So, you want to be an ESL teacher, but don’t know where to start? Honestly, if I hadn’t stumbled onto this path while I was still in college, I also would have been at a loss for how to land a job overseas.

Moving to another country and starting a new career are both, in and of themselves, big tasks. Put them together and you’ve got yourself a nice overwhelming headache.

If I were moving to another country to become an ESL teacher today, here are my tips:

Decide on your country/countries

It might sound strange to start with choosing a country, rather than looking into building up your resume, but your location will determine the rest of the steps you’ll need to take.

Maybe you have one country you’ve set your heart on—that’s fine. Or maybe you have a few countries in mind—that’s fine too.

The reason you should choose your country is because not all countries are the same when it comes to qualifications and visas. For example, in Asia, countries like South Korea and Japan have stricter requirements for their teachers compared to countries like China or Cambodia. If you’re short on time or short on qualifications, you might have more options in a country like Cambodia, compared to Japan.

Research the qualifications in your country

Once you’ve chosen your country/countries you’re interested in, do a few quick Google searches about the requirements that country has for EFL teachers. Generally, most countries are hoping that you have:

· A Bachelor’s degree

· A TEFL certificate

· Teaching experience

While many countries hope you have these things, many of them do consider these things to be optional. If you’re still in university, I would advise finishing up school before making a full-time move to another country. And a TEFL certificate is incredibly easy to get.

Be sure to keep an eye out for specific requirements. (Doing a search about work visas in your country could help with that.) For example, in China, to get a work visa as an ESL teacher, you need to have a passport from a country whose national language is English. That means, even if your English is perfect, if you have a passport from Germany, you’re going to run into some problems.

Get a TEFL certificate

Like I mentioned, a TEFL certificate is incredibly easy to get. Almost all countries will look for one, so it’s a good idea to go ahead and get your certificate. If you want to find out more about a TELF certificate, check out this article about what to look for (as well as my recommendation for what company to use) : https://www.atlasteaching.com/china-life/choosingtherightteflcourse

And if you’re curious about the different between a TEFL certificate and a CELTA certificate, I’ve laid out the differences in this article: https://www.atlasteaching.com/china-life/teflvscelta

Look for a Job

Now that you’ve chosen your country/countries and learned a little bit more about what they’ll expect from you, here comes the hard part: finding the job. There are basically two ways to find a job as an ESL teacher overseas: By individual application or using an agency.

Individual Application

In this method, you job hunt the old-fashioned way. Search for “ESL teaching jobs in {your country}.” Find websites that post job listings in the country or city you want to be in. Get familiar with famous English training centers around the world, like EF, who has centers in 120 different countries. https://careers.ef.com

Then, just apply individually. Upload or email your resume to all the different options you’ve found.

Using an Agency

This feels like a simpler way to find a job, simply because most of the work is cut out. If you use an agency, you will just send your resume to the agency, and the agency will help place you in a job in whichever country you’re interested in. They’ll help you arrange the interviews, and many of them will help with processing any necessary visas, as well.

Which one do I recommend? Individual application. It gives you more control over where you are placed, and it gives you more independence. Since the agency takes a cut of your paycheck, you’ll also make more money. Mostly I recommend individual application because agencies are commission-based. That means they might place you in a school they know isn’t a good working environment simply because they care more about getting their commission than about whether or not you’re in a good school.

But, there’s also a third way to find a job: Through connections. ESL teaching has exploded over the last few years, and you might be surprised to find out that someone in your circle has done ESL teaching abroad before, or maybe they know someone who has. If you can connect with someone who has first-hand experience, that’s always helpful, especially if they taught in the country you want to teach in.

Look into visas

Whether you go with an agency or individual application, either the agency or your school will probably help you a little with applying for a visa for you to work in the country. But a quick google search can give you an idea of what documents you’ll need so you can start collecting them. Depending on your country, you might need to request transcripts from your university or track down your birth certificate.

Start learning!

Now that you’ve gotten the legal stuff out of the way, you can start focusing on the country you’ll be going to! Start learning the language and finding out more about the culture. One thing I love to do is use the hashtag feature on Instagram to start following people who are already in the country or city you’ll be going to. You might get more insight into what your daily life will be like, and if you follow other expats, they might even share valuable information, like how to get around or what products from back home you should bring with you

Get as much experience as you can

Before you head overseas, get as much experience with teaching as you can. If you can volunteer teaching English, that’s best; but even if it means volunteering helping out at community centers or after school programs, or even helping your cousin with his math homework, getting some experience will help you feel more confident once you stand in your own classroom.

Hopefully this will help you if you’re interested in becoming an ESL teacher overseas! If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment. And if you’re interested in what ESL teaching is like in China, you can always follow me on Instagram at @atlasteaching to see more of the day-to-day!

How to Become an ESL Teacher in 2023