Frequently Asked Questions
Question: Which locations have the best paying jobs ?
Typically, schools in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman and the U.A.E. pay the most and usually offer very high salaries, tax free. However, it should also be noted that the qualification requirements in these locations are very high. Most schools in Europe will pay English teachers enough to live comfortably, but not always enough to save money. Check out the highest paying teaching locations abroad in 2024
Question: Do I get to choose my desired teaching location ?
Yes. However, please keep in mind that it is advidable to have more than just one country preference. Because we have an extensive network of associated schools, we pride ourselves on having teaching positions available all year round. However, there may not always be positions available in every location at all times of the year. Check out the most popular teaching locations abroad in 2024
Question: How long will it take to get a teaching job?
There is no general answer to that question - In reality, it can take anywhere from a few days to several month, depending on the time of your application and your country preference. It also depends on following three factors 1) The deadline for incoming applications 2) Your educational background, qualifications, and professional experience 3) The total amount of teaching positions you apply for
Question: How long is a typical teaching commitment?
Most schools will want you to commit a minimum of 6 months or even 12 months with the option of staying longer and to renew your teaching contract with them. The majority of schools like to avoid turnover so in many cases, the longer you stay, the better pay and more benefits you will receive. You can expect a salary increase of approximately 10-20 percent after about a year in the same school. However, the contract duration varies from school to school
Question: Do I need a university degree to teach?
Not necessarily. But despite what you might have heard, it is recommended to have some sort of university or college degree - Even though it is not a requirement. The majority of schools around the world prefer that you have a college degree. However, in many places, teachers without degrees qualify to teach. This also counts for non-native speakers. We have created a list for you with some locations where you can teach without a degree of any sort. Learn more
Question: Can I teach abroad short term or join a summer program?
Yes. We have summer programs and short term teaching positions available that are ideal for teachers and students who want to have an amazing cultural experience abroad during their summer break or while taking a few months off to travel. In this day and age a lot of schools offer short term teaching contracts for 3-months which seems to be just about the right amount of time to "get to know each other" better for both English teachers and schools
Question: How can I subscribe to your newsletter?
At this time, we have a network of over 1600+ registered schools who are actively searching for English teachers. Subscribe to our newsletter and receive automated email updates when new teaching jobs pop up in your preferred location and to find useful information about new teaching locations. Typically, Newsletters are sent out once or twice per month. Click Here if you wish to subscribe or unsubscribe our newsletter
Question: Will I be able to finance myself abroad?
This depends greatly on your life-style and of course the location in which you are teaching. Generally, you should be able to live comfortably on your salary, and maybe even save some money, especially if the organization subsidizes housing. If you are able to obtain a job in countries such as Saudi Arabia or the U.A.E. you should be able to save at least 50% of your salary, with some teachers being able to save even more money
Question: Do I need a degree to teach abroad?
Not necessarily. But despite what you might have heard, it is recommended to have some sort of college degree- Even though it is not a requirement. The majority of schools around the world prefer that you have a college degree. In many european countries it is even a requirement in order to receive a work visa. However, in many places, teachers without degrees can qualify to teach abroad and all you need is a TEFL or TESOL certificate. More
Question: How can I apply for TEFL jobs on the free job board?
It's very simple to apply for teaching positions on our free TEFL job board. You can search through teaching positions, job descriptions, and also view employer contact details. It's completely free to use the TEFL job board and employers/schools can post or delete their available openings at anytime. Other than jobs posted on our Premium TEFL job boards, the teaching positions you find on the free TEFL job board are not getting evaluated or analyzed by our team
Question: What makes the Premium job board different?
Because we do not accept every job posting from just every school. Employers that want to post jobs on our Premium job boards have to go through a thorough evaluation process. We do this in order to ensure the quality of their openings and to make sure that only the best TEFL jobs end up on our Premium boards. We give you the security of knowing that you will be applying for jobs in schools that offer high standards, a pleasant environment, and a highly competitive salary
Question: How can I apply for jobs on the Premium boards?
