HI
posted by Antonio Rattín in Argentina forum
Hi Marie, I am going to avoid answering your questions directly. I hope that is OK. Let me explain why.
The cost is hard to predict without knowing exactly what you want. I went to Ailola Buenos Aires, but I chose to use their afternoon tutoring sessions instead of the morning courses. Looking back, I wish I had signed up for a couple weeks of the morning courses. It would have accelerated my learning.
The time you need for classes is almost as hard to predict. I was in Buenos Aires for 3 months, but only went to tutoring sessions for 3 weeks. I had previous Spanish language lessons in high school and two years in college, so had a good starting point. The 3 weeks helped me learn Spanish as it is spoken in the real world, not the correct classroom form.
If you do not have any background with Spanish, you probably want 3 to 4 weeks of classroom classes and make sure you immerse yourself in the language. You should give the counselors at Ailola Buenos Aires a call. They can evaluate your current language skills and suggest what courses you should take. You can use their ideas even if you choose a different school or a private tutor.