many places before as a tourist, and this experience has given him a new vision of the world.

By volunteering with Maximo Nivel, I was able to volunteer and be immersed in the culture of the city I helped in. Traveling has always been a passion of mine, and this program allowed me to travel the world in an aspect most tourists never get to experience!

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Joy Lafferty

Joy Lafferty

Participated in 2017

Alumni

Joy has two sons and three grandchildren. She is a retired social worker, but she spent the majority of her career helping people with disabilities, a...

I love to travel and felt I needed a purpose, and volunteering in any capacity certainly fulfills that need.

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Casandra Fountain

Casandra Fountain

Participated in 2016

Alumni

Casandra is from Calgary, Canada. She hikes every weekend in Banff and Kananaskis. Casandra has traveled all over Canada and the United States, and ha...

The purpose for this trip was to "find" myself.

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Yijia Wen - 2016 Program Participant

Yijia Wen - 2016 Program Participant

Participated in 2016

Alumni

Yijia is a Chinese girl living alone in New Zealand. She is currently in university and planning for a master’s degree in teaching. Yijia has traveled...

I am always longing to live with a clear purpose, to make sure I am pursuing what I really want. So, I chose to go abroad to find myself. Before leaving, I was always not sure whether "I want to be a teacher" or "my mother wants me to be a teacher", whether "I want to live in New Zealand" or "my mother wants me to live in New Zealand". In my first year at uni, I have been getting to know that something you like might not be what you really like. Instead, you are just imagining "I like it. I like it." The only way to clarify my genuine enthusiasm and imaginary enthusiasm is to try to experience it by myself.

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Candace Taylor

Candace Taylor

Participated in 2015

Alumni

Candace is a registered nurse from Canada. She is currently specializing in critical care in Calgary, Alberta. A few years ago, she took up solo trave...

I have always loved traveling. I've been to several counties within Asia, Europe, North America, as well as Australia and New Zealand. I was always moved most when I traveled to 3rd world countries and saw just how much they needed and yet how welcoming and happy they appeared. I wanted to go to South America, particularly Cusco, Peru. This time I decided it was time to give back. So I applied for a volunteer mission as a nurse, which is the profession I hold in Canada. As expected, there was a very strong need for nurses and health care workers in general so the process was short and sweet. I saved for my plane ticket and off I went.

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Emily Zaye

Emily Zaye

Participated in 2016

Alumni

Emily is a 25 year old Spanish teacher from Ohio, where she has been teaching high school for almost three years. She studied abroad in Spain twice, b...

As a foreign language teacher, languages and travel are my passion. I try to travel as often as possible to improve my language skills and create new experiences I can share in my classroom.

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Katherine Trudel

Katherine Trudel

Participated in 2015

Alumni

Katherine is an English student, born and raised in London, Ontario, Canada. She has a business diploma and two years of experience as an administrati...

I never did much when I was in high school. I wasn't exactly the ambitious type. Then when my Mom died, something changed. I wanted to step out of my comfort zone and see the world. All I did was work and study. Life is too short to be stuck behind a desk! At that point, I had made a list of places I wanted to visit and Machu Picchu was at the top of that list. Originally, a group of us were going to go; just a quick, week long trip. But that never happened, because there was too much work to be done, bills to pay, and never a good time.

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Gerhard Uys

Gerhard Uys

Participated in 2016

Alumni

Gerhard is an outdoor teacher from the beautiful country of South Africa. He studied communication science at the University of South Africa, and late...

I've always wanted to travel and see the world, but fear of the unknown kept me back and I slowly began to settle into a stable but monotonous job. Near the end of 2015, I realised that if I did not take action I could very likely live my whole life without ever having traveled abroad. After reading many motivational books and considering the pros and cons of my big decision over and over again, I finally decided to take a leap of faith and signed up for the TEFL training course, with the plan to work abroad immediately after completing the course.

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Maggie Kirkpatrick

Maggie Kirkpatrick

Participated in 2016

Alumni

Maggie has dreamed of living in Latin America since she began university in 2010. Once she graduated and realized she was no longer bound, she wasted ...

I studied Latin American Studies and Spanish in University, so working abroad was always the goal in mind. I have also been interested in teaching English for years, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity to blend all my interests.

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Jennifer McCarron

Jennifer McCarron

Participated in 2016

Alumni

Jennifer is from western New York. She has lived, worked, and traveled in Mexico, Brazil, and Peru. Currently, her master’s degree in speech, language...

Last year, my husband and I visited Cusco briefly as a part of guided tour of Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley. Over the four or five days we were there, I was thrilled to feel my Spanish-speaking muscles bulking up quickly. On a cab ride back from the train station at Ollantaytambo on our second to last day, I was practicing my Spanish with the cab driver. He mentioned that many Cusquenas and Peruvians want to learn English and take advantage of the area's booming tourism industry. In that dark and bumpy ride, I began planning my return trip! The clouds of ideas were forming. I wanted to learn to teach English as a Second Language, and teach it Cusco.

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Josue Alcantara

Josue Alcantara

Interviewed in 2016

Staff

Born in Puerto Rico, Josue moved to the Dominican Republic when he was four years old, later returning to Puerto Rico at the age of 13. After completi...

