Hundreds if not thousands of people come to South Korea on sponsored E2 Visas as English Language Teachers. Because of this there are pages and pages of information most of which is correct and useful, but on the other hand some of it is wrong, dated and bad. Like most of our articles this post is a mix of hard and true facts as well as opinion based advice.
E2 Visa Requirements
It’s also useful to note that South Korean Immigration rules and laws change often and therefore in a few months time a new requirement maybe added, changed or removed. However these are the current requirements for becoming an English Teacher in South Korea:
- A National of one of these seven countries: USA, Canada, UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand or South Africa.
- A full Bachelors Degree (from a reputable and accredited University)
- A Clean National Criminal Record Check (CRB) (Americans – FBI check, Brits – Disclosure Scotland, Other countries are similar)
That is it, if you match this requirements you can get an Sponsored English Teaching Job in South Korea.
These are the required documents you’ll need to submit in your E2 visa application:
- Both your Original Degree Certificate & Criminal Record Check (they both need to be legalized and apostilled.)
- Color Copy of your Passport (the page with your picture)
- Health Check Statement
- Copy of Your Resume
- Signed copy of your work Contract
- two passport-sized photos
- one set of sealed university transcripts (these were required, then weren’t and then were again. I’m unsure if they are still)
Normally you send these documents to your future school, once they’ve been submitted to Immigration it takes about 3 to 6 weeks to process (longer for South Africans), therefore it should take less than 2 months.
Five Things to Consider
Before even looking for an English Teaching Job in South Korea you need to at least think about and consider the following questions, as they are very important:
- Linking back to a couple of other previous posts, WHY? 10 Good Reasons to become a Teacher in South Korea & Secondly 10 Bad Reasons to become a Teacher in South Korea. If your taking a teaching job in South Korea for the right reasons then great but if you have reasons other then the job itself you should think careful before taking a life changing step.
- WHEN? Planing a realistic start date is important as you’ll need to find the right role and shouldn’t rush into the first thing that comes along.
- WHERE? Location is so important when taking any job, but in a new country being in a comfortable location is very important. You need to be realistic, you won’t find a good job in central Seoul (or maybe Seoul in general) without experience but neighboring cities such as Incheon, Suwon and Seongnam are all good. *Hint* Don’t trust a recruiter that says it’s only an hour away from Seoul, do your research before.
- WHAT Age? The most common options are Kindergarten + Elementary (3 to 12) or Elementary + Middle (6 to 15). There are also High School and Adult teaching roles but they are limited.
- Public or Private? We’re not going to debate the pros and cons of either option, however Public School jobs are harder to find but have more vacation and often have less teaching hours. However Private Schools (Hagwons) are easier to find and often better located.
Finding a Job
If you’ve matched the E2 requirements and at least considered the our 5 points (above) you can start looking for a job. Firstly you should make sure you have a well written and presented resume with any and all experience related to teaching, working with kids and languages included. Also have a few nice pictures (photos) ready, Korean schools and businesses in general like to know what you look like.
Secondly, if you know someone already in Korea, or even a friend of a friend contact them for advice and leads on good jobs. Bypassing recruiters can give you an advantage when looking for any job as it will save your employer money. *However* some schools will avoid recruiters because they don’t have any money and you may find yourself in a horror story situation, once again research is key.
Next, contact some recommended recruiters as well as applying for roles that interest you. *Hint* some recruiters will list fake or old jobs in order to resume store, or because they have a similar role. The quote “that role as been filled but maybe this one will interest you” is heard a lot. Fake Job: Great Job in Central Seoul…Real Job: Average Job in Yongin (although there is nothing wrong with Yongin it’s just an hour or more away from Seoul and therefore not the same).
*Hint* Never send personal information such as DOB or copies of degrees etc in your first email, and if you do black out some of the information.
Here are some good sites that lists ESL jobs in South Korea:
The next part is an interview, this will either happen over the phone or over Skype. Most schools just want to speak to you and listen to your accent and pronunciation.
