teach English in China

Teaching in China: Universities or Language Schools?

By Amber Rollins
Shengda College

If you want to teach English in Asia, the Peoples' Republic of China is an excellent place to go. There is high demand for native speakers of English, and the job seeker has many options in regards as to
where he or she would like to teach - everything from kindergartens to corporations to flight attendant schools are competing for the coveted "foreign expert".

The majority of teaching jobs, however, are at either language schools or universities. There are significant differences between
teaching at a language school and teaching at a university, ones which you will want to consider before accepting a position with either.

The basic requirement for teaching in China is a degree from a four-year university. It does not have to be in English, although that is, of course, helpful, as is any previous teaching experience, especially
in the area of teaching English as a Foreign Language. A TEFL certificate is also sometimes asked for, but is generally not required, particularly if one already has EFL experience.

Both kinds of school should offer accommodations, flight reimbursement of round-trip airfare, work visa, and help with obtaining your foreign expert's certificate (the red book) and residence certificate (the green book). Institutions of both kinds should also offer either free utilities or a utilities allowance to cover electricity, gas, and water.