Do I Need A Degree To Be A Substitute Teacher

  Strictly speaking the answer is no, you do not have to possess a TEFL certificate in order to find work as an English language teacher. In some countries around the world it is still possible to secure employment simply by being a native English speaker. However, there are several reasons why we would strongly recommend that you complete a TEFL training course before you set off to teach English abroad. In recent years many popular destinations for EFL teachers have begun to tighten the requirements necessary for teaching English in schools and language centers. A recognized TEFL certificate is now required in order to secure a work permit in many countries, whilst the ever growing number of teachers with a TEFL qualification means that employers in the majority of countries...  [Read more]

  Although a degree is necessary if you want to have access to every English language teaching market worldwide, there are also plenty of good options open to those without a high-level qualification.  [Read more]

  If you want to teach English as a foreign language abroad or online, you will need to obtain certain qualifications. One of these is a TEFL certificate with at least 100 hours of study. Requirements for teachers vary from country to country, but a TEFL certificate is almost always a requirement.  [Read more]

As a result of government restrictions and official requirements for visa applications, there are a variety of countries where it is hard for teachers to find a job without having a 4-year university degree on their CV/resume. However, if you are able to be flexible and are willing to look for employment in areas where the demand is high and restrictions are less rigorous, TEFL qualified teachers without a degree can still have several great destinations to choose from. To increase your chances of landing a position in the country of your choice, it is highly recommended that you first complete an internationally accredited TEFL certification course. Those who are TEFL qualified will find they have a big advantage over non-qualified teachers in most countries worldwide. Cambodia is...  [Read more]

If you have decided to pursue a career in teaching English abroad, it is now time to figure out what the requirements are to get you started! While there is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to teaching abroad, the most commonly required qualifications to become a TEFL teacher are: Although it may seem self-evident, fluency in English is a prerequisite for TEFL instructors. If you don't speak English well, we recommend looking for another job. Non-native English speakers with fluency in the language can find work in many areas, including South and Central America, Southeast Asia and Eastern Europe. In some regions of the world, though, being a native English speaker is almost a necessity. If English is not your first language, countries like China, Japan, and Saudi Arabia are probably no...  [Read more]

  Teaching English online has been one of the massive growth areas in the ESL teaching world over the last ten years. However, before signing up for any company you will usually have to meet certain requirements. For example, some platforms require a degree and some do not.  [Read more]

The good news is that you do not need a degree to teach English online in many situations. We will expand on this throughout this article. The general qualification required to teach ESL either in person or online is a 120-hour TEFL or TESOL certification. This is seen as the entry level qualification and is usually required by most employers. Other qualities they will be looking for include, in no particular order: (i) Experience: Any formal teaching experience is highly regarded by employers. This may be just a few hours from your TEFL training with real classes, or volunteering at a summer school for example. The more your experience matches the type of teacher they are looking for (such as children or adult teaching) the better. Make sure your C.V or resume indicates all teaching...  [Read more]

  If you are planning to head overseas to teach English, one of the most important things to check in advance is that you have a valid passport. Without an up-to-date passport your dream of living and working abroad will remain just that, a dream!  [Read more]

  It is vital that you research the visa requirements of the country where you plan to work in advance of your departure. In some countries you can simply turn up at the airport and enter on a tourist visa, while others require you to apply for a visa in advance.  [Read more]

  One of the best things about a career in TEFL is that it is open to almost anyone, regardless of age, background, prior experience, or whether or not you are a native English speaker. But one of the most frequently asked questions is, -Do I need a degree to teach English abroad?-  [Read more]

Yes. If you travel outside of your home country to teach English, you will need to possess a valid passport. Most countries require your passport to be valid for a minimum of six months after the date of entry, so it is vital that you check this in advance. To avoid any hassles while you are away from home, we recommend that you have at least two years validity on your existing passport. Once you know the country or countries where you intend to travel, you can contact the nearest consulate for each country if you have any questions or doubts regarding their entry regulations. From within the U.S. you can apply via the State Department's web page. From outside the country you should contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. British citizens should visit the U.K. Government's...  [Read more]

Yes, most countries require foreign visitors to possess some form of visa in order to enter for tourism, business, education, or employment purposes. The requirements vary greatly from one country to the next, so we recommend that you contact the relevant embassy or visit their website to ensure you have the most up-to-date information. Here we break down the most common forms of visa that you are likely to come across. These are generally issued to short term visitors who do not plan to work or study during their stay. There are several categories of tourist visa depending on the destination and your own country of origin. The most common is the 'upon entry' tourist visa that is issued in the form of a passport stamp on arrival at the immigration desk. For example, US citizens heading...  [Read more]

  Although it is possible to teach English online without any formal qualifications, it is definitely recommended that you complete a TEFL course before you get started as many online teaching platforms require applicants to be TEFL certified.  [Read more]

Teaching English without a degree is, fortunately, possible. Regardless of your educational history, there are plenty of language schools that will be happy to employ you. True, having a degree opens up more doors and opportunities, but if you don't have one, there is no reason to let that stop you from pursuing your dream of teaching English abroad. The question of whether you need a degree to find a teaching position is arbitrary, as it is with many other occupations. There is no reason why an English teacher with a university degree would be more effective than one without. Certain traits (passion, commitment, and the ability to create rapport with your students, for example) are more important than a college diploma in this career, as they are in many others. It is important to note,...  [Read more]

This is going to depend on who you choose to work for. Many online teaching platforms now require teachers to be TEFL certified and a significant number of them simply dismiss unqualified teachers as they assume they lack the skills and knowledge required. However, a TEFL certificate is not a requirement to set up your own online teaching business, although it is safe to say that your future students are going to prefer a teacher who is actually certified. In recent years, online education has exploded all across the globe and the demand is through the roof. This has led teaching platforms to tighten the requirements for their teachers in order to set the bar high over their competition. A recognized TEFL certificate is now, more often than not, required in order to secure an online...  [Read more]

