Teach English in Austria

Details

Summary

Most of the demand is in the business sector.

Main TEFL regions

Vienna and Salzburg, with some opportunities in other towns and cities.

Types of teaching

Private Language schools/academies: General English, Business English, Cambridge PET/FCE/CAE/CPE, English for Younger Learners
In-company: General English, Business English, Cambridge PET/FCE/CAE/CPE, English for Younger Learners
Private tuition: General English, Business English, English for Specific Purposes
Summer camps: General English, English for Younger Learners

Accommodation

You will usually have to find your own accommodation. Expect to pay €400 per month for a flat share in Vienna, but it’ll be far cheaper outside of the capital.

Flight reimbursement

Not common, as most teachers work freelance.

Salary

Expect to earn between €15 and €30 per hour, depending on your qualifications and experience. Teaching assistants earn around €1,000 per month.

Taxes

As a teaching assistant, you’ll pay about 4% of your total salary as tax. As a well-paid teacher, it’ll be closer to 20%. However, you’ll have to contribute another 15% of your income to the national health and pension scheme.

Cost of living

Costs are on a par with most of Western Europe. A cheap meal will cost €5, a beer in a bar is about €3, while a long-distance train journey from Vienna to Salzburg starts at €45.

Potential to save money

Given the high accommodation costs, you’re unlikely to save any money unless you’re at the top of the salary range.

How much TEFL training is recommended?

It varies between employers. Some require a TEFL certificate such as i-to-i’s 100-hour combined course, others prefer you to have some teaching experience, and many require a CELTA or equivalent.

Common teaching conditions

It may take a while to build up to 25 teaching hours per week, and you’ll probably end up working for more than one school. Your students will mostly be businesspeople of all ages.

Be aware…

Summer camps are fun but can be hard work. You could be called on at any time of the day or night, so you’ll probably need a holiday after you’ve finished working at one!