Between its vibrant cities, aromatic food and iconic landmarks, India offers an uncommon depth and pace for TEFL teachers. Alongside Hindi, English is an official language — so you’re probably wondering whether there's a strong job market for English teachers in India.
But, while India makes up around 10% of the world’s English-speaking population, only around ~20% speak the language. Read on for TEFL Org's guide on teaching English in India, from the job requirements, visa process, salary expectations, and more.
Key Takeaways
- India has two official languages: Hindi and English.
- While the demand for English is high in academic and business settings, Indian schools often hire local teachers.
- Most teaching jobs come in the form of volunteer positions, but paid positions do exist for TEFL qualified teachers, with average salaries ranging from ₹11,000–₹80,000 ($120–$860 / £90–£635).
- To teach in India, foreign teachers need an Employment Visa (E-Visa) by securing a teaching job before arrival.
- Top locations include Mumbai and New Delhi.
Requirements for Teaching English in India
While the legal requirements for teaching English in India are less strict than in other countries, you'll also need to consider what employers are seeking in India's TEFL market.
Do I need a TEFL certification to teach in India?
Legally speaking, you don't need a TEFL certification to teach in India. However, a minimum of 120-hour TEFL certification is key to competing in a market that has so many English speakers.
Find out how long it takes to get TEFL certified.
Tip: The TEFL Org also offers advanced courses such as the Level 5 TEFL, or specialist courses like teaching business English which is highly valuable in India.
Can I teach English in India without a degree?
Yes, you can teach English in India without a degree. However, most schools and employers prefer English teachers with a minimum of a bachelor's degree.
Read more about teaching English abroad without a degree.
Can I teach English in India without experience?
You can teach English in India without experience as long as you have a TEFL. With a TEFL certificate, you'll learn about teaching styles, classroom management, and common obstacles to help you teach with confidence.
Read more about teaching abroad without experience.
Tip: Want to gain experience before your first TEFL job? An in-person TEFL course allows you to gain observed teaching practice, which is highly desirable by employers.
What are the visa requirements for teaching in India?
To teach in India, foreign teachers need an Employment Visa (E-Visa) — not to be confused with the tourist e-visa. Teachers can get this work visa by securing a job before entering the country, and your Indian employer will sponsor your visa.
Similarly, volunteer teachers who are working with an NGO will need an Employment Visa, as volunteering on a tourist visa is technically illegal.
To get the Employment Visa, you'll need the following:
- A signed employment contract and company registration letter
- Proof of qualifications such as your degree, TEFL certificate
- Clear criminal background check
- Valid passport and photos
Read more: Teaching English abroad visas
Download our guide to teaching English in Asia
The ultimate guide to culture, life and work as a TEFL teacher in Asia.
Salary and Cost of Living
India isn't the best TEFL location if you're after a high teaching salary and saving potential. However, you can still enjoy a comfortable lifestyle and cultural immersion.
How much can you earn teaching English in India?
Many teaching positions in India are voluntary, but TEFL certified and experienced teachers can find paid positions. The monthly salary for certified English teachers in India can range extensively from ₹11,000–₹80,000 ($120–$860 / £90–£635).
If you have advanced qualifications and years of experience, you could earn upwards of ₹150,000 ($1,600 / £1,180) per month at an international school.
Here's how you can boost your salary in India:
- Become TEFL certified: Getting TEFL certified will improve your teaching skills and let employers know that you're qualified by an accredited provider to teach English as a second language.
- Specialise in a niche: Specialising in a niche, such as teaching young learners, exam preparation, or business English can make you even more marketable as a teacher.
- Search for private school jobs: Private schools in India like language centres and international schools offer foreign English teachers higher salaries than public school jobs. Students in private education often want to learn from teachers who have native English proficiency and western accents.
- Teach in larger cities: You'll find higher paid jobs teaching English in larger cities such as Mumbai, Delhi, or Jaipur, where there's a higher demand for English teachers in language centres and international schools.
Find out how much you can earn as an English teacher abroad
How much does it cost to live in India?
India is one of the cheapest countries in the world, and the average person spends around ₹27,550 ($300 / £221) per month excluding rent. While rent for a 1-bed apartment in Mumbai ranges from ₹30,000–60,000 ($320–$644 / £325–£475), rent in cities like Bangalore, Chennai, or Hyderabad are around 50% cheaper.
Here's how you can make your budget stretch while living and teaching in India:
- Opt for shared housing: You can find a housemate on local Facebook groups or websites such as NestAway, NoBroker, or FlatMate.in for larger cities.
- Use public transport: Public transport might be crowded and uncomfortable, but prices are low. From buses, trains, and subway systems, there are many inexpensive forms of travel in India.
- Consider smaller cities and towns: If you're volunteering, consider placements in cheaper cities and rural towns. Your volunteer provider will likely offer additional benefits like free accommodation and meals.
- Eat local food: Food is very cheap in India (not to mention delicious) with local meals costing as little as ₹200 ($2.20 / £1.60).
