Teach English Abroad

Teaching English abroad is a great way to travel, see the world, learn about different cultures and presents a great opportunity to earn money by teaching TEFL around the globe.

There are so many benefits (financial and otherwise) of working as an English teacher and if you are interested in getting started view our guide today. Find out everything you need to know – and do – to get a job teaching English around the world!

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Top Rated Teach Abroad Programs

These are some of the most popular teaching jobs abroad we offer which include training, TEFL certifications and in-country support.

Reasons to Teach English Abroad

Becoming a qualified English teacher can really change your life and this is a great career option if you are keen to spend your gap year living, working and earning money abroad.

Some of the main benefits include:

• Work anywhere in the world
• Some recruiters pay for flights and accommodation
• Fantastic salaries are available
• Help students learn and improve their language skills
• Change your life

Requirements and How Teaching English as Foreign Language Works

A TEFL qualification is not always a requirement for teaching English abroad. However, taking the TEFL course before applying is highly recommended.

TEFL courses give you a sound base. Additionally, many courses provide feedback throughout, offering help and support. TEFL is measured in hours and schools will usually look for a minimum of 120 hours.

There are many TEFL courses available of varying degrees of quality. You could opt for a personal dedicated tutor to help and support you throughout your course. In this instance, you should look at taking a TEFL course with an accredited TEFL company.

No previous experience is usually needed to teach abroad but you will need to have a good level of English and most recruiters will require you to have taken a teaching qualification (TEFL course). Having a degree and being a native English speaker puts you at an advantage to getting hired, but lots of non-native speakers also find work.

If you are worried about a lack of experience, some companies offer combo placements, for example TEFL certifications and placements either voluntary, internships or full time jobs.

If you have any questions you might like to join our teaching English forum.

Best Places to Teach Abroad

So, you’ve done the hard work and completed your TEFL course. A BIG well done. Now… what happens next?!

Well first of all, the door to a new and exciting world has just opened for you. You now have to decide where you fancy spending the next 6-12 months, or even longer. Whether it be teaching English in Thailand or lesson planning in Lima – it is entirely up to you.

You can teach English as a foreign language to children and adults in countries all around the world. Asia is one of the most popular destinations in the world with recruiters in countries like China, Thailand, Japan and South Korea hiring thousands of foreign language teachers every year.

The Middle East has some of the best paying jobs, some of which are tax free. Other countries where lots of people choose include France, Spain, Czech Republic, Argentina, Brazil and Costa Rica – just to name a few.

You can also work as an online English teacher and as long as you have access to the internet. This positions allows you to work from anywhere in the world!

How to Get a Teaching Job Abroad

If you like the idea of working abroad then teaching English is a great option and there are lots of different places to find employment.

If love working with adults you could do more test preparation, private lessons, and corporate training. Some people love helping children and prefer working in a government school. There are also volunteer teaching job which are rewarding.

Below is a list of the major job types you find from country to country and what type of environment you can generally expect from this kind of job:

Government Schools
These English schools are operated by the government and usually pay the worst. However, the schools are reliable. You know the school won’t suddenly close, you will get your paycheck on time, you’ll have some professional support, they will fulfill their contract obligations, and they won’t terminate you without cause. (Note: In Korea and Japan, government schools pay just as well as language schools and offer a lot of vacation time.)

These schools will require you to do all the things teachers in your home country do: run classes, grade papers, make up exams, set the curriculum, and keep office hours. Most of those extra responsibilities are unpaid. The trade off is that you have a stable job for as long as you want it. Teaching at the government schools is just like teaching at a school back where you live. The expectations they have for you are the same. Your salary is being paid for your whole job, not just classroom time.

Language Schools
The next step up are the language schools, such as Berlitz, Hess, ECC, EF, InLingua, or any one of the millions of language schools around the world. The pay here is better and you’ll have more flexibility in your schedule and curriculum that you would at a government school. You won’t have to do prep time or parent meetings. If you do, they usually pay you a bit extra for it. However, your job less secure and guarantees by these companies don’t always appear.

Some go bankrupt without any notice or bonuses and perks aren’t what they were promised. Moreover, many parents also use these schools as a form of baby sitting. They just drop them off and hope they learn something. Since many of these schools are motivated by money, they rarely discipline the students for fear they will stop coming, this is especially true in Asia. Overall, while the pay is better, the jobs abundant, and the hours more flexible, the work environment can sometimes be more difficult.

Private Schools
Private schools are similar to government schools in terms of job expectations. You’ll be expected to perform all the functions of a normal teacher, and your salary is based on total work time, not just class hours. The difference is that private schools offer better pay and support than government schools, and sometimes, a better student body.

Depending on the private school, English may or may not be the main language taught. If English isn’t the school’s primary language, there is usually a special curriculum of all English courses. Since parents are paying a lot of money for these schools, they kids are generally expected to produce results. Think of them like the private schools in the West.

International Schools
International schools are the best schools to teach English at. The kids are children of international expats, diplomats, or very rich locals. The curriculum is usually the same as your country of origin- it’s just like teaching at home. All the kids speak English, are usually highly motivated, and very involved. Their parents want them to go overseas for university so have high expectations.