Since I was a child, I always enjoyed traveling. I grew up between Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, traveling to several parts of the U.S. often. Also, during high school, I carried out several missions trips with churches to Colombia and Mexico. So, you can say the travel bug definitely bit me pretty early on, and it definitely infected all of me.

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Chelsey Rickert

Chelsey Rickert

Interviewed in 2016

Staff

Born in Colorado, Chelsey moved to Hawai’i when she was 17, spending many years on the island of Maui, which she considers her real home. When it was ...

I first came to Maximo Nivel as a volunteer in 2013. I worked in a childcare project at a preschool for about three months. 

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Jennifer Herndon

Jennifer Herndon

Participated in 2015

Alumni

Jennifer is a senior, non-traditional student, at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee. She had never volunteered abroad before vent...

Why did you decide to apply for an international program?

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David Garner

David Garner

Participated in 2015

Alumni

David is from Manchester, England. Although he earned a TEFL certificate in 2012, he has yet to have an opportunity to use it. David decided to travel...

I applied for this program because I wanted the opportunity to live in a different country, to be able to work there, and experience a new culture. I knew also that it would give me new skills and potentially lead to a new career in a rewarding profession.

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Christine Olijnyk

Christine Olijnyk

Participated in 2015

Alumni

Christine is from Canada. She went to school for marketing and event management, but decided to take a year off from work and go traveling, which ende...

As my favourite saying goes, life is not meant to be lived in one place. I wanted to get out of my comfort zone and be immersed into a culture completely different from the one back home in Canada.

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Gabriela Pechova

Gabriela Pechova

Participated in 2015

Alumni

Gabriela is a 39 years old, worldly, Czech, living in Atlanta, Georgia. She is always eager to visit new places and learn about new cultures and sees ...

I traveled to many places, but as tourist only. I think I was just ready to take my experiences to a new level, really get to know the country as if I lived there. I traveled to India and China in the past, saw all the touristy places but didn't experience as much of their culture as I would like to. Volunteering in Guatemala was exactly what I was looking for: interaction with locals and living just like one of them.

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Jordan Parry

Jordan Parry

Participated in 2014

Alumni

Jordan grew up in Colorado and taught Spanish and ESL in public schools for a few years in Wyoming. She studied abroad in northern Chile in college, a...

I want to go to graduate school to pursue a PhD in Romance Languages. I have a degree in Spanish, but I knew I wanted to live abroad, immersed in the language and culture, and really perfect my Spanish skills before beginning such a high-caliber program. Having a degree in teaching ESL already, I knew I could get a job teaching English abroad without going through a TEFL/TESOL Certification program, but I wanted to go through an organization so that I would have a support system in my new home and could ease into life abroad with a group of peers who were doing the same type of thing as I was.

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Riley Dwyer

Riley Dwyer

Participated in 2014

Alumni

Riley is your average 19 year old Engineer dropout from the Sunshine Coast, Australia. He’s hooked on travelling and doesn’t see himself returning to ...

I'd previously volunteered in Cambodia teaching English, and I was keen to head somewhere else and help out. I had previously quit university and was tired of working two jobs...so I booked a ticket to South America.

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MAXIMO NIVEL

MAXIMO NIVEL

4.69Verified

Ready to Learn More?

Maximo Nivel is a leading educational travel and study abroad organization. We offer a range of programs in Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Peru, including Volunteer Abroad, International Internships, Native Spanish Program, TEFL Certification, Adventure and Culture programs, and more. We offer comprehensive instruction and learning, academic credit for most programs, and a fun and professional environment. Founded in 2003, Maximo Nivel is a professional, ethical, and hardworking organization dedicated to providing a great experience to every student, participant, and client. We aim to deliver safe, affordable, high-quality programs, provide the best Spanish language immersion in Latin America, improve the impact at every volunteer project site where our volunteers work, train and certify world...

Recognitions & Awards

Awards and accreditations earned by this provider

Top Rated Program Teach Abroad in Guatemala 2026
Top Rated Program High School Abroad in Costa Rica 2026
Top Rated Program Language Schools in Costa Rica 2026
Top Rated Program Adventure Travel in Costa Rica 2026
Top Rated Program TEFL Courses in Peru 2026
Top Rated Program TEFL Courses in United States 2026
Top Rated Program Volunteer Abroad in Costa Rica 2026
Top Rated Program Language Schools in Costa Rica 2025
Top Rated Program TEFL Courses in Peru 2025
Top Rated Program TEFL Courses in Costa Rica 2025
Top Rated Program TEFL Courses in Guatemala 2025
Top Rated Program Volunteer Abroad in Costa Rica 2025
Top Rated Provider Volunteer Abroad 2025
Top Rated Provider 2023 - Language School
Top Rated Provider 2023 - Volunteer Abroad
People’s Choice Award 2023 Finalist
Top Rated Language School 2022
Notable Mention 2021 - Gap Year
Top Rated Organization 2021 - Volunteer Abroad
Innovative TEFL / Teach Abroad Program 2021 Finalist

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