Here's a great guide to teaching in Korea written by Tom Salmon, one of the trainers at The Language House TEFL
Teaching English in South Korea
Please read through everything in this brief overview prior to asking any questions about teaching in South Korea. A lot of basic information is covered here and once you’re clear about these things, you’ll probably find you have a much narrower focus of questions to ask than simply “So, what’s it like to teach in Korea?”
Table of Contents:
1. Introduction
2. About Living in Korea 3. Teaching in Korea
3.1 Visas
3.2 Types of Schools
3.3 Recruiters
3.4 Applying Directly through EPIK, SMOE, or GEPIK
3.5 Requirements and Basic Overview of the Application Process 3.6 More than just “Base Level”
4. Useful Resources 5. Closing
Please read through everything in this brief overview prior to asking any questions about teaching in South Korea. A lot of basic information is covered here and once you’re clear about these things, you’ll probably find you have a much narrower focus of questions to ask than simply “So, what’s it like to teach in Korea?”
Table of Contents:
1. Introduction
2. About Living in Korea 3. Teaching in Korea
3.1 Visas
3.2 Types of Schools
3.3 Recruiters
3.4 Applying Directly through EPIK, SMOE, or GEPIK
3.5 Requirements and Basic Overview of the Application Process 3.6 More than just “Base Level”
4. Useful Resources 5. Closing
1. Introduction
There are a lot of reasons people decide to pack up and move to the Republic of Korea for work. Foremost in a lot of people’s minds is the possibility of making and saving a sizeable amount of money while enjoying the possibility of a good standard of living and the opportunity to explore and live in East Asia. There are many other reasons people end up teaching in Korea and it seems like everyone has a different take on living and working there. This guide is meant to serve as a basic introduction to teaching in South Korea, what the teaching is like, what life is like, and what you need to do to be on a plane heading to Seoul. Again, this is basic information – there’s a lot more information out there. You will find a list of relevant websites and personal blogs at the end of this document that you can use to gain better insight into teaching/living in Korea and make a more informed decision about going there.
2. About Living in Korea
Life in Korea is what you make of it. It’s a very small country with a good public transportation network of busses and trains so you can do pretty much anything you want on the weekend. If you like the beach, there are plenty of beaches. Do you like mountains? Korea is covered in them. If nightlife is your thing then in the cities you won’t be disappointed. Korean food is a specialty all it’s own with very distinctive, delicious tastes and customs. Cultural events and festivals abound throughout the country at all times of the year and you’re close enough that vacation travel to South East Asia and the rest of East Asia is definitely within the realm of possibilities. All that said, however, Korea is not for everyone. Living in a very homogenous society such as Korea it is very possible to feel isolated at times and even as a sort of spectacle (this is especially true in more rural locations). Additionally Confucianism is still very strong in Korea and may leave some people feeling frustrated at the hierarchy that must be observed in many facets of daily life. Even so, many foreigners have made Korea their home though and there are definitely reasons for that. When talking with other foreigners about living in Korea, it’s best to take all opinions with a grain of salt. While there is always some truth, I’d recommend that you try to be informed as much as possible, but also open to the different experiences Korea has to offer.
3. Teaching in Korea
There are a variety of things to consider when choosing a teaching position in Korea. Below you will find information on the most common visa type for teaching English in Korea, the different kinds of teaching positions available to ESL teachers in Korea and the different ways to apply to these positions. Following that you will find information about the requirements for teaching in Korea and a bit about the application process for public school positions.
There are a lot of reasons people decide to pack up and move to the Republic of Korea for work. Foremost in a lot of people’s minds is the possibility of making and saving a sizeable amount of money while enjoying the possibility of a good standard of living and the opportunity to explore and live in East Asia. There are many other reasons people end up teaching in Korea and it seems like everyone has a different take on living and working there. This guide is meant to serve as a basic introduction to teaching in South Korea, what the teaching is like, what life is like, and what you need to do to be on a plane heading to Seoul. Again, this is basic information – there’s a lot more information out there. You will find a list of relevant websites and personal blogs at the end of this document that you can use to gain better insight into teaching/living in Korea and make a more informed decision about going there.
