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Teaching English in Korea requirements

Demand for English teachers in South Korea is enormous. So what do you need to starting teaching in the ‘Land of Morning Calm’?

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It may be known as ‘The Land of Morning Calm’, but South Korea is positively buzzing with opportunities for eager TEFL teachers. Teaching English as a foreign language is immensely popular in South Korea, with thousands of newly-qualified and experienced English teachers alike vying for a space on the peninsula.

With an outstanding educational infrastructure, a rapidly growing economy and cutting-edge culture, South Korea has grown into a real player on the international stage. With over 50 million residents and a robust business sector, the demand for English - especially Business English - has seen major uptick over recent decades.

Jobs in South Korea are plentiful. There are English teaching positions within private schools and universities, government-backed teaching programmes, language academies (or hagwons)... the list, and the demand, goes on and on.

Here’s the question though: what do you need to teach English in Korea? What are the requirements for teaching English in Korea a TEFL teacher must meet to make a new life teaching in ‘The Land of Morning Calm’?

How do you start teaching English in the home of K-Pop, breathtaking ancient temples and some of the best food in the world?

Let’s explore the requirements for English teaching jobs in South Korea.

South Korea: An overview

South Korea offers a range of fantastic opportunities for teaching English. Not only is it a forward-thinking and fascinating place to live, but it’s also a haven for great teaching jobs, particularly if you have teaching experience, TEFL certification and other qualifications.

The main route for teaching in South Korea is through EPIK, the English programme in Korea, which is run by the South Korean Ministry of Education to aid cultural exchange and English proficiency in South Korea. EPIK is also the biggest employer of English teachers in the country, and through it TEFL teachers can work in the public education sector.

If you’re more interested in private education, hagwons are privately-run schools which are huge employers of EFL teachers. These schools are there to fit specific needs, for example, teaching vocations that aren’t taught in traditional schools, providing extra tutoring for school pupils, or preparing students for university exams. As you might expect, hagwons represent a great option for TEFL teachers.

Add universities, language teaching companies and private tuition into the mix, and you’ve got a vibrant, varied landscape for teaching English.

What’s more, South Korean employers are some of the best in the TEFL industry, offering incentives like accommodation, flight reimbursement and more.

Demand for teachers

There is significant demand for teachers of English in South Korea, in both the cities - like capital, Seoul, Busan or Daegu - and in rural areas.

The South Korean government has put a particular emphasis on teaching English, in order to compete in global markets. With English’s status as a lingua franca of business, and South Korea’s emergence as an economic powerhouse, it makes sense.

However, levels of English proficiency aren’t quite where the Korean government would like. In Martine Shelton’s ‘English Language policy in the Republic of South Korea’, she states:

“While the South Korean government has implemented many strategies to increase the proficiency of English, South Korea overall ranks lower in English proficiency levels than countries in much of Asia and Western Europe. In 2003 a survey by the Seoul metropolitan government, 74.2% of people polled said they had difficulty communicating in English. In a country that is spending 1.9% of its GDP on English language policies, this is a concerning statistic (Hwang, 2001).”

This, of course, means there are opportunities abound for TEFL teachers in South Korea. However, these opportunities come with strict requirements, as we’ll cover in detail. The South Korean immigration policy is stricter than many other countries, and there’s a strong emphasis on native-English speakers coming into South Korea to teach English. Unfortunately, that means it can be harder for non-native English speakers to live and work in South Korea.

The demand for English teachers is met with salaries that rank extremely well for Asia. A full-time TEFL teacher working in South Korea can typically expect a salary of 2 million – 2.5 million won (£1,280 – £1,600 / $1,670 – $2,000) per month.

Requirements

So, what do you need to meet teaching English in Korea requirements, and earn a salary teaching in South Korea? Firstly, you’ll need to meet the visa requirements. The requirements for a visa are also consistent with most job listings in South Korea.

For starters, you’ll need a four-year bachelor’s degree from an accredited university to start teaching English in South Korea. This is vital for getting into the country at all, especially on an E-2 working visa. We’ll cover what you need for visas in more detail, but the headline is that a degree is a must.

Similarly, you’ll need a TEFL certificate, which again, we’ll cover in more detail. The industry standard is 120 hours of TEFL training. Most employers will insist on at least 100 hours, and accreditation is hugely important. The TEFL certification needs to be from a high-quality, reputable provider.

Experience isn’t strictly necessary in order to gain a visa, but it certainly helps. A teaching license may be required for certain jobs, especially in more high-profile institutions like international schools and universities.

Let’s take a look at the academic and personal attributes and accolades you’ll require to make dreams of teaching in South Korea a reality.

TEFL Certificate

You’ll absolutely need TEFL certification if you want to land an English teaching job in South Korea. The EPIK requirements are 100 hours of TEFL coaching (this is waived if you have a degree in education specifically), but the industry standard is 120 hours. You’ll need your TEFL certificate to have come from a highly accredited, reputable course provider. To get an edge in the South Korean jobs market, it would be well worth attaining an advanced TEFL certificate, particularly in Business English.

