The CELTA Course Director

The background and experience of the trainers will have a profound effect on the quality of the course.


Peter Redpath has been a language teacher since 1983. He became a teacher trainer and subsequently a trainer trainer in 1989. His initial training as a language teacher was at International House, Hastings, where he also took his Diploma in English Language Teaching. He has taught and/or trained teachers and teacher trainers around the world. For 5 years he was the Chief assessor in Spain and Portugal for Cambridge CELTA and DELTA courses. He has co-authored English language coursebooks with Sarah Phillips.  Apart from writing and giving talks and workshops he continues to travel extensively as an ELT consultant.

The basics

If you are thinking of taking the CELTA course in Spain, then have a look at what we have to offer at the University of Santiago de Compostela. We are an authorised CELTA centre. We run two courses a year, in July and September.

Course dates 2011
Monday 4 July - Friday 29 July (Monday 25 July is a local bank holiday)
Friday 2 September - Thursday 29 September

Course fees 2011
1,400 euros
Click here for a currency exchange tool.

Click here for detailed information about our course at Santiago de Compostela university.

Click here to go to the Cambridge official website.

Click here to ask a question or to request an application pack.

Scroll down for information about accomodation, travel and information about Santiago and Galicia.

Accommodation during the course

We can find clean, comfortable accommodation for you. We can book you into a hostal or hotel, but most trainees prefer to share a flat. These are short-lease flats for one month and subsequently prices are higher than a yearly rent. Alternatively, you can try to arrange your own accommodation but it is important that you are settled before you start the course.

The following prices are a guide to what you can expect to pay, if we arrange the accommodation. We will give you exact prices when you apply.

A single room in a hostal with a shared bathroom: 300 euros a month.

A flat shared between 3 or 4 people: 300 euros per person a month.

A hotel room: prices on request

For a currency calculator, click here.

CELTA in Santiago de Compostela

"I would recommend this to course to people who ... want to be a (better) teacher. You learn a lot in a short time. Things you know but never really thought of become clear."

"Overall I found the course to be extremely worthwhile. It was a challenge, but I feel confident and I feel as though I can teach."

"They (tutors and colleagues) noticed mistakes and problems and gave me interesting ideas to improve my lessons. Their suggestions were helpful."

Quotes from our trainees.

The coast

The Galician coast is one of Spain's best kept secrets having everything from quiet safe beaches to pounding Atlantic surf. The weather can be beautiful in summer, but the water is never really warm. There are buses from Santiago to the beaches, or you could hire a car for a weekend.
Click here for more information about tourism in Galicia.

Pilgrim boots and shell.

Travelling to Santiago

Santiago de Compostela is the capital of Galicia, an autonomous community in the north-west of Spain. People have been walking here along the Santiago Way for over 500 years. We also have excellent plane, train and bus links to Santiago and nearby A Coruña.

Click here for the Iberia website.

Click here for the Ryanair website.

Click here for the Easyjet website.

Click here for the Renfe website for trains within Spain.

Click here for the train travel in Europe.

Click here for the Alsa coach company.

Click here for information on the Santiago Way, including some webcams of Santiago and Galicia.

The University

The University of Santiago has three campuses, two in Santiago and one in Lugo. The CELTA course is held in Santiago in the Faculty of Communication Sciences on the north campus. It is one of the newest faculties, designed by the Portuguese architect Alvaro Sisa.

The Faculty of Communication Sciences

The Faculty of Communication Sciences

We have a pleasant open-plan space within the Faculty which provides a quiet place for input sessions, lesson preparation and teaching practice. It is fully equipped with a wide selection of materials as well as standard audio-visual hardware, computers and a permanent internet connection.

The Faculty cafeteria.

Eating in Santiago

There are restaurants in Santiato to suit all tastes and budgets. The Faculty has a cafeteria and there are a number of restaurants in the area that provide good reasonably priced meals. You might expect to pay 5 euros for a meal consisting of a first course, second course, dessert and a drink.

Streets in Santiago.

Living in Santiago

Santiago is a friendly university town, famous for its cathedral and the beautiful old town. It is easy to find your way around and everything is within walking distance. But although it is small, it has everything you want with a variety of restaurants, bars, cinemas and other entertainment. Visitors have been coming to Santiago for centuries, and you will soon feel at home here.
For more information about Santiago, click here.

Everyday Santiago.

Food and culture

Galicia is famous for its fish and seafood, and the local wines are well worth tasting. Every village and town has its fiesta in the summer and Santiago has one of the best with two weeks of entertainment at the end of July which is largely free or at very reasonable prices. There are also a full complement of cinemas, theatres, concert halls and art galleries.
For information about what's on in Santiago, click here.

The Galician coast

A stream near Santiago.

Inland Galicia

Galician countryside is green and crisscrossed with rivers and streams. There are walks for every kind of walker, from gentle strolls along river banks to more rugged hikes in the eastern hills. You can also do water sports such as canoing, rafting and so on.
Click here for more information on rural tourism.

The CELTA tutors in Santiago

There are three CELTA tutors on the staff: Peter Redpath, Martin Melia and Sarah Phillips. Between them they bring a wealth of experience to the course. Peter and Martin direct the courses and lead most of the input sessions. Sarah is a young learners expert, and gives the trainees an insight into teaching children. They all participate in lesson observation and feedback.

Need more information? Want to apply?

Click here for detailed information about the CELTA course itself.

Our other site gives you information about the CELTA syllabus and how we programme the course in Santiago.

Click here to ask a question or to request an application pack.

Mail us if you want an application pack: it contains more general information, an application form and the pre-interview task. You don't commit yourself to anything by asking for the pack! We'll answer any questions you may have here too. Looking forward to hearing from you.