Korean Job Discussion Forums

Metsuke · Joined: 13 Jan 2005 Location: Seoul, South Korea

"I can't remember if I already asked but make sure to pack the real copy of your degree. We need to take it to the education ministry to register you as a teacher."

Hey all... this is a small piece of the email my hiring director sent to me. But I'm a bit confused cause I'm working at a Hagwon, not in the public school system. I've already sent a notarized and certified copy of my degree to my school, and immigration has accepted it. Why would they need my actual degree to? They have not stipulated whether they want to hold on to it. If that is the case... well then I might have a problem with that.

Can anyone shed some more light on the statement I quoted above? Is this common practice now in Korea, to have teachers in Hagwons registered with the education ministry? Is this registeration with the ministry akin to a sub form of certification as an actual teacher in Korea?

Thanks in advance... Smile

Pyongshin Sangja · Joined: 20 Apr 2003 Location: I love baby!

No, it's not certification. It is not going to the Min., it is going to Immi.

Immi. now needs the original. It's the "law."

crazylemongirl · Joined: 23 Mar 2003 Location: almost there...

when I was working at a hogwon in my first year I was registered with the department of education. My director took the notarized copy of my degree and transcripts to them.

Ajarn Miguk · Joined: 22 Jan 2003 Location: TDY As Assigned

I'm curious if anyone knows whether or not the "ministry" plans on retaining the original diploma? If so, this might present a problem for more than one teacher in the future.

Metsuke · Joined: 13 Jan 2005 Location: Seoul, South Korea

Well I've emailed the hiring director back. I'm fine doing this... but like I said before... if anyone tries telling me that that they will keep possession of my degree I'm going to have a problem with that.

I just get the feeling I am having to jump through hoops here. I've already gone to my lawyer and gotten my degree notarized, than went to the Korean consulate and had them stamp the "notarized copy". Then I had to courier all those documents via fed ex out of my pocket, plus my signed contracts to the school for them to take to immigration. To top it all off... and I still feel ok about this... but I was the one who had to take initiative to put the contracts into duplicate form and actually dictate to the hiring director in print and email that I expected for them to send me a copy of my contracts for my records. In conjunction with the mail package I sent, I scanned all the documents into a PDF file for my records... and also emailed it to the hiring director so he would have a copy electronically as well.

Now after all that, I'm being told I have to bring my actual degree to. And pay for my ticket which will be reimbursed upon my arrival. To top it off, I'm dealing with a Canadian guy... he��s not Korean. So I guess I don't know what to make of that.

I still think everything is cool... but I'm getting a little pissed off having to deal with all this BS. I mean I have a University degree... its totally legit . I've provided everything they need and more... and now it sounds like some idiots in Korea at immigration are making rules up as they go to solve the illegal teacher problem. Which if fine by me... but man its starting to become a pain in the ass a bit.

I'm done venting for now.... Smile

the eye · Joined: 29 Jan 2004

they wont keep your degree.
as i said on your other thread, tell them you simply don't have the cash on hand for the air.
you are coming earlier for them, have them get the ticket for you.

all the crap you are going thru now is good prep for your year here. Twisted Evil

Derrek · Joined: 15 Jan 2003

Grotto · Joined: 21 Mar 2004

Nope you cant be registered as an actual teacher in Korea unless you pass the government exam, regardless of what degree you have.

Any crap they give you about handing over your original diploma is exactly that...crap.

By all means bring it with you but dont let it out of your hands...where goest thou's degree so goest thou. Immigration offices can, and have made certified copies so if they tell you they need the original it is yet another lie.

Chances are some bedwetter told his subordinates that he wants only original degrees.

prairieboy · Joined: 14 Sep 2003 Location: The batcave.

Actually, I believe the education ministry/board requires your original degree so they can copy it and check it out. A notarized copy is probably good enough but with the fallout from spectrumgate and the SBS documentary, they have probably become extra picky.

It is also necessary for the school to function legally. If you are not registered with the board of education then the school/hagwon cannot operate legally.

I've been with 3 different hagwons in the 3 and a half years I've been in Korea and each one required that I present my original degree to the board of education in order to register me. I don't have a B.Ed. either.

I'm sure this has been covered in other threads before.

Cheers

Grotto · Joined: 21 Mar 2004

I have been in 2 hogwans and a public school in three years and I have yet had to 'give' my original to anyone. Once at immigration they told me that they had to hold on to my degree for a week or so while they filed my paperwork and I told them no way. They photocopied it and stamped and signed it and that was enough.

They want to 'see' your degree, no problem, if they want to hold on to your degree then its a problem.

To the best of my knowledge I wasnt 'registered at the board of education' at either hogwan job. I could be wrong though. I didnt really know where they were taking me or what I was signing the first year.

casey's moon · Joined: 14 Sep 2004 Location: Daejeon

You guys do realize that your paper degrees are replaceable (albeit somewhat costly) pieces of paper, right?! Some of you are acting as though those pieces of paper are the 4 years of working hard/slacking off and thousands of dollars of tuition and beer money we all spent!!!

Anyway, one of my employer's took my original degrees, passport and registration card for a couple of hours, went to the Ministry of Education, and came back with all of said items a mere hour later. No big deal. I'm not sure why it is a necessary step for some places and not others. I also have a teaching degree, but I don't think that matters here. It might be because my job is at a kindergarten, not a hagwon, so the rules are different??

My advice, bring the degree along and don't sweat it. If you don't trust your employer with your degree you can ask to accompany him/her when they go to the Ministry of Education.

Ajarn Miguk · Joined: 22 Jan 2003 Location: TDY As Assigned

Grotto · Joined: 21 Mar 2004

They may be replaceable but why the hell would I want to go through the angst and hassle not to mention the replacement cost?

I wouldnt hand over my passport so why the hell would I hand over my degree?

JacktheCat · Joined: 08 May 2004

Homer · Guest

Grotto...crap you might think it is, it is still required now.

Original diplomas are now required by immigration now to process the work visa.

This is fairly recent or it was not really enforced before when you could use a notarized copy of the degree. I suppose the law is getting stricted because of the high number of fake diplomas on the market.