With so many incredible opportunities across the globe, there’s never been a better time to become an English teacher overseas. In this guide, we cover finding the right job for you, what you need to be a successful teacher abroad, where the demand is highest for budding teachers, and so much more!
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Travelling the world can feel like something that’s out of reach. There’s a whole planet out there, but the reality for most people is that travel can be hugely expensive, and extremely time-consuming.
What if it wasn’t? What if the answer was getting a job teaching English as a foreign language abroad?
What if, with TEFL certification, you could relocate and be teaching abroad within less than a year? Maybe even earn more money per month than you do now? What if you could meet all kinds of people, and have unique and fascinating experiences while giving something back to the communities you visit?
What if all it took was the ability to speak English, the time and resources to pass a course, and the get-up-and-go to make teaching abroad happen?
Well, that’s the Teaching English as a Foreign Language experience. Getting started is probably a lot easier than you realise. Teaching jobs are plentiful, teach abroad programs - to give you some experience first - are commonplace, and there are English teachers posted from their own homes to the far reaches who can help you along the way.
In this article, we’ll cover everything, from “who” can teach English overseas, how to find English teaching jobs abroad, what salaries are like for ESL teachers and so much more. Perhaps this will be the reassurance you need if you think you’d like to teach English as a second or foreign language, but just aren’t quite sure.
For making the leap into English teaching, the rewards are incredible. Life-changing experiences await in any number of countries, whether you’re working in classrooms or tutoring groups of adult learners.
So, teaching abroad - why not you?
When we ask “why not you?”, we do mean you. There is always a smorgasbord of ESL jobs available to all sorts of applicants, from the new and inexperienced to the veteran teachers, the career changers, the recent graduates to retirees.
There really are English language learners everywhere, but who is in a position to teach them? Let’s discuss who can teach English abroad.
Some people finish college, school or university and aren’t sure of their next steps. It’s not uncommon to wonder what’s next. On the other hand, there are others who are certain they want to see more of the world and bolster their CV before picking a career path.
Some people might want to give the vocation a try first, before committing to a postgraduate teaching course, with the aim of teaching English overseas in the future.
Teaching English as a Foreign language offers prospective university students, university graduates and young people, in general, a perfect opportunity. TEFL-certified teachers see new corners of the world and gain priceless, international work experience. Even if you’re unsure of whether in-person teaching, or indeed teaching in general, is something you want to pursue long-term, living and working abroad as an English teacher can nurture a range of skills that transfer into different job markets.
Living abroad and teaching abroad have their own challenges that you’ll have to adapt to, learn from, and overcome. By doing that, a person can build character and really invest in their personal development. In other words, it really does change people for the better.
Even if you haven’t graduated yet, there are opportunities to teach English during the summer months. Summer schools recruit huge numbers of English teachers every year. So whether you’re a student or a graduate - or neither - TEFL offers opportunities to develop both yourself and your career opportunities.
For qualified teachers, the advantages of Teaching English abroad are obvious. Teaching English abroad, for however long, gives you excellent preparation for a career in teaching. Not only does it look great on your CV, but it’s also a fantastic opportunity to learn about lesson planning, controlling a class and structuring a curriculum.
Once you’re back, having finished one of the countless teaching jobs abroad, you’ll have a unique foundation for your teaching career, and it could give you the edge in future job applications.
For experienced teachers, overseas teaching jobs can provide the kind of sabbatical that can reignite a passion for teaching. Or, simply put, it’s a change of scenery that could be really refreshing.
As soon as you have a certificate, you’ll be equipped to teach English abroad as a foreign language. Having teaching experience is unquestionably an advantage, as some employers will definitely prefer a veteran presence in the classroom.
However, whether you’re new or experienced, schools and language centres worldwide are keen for English teachers to join their ranks abroad. It could give a teaching career some priceless momentum, as well as another qualification to add to the CV. For experienced teachers, finding TEFL jobs is a great way to revitalise your career.
According to a 2022 study, over a third of people in the UK are unhappy with their jobs. Simply put, it doesn’t have to be that way.
If you’re counting down the hours every day at work, dread every Monday morning and feel like your career has lost momentum, getting certified as an English teacher and having the chance to completely change your life teaching overseas is a great option to help you get out of a job rut.
