Teaching English abroad as an American is an exciting adventure. You’ll be placed in, likely, an entirely new country, full of new faces, culture, landscapes, and lifestyles. Teaching abroad is also one of the easiest ways for Americans to secure a job in another country.
Many countries have English teaching programs abroad for Americans that help you secure a visa, get placed at a school, and give you the tools to succeed as a teacher internationally. Plus, some programs even give you a FREE apartment. What!? Here are 5 of the best teaching abroad programs for Americans.
Through years of research, personal experience, and insider perspectives, I’ve curated a list of easily some of the best teaching programs in Spain, France, the Czech Republic, Japan, and Korea. Let’s dive in!
Meddeas Program ~ Spain
If you want to teach English in Spain, the Meddeas program is easily one of the best. In short, it pays pretty well for Spanish salaries, it’s part-time, you aren’t (usually) the only teacher in the classroom, and there are placements throughout the country.
When I first moved to Spain in 2017, I participated in the Meddeas program for the following two years. This teaching abroad program is designed for Americans, British, and Irish citizens with or without college/university degrees. They are given the opportunity to teach English in Spain as a language assistant in one of 200+ private schools across the country.
The Meddeas program allows native English speakers to be language assistants in Spain, not full-blown teachers… at least in most cases. I do have some friends, including myself, who were left to plan lessons and teach classes fully on their own with little guidance. However, others didn’t have to do much else other than be in the classroom and help out the primary teacher.
If this program is sounding interesting to you, I have a full article and review on the Meddeas program and how to teach English abroad in Spain! Find out the pay, start dates, and all the pros and cons you need to know about teaching English in Spain with Meddeas.
Teaching Assistant Program in France (TAPIF)
How dreamy would it be to teach English in France? I know for myself I would absolutely love to live in this beautiful country for some time. There is just something about the energy just lures me in. If you are keen to teach English in France, here’s the best program for you. This is the government-run Teaching Assistant Program in France.
This program is designed only for American citizens to come to France to teach English for one or more years. There are a few requirements you must meet in order to be move forward in the application process.
To participate in TAPIF, you must:
- Be between 20-35 at the time of applying
- Be able to participate in the entire 7-month program
- Must have a B1 level of French (This means you must be able to speak French conversationally).
- Need to have completed at least 3 years of college/university
- Must be a US citizen and have a valid passport
The program also prefers candidate who have a TEFL degree and some experience working with kids and or teaching.
As for the program itself, languages assistants in France will work 12 hours a week in up to three schools. This means you may or may not spend all of your time at one school. You can request a specific city or province, but it is not guaranteed. This is the norm for most teaching programs.
The monthly pay for the program is €785 (as of 2021), which is enough to buy food, rent a room, and live a modest lifestyle. Remember it’s only 12 hours a week, so it’s not a full-time job. Teachers can supplement their income by teaching private lessons in the area or if you have any online work opportunities, you can do that to. A lot of ESL teachers abroad also teach English to Chinese students online with companies like VIPKID where you can earn an average of $20/hr. Read all about that here!
Learn more about the Teaching Assistant Program in France.
Pros of TAPIF in France:
- Part time hours mean you have more time to immerse yourself and travel.
- You don’t necessarily have to have a university degree to participate.
- You’re granted a work visa and have access to France’s national healthcare.
- The application process isn’t too tedious.
- You have time for side jobs to earn extra income.
Cons of TAPIF in France:
- You might work at more than one school, so commuting can be tiring.
- Pay is less than most other programs, but the hours are also less.
- The program is only 7 months, meaning if you renew for another year, you’ll still need to find income for the summer.
- You can’t choose your placement, but you can suggest where you would like to be placed.
TEFL Certification + Teaching in the Czech Republic
So, this one isn’t exactly a program, but the process is still pretty straight forward and you would be beginning the process with a wonderful company: International TEFL Academy. Plus, who wouldn’t want to teach English in Prague or the Czech Republic in general!? What a dream! Here’s what you need to know.
Teaching English in the Czech Republic is different from the programs in Spain and France mentioned above for a few reasons. For the Czech Republic, teachers typically find work and begin teaching by interviewing at different schools in the area they want to teach in. However, some schools do interviews over the phone or online. Most contracts are September to the end of June. This means you need to be a little more proactive if you want to teach in the Czech Republic. But, if you do your TEFL through a program in the country, they will help you find a job. Keep reading to learn more.
At the school, teachers are provided with an adequate salary to live a comfortable live in the Czech Republic. Teachers usually work 20-25 hours a week, leaving plenty of time to get to know the country and travel around. You typically need a Bachelors degree and a TEFL certificate, which is where the International TEFL Academy comes into play.