  It is possible to take a course at almost every level of qualification in teaching English as a foreign language. To answer the question, we will first look at what those qualification levels are. We then look at some actual courses and what you can do with your degree.  [Read more]

  Do you want to teach English in Vietnam but don’t know where to start? Don’t worry! Vietnam’s booming economy is great news for TEFL qualified English teachers. The demand for teachers is vast all around the country so it’s not hard to find a job.  [Read more]

First we will look at the different levels of study currently available and how they relate to the world of TEFL qualifications. Taking the UK as an example, there are nine qualification levels; examples of actual UK qualifications at each level are given below: From the above, we can see that a degree in TEFL/TESOL is at level 6 and is therefore a very high level of study in the English teaching world. A few examples of such Level 6 courses are shown below: https://www.bachelorstudies.com/BA-English-Language-Linguistics-and-TESOL/United-Kingdom/York-St-John-University/ https://www.bachelorstudies.com/Bachelor-of-Arts-in-TESOL/USA/Great-Northern-University/ https://www.bachelorstudies.com/BA-TESOL/Thailand/Thongsook-College/ If you have a TEFL/TESOL degree the most obvious use of it would...  [Read more]

Vietnam is one of several popular destinations in Southeast Asia for teaching English as a foreign language. Foreign English teachers have been in high demand in Vietnam in recent years and salaries have risen due to increased competition among schools looking to hire the best teachers. Teachers who have spent time in Vietnam unanimously agree that it is a wonderful place to live and work, so how do you go about finding out for yourself? To obtain a work permit to legally teach English in Vietnam you must be a native English speaker with a bachelor's degree. Many employers will also require a TEFL certificate of at least 120 hours. Some jobs at the top of the pay scale will also require classroom experience, though these are few and far between. Even if a job is advertised as requiring...  [Read more]

  Many qualified teachers decide to make use of their skills and look for teaching positions abroad. When doing so they often believe that they do not require a TEFL certificate since they are already teachers. However, many employers will still require a TEFL certificate since it is a very specialized field in the world of teaching.  [Read more]

Many fully certified teachers choose to teach abroad rather than stay in their home country. Some newly qualified teachers may find it difficult to find suitable employment, so they travel abroad to obtain useful classroom experience, while others may simply be looking for something different. Whatever your motivation, teaching is one of the few professions that allows you to develop your skills and knowledge, gain experience, and increase your employability while traveling the world and seeking out new countries and cultures. If you believe this is the right path for you, the next step is to consider how you will differentiate your CV/resume when applying for the best opportunities in the most exciting locations. A TEFL certificate is required in many cases, even for qualified teachers....  [Read more]

  The simple answer is no, you do not need to have any knowledge or experience of languages other than English to take a TEFL course or to become an EFL teacher. The ability to speak other languages is not required as the vast majority of TEFL classrooms around the world rely on the communicative approach to English teaching that specifies that English is the only language used in the classroom. In multilingual classrooms where the students could have a dozen or more different first languages, being able to communicate in one or two of them would obviously be of no particular advantage. In monolingual classrooms you may also find that students are more inclined to revert to their mother tongue during the lesson if they are aware that the teacher can understand what is being said....  [Read more]

  Having some knowledge of the local language may provide a more fulfilling experience when teaching English abroad, but it is not necessary in order to be an effective teacher. At ITTT we provide TEFL courses based on the principle that English is the only language used during lessons.  [Read more]

  Many fully qualified teachers decide they want to broaden their horizons and head overseas to teach. However, it is often a surprise to find that some of the best jobs require a TEFL certification. In reality, there are many differences between teaching at home and abroad which is why a TEFL qualification is often expected.  [Read more]

  As it can be difficult for non-EU citizens to obtain an official work visa for teaching English in some European countries, many teachers choose to apply for a student visa that allows you to work a set number of hours a week.  [Read more]

  There are always plenty of job opportunities for first time and experienced teachers in towns and cities across Italy. However, long term visas are not easy to secure for some nationalities so applying for a student visa before leaving home might be a good option.  [Read more]

  Spain is one of the top destinations in Europe for teaching English abroad and there are various options when it comes to entry visas, depending on your nationality. For some a student visa might be a good choice as it can be arranged before you leave home.  [Read more]

  Teachers from all over the world flock to France to take advantage of all that the country has to offer, including a strong demand for English language instruction. For those who want to stay for the long term, applying for a student visa might be a valid option.  [Read more]

Many fully certified teachers decide to head overseas to teach rather than stay in their home country. For some newly qualified teachers it can be hard to find a suitable job so they go abroad to gain valuable classroom experience, while others might simply be looking for a change of direction. Whatever your reasons, teaching is one of the few professions that allow you to develop your skills and knowledge and increase your experience and employability, while travelling the world and exploring new countries and cultures. If you think this is the right path for you, the next step is to think about how your CV/resume will stand out when applying for the best jobs in the most exciting locations. In many cases, qualified teachers do need a TEFL certificate. While searching for jobs online you...  [Read more]

The simple answer is no, you do not need to have any knowledge or experience of languages other than English to take a TEFL course or to become an EFL teacher. The ability to speak other languages is not required as the vast majority of TEFL classrooms around the world rely on the communicative approach to English teaching that specifies that English is the only language used in the classroom. In multilingual classrooms where the students could have a dozen or more different first languages, being able to communicate in one or two of them would obviously be of no particular advantage. In monolingual classrooms you may also find that students are more inclined to revert to their mother tongue during the lesson if they are aware that the teacher can understand what is being said....  [Read more]