Teach English in Taiwan

Details

Summary

There’s a preference for North American teachers, but reputable schools will employ other nationalities as long as they speak clearly.

Main TEFL regions

Taipei & Kaohsiung

Types of teaching

In-company: General English, Business English
University English departments: General English, English for Academic Purposes (EAP), English for Specific Purposes
Private primary & secondary schools: General English, English for Younger Learners
State primary & secondary schools: General English, English for Young Learners
Private language schools (buhsibans): General English, EAP, Business English, TOEFL, GRE (university entry)

Accommodation

Your employer will usually help you to find a place to live. A three-bedroom apartment in Taipei costs around US$400 per month, or US$300 in one of the suburbs; so by sharing, you could pay as little US$100 per month.

Flight reimbursement

Depending on the length of your contract, your flights could be paid for or you could receive a bonus upon completion.

Salary

Expect to make US$1,500-2,200 per month, perhaps more if you take on extra classes at unsociable hours. Pay is relative to your qualifications and experience

Taxes

Expect to pay between 7-9% tax, but this will be more like 20% if you’re in the country for less than six months.

Cost of living

This is relatively low. Eating local food will only cost about US$3 per meal (in fact, eating out is more economical than eating in), and public transport is relatively cheap.

Potential to save money

One of the main reasons English teachers venture to Taiwan is the chance to save money. Salaries are comparable to Japan, but living costs are much lower, so you could save as much as US$1000 per month once you’ve settled in.

How much TEFL training is recommended?

While you only need a degree certificate to teach here, many of the better (and better-paid) jobs require a TEFL qualification.

Common teaching conditions

A typical schedule involves about 25 hours of teaching, with some occasional weekend work; while classes tend to have up to 30 pupils.

Be aware…

Taipei is one of the most polluted cities in the world, so be prepared and use public transport rather than buying a motorbike. This way you’ll also avoid the city’s many dangerous drivers.