To get started, you can get your certification in Prague with the company and then they help you find a job and secure your visa and all necessary documents, just like a teaching program would.
Learn more about how to teach English in the Czech Republic and the TEFL program in Prague.
Btw, make sure you’re insured before you go!
Most teaching abroad visa options will require that you have medical isurance during the duration of your time in the country. Not only do you want insurance to complete your visa application, but it’ll be immensely handy when you’re out exploring other countries (which you so will be as these jobs give you exceptional amounts of paid time off).
I highly recommend Nomad Insurance from SafetyWing because it’s affordable, straightforward, and includes both medical emergencies and unforeseen travel mishaps like lost luggage and natural disasters. Plus, it’s specifically designed for digital nomads who are on the go a lot; and while teaching English abroad, you’re sure to be out and about. Plus, if you’re anything like me and my friends when we taught abroad, we had other freelance income and endeavours that had us working on the move. If that sounds like you, definitely take a look at Nomad Insurance from SafetyWing.
JET Program ~ Japan
The Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme is probably the most prestigious and rigorous teaching programs abroad, in terms of applying. They, the Japanese government, recruit around 2,000 JET participants every year to come to Japan and teach as a classroom language assistant. There are placements in large cities like Tokyo, smaller cities like Kyoto, as well as rural villages and the countryside. It’s easily regarded as one of the best teaching abroad programs for Americans.
You will work 35 hours a week with weekends and holidays off. You’ll make around 3.36 million yen your first year on the program (around $30k). Then, you can renew your contract every year and you’ll get a pay raise every year too. You can only do the program up to 5 years.
There are a lot of eligibility requirements for the Jet Program, but here are the basics:
- Be a national of the country you’re applying through ie. UK, Ireland, USA, Australia, etc.
- Hold or will have a Bachelor’s degree by time the program starts
- Be both mentally and physically healthy, and have interest in Japanese culture
- Not have lived in Japan for six or more years since 2011
To apply, you must go through the application process by the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Individuals interested in becoming JET participants should contact the Japanese Embassy or Consulate in their country of citizenship. Here is how to get started applying for the JET Program as an American.
Here’s a leaflet with more information and you can also learn more on the JET Program website.
Pros to the JET Program:
- Your flights to and from Japan are covered/reimbursed.
- Higher salary than many other programs, especially compared to Europe.
- You don’t have to know any Japanese to participate, but it is helpful.
- There is a lot of information online providing advice about the program.
- There are a lot of other JET participants.
Cons to the JET program:
- You can’t choose your placement.
- You are in charge of paying for your housing and other bills, though more rural placements often get a subsidized housing allowance and can live in a shared place with other teachers.
- It’s a very competitive program, with a long application and waiting process.
English Program in Korea (EPIK) ~ South Korea
Have you ever wanted to live and teach abroad in South Korea? Here is your chance! EPIK is one of the best English teaching programs abroad. Wander the bustling streets of Seoul, hike unique landscapes, and visit vibrant cafes. Teaching in South Korea would be a dream, and this is one of the best teaching abroad programs for Americans.
This program is run by the South Korean government. They hire native English speakers to come work at primary and secondary schools. You’ll work Monday to Friday, typically 8 hours a day, with around 22-25 teaching hours. The remaining hours are set aside for lesson planning. There are placements across the country in cities, towns, and villages.
You can expect to make 2.0 – 2.2 million won / $1,800 – $1,950 USD every month teaching with EPIK. The program also gives bonuses, paid holidays, flight reimbursements to and from Korea, free rent, and fully furnished housing. It’s a pretty darn good deal! Amazingly, most teachers save around $6,000 USD a year teaching with EPIK, and they are still traveling and enjoying life in Korea!
There are a few eligibility requirements you need to meet to teach English in South Korea:
- Have a Bachelors degree or higher
- Be a native English speaker from USA, UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa).
- Clean background check
- Meet visa requirements
- TEFL or BA/MA in Education or teaching license
The application process is straightforward but can be a bit tedious. Most applicants apply through a recruiter for convenience.
If you aren’t yet TEFL certified, you can conveniently get this TEFL certificate online before you go.
Want to know the pros and cons of teaching in South Korea? Life of Brit wrote up a fantastic pros and cons list for teaching English abroad in South Korea with EPIK. She also taught English in Daegu, South Korea for three years, so you can find a lot of information about life in South Korea on her blog. 🙂
Those are 5 of the best teaching abroad programs for Americans! Which one stands out to you?
