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Teach English online to Chinese students

Though there have been changes in legislation, China remains the world centre of online English teaching. Where are the opportunities, what requirements do you need to meet and what can you earn?

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When it comes to teaching English online, China is still far and away the biggest force in the world. A country full of English language learners, online English teaching companies, online learning platforms and opportunities for TEFL teachers, China still very much owns the largest market share of any country.

There are an estimated 400 million English learners in China, and the online teaching market is worth several billions of US dollars. With China being such a major economic player this century, and English being the lingua franca of business, it’s hardly a huge surprise. Add to that the British influence in China, from the Opium Wars through to the handing over of Hong Kong in 1997, and it’s easy to see why English language learning is such a major industry.

With huge international businesses and young learners alike trying to master the English language, the opportunities are certainly there. Though there’s a ban on tutoring for school-age Chinese kids, there are still countless jobs for online English teachers who want to teach English online to Chinese students. If you don't limit yourself to teaching children, you'll find endless roles to get you teaching English online in no time!

We’re going to take a look at some of the biggest names in the Chinese online teaching sphere, going over their history, job requirements, salary and reviews, so you can get a clearer picture of the teaching online landscape in China.

Teach English Online to Chinese Students: An Overview

Before you start your teaching journey online with Chinese students, there are some important things to consider. Firstly, whatever online tutoring platform or online teaching companies you work for, it’s vital to have a TEFL certificate to teach English online.

Generally speaking, a 120-hour TEFL certificate is the industry standard, but if you have a desire to teach English online with no experience, or teach English online without a degree, it’s probably advantageous to earn a Level 5 Diploma. This longer, more in-depth course, will give you a more advanced theoretical understanding of English teaching, and give you more of an edge in the online English teaching sphere.

Additionally, it may be prudent to take an Advanced TEFL course, specifically a short course in teaching English online. There will be circumstances in which you’ll require a bachelor’s degree; however, if a bachelor’s is not required, at least one high-quality TEFL certificate from an accredited, reputable provider is a major boost.

Also, it’s important to be aware that online English teaching salaries are extremely variable. In many cases - especially if you’re on an online tutoring platform - you’ll be asked to set your rates. That’s an important distinction in separating two popular sources of online English teaching jobs; online companies, and online tutoring platforms. On this page about teaching English online for Chinese audiences, we’ll cover both.

What are the requirements to teach English online to Chinese students? 

So now, we know all about the different companies which teach English online to Chinese students, both in terms of teaching adults and teaching Chinese children. Suffice to say, there are certainly trends in terms of what’s required of teachers, and nobody should be in doubt in terms of what they need to land an online English teaching job.

An important distinction: while online teaching companies tend to have requirements that must be met by applicants, online teaching platforms do not tend to in quite the same way. This is because a company will take on an English teacher as an employee, and assign students. A platform, on the other hand, is more about the competition of the marketplace, and winning clients over with a smooth pitch and excellent credentials.

So, let’s have a look at some general trends in terms of teaching online to Chinese students, and you can figure out where you fit into the picture.

Bachelor's degree 

In most cases, online English teaching companies who work with Chinese students will want you to hold a bachelor’s degree, preferably in English, Education or a related field. This is either explicitly demanded of applicants, or it’s more opaque. In the latter case, a company can sometimes ask for an experienced English teacher with classroom experience, and more often than not, having that kind of experience requires a bachelor's degree in the first instance.

Platforms, meanwhile, do not demand a college degree. That said, you are likely to attract more clients if you have impressive credentials, including a bachelor's degree - or even a master's degree - in English, Education, English Literature or a related field. The simple fact is that some students will feel more confident opting for a teacher with a degree than one without.

So yes, you can teach English online without a degree to Chinese learners in some instances, generally on platforms as opposed to with teaching companies or with a self-styled online language school.

TEFL certification 

Technically speaking, you can start teaching English online to Chinese students without a TEFL certificate. Would we ever, ever recommend it? No.