Holding a TEFL certificate shows South Korean employers that you’re well-versed in modern teaching methods, you have the enthusiasm and stamina to gain a qualification, and you’re well-equipped for a fast-paced, exciting teaching environment.

Degree or No Degree?

For English teaching in South Korea, a degree is a must. In the vast majority of cases, it won’t matter what your degree subject is. For one thing, it’s a requirement for a working visa, which is an integral part of the process. For another, it’s something employers will insist upon, especially with the level of competition for teaching jobs in South Korea.

Some institutions, for example, private schools or universities, may require a master’s degree, specifically in education, or a teaching-related subject. For top-level university jobs, you may need a PhD, for example.

Experience

Teaching experience, needless to say, is a major boost if you’re planning on working as an English teacher in South Korea. That said, it’s not always a prerequisite, especially if you’re applying through EPIK; the EPIK programme encourages teachers who are at the start of their teaching journey.

So, you don’t need experience to start teaching English in South Korea, but for certain jobs, it might be a requirement. The type of experience doesn’t matter hugely, though some employers may be strict about in-person classroom experience.

Visa

Obtaining a visa to work as an English teacher in South Korea is relatively simple, though the requirements are stricter than in other nations.

To obtain an E-2 working visa, you’ll need:

A valid, current passport
Citizenship of any of the following nations: USA, Canada, UK, Republic of Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa
A clean criminal background check
An apostilled copy of a four-year bachelor’s degree certificate (from an accredited university)
A passport-sized photo
A CV
An offer of employment/contract

For guidance, consult your nearest South Korean embassy. You will also be required to undergo a health check upon arrival in South Korea, provided your initial application for a visa has been successful.

Download our teaching English in Asia guide

Types of teaching jobs in Korea and their requirements

What teaching jobs are available in South Korea, and how does a TEFL teacher pass the requirements? Let’s explore teaching jobs in Korea.

Public Schools
Language Schools
International Schools
Universities
Private Tutoring

Public schools

Whether through its dedicated teaching programme or through its regular intake of teaching talent, EPIK - an English programme in Korea, which is run by the South Korean Ministry of Education - regularly take in talented TEFL teachers from around the world.

The requirements are akin to those of an E-2 visa: you’ll need a four-year bachelor’s degree and a TEFL certificate (of at least 120 hours). Some teaching experience and rudimentary Korean would also be beneficial, although not essential.

Language schools

Language schools, or hagwons, are an essential part of the English teaching infrastructure in South Korea. A hagwon is a private, for-profit school for both kids and adults, generally for learning specific subjects. Think of it as something akin to a college or community college, where you study subjects as diverse as gaming and pop music. English, however, is the most popular subject.

Hagwons, especially early on, were either run by predominantly English-speaking teachers, or had extensive, dedicated English learning departments. These schools are extremely popular, earning a collective $15 billion annually.

To work in a Korean language school, you’ll need to meet the E-2 visa requirements.

International schools

There are a range of fantastic international schools in South Korea, with backgrounds in countless nations. Schools with roots in Australia, the USA, France, the United Kingdom and many more have become elite international institutions. Many of these schools are bilingual, and provide well-paid jobs for highly qualified TEFL teachers.

Generally speaking, you’ll need a teaching license, a master’s degree and at least three years of teaching experience - along with, obviously, a TEFL certificate - to be considered for a job teaching English in an international school.

Universities

As you’d expect, South Korea has many excellent higher education facilities. 29 of its universities made the QS World University Rankings in 2021, with over 370 higher education institutions in total across South Korea.

Teaching jobs in South Korean universities will range from basic translation services to lecturing. In the main, though, you’ll need a master’s degree and teaching experience to start teaching English in a South Korean university.

Private tutoring

As ever, private tutoring is an interesting case. To gain entry into South Korea as an English teacher, you’ll need an offer of employment from a South Korean company, as well as the stated requirement of a four-year bachelor’s degree.

You could privately tutor within the auspices of a language teaching company. An in-person language tutoring company might be harder to find, but they do exist, especially in a country with the economic goals of South Korea.

If you want to go freelance, starting your own tutoring business, that’s a different story. You would, again, need to meet the visa requirements to be in South Korea at all. From there, though, there aren’t strict requirements for a private teaching job. The more qualifications and experience you have, the more attractive you’re likely to be to potential clients.

Frequently Asked Questions

As one of the most sought-after TEFL destinations on the planet, there are loads of questions about the requirements to teach in South Korea. Thankfully, we have the answers!

Q. What qualifications do you need to teach English in Korea?

To gain entry into South Korea as a teacher, you’ll need a four-year bachelor’s degree and a TEFL certificate. These are the criteria a teacher must meet to gain an E-2 working visa.

Q. Can I teach English in Korea without a degree?

You’ll need a four-year bachelor’s degree to teach English in South Korea. This is to meet visa criteria for gaining entry into the country.

Q. Are English teachers in demand in Korea?

Yes, English teachers in major demand across South Korea. English proficiency is extremely important, especially for a country with a growing, large-scale economy like the ‘Land of Morning Calm’.

Q. What 7 countries can teach English in Korea?

An E-2 working visa is contingent on citizenship from the following nations: Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, United Kingdom, United States or South Africa