Picking up a new qualification and jetting off to somewhere new might be more feasible than you think. Anyone can get a TEFL certification, and if you have the incentive to relocate, there’s quite literally the whole world waiting for you.
If not, teaching English online is another great option. Once you’re certified, all you need is a reliable internet connection and a commitment to teaching English to learners. Don’t stay in a job you hate - if teaching English abroad sounds like an exciting opportunity, then it’s well worth investigating what you’re able to do!
English teachers abroad are in their 20s and 30s, right? It’s for people at the start of their career journeys, who feel the urge to teach. If you’re retired, it’s too late, surely?
Nope, nope, and nope. Retirees make up a sizeable portion of the English teaching community. There are plenty of beautiful locations worldwide that are crying out for experienced teachers, or indeed, people who want a new challenge in their retirement to fill teaching positions. Our guide to the best places to TEFL abroad for retirees will definitely inspire some ideas!
Retirement, rather than being a conclusion, can serve as a new beginning. Maybe, because of your career, you never got the chance to travel the world. Perhaps you always wanted to teach ESL abroad, but for whatever reason, that avenue wasn’t available to you?
TEFL courses will perfectly prepare you for the next step; if you want to teach English abroad to young or adult learners, the only limit is your imagination. It doesn’t even require the finances to pack up and travel abroad - you can teach English from the comfort of your own home as an online teacher. The perfect teaching job is out there!
So, you're into the idea of teaching English abroad? That's great; English teachers are needed worldwide, from Spain to South Korea, Nepal to Nicaragua. The doors really are open for qualified teachers across the globe.
What do you actually need to teach abroad, though? Are there requirements? Limitations? How expensive is it?
All good questions. Let's take a look at how you'd go about starting your English teaching journey.
Firstly, do you need a degree to take up a TEFL course and become an English teacher overseas?
Not necessarily. Generally, you don't need to have a bachelor's degree or, indeed, any university degree to get started. All you need is the finances to start a course, and the ability to speak English.
You won't even need teaching experience to land a TEFL job, but we're getting ahead of ourselves.
What you will need is TEFL certification. Employers want to know you have the wherewithal and the skills to successfully navigate a course, and there are plenty available. From Level 5 qualifications to starter courses, 120 hours to much longer, TEFL courses of all stripes offer different experiences and attributes.
Which course is right for you? Well, there are handy resources like our TEFL Course Quiz that might help you answer that question. Different organisations will offer different lengths of course. Some are self-paced, with tutor support, and allow you to complete the course at your leisure. The industry standard - i.e., the qualification for really getting yourself noticed - is 120 hours of quality teaching.
Ultimately, you want to pick a course that works for you, where you feel supported and have ample time to put together lesson plans and are given everything you need to prepare for the world of English teaching.
Courses with top accreditation are likely to yield better results.
With so many TEFL courses out there, it might feel like a bit of a minefield to find the right path to teach abroad.
TEFL certification programs are varied. For beginners, course providers tend to offer all-encompassing courses between 120 and 200 hours, either online or in-person, with continual assessments throughout the course. A good TEFL course will cover lesson planning, English grammar, how to handle classes of various sizes and abilities, and a range of other skills to keep students engaged and interested.
Advanced courses are also widely available. These can offer more specific guidance on topics like Business English, teaching young learners, exam preparation, and more. If it helps, you can think of your 120-hour course as a bachelor's degree and advanced TEFL as a master's.
Of course, it depends on what you want to teach, and to what level. It’s important to avoid doing a course that doesn’t adequately prepare you for teaching English abroad.
With TEFL courses, there is variety beyond the initial certification. If you need something more specific or want to go over particular scenarios for teaching English abroad, it’s worth speaking to a dedicated TEFL tutor.
Before you sign up for a TEFL course, it’s important to find out how much tutor support you’ll be getting from people with real teaching experience.
You want to make sure you’re learning from tutors who are both qualified EFL teachers and experienced teacher trainers. That way, you’ll be able to pick up both theoretical and practical tips for teaching English abroad.
On a good English teaching course, you’ll be assigned the same online tutor from start to finish, rather than be passed around to different people who don’t get the chance to get to know you and your work.
When you’re working through your course, you want to have a single individual who you can contact for advice and guidance. It’s a crucial part of your learning experience.
The TEFL Org is the world's most accredited TEFL course provider
For employers, and in terms of value for money, course providers with top accreditation are the best choice.
