A Guide to Teaching English in South Korea
The South Korean economy relies heavily on export to the US, Western Europe and Australasia, so having English language skills has become increasingly important for professional Koreans. Both wages and demand for TEFL teachers are high, so it's a great choice, especially for first time teachers.
TEFL Opportunities in South Korea
There are countless hagwans in Seoul, Busan and in pretty much any other city across the country. You'll need a university degree to get your working visa, and although there are employers who will hire untrained teachers, a recognized TEFL qualification will make finding work with a reputable school a lot easier. One way of ensuring good working conditions is to check out the government-run EPIK programme.
TEFL Hotspots in South Korea
These are our top three TEFL destinations in South Korea. The first two are pretty obvious, while the third one will give aspiring TEFL teachers a slightly different view of teaching English in South Korea.
TEFL Jobs in Seoul
Seoul is home to over 10 million people. It's South Korea's capital and its most important center for commerce and industry. The opportunities for teaching in Seoul are many and varied with language schools and institutes scattered across the country.
TEFL Jobs in Busan
Busan is South Korea's second city. The number of TEFL jobs in the city is second only to Seoul, and due to its position on the coast it enjoys a more comfortable climate than many of the inland cities.
TEFL Jobs in Gwangju
Gwangju sits amid stunning countryside in the agricultural region of Jeolla. It is also home to a number of thriving industries and universities. The opportunities for teaching English are wide and varied, including TEFL jobs in universities and language schools across the city.
Wages and Cost of Living
This obviously depends on your level of training and experience. However, wages in South Korea are very competitive and a monthly paypacket of around 2.5million Won (US$2100) a month is not uncommon. As an English teacher in South Korea your salary will be among the best for your profession anywhere in the world. The cost of living is still pretty low, but it's slowly increasing as the economy strengthens.
Talk South Korea - Join in the conversation...
South Korea Recent discussions
- JOB AVAILABLE (Uiwang, near Seoul)
Created about 2 days ago
Hi Fiona, Is this job still available? Im presuming its for a year? xx
- What degree?
Created about 7 days ago
Been here just over a year now :)
- Rookie Questions
Created about 18 days ago
No problem, although I didn't do an i-to-i course, so I'm not really an expert there! Not that I'm an...
- K-Pop
Created about 20 days ago
BIGBANG-TOP AND G-DRAGON!!! :P
- Who is going for EPIK Feb 2012
Created about 29 days ago
Hey Paul, It's not a silly question! They have a start date in August as well. You can come over in...
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