2. About Living in Korea
Life in Korea is what you make of it. It’s a very small country with a good public transportation network of busses and trains so you can do pretty much anything you want on the weekend. If you like the beach, there are plenty of beaches. Do you like mountains? Korea is covered in them. If nightlife is your thing then in the cities you won’t be disappointed. Korean food is a specialty all it’s own with very distinctive, delicious tastes and customs. Cultural events and festivals abound throughout the country at all times of the year and you’re close enough that vacation travel to South East Asia and the rest of East Asia is definitely within the realm of possibilities. All that said, however, Korea is not for everyone. Living in a very homogenous society such as Korea it is very possible to feel isolated at times and even as a sort of spectacle (this is especially true in more rural locations). Additionally Confucianism is still very strong in Korea and may leave some people feeling frustrated at the hierarchy that must be observed in many facets of daily life. Even so, many foreigners have made Korea their home though and there are definitely reasons for that. When talking with other foreigners about living in Korea, it’s best to take all opinions with a grain of salt. While there is always some truth, I’d recommend that you try to be informed as much as possible, but also open to the different experiences Korea has to offer.
3. Teaching in Korea
There are a variety of things to consider when choosing a teaching position in Korea. Below you will find information on the most common visa type for teaching English in Korea, the different kinds of teaching positions available to ESL teachers in Korea and the different ways to apply to these positions. Following that you will find information about the requirements for teaching in Korea and a bit about the application process for public school positions.
3.1 Visas
As a first time teacher in Korea, you will be working on an E2 visa. Both Public and Private schools must abide by the requirements for obtaining this visa. Working conditions though, as you will see below can vary dramatically between them. Your school will assist you in obtaining a working visa. It is easier to obtain a visa for working in Korea from your home country, though it is possible to do so from some Korean embassies abroad.
3.2 Types of Schools
Public Schools - This means teaching at a public school just like in any other country. You could be teaching at an Elementary School, Middle School, or High School. The benefit to working in the public school system is more stability. You’ll have set pay that you will receive on a certain day every month, you’ll have set working hours, set paid vacation days, sick days, and you won’t have to work on Saturdays or Sundays (Korean Teachers work on Monday-Saturday). In addition you’ll receive a settlement allowance, your flight will be paid for, and you will receive a flat for your time in Korea. Full-time teaching at Public Schools is 22 hours though sometimes you’ll be asked to teach more for overtime pay. Some negatives are that you have to be at work at your desk, even if you’re not teaching. Foreign teachers in Korea refer to this as desk warming and you’ll often hear people griping about hours spent idle in front of their computer while waiting to go home. Others use the time to their advantage and don’t mind at all so really it just depends on the person. You may also be required to teach Summer/Winter camps when the semester is completed. This might be only for your school, or part of a larger district camp, or both.
There are three main hiring bodies in Korea when it comes to the Public School System: -SMOE, or Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education. Covers all public schools in the Seoul Metropolitan area.
-GEPIK, or Geonggi-do English Program in Korea. Covers all public schools in Geonggi Province.
-EPIK, or English Program in Korea. Covers nearly all other areas of the country for placement of Guest English Teachers in Public Schools.
The two main start times for Public Schools are September 1st and March 1st. Generally they stop taking applications for these a few months in advance. This means apply early. That said, there are usually spots available throughout the country due to turnover so you can usually find something but it just might not be exactly what you want.
Private Language Schools – Also known as Hagwons, these schools are run and financed as private institutes. For the most part certain benefits – such as a flat and your flight are the same as with Public schools. There can be some advantages to these though by and large – and this is where I’ll show a little bias – I would not recommend that first time teachers in Korea, assuming that they meet the requirements for a public school job,
As a first time teacher in Korea, you will be working on an E2 visa. Both Public and Private schools must abide by the requirements for obtaining this visa. Working conditions though, as you will see below can vary dramatically between them. Your school will assist you in obtaining a working visa. It is easier to obtain a visa for working in Korea from your home country, though it is possible to do so from some Korean embassies abroad.