A TEFL certificate from a reliable, reputable and accredited TEFL course provider is worth its weight in gold. The industry standard for a TEFL qualification is 120 hours of study, which will provide you with an excellent foundational knowledge of English teaching methodology, how to design teaching materials, and so much more. If you’re looking to get a job teaching English, then a TEFL certificate goes a very long way indeed.

While 120 hours is the standard, here’s some specific advice for those without degrees or experience, and especially if you’re not a native English speaker; a Level 5 Diploma is a fantastic option. These courses give you even more theoretical understanding of English teaching methodologies, and you can even pick elective modules, including Teaching English Online.

Advanced TEFL qualifications are also a great way to get yourself noticed on the online English teaching scene. There are excellent advanced TEFL courses that will give you a serious edge over your competition, for example, Business English, Teaching Young Learners and Teaching English Online

For both the classroom teacher and online English teachers, TEFL qualifications are a significantly important and invigorating experience.

Native/non-native 

If you’re not a native English speaker but you want to teach English online to Chinese kids, teach adults or simply teach as many classes as you can, there are opportunities.

Strictly speaking, it’s the choice of an individual remote teaching company or platform whether they take on non-native English speakers to teach online. If you can demonstrate fluent English through a language test like the IELTS or TOEFL, the online ESL world ought to be open to you. There are a lot of non-native speakers of English teaching online, and there are even places like 51Talk who specifically hired Filipino teachers, for example. So, you don't have to be a native English speaker to teach Chinese students, depending on the employer or platform.

Download our teaching English online guide

Technical Requirements for Online Teaching 

Some English teaching jobs will require a bachelor’s degree. Some will insist on prior teaching experience. Others will want you to prepare your own teaching material and show ability in curriculum planning. Every single online ESL job, though, will require you to have technology that works.

A lot of online ESL jobs are about being attractive to clients. Tech is a major part of that. Chinese students are spending money to learn English online, so they need to know they’re getting quality from their teachers in return. A tutor who uses high-quality teaching equipment is more likely to find work than one who doesn’t, to cut a long story short.

Being reliable is also vital. Ideally, you’ll have a lot of students, and your set-up needs to be reliably effective and efficient. It may sound like a big outlay at first, but you’ll save money long-term if you’re willing to invest in brand-name, well-reviewed equipment to teach English online.

Crucially, it also makes it easier to teach English online when you’ve got tech that works. If your equipment keeps breaking or cutting out during lessons, who does that help? Certainly not you. If you have to cancel lessons then you’ll be losing money, time and reputation.

So, what do you need to teach English online to Chinese learners, or indeed, teach English online in general?

Computer

Yes, it’s super obvious, but you’ll need a computer to perform online English classes in the absolute majority of cases. Some platforms and companies use smartphone or tablet apps, but a computer is a must.

Your computer needs to:

  • Be recent, and have up-to-date software
  • Have anti-virus protection
  • The latest versions of Zoom, Skype or any other relevant video conferencing platforms
  • Have lots of memory space

It’s not common, but some online language schools will have specific hardware and software requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Q. How much can you make teaching English online to Chinese students?

    The salary you can earn from teaching Chinese children or adults is based on who you’re working for. If you work for an online company, you will generally have a fixed, competitive salary. If you’re using a teaching platform, the more students you have, the more you can earn. Additionally, platforms normally allow you to set your own rates.

    You can potentially make more if you choose a speciality, such as Business English.

  • Q. How much do Chinese parents pay for online English classes?

    Since a change in legislation, Chinese children aren’t allowed to take on extra tutoring outside of school.

  • Q. Do you need a degree to teach English online in China?

    While having a degree can undoubtedly help in your journey, it’s not always a prerequisite. Ultimately, it depends on the employer or platform.

    We’d recommend gaining a high-quality TEFL certificate from an accredited TEFL course provider. With that, you’ll find the doors to teaching Chinese students online are wide open. China has the biggest online English teaching sector in the world, with countless companies and platforms.