There is a long list of benefits other than just gaining access to our many Premium job boards. Start applying for the highest paid teaching jobs at leading schools and secure a teaching position in your preferred location. You also receive our latest teaching abroad guide and gain access to our comprehensive directory with contact details and website addresses from 1000's of schools. You can buy our premium package for a one-off payment, there are no subscriptions. More
Question: Do I have to sign a contract with the school?
A contract makes sure there are no surprises later on so it would be to your benefit to have one- Every teaching contract includes the number of guaranteed hours, amount and frequency of pay, length of service, hours the teachers must be available to teach, whether teachers can teach classes outside of the school, and conditions under which the contract can be broken
Question: I'm a non-native Speaker, can I still teach?
Yes absolutely - Some schools require you to hold a passport from either the US, Canada, Australia, NZ, SA, or the U.K. - And while most countries prefer native speakers, there are still many opportunities to teach abroad as long as you are fluent in English. Just focus your job search on countries in latin america and asia and you are good to go as long as you are fluent. Learn more
Question: How about getting a work visa / work permit?
The work visa or work permit process varies from country to country and must be discussed directly with employers. While it is easier in Asian and Latin American countries to obtain a work permit, the harder it can be in some European countries. Our associated schools will help you to obtain the work permit and walk you through the entire application process
Question: Are the TEFL job openings on the Premium board up-to-date?
Every effort is made to ensure that the information on our website is current. However, there is obviously no way to guarantee that all jobs are up-to-date for the simple reason being that some schools forget to delete their existing job openings with us. To avoid outdated teaching job openings as much as possible, we contact schools regularly and remind them to either update or delete their existing teaching job openings on our site. Learn more
Question: How does the typical hiring process look like?
The first step is to apply online through our websie and if a school is interested, you will either interview by skype or directly at the school if you already happen to be nearby. Some schools also require the foreign teacher to fill out some sort of questionnaire which is part of their application and hiring process. A high number of private and public schools will invite you for Skype interviews in these modern days. Make sure to have your resume up-to-date before sending applications
Question: What are the best places to teach English abroad?
It depends on what you are looking for. While South Korea and Spain still remain in our top 10 list of the best places to teach abroad, there have been several new locations popping up on the list. Especially countries in South America and the Caribbean have become more and more popular due to the relatively easy process to obtain work permits for foreigners and the general improvement in "life quality". Click Here to check out the locations with the highest demand
The difference between TEFL, TESOL, and CELTA
The world of English language teaching is well known for its love of acronyms and unfortunately this can lead to a large amount of confusion amongst potential teachers, as well as those with plenty of experience in the field. Websites for course providers, job boards, recruitment programs, and any other teaching related information you might look at are likely to be littered with acronyms, including TEFL, TESOL, and CELTA
What Does TEFL Mean?
Short for Teaching English as a Foreign Language, TEFL is probably the most common acronym you will come across when conducting research for teaching English abroad. TEFL does not refer to a single training program, certification, or program provider but is simply a catch-all term for training courses and certification aimed at those looking to head overseas to teach English. There are a huge number of providers offering TEFL certification, with a variety of courses available that differ in length, cost, and overall quality
What Does TESOL Mean?
Short for Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, TESOL in this context is used in much the same way as TEFL is used above. The two terms are generally used interchangeably to refer to a training program or certification for teaching English abroad. The term TESOL is typically more common in North America, while TEFL is often preferred in the UK. In regard to training programs and certification, courses that are titled TEFL or TESOL will essentially be the same thing and neither will have any adverse effect on your job prospects
What Does Celta Mean?
Short for Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults, CELTA is essentially an individual brand of TEFL certification that is awarded by Cambridge English Language Assessment which is a part of the University of Cambridge in the U.K. The course is an intensive 4-week program that is offered by a variety of schools and training centers in countries all over the world. As the name suggests it is primarily aimed at those looking to teach adult students. If you plan to teach young learners of any age then you may want to reconsider this option
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