As an added bonus, you make a lot of money. A lot of money. These are the best paying English teaching jobs in the world. However, competition is very stiff and typically applicants need a lot of experience. These schools expect you to be certified teacher and are usually required to sign long contracts. Moreover, many don’t like leaving so few openings occur, especially at the better international schools.

Corporate Training Teaching Jobs
Another option is to do corporate training. Corporate training jobs typically pay very high, the schedules are flexible, the students are adults who want to learn, and the work can last a few months. These jobs are usually before or after business hours.

However, these jobs, like the language school jobs, are typically hard to get and require experience, at least at the more reputable companies. If you have a business degree, you will almost be guaranteed a job.

Tutoring Online
No matter where you go, you’ll find people wanting private English lessons. These are a great source of extra income and pay more than the standard rate. If you can get a lot of private students online, you will earn more money than a regular teaching job.

The best place to find private students is via word of mouth or through local teaching boards. Moreover, during the summer time, you can find extra work teaching at an English Summer Camp. Kids are on break and it’s a great way for parents to kill two birds with one stone. These camps are especially popular in Europe, Korea, China, and Japan.

Important Things to Consider

There are many issues to consider when choosing a location and a school for your first teaching job overseas, for example:

What is the school like?
Do some research, type in the school’s name in Google and see what you can find – if there are a lot of negative comments about the school, then maybe it isn’t the one for you. You can also go to online forums, where you can ask other students where they have taught, where they lived and ask them for the best places/schools to teach in.

Weather
Now we know Brits LOVE to talk about the weather, but it could play a key part in deciding where you want to go. If you like warmer climes, then maybe a location like South America may suit you. Whereas if you enjoy the cold, then speaking from experience, there’s no place colder than South Korea come winter time.

What is the town/city like?
Once again – Google the town or city to find out as much as you can about it. REMEMBER – you are going to be spending months living there, so make sure that you are going to like it.

Will there be many other foreign teachers living in my town/city?
You may wish to be the only foreigner in the village or maybe you would prefer there to be lots of other foreign teachers living close by to socialize with. Research this by speaking to the recruitment company who are providing you with the job.

Location
Where is the school located? Is there much to do there in your spare time? Are there destinations close by that you can travel to in the school holidays?

Cost of living
Consider will you be able to afford to live in this country/city/town with the wage you will be getting paid?

Financial Benefits of Teaching English Abroad

There are also many financial advantages to taking a TEFL course and teaching English abroad:

Free flights
A lot of schools/recruitment agencies (especially in Asia) offer free flights or flight reimbursements at the end of your contract. You will usually get your returns flights reimbursed if you stay for a 12 month contract. If you only stay for 6 months, the norm is that you will only get one of your flights reimbursed.

Free accommodation
A lot of schools/recruitment agencies offer free accommodation as part of the package. If this isn’t the case, then usually the teacher will receive a higher rate of pay to cover the accommodation expenditure.

Free food
Depending on whether you like the local cuisine of the country/city/town where you will be living, this could be a contributing factor, as many schools provide free breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Language lessons
Many schools offer up to two hours of language lessons to teachers per week. So, if you are interested in picking up the local lingo, then this may be an important factor for you.

Completion bonus
To make sure that teachers honour their contracts, schools often add in a completion bonus to be received by the teacher when they finish their teaching.

Wages
The rate of pay that a teacher receives could be a massive contributing factor. Now that you have your TEFL qualification, you will be in a very good position to apply for well paid jobs.

Support
There is often a network of support tutors to help you settle into the area, the new school and the new way of life

Airport pickups
Possibly the most important of the lot. The last thing you want is to be standing in the middle of an airport, trying to flag down a taxi to take you to an unknown location. Instead of pupils, we think we just saw dollar signs in the taxi driver’s eyes

Our advice would be to try and get as many of these added extras as possible. We know it may sound a bit cheeky to ask for these when you haven’t even stepped foot inside a classroom yet, but remember, you’re the one with this AMAZING new skill that is going to teach and enlighten a whole new generation of students…

Contracts and Interviews

So, you’ve decided on the country, city and school where you will work and the company with which you shall be working. Now, you will have to decide upon how long you will be teaching English abroad. A lot of schools prefer a teacher to commit for at least a 12 month contract. However, if you find that this may be too long of a commitment, you can always ask for a shorter contract.

Once you have decided upon the location, the school, the contract and asked all the important questions you have, you will most probably have to have an interview with your potential suitors. This is often carried out on Skype. But alas, in the words of Corporal Jones, “don’t panic”! This is nothing to worry about, as long as you treat it like any other interview and act professionally, you should be fine.

Once the interview has been conducted, the recruitment company will come back to you (if successful, which of course you will be) and offer you a placement. You will then be sent a contract which will include a start and end date and the finer details. Remember, ALWAYS read the small print

Now that all the stress of finding the perfect job is out of the way, you will need to look into booking flights, obtaining working visas and, depending on where you go, have a medical exam. This will all be explained to you in the interview and within the contracts.

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