TEACH ENGLISH IN KOREA. ESL JOBS KOREA. TEACH ENGLISH IN SOUTH KOREA.

All of the schools we hire for will pay for your flight upfront and your accommodation so you will not have to worry about that. They will even book your flight for you.

4. How do I get a job in Korea?

We will find out which school is best for you and we will arrange an interview for you and the director. You will have a telephone interview.

5. What will the director ask me?

The director will ask you what university you went to and why you want to teach in Korea. They will ask you if you have any ESL experience but it is not mandatory. You will only have 5-10 minutes to make your first impression with the director so it is very important to make a good impression. The directors are looking for enthusiastic candidates who love working with children. It is important to express that to the director.

6. Will I meet other teachers in Korea?

You will meet people from all over the world. In Korea, there are teachers from Canada, America, New Zealand, South Africa, Australia, Ireland, and England. There are many teachers working in Korea from all over the place.

7. What should I bring to Korea?

If you have some favourite products, I would bring them with you because you might not be able to buy them in Korea. Also it is good to bring bed sheets with you because sometimes you cannot find them in Korea.

8. Can I pay off my student loans in Korea?

Yes! Korea is a cheap country to live in so you can save a lot of money. I know of many university graduates putting at least $1000US on their student loans a month!

9. Will I have shared or single accommodation?

Actually it is up to you. We have jobs that have single accommodation and shared accommodation. You just have to let us know which you prefer. If you request single accommodation, you will most likely get a bachelor apartment. If you request shared accommodation, you will get a two bedroom apartment that you will share with another teacher.

10. Where is the best location to work?

It really depends on what kind of person you are. We have lots of awesome positions everywhere. Some people like to work in big cities where there is a lot of night life. Other people like to live in quiet small towns where it is more peaceful so it is up to you. We have jobs in both locations!

11. How long does the visa process take?

The visa process take 4-6 weeks so it is important to get all of your documents ready ASAP because you can't begin the visa process until all of your documents are ready.

12. Can I apply for my E-2 visa from another country?

If you have worked in Korea before and you have all the proper documents with you, you can get your visa from another country. If you have not worked in Korea before then you will not be able to get your visa from another country. You will have to get your visa from your own country.

13. Do I need the TESOL certificate or experience to work in Korea?

If you have experience that's great but you don't need any experience. You will receive some training when you get to Korea. You will get a chance to sit in another teacher's classroom and watch how they teach for a few days. You also do not need the TESOL certificate but any extra qualifications is always good.

14. I have a friend that wants to come with me. Is that possible to get a job together?

A lot of the time, we have couple jobs available so you can bring a friend with you. We will get you and your friend a job working at the same school with shared accommodation.

15. What is the food like in Korea?

The food in Korea is delicious! It is very healthy. Whether you are a meat lover or vegetarian, Korea has what you are looking for. Also Korea has its fair share of spicy dishes.

16. Will I get language lessons when I am in Korea?

Most schools will provide language lessons for teachers for free. Also you will have a lot of time to learn on your own. The language is very easy to pick up when you are surrounded by it.

17. Will my accommodation be close to the school?

Your accommodation should be within 5-10 minutes walking distance to the school.

18. What hours will I work in Korea?

In Korea, you will teach 30 hours a week. You will have to do some planning time on your own time which is usually an hour a day to plan the lessons for your classes. It only makes sense because who wants a teacher who hasn't planned anything!

19. What is the tax rate in Korea?

The tax rate in Korea is less than 5%. It is really cheap. You will not pay a lot of tax money in Korea.

20. Can I teach private lessons in Korea?

No! It is actually illegal to do private lessons in Korea. I wouldn't recommend doing it because you can get deported from the country and or receive a large fine.

21. How long are the contracts in Korea?

The contracts in Korea are a year long. I only hire for one year contracts. Sometimes you can find contracts that are shorter but I wouldn't recommend it because then you would have to pay for your own flight to Korea and you will not receive a bonus at the end of your contract that you would receive if you did a year contract.

22. Do the schools provide health insurance?

All schools will provide health insurance. The school will pay 50% and you pay the other 50%. It equals around $30-40 a month.

23. What expenses will I have in Korea?

In Korea, you will receive free accommodation so you will only be responsible for the utilities and your food. The utilities for you apartment will cost around $40 a month. Food is very cheap as well. The cost of food will depend how much you eat out in Korea. Some people like to eat out every night while others like to cook their own food. Eating out in Korea is very affordable. You can have some awesome meals at restaurants for only $4-5.

24. How do I open a bank account?

On your first day in Korea, the director will take you to a bank where you can get an account opened. Your money will be deposited in there.

25. How do I transfer money to my bank account in my country?

It is very easy to transfer money back home. Most banks have western union which is very convenient for wiring money home to your home bank account. You will pay a small fee and the transfer usually takes 1-2 days.

26. How often will I get paid?

You will get paid monthly.

27. How much money should I bring to Korea with me?

When you go to Korea, you will not get paid for a month so it is a good idea to bring at least $500-600 to cover your living costs for the first month. After that you don't have to worry about it because you will receive your monthly salary.

28. What kinds of transport can I use?

The public transportation in Korea is awesome and it is very cheap. Many people use public transportation and do not even need cars. The buses are really cheap. Also taxis are pretty cheap as well. Taking a 10 minute taxi ride might only cost you $2. Some people buy motorcycles or scooters to get around. If you have the money, you can even buy a used car quite cheaply.

29. What age of students will I be teaching?

I am hiring for elementary schools so you will teach elementary students.

