Teach Abroad Resources

All of our programs provide salaries that are enough to live off of comfortably in that country on a month-to-month basis. Most of our programs provide rent-free accommodation, and some even provide all of your meals. This means that the majority of money that you’re earning is for incidentals (going out to eat, traveling on weekends, etc).

Keep in mind that while the salaries on some of these programs may seem low, the cost of living is likely extremely low compared to your home country.

Some programs, like the Teach in South Korea program, allow you to save money and pay off student loans. Frugal teachers in South Korea can save up to $15,000 per year!

When we can, we offer our teach abroad programs for free.

Greenheart Travel and its partners do have administration costs associated with providing these programs. Greenheart Travel is part of a non-profit organization, and our goal is to provide high quality cultural exchange opportunities, and to keep them as affordable as possible. Sometimes, the schools or the Ministries of Education are able to provide us with commissions to cover the expenses of screening, assisting, and preparing high quality teachers. In these cases, we are able to provide our services and programs to you, the teacher, for free.

However, there are times when the host school or community cannot afford to provide anything more than accommodations and/or a monthly salary. In these cases, we need to charge small program fees to cover the staff and administrative expenses to arrange the positions, run the program, provide support throughout the program, as well as the costs of providing extensive orientation upon arrival and providing excellent international travel medical insurance.

A couple of our programs are completely free, and provide flights or airfare reimbursement. If you’re interested in one of our program-fee based programs, check out our Scholarship or Fundraising pages.

Most programs require at least a semester or year commitment, to provide consistency for the schools and the students. We do have some shorter term options, depending on the time of the year. Please see our program listings for more information.

Most paid teach abroad programs require a Bachelor’s Degree (in any subject) as a minimum requirement. However, our program in China only requires two years of college-level experience. This means that it is a great option for people with Associates Degrees or college students looking to take some time off for a semester or a year.

Our volunteer Teach in Italy program does not require a Bachelor’s Degree if you meet the other eligibility requirements.

A teaching certificate is not required for any of our programs. Most programs give preference and higher salaries to highly qualified teachers.

While a TEFL/TESOL certificate is not always required, having one can lead to a higher salary. For those without any formal teaching experience or training, taking a TEFL certification is HIGHLY recommended.  A TEFL certificate can open many doors around the world, and you will be much more prepared for the transition into a teaching role in a foreign country.

Whether you prefer to learn online around your work or school schedule, or learn better in person, we have several course offerings. Learn more at our TEFL/TESOL Certification page.

Unfortunately, most countries require that teachers are 55 years old or younger, due to the culture and work visa requirements of the countries.

There are many factors that contribute to age limitations when teaching English abroad, and sometimes it is a visa issue. Some countries are not permitted to give visas to teachers above the age of 60 or 65 due to compulsory retirement ages in that nation. In other instances potential employers may hold fears that older teachers may not be up to the job physically or that they may not be able to adjust to living in a new country and culture.  In some cases, it’s just a matter of school administration deciding that a staff of younger teachers in their 20s and 30s is more marketable.

Because our teachers work in schools with regular academic schedules, we do not currently offer any paid summer teaching positions.

If you are interested in a short term summer program, take a look at our Language Homestay or Volunteer programs.

You’ll be teaching English in a school environment. The role of Native English speakers in the classroom abroad is typically focused on speaking, listening, and pronunciation.

Most of our programs require you to pay for your own airfare.

No. All of our programs will either arrange your accommodations for you, or will help you find accommodations near your placement.

The possibilities for teaching positions and locations around the world are endless! There are typically 250,000 English teaching positions around the world each year.  If you’re interested in teaching somewhere that we do not have a program, we recommend taking our TEFL/TESOL certification course online or in Chicago, and using the included lifetime job search guidance that comes with the course.

Getting a TEFL Certification is very important in preparing yourself and gaining the skills to teach English abroad, allowing you to be an effective teacher for your students. Some countries will require a TEFL certification, and in others it will make you a much more competitive candidate.

While the field of English language instruction represents one of the strongest job markets in the entire economy, navigating hiring procedures, interview processes, hiring seasons, visas  and everything else that goes into gaining employment in a foreign country can be challenging and confusing.

These courses provide extensive job search resources for countries around the world, as well as lifetime job search guidance. You can start your job search as soon as you begin your course.

PLEASE NOTE: We do not guarantee jobs, as you must qualify and interview for positions yourself; however if you follow our guidance and use the extensive resources we provide you, there is no reason why you should not be able to find a job overseas. We are committed to our graduates’ success, and you will never be alone with our guidance and assistance.

For more information on hiring seasons and practices around the world, visit our TEFL/TESOL Certification page.