Accreditation bodies like Ofqual and the British Accreditation Council should be names you see on any good course provider’s website. These regulatory bodies ensure the highest quality of teaching, materials and resources from a provider.
Just like applying for a school, university or a bachelor's degree, these kinds of things are important. It’ll help in the long run, too; if an employer sees you’ve attained a certification from a widely-acclaimed organisation, they’ll take your qualification more seriously.
Good accrediting bodies have rigorous standards that a provider must meet. Going through this external assessment is a significant undertaking for a course provider. Therefore, their courses must be of high quality in order to earn accreditation.
If you’re unsure about the source of an organisation’s accreditation, look them up on a search engine and read our handy guide about why TEFL accreditation is important.
It sounds too good to be true! And yes, sadly, it is.
Unfortunately, much like other industries, there are unscrupulous TEFL merchants out there “offering” certification to teach English abroad. These courses often promise the earth at a rock-bottom cost.
The fact is, though, these courses are rarely if ever, accredited by any respected teaching authority. What’s more, the hidden costs are abundant. The timescale being promised might be unreasonable, which means you’ll likely need to pay to extend the course.
Keep in mind, for teaching English abroad you’ll most likely need a hard copy of your certificate. This won’t be included in a budget course and can easily set you back more than what you initially paid for the course!
If something seems too cheap to believe, then it’s not the kind of qualification that’ll land you a good teaching position. Employers want to see applicants for English teaching positions who have completed fully accredited, reputable programmes. English teaching jobs abroad aren’t won with slap-dash qualifications.
The sad fact is, there’s no ultra-cheap, ultra-quick way to ensure you’ll get a job teaching English abroad.
The good news is, however, there are fantastic courses designed by real English tutors that can get you more than ready to teach English abroad – and for a reasonable cost with no extra, hidden fees.
In short: absolutely, yes. If you want to work as a teacher or build a client base of online students, the course you do has to be high-quality.
Groupon might be offering a quick TEFL course at a discount price, but it's unlikely to be up to scratch. There won’t be adequate tutor support, meaning you’re not getting proper feedback on your work. Chances are, the training you get won’t even be from teachers, so it’s a case of the uninformed leading the curious. What’s more, if you do an unaccredited course, it’s unlikely to mean much, since the course provider hasn’t been inspected and approved by the top educational authorities. These things matter a great deal, especially to employers of repute.
Whereas a comprehensive course at a competitive cost that's been accredited by major educational bodies is likely to arm you with everything you need. That is if you want to teach English abroad to a high standard, and make a living doing it.
If you're serious about teaching English abroad, picking the right course that is both recognised by employers and gives you all the knowledge and confidence you need to do the job properly is paramount.
Perhaps you want to try your luck teaching English abroad without official certification.
Good luck, because this really is a risky strategy. If you have no teaching experience, then the lack of a TEFL certificate will really hamper your chances of a job teaching English.
Perhaps you do have teaching experience, but not a certification? Ultimately, it depends; TEFL is a completely different experience. If you've never taught English as a foreign language, then you might have the fundamentals of teaching in your arsenal, but not necessarily the specific skills for teaching English to language learners.
Ultimately, a high-quality English teaching certificate removes a lot of the doubt and worry about applying for jobs. These days, it’s very difficult to secure a job teaching English abroad without certification - and a willingness to recruit an untrained, inexperienced teacher is usually a sign of a TEFL scam or a bad employer.
When it comes to landing teaching positions overseas, one of the first things people will ask is “what about a visa?”. It’s a good question.
Most overseas teaching jobs carry their own requirements. Generally speaking, you won't need a degree to teach English abroad, and previous teaching experience might be enough. However, in countries such as Japan, a bachelor's degree is required for a visa. There are solutions for this, however.
Each nation has its own entry requirements, and before you go looking for the perfect teaching job abroad, it pays to do some research.
Some regions will have stricter visa and entry requirements, even for qualified teachers. Whether you want to teach private lessons or get a job in one of the many private language schools worldwide, it makes sense to really get into the weeds with what each government requires.
For example, countries including Turkey, Japan, South Korea and the UAE generally require a degree to teach English abroad. For more on visa rules by region, check out our Teaching English Abroad Requirements page.