- Teach privately: Private tutoring is an excellent way to supplement your income. TEFL teachers in India can earn around ₹700–₹1,300 ($7.50–$14 / £5.50–£11) per hour.
| Restaurants | INR | USD | GBP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inexpensive restaurant meal | |||
| Domestic beer (0.5 litre) | |||
| Regular cappuccino | |||
| Water (0.33 litre) | |||
| Markets | INR | USD | GBP |
| Regular milk (1 litre) | |||
| Loaf of white bread | |||
| Regular eggs (1 dozen) | |||
| Apples (1 kg) | |||
| Transportation | INR | USD | GBP |
| One-way ticket (local transport) | |||
| Monthly pass (regular price) | |||
| Taxi start (normal tariff) | |||
| Gasoline (1 litre) | |||
| Utilities | INR | USD | GBP |
| Electricity, heating, cooling, water, and garbage (for a regular apartment) | |||
| Regular prepaid monthly mobile tariff with 10GB+ data | |||
| Internet (60 Mbps, unlimited data, cable/ADSL) | |||
| Clothing and shoes | INR | USD | GBP |
| Pair of jeans (Levis 501 or something similar) | |||
| Summer dress in a chain store | |||
| Nike running shoes (mid-range) | |||
| Men's leather business shoes |
English Teaching Jobs in India
While most teaching jobs in India are voluntary roles, TEFL certified teachers can find paid positions across the country.
Public schools
Most public school positions for foreign teachers come by volunteering. At a public school in India, English teachers support language learning with engaging activities in large classrooms. Foreign English teachers focus on pronunciation and spoken English alongside a local teacher to help students develop a more western accent.
What to expect teaching in public schools in India:
- Larger classrooms, fewer resources to work with
- Activity based learning and a focus on spoken English skills
- Unpaid volunteer work at NGOs or nonprofit organisations
Private language schools
Each language centre is different, as students range from young learners to adults and subjects vary from general English, IELTS exam preparation, or vocational training such as business English. Private language schools in India are popular among adults who want to boost career advancement in larger cities and abroad.
As private businesses, these language centres offer smaller classrooms than public schools, and may follow an international curriculum.What to expect teaching in language schools in India:
- Evening and weekend classes, year round start dates
- Varied subjects and age groups
- Smaller classrooms, varied classroom resources and material
- Monthly salary of around ₹11,000–₹80,000 ($120–$860 / £90–£635)
International schools
International school teachers deliver lessons in various subjects in English to local and foreign students, with many expats and wealthier families placing children in these schools.
These teaching jobs offer an excellent salary, benefits, and classroom facilities, but expectations and requirements are high. While many jobs are filled by Indian nationals, prestigious schools still hire foreigners. Popular schools include AES, King's College India, Chennai American School, EAS, British School New Delhi, and TISB.
What to expect teaching in international schools in India:
- Smaller classrooms, Indian and international students
- Teaching other subjects with English as the primary language
- High salary and benefits — international school teachers can earn upwards of ₹150,000 ($1,600 / £1,180) per month
Teaching English in Major Cities
From Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore, and more, it's difficult to even scratch the surface of India. Here are the top cities for teaching in India.
Teach English in Mumbai
Home to Bollywood, Marine Drive, and India's financial centre, Mumbai is teeming with life. With over 22 million people, international businesses, and the Bombay Stock Exchange, you'll find the majority of TEFL jobs in this engrossing city.
Many TEFL jobs come through private schools, such as language centres and vocational colleges. As a business hub, workers in India seek English teachers to improve their job prospects in Mumbai and at international companies. If you have advanced TEFL qualifications, a teaching licence, or a degree in education, you can find work at international schools and universities in Mumbai.
Outside the classroom, teachers can embrace UNESCO world heritage sites like the Elephanta Caves, stroll alongside the waterfront or even gaze upon the Gateway of India. However, Mumbai isn't for everyone's taste. With high levels of poverty, congestion, and pollution, foreigners find the city to be overwhelming.
Teach English in New Delhi
While there are fewer TEFL jobs than in Mumbai, English teachers will still find plenty of opportunities for work in this cultural centre. With lower living costs and potentially greater saving potential, teachers can enjoy an excellent teaching experience in New Delhi.
Beyond the classroom, you can gaze upon iconic landmarks like Humayun's Tomb, India Gate, and you're only a day trip from the wonder of the world that is the Taj Mahal.
Want to find out how to solo travel in India? Check out Joanna's top tips for travelling India!
Ready to Teach English Abroad? Don't Forget Your TEFL Certificate!
Before you set off on your teaching English abroad adventures, you'll need to become TEFL certified first. A TEFL course will teach you about different teaching methods and common obstacles in the classroom. Whether you learn online or in-person, a TEFL certification will ensure that you're ready to take on the ESL classroom.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Is TEFL certification worth it?
Yes, a TEFL certificate is worth it. It'll teach you the necessary skills to help your students learn English and help you find paid teaching jobs in India.
Q. Is it difficult to become a teacher in India?
It can be difficult to teach English in India without a degree. Because the country has so many English speakers already, many schools hire local teachers.
Q. Is there a demand for English teachers in India?
There is a demand for English teachers in India, but not as much as in other Asian countries. While there's a large English speaking population in India, many students want to learn from native English speakers with British or American accents.
Q. How much do English teachers get paid in India?
It depends on several factors, like the teacher's experience, qualifications, and teaching job. English teachers in India can earn around ₹11,000–₹80,000 ($120–$860 / £90–£635). International school teachers can earn upwards of ₹150,000 ($1,600 / £1,180) per month, but positions are very competitive.