Finally the contact, they are always a little different but try and find someone (a 3rd party) to check it over. *Hint* Some people post their contacts on forums and this is a good idea but remember to remove any personal information about yourself or the school. *Hint2* Research the school and ask to speak to a current teacher.
Application & Final Steps
OK now you’ve found a job you like and agreed a contact. You’ve send all of your documents to Korea and they’ve been submitted to Immigration. What’s next?
Once your visa application has been accepted you’ll be given an Visa Issuance Number. Take this number along with your Passport, Fee and completed visa form to your local South Korean embassy or Consulate. Normally around a week later return and pick up your passport with the E2 visa inside.
Contact your recruiter or school and they should arrange your flights and you can start your South Korean English Teaching Adventure. *Please Note* Every Recruiter and school works differently and so flights maybe only from your closest international airport, and so internal flights may not be included. Also do not agree to fly out BEFORE you have a visa.
In Conclusion
The whole process takes at least 2 months but most of the time around 4. The best advice is not to rush, plan and research everything. Good luck.
If you have any questions, or if you have any hints and tips for others please feel free to let us know.
Thank you for your time.
Modern Seoul
Thank you for the information…i really wanted to work in south korea as a teacher
Hi.
I was wondering if im not from one of the 7 countries and yet is able to speak English fluently (im from singapore), will I be able to get a teaching job in korea? Appreciate ur response to my email 🙂
The short answer is sadly no. There are a few possible exceptions depending on your education and experience but in general no.
However the rules and immigration laws change regularly and so things could change in the future (but it’s unlikely).
Hello! Thanks for all the helpful info. Quick question, what are your chances of getting accepted if you only have an Associates Degree, but get certified with TESOL/TEFL?
Short Answer is sadly no. You would need a full bachelors Degree in order to gain an E2 visa.
Long Answer it maybe possible via the TALK program. Here is a link (http://www.talk.go.kr/). They accept people with lower qualifications, but their locations are rural and have less attractive packages.
Good Luck
hi, if i’m an unversity planning to take a year off and spend a year in korea,
is it possible to get a part time job in korea as a stay there or do i need a special visa for that?
Unless you’re Korean you need a visa to work in South Korea. Depending on your nationally you could maybe get a working holiday visa which would allow you to work in Korea.
Otherwise you’d need to either be a student in South Korea and therefore be able to work part-time, or get a sponsored visa. Such as described above.
Hi, this was really helpful. But is it really that hard to get a teaching job in Seoul? That’s where I’d really like to go, so would it be worth it to take a year or two after getting my Bachelor’s to get a Master’s in education?
To get “a” job in Seoul, no it’s not to difficult. But it’s more difficult to great a “good” job in Seoul. And even more tricky to get a public school role.
Would a Masters help? Yes. But having a TEFL (or similar) would probably be enough.
You can pick up a job just outside Seoul (within an hour on public transport) within needing much extra. As long as you’re happy working at a Hagwon.
Hi, I have a Higher Diploma in Education(4 -years) and I’ve been teaching for 12 years.
The universities here (South Africa)accept it as a BA of Education degree. Would South Korea schools do the same?
It maybe but honestly not being from South Africa or holding a similar degree we can’t comment. Asking a recruiter, Korean Immigration or a forum website such as Dave’s ESL might yield more answers.
Good luck.
How old do you have to be to become a teacher?
There is no minimum age (as far as we know), however you’re required to have a bachelors degree. Therefore the youngest are generally in their early 20s. Due to the obvious time commitments spent at university.
Is your bachelor degree required to be in education or can it be in any area of study ?
It can be in any subject.
Hello,
I’m a Nigerian and I plan on applying for a teaching job in South Korea. I’ll be graduating soon with a Bachelor’s degree in French. Please what procedures do I have to go through? i’d appreciate a feedback. Thank you.
Unfortunately has explained in the above post only 7 nationalities are accessed for Korean Teaching Jobs and E2 Visas; American, Canadian, British, Irish, Australian, New Zealand and South African. Nigerian is not on the list.
You could come to Korea as a student but not an English Teacher.