Moving abroad to teach English can be expensive. For a start, you need to invest in a suitable TEFL course in order to gain the certification required for teaching English abroad.
Let's say that you've got your certification, and you've landed a job. Some employers might contribute, or even cover, your travel expenses to get to say, South Korea, Algeria or Cambodia. Even when employers offer to reimburse flights, though, this will typically be done at the end of your contract. To that end, you’ll need the money upfront to purchase your flight out.
If you’re heading to a country that requires a visa, there will be fees involved. There will be the processing cost of the visa itself, but you’ll also need to pay for certain documents to be legalised, such as your TEFL qualification and, if relevant, degree. A criminal background check will also likely be required.
It's also worth remembering that you’ll also need money to cover costs after you arrive until your first month's pay arrives in your account. This could include rent, groceries, leisure activities and more. A travel credit card could help with the initial costs of moving abroad, but it’s a good idea to save as much as you can in advance.
Here's what you'll need to cover for your first teaching job teaching English abroad:
While some English teaching graduates set up shop at home and work teaching English remotely, for many it's about getting abroad and taking on new challenges.
Within months of taking up TEFL certification, you might find yourself working as an English teacher abroad. With a constant demand for English teachers worldwide, you could find yourself teaching overseas to English language learners in South Korea, Japan, China, mainland Europe, Latin America - wherever you feel like going!
But what about teaching contracts, teaching salaries, the need to know the native language, and all the other requirements for teaching English abroad?
Much depends on the individual nation you want to move to, as obvious as that sounds. For some countries, English teachers are at a premium, and the ability to teach English means entry requirements to live and work somewhere new won't be particularly strict.
In other countries, though, like South Korea and Japan, it is necessary to have a degree to teach English.
Here's our most recent guide to the different requirements in dozens of countries for teaching English:
Discover 70+ TEFL destinations with The TEFL Org Guide to The World!
The most robust jobs market in Europe can be found in Southern, Central, and Eastern Europe. Countries such as Spain, Italy, Romania and Poland are great places to look for your first job teaching English.
While there are opportunities to be found in Western Europe, it can be trickier for new teachers. Entry-level jobs do come up in Germany and France, but it’s quite rare for these to be full-time positions.
And in Northern Europe, jobs almost always go to very experienced EFL teachers. If it’s your dream to live and work as an English teacher in Scandinavia, then you’ll need to build up your experience elsewhere first.
For prospective English teachers from Britain, it's a bit trickier than it used to be. Freedom of Movement, a privilege enjoyed by EU citizens, ended for UK residents at the end of 2020. Therefore, working in an EU country can require a longer application process.
This is also true of EEA nations - Norway, Liechtenstein, Iceland and Switzerland. UK nationals no longer have access to the streamlined residency process in these countries.
However, countries dictate their own immigration policy. In Poland, for example, "there is no obligation for UK citizens to obtain a new residence status or document." For more details on the Withdrawal Agreement and how it affects English teachers in Europe, the UK and EU website is useful.
Discover the top European TEFL destinations with The TEFL Org Guide to Europe!
Discover our favourite Asian TEFL destinations with The TEFL Org Guide to Asia!
The world’s largest continent is where you’ll find the most jobs teaching English. Rapidly expanding economies, government investment in English language learning and globalisation are just some of the reasons behind the massive demand for EFL teachers across Asia.
Demand is concentrated largely in East and Southeast Asia. For new teachers, it's an attractive proposition: there are good salaries on offer, a low cost of living, and the opportunity to experience an entirely different culture.
China represents the largest TEFL jobs market in the world, and it looks set to only continue growing. It’s quite staggering just how many teaching jobs are advertised in China every single day. China, too, is a popular destination for English teachers abroad. However, they have changed their rules on immigration and visas over recent years, especially in the advent of the Covid-19 pandemic. The UK Government guide to China's entry requirements is an important read on this front.
Further east, Japan and South Korea have long been popular destinations for English teachers. There are also job opportunities across the region of Southeast Asia. Vietnam, Thailand, and Cambodia, in particular, offer a lot for English teachers.
A beautiful and diverse continent, Africa has all kinds of incredible opportunities for intrepid English teachers hoping to land a teaching job abroad.