3.2 Types of Schools
Public Schools - This means teaching at a public school just like in any other country. You could be teaching at an Elementary School, Middle School, or High School. The benefit to working in the public school system is more stability. You’ll have set pay that you will receive on a certain day every month, you’ll have set working hours, set paid vacation days, sick days, and you won’t have to work on Saturdays or Sundays (Korean Teachers work on Monday-Saturday). In addition you’ll receive a settlement allowance, your flight will be paid for, and you will receive a flat for your time in Korea. Full-time teaching at Public Schools is 22 hours though sometimes you’ll be asked to teach more for overtime pay. Some negatives are that you have to be at work at your desk, even if you’re not teaching. Foreign teachers in Korea refer to this as desk warming and you’ll often hear people griping about hours spent idle in front of their computer while waiting to go home. Others use the time to their advantage and don’t mind at all so really it just depends on the person. You may also be required to teach Summer/Winter camps when the semester is completed. This might be only for your school, or part of a larger district camp, or both.
There are three main hiring bodies in Korea when it comes to the Public School System: -SMOE, or Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education. Covers all public schools in the Seoul Metropolitan area.
-GEPIK, or Geonggi-do English Program in Korea. Covers all public schools in Geonggi Province.
-EPIK, or English Program in Korea. Covers nearly all other areas of the country for placement of Guest English Teachers in Public Schools.
The two main start times for Public Schools are September 1st and March 1st. Generally they stop taking applications for these a few months in advance. This means apply early. That said, there are usually spots available throughout the country due to turnover so you can usually find something but it just might not be exactly what you want.
Private Language Schools – Also known as Hagwons, these schools are run and financed as private institutes. For the most part certain benefits – such as a flat and your flight are the same as with Public schools. There can be some advantages to these though by and large – and this is where I’ll show a little bias – I would not recommend that first time teachers in Korea, assuming that they meet the requirements for a public school job,
take positions at Hagwons. Yes, I know plenty of people who have had good experiences
working for private schools but it often seems that for every good story there are two other
horror stories from former Hagwon teachers. The English market is a competitive industry
in South Korea and these schools go out of business all the time. When schools go out of
business, or are having trouble, most often it is the teachers who suffer. Also, these
schools are not regulated by the government in the same way public schools are. You may
not be paid on time, or at all and you may be forced to work weekends/long hours and
there’s not much you can do about it. If you spend a year at a public school and then,
having heard about a good hagwon, decide that road is best for you then by all means go
for it. Keep in mind again that this is just my opinion though it is an opinion shared by
many others – just something to be aware of.
With Hagwons there is no “start date” like in the Public School system. You can apply anytime and will have no trouble finding positions.
Universities – Once, and to a certain degree still, the holy grail of teaching in South Korea. Not as much pay as public school jobs though low teaching hours and often-huge amounts of vacation time (though this is on a slight decrease in recent years) make these positions some of the most sought after by English teachers in Korea. Like in much of the ESL world, getting a university job is not that simple. Oftentimes staff are chosen based on word of mouth and Korean Universities also prefer to interview potential staff in-country who already have at least one year of teaching in South Korea. This means that unless you’re willing to risk everything and fly to Korea for an interview, it is better to do some time at one of the other schools, network and apply when you hear of an opening.
3.3 Recruiters
While it may seem strange at first, most people who go to teach in Korea – whether they choose to teach at a Hagwon or Public School – do so through the assistance of a recruiter. As you might imagine, there are all kinds of recruiters – some good, some not so good, and some downright sketchy. The important thing is to do your own research first before deciding to go with any one recruiting company. Where are they based? What regions of the country do they recruit for and do they primarily recruit for Public or Private schools? These are the types of questions that you should be asking and can easily find the answer to online on a number of Korea forums that you’ll find listed at the end of this document. Perhaps the most important thing is that there shouldn’t be any sort of fee associated with the recruiting process (aside from paying for your Criminal Check, Apostille, Notarization, etc.) that you pay either to a school, company, or recruiter. These people make their money by finding teachers and receive a healthy headhunters fee when you fly to Korea and take a job. With a good recruiter you’ll receive help during each stage of the application process though it is still up to you do get everything done. The recruiter will tell you what to do and what documents they need but it’ll be up to you to get everything in order and done on time.
On another note – a lot of the postings you see on sites like Dave’s ESL Café for public and private school job openings in Korea are actually posted by recruiters. It is better, in
With Hagwons there is no “start date” like in the Public School system. You can apply anytime and will have no trouble finding positions.