30. What happens if I have to break my contract because of an emergency situation?

It is not recommended to leave a contract because it looks bad and it may be difficult to get another job in Korea but if you have to leave for a real emergency, you have to give your employer 2 months notice first so they can replace you. Then they will give you a release letter so you can leave. It is important to get a release letter when you leave because if you don't, you won't be able to work in Korea for 5 years.

31. How should I dress when I teach?

I like to say dressy casual. It is best to look the most respectable that you can. Korea is a very conservative country so when it comes to dress, I would say go conservative! I wouldn't recommend visible piercings or tattoos.

32. How do I teach English to students who don't know English?

I get this question a lot. Most of the students in Korea have a basic understanding of English. You will teach different grades of English just like in public school. The students in grade 5 will speak better English than the students in grade 4. Some classes you may have to work on phonics such as ABC's and the sounds of the letters. While other classes, you may be working on reading and writing stories.

33. How many students are in each class?

There are only about 10-15 students in each class so the class sizes are small so each student can get more individual attention.

34. How many classes will I teach a day?

You will usually teach 6 classes a day. You will probably have a total of 12 classes. On Monday, Wednesday and Friday, you will teach your first set of 6 classes. Then on Tuesday and Thursday, you will teach your other set of 6 classes. When you are not teaching your other 6 classes, your Korean partner will be teaching them and will be going over the same work you covered to explain it to the students.

35. Do the schools set the curriculum?

Yes the schools set the curriculum and they will provide all the books. All you have to do is follow their program.

36. Am I allowed to use some of my own teaching activities?

You are always welcome to use some of your own activities whenever you want. The internet is a great place to find different activities to incorporate into your lessons.

37. If I have a criminal record, can I still teach in Korea?

The new visa laws in Korea are really strict. If you have something on your criminal record, it will be very difficult for you to get a job.

38. What are some fun things to do in Korea?

There are awesome private karaoke rooms in Korea. You can rent the room for $5 for an hour. They have many English songs. You and your friends can sing your hearts out. Also you can learn taekwondo, the national sport of Korea. You can travel around the country on your time off and go to tourist places.

39. What holidays will I get?

You will get 10 days paid vacation plus 15 national paid holidays so that is a total of 25 days paid holiday!

40. What benefits will I get?

When you finish your contract, you will receive one month's salary free as a bonus which is nice!

41. What is the currency in Korea?

The currency is called won. 2,000,000 won equals roughly $2000US.

42. Can I get the internet in Korea?

Of course! Their internet is very fast and efficient in Korea. There are computer rooms called PC rooms all over Korea where you can use the computer for an hour for only $1.50. You can also get internet hooked up in your apartment.

43. Can I get a phone hooked up in my apartment?

Yes! You can get a phone hooked up in your apartment and most likely there will already be a phone in your apartment. The cost to keep that is about $5 a month.

44. What is the best method to call home?

I recommend buying prepaid long distance calling cards. You can get them at any convenient store. It is good to use them so you don't end up running up a huge long distance bill on your apartment phone. If you just call on your landline without a calling card, you could be paying a $1 a minute which is very expensive. These days, it is best to use an online telephone service to call home such as Skype. It is one of the cheapest ways to call around the world.

45. Do foreigners like to get together and socialize?

Yes! Most people who are teaching in Korea love to get together and socialize. Many foreigners form different social groups such as ultimate Frisbee teams and touch rugby teams so there is always lots to do.

46. Are people in Korea friendly?

Definitely! Koreans are very kind and friendly. When you are walking down the street, many will stop and say hi! They love meeting foreigners.

47. Do I have to work on the weekends?

Nope! Unless you have decided to in your contract. You can spend your time travelling or just chilling out on Saturdays and Sundays.

48. Can I teach in Korea if I have not received my diploma?

No. You have to have officially graduated from your university and received your diploma to work in Korea.

49. Can I travel on my time off?

Of course you can. On weekends, why not adventure around other locations in Korea? Also when you take vacations, you can even go to other countries. China and Japan are close by and many people like to head down to Thailand when they get a chance.

50. Do I need to get vaccinations before I teach English in Korea?

Yes! Before you leave to Korea, you have to get vaccinations. Please go to your local health center and let them know you are going to Korea and they will tell you what vaccinations you need to get. They may not do them all at once so may sure you don't leave it to the last minute.

51. Do I need to bring any teaching books with me?

I wouldn't recommend it. Usually ESL schools have hundreds of great books so there is no need to buy extra books.

52. How can I communicate with Koreans?

It is helpful to use a phrase book. This way it will teach you some simple phrases that can be useful for getting around.

53. Can I get a cell phone in Korea?

Yes! You can and I would definitely recommend it. This way you can program your director's number and friend's numbers into your phone and if you ever have any problems, you have someone to call.

54. Will I have to work overtime and if so what is the hourly rate?

Overtime is optional. Many people want to work overtime because you will get paid $20 an hour so it is really good money. If you want to work overtime, you can always ask your director.

55. Will my apartment be furnished?

Yes! You will not need to buy any furniture.

56. What hours will I work?

Most ESL schools operate in the evenings so you would work from 1pm-9pm. However, we have the best jobs so you will work daytime working hours 9am-5pm.

57. What is the difference between private and public schools?

Public schools are government schools. When you work at a public school, you will be their only teacher at the school. Also you will have big class sizes with up to 40 or 50 students in each class. When you work for private schools, you will have small class sizes with only 10-15 students in each class and you will be working with other foreigner teachers.

58. Will I work with other ESL teachers?

If you are working for a private ESL school, you will likely be working with other teachers. Most ESL schools have a few foreigners.