English is already spoken widely in nations like Nigeria, South Africa, Sierra Leone and Liberia. Ghana is another country in the horn of Africa that uses English as a lingua franca. In terms of teaching opportunities, South Africa is a great place to start. With 11 official languages, you'll be battling for space, but there are certainly teaching jobs available.
Northern Africa is also full of opportunities. Algeria, Egypt and Tunisia, for example, are all great places to teach.
Some of the world’s most lucrative English teaching jobs can be found in the Middle East. There is significant demand for teachers in the region, but the high, tax-free salaries mean it’s a competitive market. Private language schools tend to have excellent facilities in the Middle East, meaning you can teach English with more resources than you might find with a teaching job elsewhere.
At least two years of experience is required for the majority of teaching jobs in the Middle East and some positions will even require a Master’s Degree. Most of these positions can be found in the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.
Teaching English in the Middle East isn’t for everyone and can be particularly challenging for women. If you're able to adapt to a very different style of living, it could be the perfect place for you.
Discover the most popular African TEFL destinations with The TEFL Org Guide to Africa and the Middle East!
Discover amazing TEFL destinations with The TEFL Org Guide to Latin America!
There’s a huge demand for English teachers across Central and South America for those seeking jobs teaching English abroad. Markets in Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, and Ecuador are particularly strong markets.
The catch? Wages are typically quite low in Latin America, in comparison to other parts of the world where you might find yourself teaching English. That said, a salary from teaching English is likely more than enough to cover the cost of living in most of Latin America. But the draw of this continent really lies in its geographic diversity, the laid-back, hospitable people, and the vibrancy of life rather than the money.
If you don’t have a university degree, then Central and South America is a great place to find work. However, standards are rising in the region, meaning it can be a bit more competitive for those without one.
As with other places, teaching experience is helpful, as more and more prospective English teachers head out to Latin America. Still, if you're looking to teach English abroad, Latin America remains underrated. With all kinds of programmes available for Spanish and Portuguese classes, you'll be speaking the local language in no time, while teaching English to both adult learners and school pupils - depending on the job you get.
Every year, we look at a selection of great teaching spots, and if they’re deemed worthy of top 5 status for the coming 12 months, we put them under the spotlight.
2024 is no different, and while South Korea remains from last year’s top spots, there are some exciting, emerging locales where you can teach English overseas.
Let’s take a look!
South Korea is a perennial favourite, and it remains so for 2024.
As a country, South Korea is quite simply incredible, with 15 UNESCO Heritage sites, buzzing cities and a hybrid of rural, traditional living and modern, forward-thinking industry. It’s also just a very cool place - so much Korean pop culture has dominated the western world over recent years, from the work of Oscar-winning South Korean director Bong Joon-ho, to massive pop groups like BTS.
It’s also an ideal destination for any TEFL teacher. A lot of jobs in South Korea provide benefits, like accommodation and subsidised air travel. There are a wide range of positions available within South Korea, from the government-run EPIK programme to the tens of thousands of hagwons (private language schools). Not only that, there are government jobs, businesses are hiring English teachers, and many prestigious universities have openings. You won’t be short of opportunities.
What’s more, the demand is huge, and the wages compare well with anywhere in Asia. Yes, it’s popular, and you’ll have competition, but schools and businesses in South Korea are constantly hiring.
Thailand hosted over 7 million tourists between January and October 2022. That’s more tourists than there are citizens in Scotland, Croatia and Uruguay. Its popularity with crowds of curious international tourists, then, speaks for itself.
What about as a destination for teaching English abroad? Well, Thailand remains very popular. This is aided by initiatives like the Thailand Teaching Programme, which pays well and includes airport pick-up, visa assistance, flexible contracts and teacher-friendly working hours. If you’re looking to go straight into permanent employment, though, there’s considerable demand for English teachers from kindergarten to the university level and beyond.
Additionally, it’s one of the more suitable locations for non-native-level English speakers – so don’t feel intimidated if you’re qualified to teach, but English isn’t your first language.
With a low cost of living, don’t be put off by Thailand’s starter wages. On less than $1000/£1000 a month, you can comfortably live an exciting life while teaching. Even better, public transport is hard to beat if you want to explore the Land of Smiles. If you want to take a look at the wider region, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Vietnam and Myanmar are a stone’s throw away!
Increasingly, emergent economies in the Southeast of Asia have become perfect landing spots for teachers. That’s handy because Vietnam is a fascinating, beautiful country that’s calling out for qualified English teachers.
