A General Guide to Teaching Overseas
Author: Dan Schmidt May 30th, 2025
An Overview of Teaching Overseas
From the novice teacher to the experienced educator the international teaching scene offers many options for educators. This guide serves as general overview of teaching overseas based on the 15 years of experiences I have had in international classrooms. Please use it as a starting point to assist you in your teaching journey. Remember as times change so do processes, what I did could be different for you and your host country. Verify information with your own research. The information provided is based on my experiences of over a decade on the international teaching circuit.
International Teaching is not limited to these countries, positions exist all over the world, you new position is waiting for you.
Getting Started: Recruitment Agencies
You may have to pay shipping fees, medical fees or visa costs.
Here area few reputable recruitment agencies.
Teaching Nomads: Teach Abroad or in the U.S.- Teaching Nomad (Teaching Nomad, n.d.).
Korvia: Teach English in Korea | Teaching Jobs in Korea (Korvia Consulting, 2024).
Chk Education: chk Education - Championing Excellence in Global Education (Chk Education, n.d.)
Search Associates and International School Services are both reputable companies that you can pay a membership for to upload a resume, gain access to their vetted job board and attend job fairs.
Teach Abrad: International Teaching Jobs | Search Associates (Search Associates, 2025).
Home | ISS (International Schools Services, 2025).
Educators can also apply directly to most accredited international schools through their websites.
Finally if you are a novice educator who wishes to teach overseas Dave’s ESL Cafe is great starting point as it is a free job board of teaching positions all over the world.
Home Page - ESL (Sperling, 2025).
A word of caution as it Dave’s ESL is a free job posting and recruitment board. You could pay to post your resume. Recruiters and schools are not usually vetted institutions or agencies, however there are many worldwide options available even for online teaching opportunities.
“ Never pay a recruiter anything. International school recruitment agencies get paid by the school if and when you finish a portion or all of your contract.”
The Process
1. Apply with with a recruiter or directly with an international school. Likewise you can post you resume to a job board or create a profile on a paid platform and schools or recruiters will contact you.
2. Interview with recruiter: Generally a screening interview, to see if it is worth their time to look for a job placement for you, essentially they are vetting you. They are hired by the schools to find you. Once you complete all of or a portion of your contract they get paid by the school.
3. Interview with the school, this could be as simple as a 20 minute video call or there could be multiple rounds of interviews depending on the school and location.
4. Sign an offer of interest, saying you are interested in the job if they offer you it. This is NOT legally binding. It just means you are showing interest while they prepare the contract.
5. Contract is prepared and sent to you you sign the contract. For visa purposes you must have a signed contract, the school may change the contract when you are in the host country. Usually they will tell you if they will change the contract beforehand.
6. Begin visa paperwork, You will work closely with the school's HR and the recruitment company to gather all the needed visa documents.
Documents include but are not limited to:
Attested, notarized and apostilled Copy Bachelors degree (minimum) or other relevant certification documents.
Teaching license (if required)
TEFL/TESL Certifications (If required)
Two Letters of Recommendation
Medical and Drug Checks
FBI Background Checks
7. Once you have your visa issued by your host country of employment, inform the school and they will arrange the ticket for you to arrive before your start date.
8. You could stay in a hotel for a given period of time before the school can secure housing or you find housing.
9. A second medical check in the host country. Some countries require you do this every year in the host country to renew your residency card, others only require it before you arrive to be done in your home country and then again when you arrive in the host country.
10. Issued Foreign Residency Card
11. Purchase a sim card
12. Acquire a foreign bank account
“Depending on your location you may need to do a medical check every year to renew your residency card.”
Potential Positions, Qualifications and Offers: An Overview
based on over a decade of experience teaching in South Korea and The Middle East
-
Teaching English in South Korea: Your Guide to School Types
South Korea has long been a popular destination for educators seeking international teaching opportunities. If you're considering making the move, understanding the different types of schools available is crucial. From universities to private academies, each offers a unique experience.
Opportunities for Native English Teachers (NETs)
Generally, hagwons (private academies) and public schools in South Korea look for Native English Teachers (NETs). This typically includes citizens from the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the UK, Ireland, and South Africa, where English is an official language. For these roles, you usually don't need a teaching license, but a bachelor's degree and TESL/TEFL certification are generally required.
Hagwons (Cram Schools / Private Academies)
Hagwons are private language academies or "cram schools." Teachers often work a split schedule, teaching kindergarteners from approximately 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM, then middle school learners from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM or later. Many hagwons offer additional evening classes for extra pay.
Vacation time is usually limited, with around 10 working days per year. However, hagwons commonly provide benefits such as health insurance, an annual plane ticket home, and housing or a housing allowance. Salaries typically start around $2,000 USD per month, depending on experience. The primary goal in a hagwon is to teach English, focusing on English production regardless of the subject matter. Class sizes are usually small, often not exceeding 12 learners, and you'll typically find more than one foreign teacher on staff.
Public Schools
Jobs in the public school system are generally more competitive than hagwon positions, but they offer more vacation time and similar pay. Class sizes can be larger, ranging from 20 to 30 learners per classroom.
You'll usually be the only foreign teacher at a public school. To secure a position, you typically need to apply through the Korean government's English teacher recruitment program, EPIK (English Program In Korea). EPIK is affiliated with the Korean Ministry of Education and screens prospective NET applicants, aiming to enhance the English speaking abilities of students and teachers within the Korean public school system.
Accredited International Schools
For licensed teachers, accredited international schools like Chadwick International in Songdo or Seoul Foreign School offer highly competitive positions. These schools are often backed by reputable organizations such as The IB, NEASC, or ISA, signifying their high educational standards and rigorous curriculum. Securing a role at one of these schools typically requires a teaching license from your home country.
-
The Middle East offers a variety of options for expatriate teachers, with many school types catering to different curriculum. Understanding these differences is essential for finding the right position for you.
Public Schools
Generally, public schools in the Middle East do not have positions for non-Arabic speaking expatriates. Their curriculum usually is delivered in Arabic, and teaching roles are mostly filled by local educators.
International Schools
Many international schools in the Middle East offer their content in English. The students are often from from Gulf Cooperation Council countries (GCC). Note that some of these schools may determine salaries based on your passport's country of origin rather than solely on your experience. Expatriates usually receive housing, paid vacations, insurance and annual plane tickets to your country of origin. If accredited, these schools might hold accreditation from organization like Cognia..
Western International Schools
For teachers seeking a Western-style educational environment, Western International Schools are a prominent option. These schools are typically accredited by esteemed organizations like New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) or International Baccalaureate (The IB). They follow a Western curriculum.
The student population in these schools is diverse, with learners from all over the world. Content delivery is in English, and in addition to Arabic, another foreign language such as Spanish, French, German, or Chinese is usually offered. These positions are highly competitive and offer great benefits packages..
Where will your teaching journey take you?
References
International Schools Services. (2025). Home. ISS. https://www.iss.edu/
Korvia Consulting. (2024). Teach English in Korea | Teaching Jobs in Korea. Korvia. https://www.korvia.com/
Search Associates. (2025). International Teaching Jobs | Search Associates. Search Associates. https://www.searchassociates.com/
Sperling, D. (2025). Home Page - ESL. Dave's ESL Cafe. https://www.eslcafe.com/
Teaching Nomad. (n.d.). Teach Abroad or in the U.S.- Teaching Nomad. Teaching Nomad. https://www.teachingnomad.com/