Site Search:
 
Get TEFL Certified & Start Your Adventure Today!
Teach English Abroad and Get Paid to see the World!
Job Discussion Forums Forum Index Job Discussion Forums
"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Students and Teachers from Around the World!"
 
 FAQFAQ   SearchSearch   MemberlistMemberlist   UsergroupsUsergroups   RegisterRegister 
 ProfileProfile   Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages   Log inLog in 

When are you expected to arrive in China for fall semester?

 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Job Discussion Forums Forum Index -> China (Job-related Posts Only)
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
maj0915



Joined: 04 Feb 2013
Posts: 61
Location: China

PostPosted: Fri Mar 01, 2013 9:45 pm    Post subject: When are you expected to arrive in China for fall semester? Reply with quote

Hey everyone, was having some trouble fitting my entire question into the subject, but basically I was hoping someone could tell me about when the most active months are in the job search for a Fall semester start (I've heard March and April?), as well as when schools typically expect you to arrive in China for the Fall semester.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Non Sequitur



Joined: 23 May 2010
Posts: 4724
Location: China

PostPosted: Fri Mar 01, 2013 11:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

You should have your profile up on the free to teacher job boards by now ie seriousteachers.com and be doing a bit of applying.
Arriving a week before classes start should be plenty in my experience.
You probably won't get your class schedule more than two days ahead of classes starting, if by then.
Still, casing out the classrooms, dining halls etc plus meeting fellow FTs are a good use of your time.
Will give you a sense of being 'in country'.
Arrive too early and you could risk having no one to meet you at the airport.
Believe me being ripped off by a rapacious cab driver on your first day can get your China project off to a bad start.
Welcome aboard!
NS
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
roadwalker



Joined: 24 Aug 2005
Posts: 1750
Location: Ch

PostPosted: Sat Mar 02, 2013 6:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

At public universities classes generally start close to September 1. So August 20-something is a good target for arrival. Most schools of any type will arrange to meet teachers from abroad at the airport.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
maj0915



Joined: 04 Feb 2013
Posts: 61
Location: China

PostPosted: Sun Mar 03, 2013 5:08 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Non Sequitur wrote:
You should have your profile up on the free to teacher job boards by now ie seriousteachers.com and be doing a bit of applying.
Arriving a week before classes start should be plenty in my experience.
You probably won't get your class schedule more than two days ahead of classes starting, if by then.
Still, casing out the classrooms, dining halls etc plus meeting fellow FTs are a good use of your time.
Will give you a sense of being 'in country'.
Arrive too early and you could risk having no one to meet you at the airport.
Believe me being ripped off by a rapacious cab driver on your first day can get your China project off to a bad start.
Welcome aboard!
NS


Thanks! I'm going to try listing my resume on a few sites soon, but I was hoping to wait a couple of weeks because I needed to get my passport renewed and it hasn't come back yet. Would you recommend posting my application anyways and just specifying that I'm waiting for my new passport, or wait until I've already received it? A lot of the applications I've seen have asked for a passport photo/scan.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
xiguagua



Joined: 09 Oct 2011
Posts: 768

PostPosted: Sun Mar 03, 2013 12:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The question is if you have a job or not. If you don't have a job, then it's good to come over Late spring/early summer. If you've never been to China before I suggest getting a job BEFORE arriving in China. I don't see how you would get anything done being new to the country, on a tourist visa and having no idea where or what to do.

If you have a job, I would recommend getting to your location a week or two before you start. FAOs and most teachers will be at school since most of them are usually locals so there will be people to help you out or show you around and by the time school starts, you'll be over jet lag and have a decent feeling of the place.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
maj0915



Joined: 04 Feb 2013
Posts: 61
Location: China

PostPosted: Sun Mar 03, 2013 1:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

xiguagua wrote:
The question is if you have a job or not. If you don't have a job, then it's good to come over Late spring/early summer. If you've never been to China before I suggest getting a job BEFORE arriving in China. I don't see how you would get anything done being new to the country, on a tourist visa and having no idea where or what to do.

If you have a job, I would recommend getting to your location a week or two before you start. FAOs and most teachers will be at school since most of them are usually locals so there will be people to help you out or show you around and by the time school starts, you'll be over jet lag and have a decent feeling of the place.


Thanks. I don't think I'm familiar enough with China to get a job there in person, so I think I'll probably try some of the sites suggested here (Dave's ESL Cafe, EChinaCities, SeriousTeachers.) Are there any other sites you'd recommend?
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
xiguagua



Joined: 09 Oct 2011
Posts: 768

PostPosted: Sun Mar 03, 2013 3:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

My first year in China was through a recruiter, so I was just told where to go and luckily, it worked out. Since then, i've just found what city i've wanted to work in (usually not huge cities for me) and either contacted or searched for if those schools are hiring specifically.

It helps if you narrow down what you're willing to teach (uni, high school, junior school) and what you're not, where you're willing to live and where you're not. Then it's easier to go from there. My biggest advice though is research research research. I lurked all kinds of forums daily for a month trying to get insight into living and working here and from that I was able to get a general idea of what to expect and what I would be in for. Made things easy.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Non Sequitur



Joined: 23 May 2010
Posts: 4724
Location: China

PostPosted: Sun Mar 03, 2013 7:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

maj0915 wrote:
Non Sequitur wrote:
You should have your profile up on the free to teacher job boards by now ie seriousteachers.com and be doing a bit of applying.
Arriving a week before classes start should be plenty in my experience.
You probably won't get your class schedule more than two days ahead of classes starting, if by then.
Still, casing out the classrooms, dining halls etc plus meeting fellow FTs are a good use of your time.
Will give you a sense of being 'in country'.
Arrive too early and you could risk having no one to meet you at the airport.
Believe me being ripped off by a rapacious cab driver on your first day can get your China project off to a bad start.
Welcome aboard!
NS


Thanks! I'm going to try listing my resume on a few sites soon, but I was hoping to wait a couple of weeks because I needed to get my passport renewed and it hasn't come back yet. Would you recommend posting my application anyways and just specifying that I'm waiting for my new passport, or wait until I've already received it? A lot of the applications I've seen have asked for a passport photo/scan.


Use your current passport and if you're putting it up on a job board tape over the number and expiry date to avoid being ripped.
You'll need the new passport when you get to the point of lodging your visa application at the Embassy or Consulate.
Get going now and although some report no problems with the tourist visa route DON'T DO IT.
Look for the least downside with your first employer. Go for provincial level universities and vocationals with at least half a dozen other FTs and a history of legitimate FT employment.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
GreatApe



Joined: 11 Apr 2012
Posts: 582
Location: South of Heaven and East of Nowhere

PostPosted: Thu Mar 07, 2013 2:51 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I work for an International school in Guangdong. The teachers started the Spring semester on February 18th. The students came back to school after Lantern Festival (which was on Sunday, February 24th). Students returned and classes began on Monday, Feb. 25th.

I'll be expected to be back at my school sometime around the second week in September for the Fall semester.

Our final exams for this term are scheduled for July 8th and 9th, grading will most likely be finished by Friday, July 12th and vacation should begin on the 13th.

--GA
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Job Discussion Forums Forum Index -> China (Job-related Posts Only) All times are GMT
Page 1 of 1

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum


This page is maintained by the one and only Dave Sperling.
Contact Dave's ESL Cafe
Copyright © 2018 Dave Sperling. All Rights Reserved.

Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2002 phpBB Group

Teaching Jobs in China
Teaching Jobs in China