Teach English in Chile

Details

Summary

The Ministry of Education launched the 10-year “English Opens Doors” program in 2003 and with a relatively stable economy; the market for English teachers is flourishing.

Main TEFL regions

The big cities of Santiago, Concepción, Valaparaíso and Talca, and countless smaller places such as Arica, Punta Arenas, Iquique, and Viña del Mar.

Types of teaching

High schools: General English
Private language schools: General English, Business English
In-company: General English, Business English
Private tuition: General English, English for Specific Purposes

Accommodation

Unless you’re volunteering, your employer is unlikely to include accommodation in your contract. You can find a room in a shared house for US$140-240 per month, or get your own apartment from US$300 plus bills.

Flight reimbursement

The only benefit your employer is likely to offer, if any, is health insurance.

Salary

Between US$600 and US$2000 per month. This depends on your level of experience and where you work: high schools tend to pay less, private institutes pay more, while private lessons are the most lucrative.

Taxes

Income tax is complicated in Chile, as it’s levied on “tax units” which the government revalue's every month depending on current prices. However, at the lower end of the salary range, don’t expect to pay any tax at all; at the higher end you’ll still only pay about 6% tax.

Cost of living

While the cost of living is cheap compared to developed countries, it is relatively expensive for South America. You can still get by cheaply, though: weekly groceries for one person are about US$20 and city bus fares are less than a dollar, while a budget cell phone will cost about US$70.

Potential to save money

This depends on your lifestyle and how many home comforts you need. Once you’re settled in a reasonably-paid job you could save as much as US$1000 per month.

How much TEFL training is recommended?

There’s lots of competition for jobs here, so you should get a recognized TEFL qualification – such as those available through i-to-i - or make sure you have some experience before you arrive.

Common teaching conditions

25 classroom hours is the norm. You’ll struggle to cover your costs with anything less than 15 hours and you may end up working for several schools.

As in most countries, class sizes vary depending on your employer: you could be teaching a few businessmen or a room full of boisterous teenagers!

Be aware…

Avoid arriving during January or February if you haven’t already arranged a job, as most schools will be on summer holidays and therefore not looking for staff.

The high volume of traffic in the big cities equals lots of smog and slow journeys between classes. Although you’ll make less money, you may have a better quality of life in smaller towns and rural areas.