For teachers, the demand is constant – you’ll find plenty in our Jobs Centre at any given time. Once you’ve settled in Vietnam, you’ll find warm and friendly locals, innovative fashion and street food par excellence.
Southeast Asian countries like Cambodia, Malaysia and aforementioned Thailand are aiming to improve their English proficiency from kindergarten level to adulthood, due to their emerging industries and English being the lingua franca of business. So it’s a perfect time to explore a hugely underrated gem!
You’ll need a bachelor’s degree along with a TEFL qualification, but the rewards – especially in relation to the cost of living – make Vietnam a fantastic destination for any English teacher. From the countless beautiful attractions to the stunning and dramatic history, Vietnam is a fascinating destination, with the potential to be an English learning powerhouse in the coming years.
Best to get involved now while the jobs are going, because availability for teachers in terms of jobs and accommodation won’t last forever!
Forget what you know about Colombia. Today, the South American nation is outward-looking with a tourist-friendly image, and as far as teaching English goes, there’s been plenty of strategising in their schooling system.
The clamour for TEFL teachers continues apace, with the government really pushing for heightened proficiency in English. For first-time or less experienced teachers who want to try something a bit different, and help a place build its English infrastructure, Colombia is a great choice.
Obviously, the weather is beautiful, and Colombia has so much to see - UNESCO has heralded gems like the National Archeological Park of Tierradentro and the Historic Centre of Santa Cruz de Mompox. The wages are good, on average, especially considering the cheap cost of living in Colombia. It’s cheaper to live in than 91% of the world, so expect your teaching wages to reach pretty far.
A degree is preferred, but optional, meaning that in many cases you only need a high-quality TEFL certificate to get going. Perfect, then, if you’re looking to add stamps to your passport and get started on your teaching journey.
If you’re particularly intrepid and ambitious, you won’t struggle to find work in Colombia. The only difficulty will be matching the experience you have elsewhere!
There is another way to do things. Working remotely, especially since the pandemic raged through 2020 and 2021, has become something of a norm. Companies are seeing the benefits of a global office, where people can cover different hours, and offer a range of perspectives. The lack of a central job location means that anyone with the energy and resources can work for a range of different companies, or indeed, for themselves.
Being a digital nomad means locational independence. You can work from anywhere. To be a digital nomad English teacher, all you need are:
In 2024, the conditions are excellent for people who want to travel while they work. If this lifestyle sounds appealing, read our guide to becoming a digital nomad!
The salary you’ll receive teaching English abroad will vary depending on where you are in the world. Obviously, your experience and attributes will also determine the actual amount you take home each month. To put it in simple terms, some countries value English teachers more than others would and will gladly pay top dollar for the best ones.
You can expect to earn more if you teach in Asian countries, such as China, Japan, and South Korea. These are countries where you’re more likely to require a degree to teach English as a foreign language. These nations in particular are known for offering highly competitive compensation packages but expect a lot from their teachers.
There are 1.5 billion English language learners, and a lot of them are in Asia. With English being the de facto language of business worldwide, it helps to have knowledge of the English language to get into prestigious colleges, find lucrative jobs and forge a path in business.
Meanwhile, in Latin America and Europe, your salary will be enough to rent a flat, visit restaurants, and travel. You won’t become a millionaire, but at least you can supplement your income by teaching English online, or offering private lessons. Tutoring outside of school, if you have the time, is obviously a great way to generate extra income.
Some employers might offer additional benefits, for example, air travel, insurance, help with accommodation, or access to local amenities like gyms, libraries and other public services. It’s worth seeing if an employer will provide any extras with their offer of a job - free travel, for example, could be a significant boost to your coffers!
A reality of life is that everyone needs to pay the bills. That’s true whether you’re an English teacher abroad, a CEO of a multinational company or you’re, say, a content writer. We’ve put together some useful tables detailing the average salaries and requirements for countries across the globe. These are intended as a guide rather than a rule, but we’ve done our best to ensure the information is accurate as possible.
One of the best ways of getting an idea of how much you can earn in a specific country is to look up job adverts there. You can take a look at what’s listed on our TEFL Jobs Centre.
The amount you can earn in Europe really varies by region, with higher salaries to be found in the North and West, and lower in the East and South. But remember that where salaries are higher the cost of living is also going to be higher!
