Hi there!

Me and my girlfriend are strongly considering taking a TEFL course but have a few questions before we take it up!

1) What are the chances of me and my partner getting work in the same place/a nearby place?

2) How does the pay equate with living costs?

3) Neither of us have a degree, but both have English A-Levels. Does it make any difference?

Thanks in advance guys and gals!

Oh, and in terms of the TEFL courses offered, is it best to just go for the 120 hours one?

Since you haven't said WHERE you'd like to teach, it's pretty difficult to answer the first two questions! You won't get rich teaching English though!

With regards to the degree question, the list of places where you can legally teach without a degree is rapidly decreasing. As you are both EU citizens, the whole of Europe is open to you, although some schools will still insist on a degree. Other than that your best bet is China. Someone mentioned the other day that Thailand is still an option, but I'm not sure. If neither of those take your fancy, Ecuador is an option.

I think China is the way we want to go, considering the internship. Neither of us are expecting to make much from doing it, but we're just trying to consider the costs of being out there, working and being able to explore the country. I'm guessing having some savings before hand would help.

Would me and my girlfriend be able to be placed together on the internship?

In answer to your questions;

1. Yes

2. Yes

3. No

Regardless of where you decide to go I'm sure you could both work at the same place/ somewhere close. The pay is around 5000 rmb up depending on qualifications/ experience, this amount is ample to get by on. China is changing the requirements but i-to-i certification could still be enough to get you work if you go via an agent, if you have a degree all the better.

Hello Briona. I have read quite a few of your posts in the past few days. Im new and Im pretty much reading every blog and post I can to better inform myself. I noticed that a lot of your posts are very helpful. Is there any site or place to find an updated list of countries to date that dont require a degree?..I wanted to go to Thailand as my first teaching endeavor but have been told that Thailand requires a degree in order to get a visa. My second choice was China, unfortunately I read a post from Kiddiee under the Wrong Passport forum in this group who says that I need a degree in China now too. The hopesare starting to dwindle away. I am not just open to Asia, I am open to anywhere as long as I can get my TEFL teaching experience going after I complete the TEFL certification institute. Is there anyway you can tell me about an updated list of countries that do not require degrees. I will be working on my degree via an accredited online campus during my TEFL career, I simply cant wait to start teaching to other peoples of other nations. I understand that without a degree you have to start somewhere and I am happy to do so. I just need a source to actually find the certain countries that I am currently limited to. Thank you very much .

Hi Globetrotter,

While you do need a degree to work in Thailand, you definitely DON'T need one to work in China. As with every country, some schools will insist on it, but in China I assure you that it is a school requirement rather than a Government/visa one.

As visa rules change so frequently there is no up-to-date list of the countries which don't require a degree. That said, from research and other people's experiences I can tell you that China and Ecuador are both open to you, as I believe is Cambodia (although much of the teaching there is voluntary). It is also possible to find work in other parts of South America although you can expect to be working 'under the table' (employers just don't want the hassle of organising working visas). If I come across any other confirmed countries, I will post back here.