Before you apply
Before you start writing your CV's and brushing up on interview skills are are a few things you need to consider before you begin applying to teach in Korea. ESL is not for everyone, see our Is ESL for me? page to work out if it's right for you.
If you are previously unqualified or have no experience TEFL/ESL qualification will not only allow you to command a bigger salary and get a better job but will more importantly mean that you get satisfaction from your work by delivering top quality lessons and facilitating students learning to the upmost.
You must have all our visa documents ready before you apply. This shows employers that you are serious about teaching in Korea and that you can start as soon as our visa is granted.
If you are previously unqualified or have no experience TEFL/ESL qualification will not only allow you to command a bigger salary and get a better job but will more importantly mean that you get satisfaction from your work by delivering top quality lessons and facilitating students learning to the upmost.
You must have all our visa documents ready before you apply. This shows employers that you are serious about teaching in Korea and that you can start as soon as our visa is granted.
TEFL/ESL certificates
There are so many TEFL certificates on offer that it can be difficult to know which are quality products that employers will respect. They essentially fall into three categories:
- CELTA - This is the highest level of ESL certification you can get without pre-existing teaching qualifications.
- Classroom based TEFL - These very in quality but get one that is accreted is essential.
- Online TEFL - While these have value in that they will help you confidence with teaching and help you with many skills they are often not recognised by schools.
Paul's Personal Experience
"After deciding to do ESL in Korea I didn't have the any idea how to actually do it. I just thought I'd apply for a job and get one, I don't think I thought it through much more than that! I'm someone that likes to do a good job what ever I'm doing and get my job satisfaction from that. Because of that I decided to do a CELTA course in Thailand. It was very intensive and one of the toughest things I've done in my life. The experience was amazing though and I am still in touch with friends from that course and I can't believe how much I learnt.
When it came to applying for jobs I had to delay as I didn't have my visa documents prepared. Also when people started asking me about where in Korea I wanted to work I was completely lost. I knew Seoul was in the north west somewhere but that was about it. It took me many days researching to find cities that I thought looked good."
Work out your job specifications
There are four important thing to consider when working out what type of job you want these are location, salary, public or private and age range. These will affect positions you'll apply for.
Location
Locations in South Korea can be categorised into four man types:
Public or Private School
Public schools are run by the government and all Korean children attend them. Additionally many Korean children also go to private school (called Hagwons) after their school day had finished. It does depend on your priorities as to what you decide to go for. Click here for a detailed comparison.
Salary
Your salary will of course be largely dependent on your qualifications and experience, see the GEPIK/EPIK pay scale to get an idea of what you should expect to earn (you can convert it using this free currency converter). Have a look at our trusted TEFL certificates here if you want to improve your earning potential. Although you'll earn more in Seoul, it also costs more to live. Many people in fact look for rural jobs as you often get paid a rural bonus and have very little opportunity to spend money.
Age Range
This is purely down to your own preference. There are a couple of things that will affect your working conditions depending on what age you teach. Many adult academies will operate before and after regular working hours so you'll work a split shift 6am - 10/11am then 6 pm to 10/11pm. Some people judge Hagwon kindergarden classes to be more baby sitting and less teaching, but this will depend largely on the school.
Location
Locations in South Korea can be categorised into four man types:
- Seoul - A city of more than 10 million people, this is the hub of all South Korea. You'll find anything you need at any time of the day, except peace and quiet.
- Larger cities - These include Busan, Daegu and Daejeon. As with Seoul they will have everything you can need but tend to be less westernised.
- Smaller cities - There are many around Korea. Day to day goods won't be a problem and neither will most sport facilities but you may find yourself a bit limited if you want to eat western food.
- Rural Areas - Some of these are very isolated and can be very traditional. You may be the only westerners in the town.
Public or Private School
Public schools are run by the government and all Korean children attend them. Additionally many Korean children also go to private school (called Hagwons) after their school day had finished. It does depend on your priorities as to what you decide to go for. Click here for a detailed comparison.
Salary
Your salary will of course be largely dependent on your qualifications and experience, see the GEPIK/EPIK pay scale to get an idea of what you should expect to earn (you can convert it using this free currency converter). Have a look at our trusted TEFL certificates here if you want to improve your earning potential. Although you'll earn more in Seoul, it also costs more to live. Many people in fact look for rural jobs as you often get paid a rural bonus and have very little opportunity to spend money.
Age Range
This is purely down to your own preference. There are a couple of things that will affect your working conditions depending on what age you teach. Many adult academies will operate before and after regular working hours so you'll work a split shift 6am - 10/11am then 6 pm to 10/11pm. Some people judge Hagwon kindergarden classes to be more baby sitting and less teaching, but this will depend largely on the school.