Universities – Once, and to a certain degree still, the holy grail of teaching in South Korea. Not as much pay as public school jobs though low teaching hours and often-huge amounts of vacation time (though this is on a slight decrease in recent years) make these positions some of the most sought after by English teachers in Korea. Like in much of the ESL world, getting a university job is not that simple. Oftentimes staff are chosen based on word of mouth and Korean Universities also prefer to interview potential staff in-country who already have at least one year of teaching in South Korea. This means that unless you’re willing to risk everything and fly to Korea for an interview, it is better to do some time at one of the other schools, network and apply when you hear of an opening.
3.3 Recruiters
While it may seem strange at first, most people who go to teach in Korea – whether they choose to teach at a Hagwon or Public School – do so through the assistance of a recruiter. As you might imagine, there are all kinds of recruiters – some good, some not so good, and some downright sketchy. The important thing is to do your own research first before deciding to go with any one recruiting company. Where are they based? What regions of the country do they recruit for and do they primarily recruit for Public or Private schools? These are the types of questions that you should be asking and can easily find the answer to online on a number of Korea forums that you’ll find listed at the end of this document. Perhaps the most important thing is that there shouldn’t be any sort of fee associated with the recruiting process (aside from paying for your Criminal Check, Apostille, Notarization, etc.) that you pay either to a school, company, or recruiter. These people make their money by finding teachers and receive a healthy headhunters fee when you fly to Korea and take a job. With a good recruiter you’ll receive help during each stage of the application process though it is still up to you do get everything done. The recruiter will tell you what to do and what documents they need but it’ll be up to you to get everything in order and done on time.
On another note – a lot of the postings you see on sites like Dave’s ESL Café for public and private school job openings in Korea are actually posted by recruiters. It is better, in
my opinion, to find a reputable recruiter, contact them directly, and see what positions they
currently have available.
3.4 Applying Directly to EPIK, SMOE, or GEPIK
It is possible to apply to work directly to these governmental organizations however I would suggest going with a reputable recruiter your first time around as it will save you some headache in figuring out what do next and how to do it.
3.5 Requirements and a short bit on the Application Process:
Okay, so first and foremost what do you need in order to teach in Korea? Basically, you need two things in order to be eligible:
1.) BA degree (in any subject – though those not in English will soon be required to have a TEFL certificate – luckily if you’re reading this you have either completed the TLH TEFL certification course or are currently in the process of doing so!)
2.) Be from one of a recognized 7 countries – these are the USA, Canada, the U.K., Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. This means you need to have a passport from one of these countries and have completed the majority of your education at English Speaking schools (from Elementary through University). Yes, this might seem unfair and yes, there are some discriminatory elements but that’s the situation and there’s no getting around it.
Additionally, You’ll need to provide a few more things before hopping on the plane (This information is for Public Schools). These include:
4.) Two original letters of recommendation, on letter headed paper, with contact details, dated, and signed.
5.) Be able to commit to a 12 month teaching contract.
During the recruitment phase you will also need to provide scans of your passport, scans of your Bachelor diploma, scans of your TEFL certificate, and scans of any other important documents such as an MA or teaching certificate if you have these. After providing these
3.4 Applying Directly to EPIK, SMOE, or GEPIK
It is possible to apply to work directly to these governmental organizations however I would suggest going with a reputable recruiter your first time around as it will save you some headache in figuring out what do next and how to do it.
3.5 Requirements and a short bit on the Application Process:
Okay, so first and foremost what do you need in order to teach in Korea? Basically, you need two things in order to be eligible:
1.) BA degree (in any subject – though those not in English will soon be required to have a TEFL certificate – luckily if you’re reading this you have either completed the TLH TEFL certification course or are currently in the process of doing so!)
2.) Be from one of a recognized 7 countries – these are the USA, Canada, the U.K., Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. This means you need to have a passport from one of these countries and have completed the majority of your education at English Speaking schools (from Elementary through University). Yes, this might seem unfair and yes, there are some discriminatory elements but that’s the situation and there’s no getting around it.
