| Country | Avg. monthly salary | Degree required | Start of term | Teaching experience | Housing & flights included | Suitable for non-native English speakers | Age restrictions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teach in the Netherlands | €3,614 £3,078 GBP $3,984 USD | Preferred | September | None |
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While there isn’t high demand for TEFL teachers in the Netherlands, there certainly is a high demand for those looking to teach English abroad with the correct experience. Positions are seeking the very best to accommodate their highly skilled students, and will be particularly interested in TEFL teachers with teaching qualifications other than their TEFL […]
While there isn’t high demand for TEFL teachers in the Netherlands, there certainly is a high demand for those looking to teach English abroad with the correct experience. Positions are seeking the very best to accommodate their highly skilled students, and will be particularly interested in TEFL teachers with teaching qualifications other than their TEFL certificate. Having knowledge of Dutch will make your application more desirable.
Living in the Netherlands is a change in lifestyle that many expats adapt to quickly and learn to love. The locals can take some getting used to – the Dutch are straight-talking, but once you get used to it you’ll appreciate knowing where you are with these down-to-earth people. They also have what many consider an odd sense of humour, but at their core they’re a friendly, chilled out nation with a great sense of community.
Your free time in the Netherlands will be a breath of fresh air compared to sunning yourself in Spain or hiking in Italian mountain ranges. The Netherlands might be flat and boast dreary weather, but they have a great outdoor culture, with cycling being the best way to get around and boating a popular way to relax. Flat landscapes don’t equal boring ones – there’s something serene about the open vistas you’ll learn to call home. The Dutch have a rich artistic culture, an open mindset, an economy growing in opportunities and a people who are some of the happiest in the world – what are you waiting for?
Key Facts
- Popular locations for TEFL jobs : The Hague, Rotterdam, Amsterdam , Utrecht, Leiden
- Average salary for EFL teachers : The average salary for an English teacher in the Netherlands will vary depending on experience and the type of school you work in. However, on average, you can expect to earn somewhere around €2,000 – €3,200 ($2,400 - $3,840 USD/£1,880 - £3,008) per month. This is a good salary compared to other European countries, but the Netherlands also has a high cost of living, especially in big cities including Amsterdam and Rotterdam.
- TEFL qualification requirements: To teach English in the Netherlands, you'll need a TEFL certificate, with at least 120 hours of training. A Bachelor's degree is typically preferred by employers.
- Term times : The school year runs from September to June
- Currency : Euro
- Language : Dutch
- Teaching programmes : Business English, Legal English and Academic English at language schools, Adult Education Centres, Public Schools, Universities, Freelance
- Age restrictions: None
- Previous teaching experience: Teaching experience isn't always necessary to land a job teaching English in the Netherlands, but it helps. Many schools and programs look for applicants with a bachelor's degree, and some prefer degrees in education or a related field. If you don't have teaching experience, one or more high-quality TEFL certificates from an accredited, reputable provider will help. TEFL qualifications show you've been trained in teaching English to speakers of other languages to a high standard.
Dutch people are some of the best English speakers in the world. EF’s English Proficiency Index actually ranks them as number one, holding a top 3 position since 2011. What this means for TEFL teachers is that demand is limited – with such a high level of proficiency, there isn’t much call for catch-up classes for those who didn’t learn as kids. English lessons are compulsory in Dutch schools, and English is a popular degree subject, so there is scope for employment in the public sector more so than at private language schools.
Private language schools in the Netherlands are usually geared towards training in specific fields, such as Business English, Legal English or Academic English, and will expect teachers to be experienced in certain topics. With advanced students, you can’t just wing it as you might with teaching to beginners or young learners. If you don’t have knowledge of these specialist subjects you might be able to find work teaching IELTS or other exam preparation classes.
Giving one-to-one classes on a freelance basis isn’t so popular in the Netherlands. Locals will have a good knowledge of English by the time they're adults, and even university students don’t often seek extra classes because they’re already so well catered for. However, as the Netherlands is a popular place to live, you might find a small market for teaching English to people from other nationalities who are less advanced in English, such as Spanish students studying at local universities.
Being on time is really important to the Dutch, and they consider it very rude to cancel plans at short notice. Learn as much about the culture as you can before you go to make a good impression with your students, and learn to take their brutal honesty on the chin – it’s just the way they are and doesn’t mean you’re doing a bad job.
Requirements to teach English in The Netherlands
Living Costs
Ouch, don’t those prices just make you wince when thinking about cheap European destinations like Spain, Portugal and Italy? Also, be prepared for high taxes – usually around 30 or 40% - but bear in mind that high taxes mean great investment in social services; the Netherlands has a low level of poverty and a high quality of life. The Netherlands are midrange in price when it comes to Western Europe (8th most expensive country out of 19) and the country is more expensive than 83% of countries in the world. Certain aspects of the below list stand out more than others – the price of rent and utilities are painfully high, but there are perks too. Coffee is pricy but not extortionate – make your café visits a treat rather than a daily trip and you can easily afford a cuppa. The cost of visiting the GP is surprisingly low, too, so it’s not all bad.
As you would expect, a country that has a high cost of living also pays high wages. You’ll be earning a good salary as a TEFL teacher in this country and if, like many TEFL teachers, you do a few classes in your own time (either local face-to-face classes or online) you’ll be earning enough to save some of your earnings, too.Life in the Netherlands is pleasant enough to draw a good number of TEFL teachers, despite the fact that there’s a high cost of living. A small, liberal country, the Netherlands isn’t known for its great weather but there’s plenty to love about living there. Dutch food is far more varied and delicious than you probably realise, and while the Dutch are often considered rude for being so frank, they’re a fun-loving, friendly bunch, too.
| Restaurants | EUR | USD | GBP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inexpensive restaurant meal | |||
| Domestic beer (0.5 litre) | |||
| Regular cappuccino | |||
| Water (0.33 litre) | |||
| Markets | EUR | USD | GBP |
| Regular milk (1 litre) | |||
| Loaf of white bread | |||
| Regular eggs (1 dozen) | |||
| Apples (1 kg) | |||
| Transportation | EUR | USD | GBP |
| One-way ticket (local transport) | |||
| Monthly pass (regular price) | |||
| Taxi start (normal tariff) | |||
| Gasoline (1 litre) | |||
| Utilities | EUR | 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 | EUR | 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 |
More on teaching English in the Netherlands
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