Korean Job Discussion Forums

mbertram · Joined: 12 Feb 2009

I was wondering whether a BA/BS is the minimum qualifications for teaching English abroad in Korea, or other Asian job markets.

I have an Associates degree and am planning on taking the CELTA, or its rough equivalent, and am curious if that will be enough to get me a worthwhile paying position. Any help would be much appreciated.

polonius · Joined: 05 Jun 2004

There is a thread called Gepik payscales. If you look at their rates, it would appear that you can work with an associates. Could be the TALK program. You aren't going to make that much money though.

Harpeau · Joined: 01 Feb 2003 Location: Coquitlam, BC

In Korea, you need to have at least a 4-year BA or BSc. degree in order to get an E-2 VISA. Anything less is illegal and will not be considered. I'm not certain of other Asian nations.

yeremy

The TALK program is your only option and that will only be for six months to a year long contract. Most of the TALK teachers I have met seemed to have originally signed a six month contract which they later extended.

I also heard that the EPIK POE's also (recently) decided not to hire those with two year degrees or two years of college/university for EPIK.

A CELTA will help you with teaching classes, but it won't substitute for an accredited three (Canada and England) or four year BA/BS degree. You could check out the Fulbright Scholar program for Korea as well as the TALK program.

I recommend that you finish your BA/BS, especially if you've got the money in hand for school, and then if you don't go to grad school, you could consider if you want to come to Korea to teach.

intl girl of mystery · Joined: 09 Feb 2009

You'll probably be glad later on, for this and other reasons, if you knuckle down and finish a four-year degree now. If you really want to leave asap, though, I would lean towards somewhere other than Korea. In Taiwan, for instance, a two-year degree and a TEFL certificate is enough for a legal work permit. You might use www.buxiban.com as a jumping-off point to start narrowing things down, since all the information is collected together, but frankly I'm not sure how accurate it is. It might be EFL gospel, I don't know either way.

ttompatz · Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Location: Kwangju, South Korea

In Korea you CAN teach at a PUBLIC school with only an Associates.

You CANNOT teach at a hakwon or private school.

There are some caveats:
a) You will do the same work as someone with a degree but you only get 1.5 million won per month.
b) CURRENTLY you are limited to 1 year (Not extend-able).

cruisemonkey

yeremy · Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2009 4:17 pm Post subject: Reply to Tom Patz

Tom,
I asked the EPIK manager for the POE I work in and he said the POE (recently) decided not to accept 2-year degrees for employment in EPIK. The program you referred to is the TALK program, which does pay 1.5 and is only for one year right now.

Cruisemonkey,
I do not know if Gyonggi-do hires teachers with associates degrees for GEPIK, but they may have a similar program to the TALK program.