Additionally, You’ll need to provide a few more things before hopping on the plane (This information is for Public Schools). These include:
-
1.) A clean national level criminal record check from your home
Country. This needs to be notarized and apostilled for international use. (Canadian citizens need this to be validated by their consulate.) Depending on the country this can take a long time – best to start in advance but it should have a validity of 6 months when you apply.
-
2.) University Transcripts in Sealed Envelopes (2 required – might
want to get a few though because you’ll be needing these a lot when applying for teaching jobs and once they’re opened they are of no use.
4.) Two original letters of recommendation, on letter headed paper, with contact details, dated, and signed.
5.) Be able to commit to a 12 month teaching contract.
During the recruitment phase you will also need to provide scans of your passport, scans of your Bachelor diploma, scans of your TEFL certificate, and scans of any other important documents such as an MA or teaching certificate if you have these. After providing these
scanned documents along with your completed application form, you’ll have a phone
interview with a supervisor from the Office of Education for wherever you’ve applied to
work. This is not a big deal – don’t stress about it. They just want to talk with you and ask
you questions about your hobbies, why you want to work in Korea, how you will adapt to a
different culture, etc. Assuming you go through a recruiter (info on that below) this will all
be assisted by them. You’ll have to do the work but they’ll help guide you on what to do
next and arrange the interview. There are a variety of other steps along the way but the
above things are the most important things you will need in order to apply to work in
Korea.
3.6 More than just “Base level”
Things like teaching experience, TEFL certification, MA degrees, etc can give you a jump in the pay scale (for public schools). Be sure to mention and include these when applying. Past teaching experience is counted in 12-month years and with a real school. Private lessons and part time work don’t count. You will also need to prove this experience with a signed letter from your previous employer stating the time of your employment. This too should be on letterhead, dated and signed.
4. Useful Resources
Websites
www.eslcafe.com - Dave’s ESL Café. The country forums are a good resource for not only Korea, but other parts of the world as well.
www.waygook.org - A forum for teachers in Korea. Waygook is a Romanized version of the Korean word for “Foreigner.” It is run and created by foreigners in Korea and can be a good source of information not only with lessons but also for general life in South Korea. http://www.epik.go.kr - the official Korean EPIK program webpage. Not the most efficient site in the world but has information that you might find useful.
http://koreabridge.net/ - another foreigner run website with lots of information about Korea. It is meant more as a resource for those already living in Korea but you still may find some useful information here.
http://koreannewsfeeds.com/ - Awesome website with Korean News, links to the most popular foreigner blogs and other websites related to Korea.
5. Closing
So that should get you started in considering Korea as a place to live and teach English. Now that you’ve read through this overview and have some useful websites to peruse you can start thinking of any other questions you might have about Korea. I hope you’ve found this information useful and feel free to contact me if you’d like to discuss anything else related to living and teaching in Korea.
Thanks,
info@thelanguagehouse.net
3.6 More than just “Base level”
Things like teaching experience, TEFL certification, MA degrees, etc can give you a jump in the pay scale (for public schools). Be sure to mention and include these when applying. Past teaching experience is counted in 12-month years and with a real school. Private lessons and part time work don’t count. You will also need to prove this experience with a signed letter from your previous employer stating the time of your employment. This too should be on letterhead, dated and signed.
4. Useful Resources
Websites
www.eslcafe.com - Dave’s ESL Café. The country forums are a good resource for not only Korea, but other parts of the world as well.
www.waygook.org - A forum for teachers in Korea. Waygook is a Romanized version of the Korean word for “Foreigner.” It is run and created by foreigners in Korea and can be a good source of information not only with lessons but also for general life in South Korea. http://www.epik.go.kr - the official Korean EPIK program webpage. Not the most efficient site in the world but has information that you might find useful.
http://koreabridge.net/ - another foreigner run website with lots of information about Korea. It is meant more as a resource for those already living in Korea but you still may find some useful information here.
http://koreannewsfeeds.com/ - Awesome website with Korean News, links to the most popular foreigner blogs and other websites related to Korea.
5. Closing
So that should get you started in considering Korea as a place to live and teach English. Now that you’ve read through this overview and have some useful websites to peruse you can start thinking of any other questions you might have about Korea. I hope you’ve found this information useful and feel free to contact me if you’d like to discuss anything else related to living and teaching in Korea.
Thanks,
info@thelanguagehouse.net
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