WHAT QUALIFICATIONS DO YOU NEED TO BECOME A TEACHER ABROAD?

WHAT QUALIFICATIONS DO YOU NEED TO BECOME A TEACHER ABROAD?

Author
Erica Fairchild
2019.09.04

College is hard. Oftentimes, college grads find themselves in a “What do I do now?” situation after they've graduated. You may be one of these people, saying to yourself “I want to travel, but it's expensive. I want to love what I do, but how can I have it all?” Well, the answer is teaching overseas. Teaching Overseas offers a kind of experience like no other. You have the chance to immerse yourself in another culture, do what you love, and make a good living doing it! All you need is to meet a few teaching abroad requirements. You will want to ensure that you're a valid passport holder from the UK, USA, Canada, Ireland, Australia, or New Zealand. Ensure that you've obtained a bachelor's degree, the ability to obtain a clear background check, the ability to live abroad for at least one year, and it's recommended that you have a TEFL certificate.

Get a TEFL certificate and valid passport

First, you will want to guarantee that you have a valid passport to travel outside of your own country. Obtaining a passport can take up to a few weeks or months, so make sure this step is done as soon as possible! Next, you'll need a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university; this is the first step in qualifying for any teaching position no matter where you may be. Lastly, but most importantly you'll need TEFL certification. TEFL is an acronym for Teaching English as a Foreign Language. A 120-hour verifiable certificate is a requirement to qualify for a work visa through the Chinese government. Once all of these are done, you'll be on your way to China in no time!

Teaching in another country can seem daunting. You'll be leaving home to go to a place you've never been, with people you don't know and another language you may not speak, and that's okay. There are so many benefits to teaching abroad, both personally and professionally. Personally, you can explore the world, thrive and immerse yourself in a new culture, and learn the essentials of a new language yourself! Exploring the world while you teach English in China is a huge benefit to the job. Lots of neighboring countries are just a one to two-hour flight away, which is perfect for a weekend excursion. If you're a history buff, China has one of the oldest histories in the world, so finding new things to learn and discover will keep you busy! One of the biggest parts of teaching abroad is the immersion into a totally new culture. Meeting locals, making friends, building a community, and learning new customs, and a new language. If you're someone who loves to be challenged and to push yourself outside of your comfort zone, then teaching English in China really is the job for you. As a teacher traveling to a new country, the idea of traveling to a place where you can't really communicate may come off as intimidating. You're about to start teaching a classroom full of students who are eager to learn English and make a connection with you as their teacher. During your career, there will be many times when the roles may reverse, and your students will be teaching you some things about their language! There are so many innumerable benefits to working in China, so while it is certainly not the best aspect of the job, the financial side of it is something to be appreciated. Many teachers can fund their travels, make a good living, and save while teaching abroad.

Ancient town in China

There are so many things to do, see, and experience in this world. For a lot of people, those things feel very out of reach but teaching abroad really makes your goals attainable and fulfilling. It can be easy to talk yourself out of teaching overseas, but with the requirements as simple as they are how can you not? You could have 10 years' experience or be fresh out of college. You could have little experience and no TEFL certificate. You could even just be someone who's looking for something fulfilling that will allow you to travel the world. Whether you intend on just one year or many, or maybe you're just looking for a new adventure. Teaching abroad and making a genuine difference in people's lives is an experience like no other. If you're considering it, I urge you not to hesitate. It will change your life, and in turn, you get to help change others.

Apply to Teach NOW

It takes less than five minutes
to change your life.

Related Articles