Teach English in Australia

Details

Summary

The demand for teachers is high, but there's lots of competition for jobs

Main TEFL regions

Sydney, Perth, Brisbane, Cairns, Melbourne

Types of teaching

PELICOS language schools: General English, Cambridge (PET, FCE, CAE, CPE), Business English, EAP, IELTS, TOEIC
University ELICOS centres: General English, EAP, IELTS
Private non-ELICOS language schools: General English, Cambridge (PET, FCE, CAE, CPE), Business English, EAP, IELTS, TOEIC
TAFE colleges: General English, ESP
AMES: General English, EAP, ESP

Accommodation

You will usually have to arrange this yourself. A room in a shared apartment starts at about A$300 per month, while an apartment of your own will be at least A$800 per month.

Flight reimbursement

No

Salary

A$2,400 -A$4,600 per month, depending on your qualifications and experience.

Taxes

At the lower end of the salary range, you’ll pay about 11% of your salary as tax; at the higher end, it’ll be more like 18%.

Cost of living

The cost of living is on a par with other western countries. A weekly travel pass for Sydney city centre will cost A$35, a beer in a bar is about A$4, while a cinema ticket is about A$9.

Potential to save money

On a starter’s salary, you’re unlikely to save any money; but as your earnings increase with your experience, you should be able to put some money in the bank.

How much TEFL training is recommended?

As the market is so competitive, you should get as much training as possible. i-to-i’s 100-hour Combined Course should be enough to get you a job in a small private language institute; but to work in an ELICOS program, you’ll need a CELTA or a master’s degree.

Common teaching conditions

You’ll usually be teaching for 25 hours each week. Your students will be immigrants from across the globe.

Be aware…

If you’re a native English speaker who hails from outside of Australia, be aware that some words have slightly different meanings in here, which can lead to some embarrassing situations!