One of the things I get asked all of the time is, “What kind of qualifications do I need to teach abroad?” And, their jaw always drops when I tell them all they need is a college Bachelors’ Degree.
This is still the case in most of the world. You can teach in practically any country in Asia or South America with nothing more than a 4-year college degree. It’s a tougher in Europe, but it can still be done. But, the question is, “What kind of teaching job do you want?”
A degree is all you need, but if you want to land a really good university job or make big bucks teaching in a corporate environment, you will probably need a bit more. Your options will be pretty limited with just a degree. Still, you can get overseas and get started teaching, and you can bring home a pretty decent bundle of cash.
Aside from just a college degree, there are a few more things that help:
- TEFL Certification. You could get a better teaching job with a Masters’ degree of course, but just getting TEFL certified will make you a much more attractive employment prospect. Chances are, there’s a school in your area offering an intensive TEFL certification course. This is also something you can do by correspondence course once you start teaching.
- Teaching Experience. This is an easy thing to do and can help you get a better job abroad. Volunteer a couple of hours a week at your local library or community center, and it will pay you eventually when it helps you land a good job.
Certification and experience always help, but you can get a job and start making money teaching overseas with just your college degree.