In many European countries, it’s common for teachers to work for multiple companies and schools for an hourly rate. Across the board, it can be harder for non-EU citizens to gain a working visa, so make sure to follow guidelines from your nearest embassy, and look into region-specific visa rules.
If you’re looking for the best entry-level salaries then Asia is your safest bet. China represents the biggest jobs market in the world for English teachers, but you can find strong demand in the likes of Thailand, Vietnam, South Korea, and Japan. You’ll need a degree to teach in most of Asia, with Cambodia as the only exception.
In some countries, like China and South Korea, it’s standard for accommodation to be included in a teacher’s contract, which frees up a lot of your wage. In places like Cambodia and Vietnam, some meals are included in your day of teaching!
Central and South America offer a fantastic gateway into teaching abroad, especially for newcomers and career changers. Requirements are less strict, and although wages aren’t as lucrative as teaching jobs in Asia, for example, there’s an excellent standard of living to be had, with eager students.
Living costs are generally very low but don’t expect to be able to save much after accommodation and other essentials. It’s also important to note that it can be hard to get a sense of what the current going rate is as many employers won’t advertise online – finding work in this part of the world is best done on the ground.
The Middle East, somewhat unsurprisingly, is where you’ll find the highest teaching salaries. High, tax-free salaries, mean there’s plenty of competition for teaching positions, which means employers can afford to be picky. Consequently, you’ll need a couple of years experience under your belt to be eligible for jobs in countries like Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
In Africa you’ll find most paid opportunities are in the north of the continent, in countries such as Egypt, Morocco, and Algeria. Elsewhere most positions are on a voluntary basis.
When it comes to English teaching jobs and employee benefits, it very much depends on where you are in the world, and who you’re teaching for. While public schools might offer a free lunch, private international schools could potentially fly you over to teach English overseas.
Unfortunately, there’s no definitive list of employee benefits offered to every English teacher. However, a benefit that’s available in some areas is accommodation. Some employers understand that you’ll need a home base when you move abroad to teach English, and offer an apartment - either on-site or accommodation owned by the employer. This is more common in China, South Korea and Japan, though it’s not a guarantee.
Similarly, travel can rack up a hefty bill, and many employers will help out, again depending on the size and repute of who you’re working for. This more often comes as reimbursement later on, so it’s still important to factor flights into your first budget for teaching English abroad.
Some employers might offer additional benefits, for example, insurance (health, home contents or another), lessons in the local language, and access to local amenities like gyms, libraries and other public services. It’s worth seeing if an employer will provide any extras with their offer of a job - free travel, for example, could be a significant boost to your coffers!
Saving as an English teacher working abroad might seem like a contradiction in terms, but it’s far more achievable than you might think.
Much depends on two things: your salary as a teacher, and the cost of living wherever you’re situated. The more reputable your institution is, and the more experience you have as a teacher, the higher your salary is likely to be. That, of course, can be matched with a high cost of living, depending on where you are.
Budgeting is a really important thing here. No two ways about it, your first month or so of teaching are going to be expensive. Consider this: you might start a teaching job halfway through a month, meaning your first pay packet is less than it might usually be. Then, unless you’re covered for these costs, you’ve got your first month’s rent, a deposit on accommodation, flights, visa - it adds up.
When it comes to budgeting, it’s a great idea to understand the cost of living before you head over somewhere. That way, you can compare what your normal budget would be, versus what you’d be spending in another country. From there, factor in your wages, and it’s more than possible you’ll be able to save up a little each month for a rainy day.
It’s more possible to save in some locations than others, that stands to reason. If you’re an experienced teacher with a degree, working overseas in, for example, the UAE? Your pay will far exceed your outgoings. Meanwhile, if you’re a new teacher working in Colombia, for example, the wages are going to be considerably lower, but the cost of living might well balance that out. For a comprehensive guide to saving while teaching, check out our blog titled ‘Where can you save the most teaching English?’.
With everything we've covered about teaching English abroad, it’s natural to feel an urge. That urge is to look for the right jobs, send applications, and maybe even get packing and find work on the ground!
With that in mind, let’s have a look at some of the most important factors when it comes to successfully teaching English overseas: finding that right job, spotting English teacher job scams and preparing for a move abroad.
