Teaching English Abroad in Beijing

Beijing now has approximately 70 institutions of higher learning, which is a significant number. The most prestigious of them are Tsinghua University, which is very competitive, and Peking University, which is well-known. Each year, many thousand foreign students attend this particular institution alone.

In recent years, the increasing demand for higher education, along with China's developing standing as a global power, has resulted in an increase in the number of Chinese students wishing to enhance their foreign language proficiency. Many foreigners will take advantage of this excellent chance to spend a couple of years working in China as English as a Foreign Language instructors.

Although the competition for such teaching opportunities in Beijing is fierce, it is possible to get one. Normally, in order to be granted foreign expert status for a TEFL employment, the SAFEA (State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs) laws demand you to be a native speaker with a bachelor's degree and at least two years of work experience.

TEFL posts at smaller provincial schools may even be exempt from one or two of these criteria in certain circumstances, depending on the local administration's desire to fill their openings. The TEFL employment market, on the other hand, operates in a very different way in Beijing.

TEFL Career Options

If you're interested in teaching English in China, either at a Chinese institution or via a combined Chinese-Western program, this looks like the right position for you. Due to the high standards in academia, however, individuals with higher degrees or a background in TEFL are more likely to be considered for such positions.

Alternatively, working as an assistant to a Chinese English teacher at a public school in Beijing may be more ideal for globe-trotting grads and well-heeled, footloose expats nearing the end of their working lives. In fact, teaching English as a foreign language in a public school may be better than working as a TEFL instructor at one of Beijing's private schools. At the latter, you may come across kids who are there as a result of their affluent parents' financial support rather than their own initiative, and who, as a result, may be less driven to study.

Teaching English as a Foreign Language in Beijing: Some Pointers

A large number of EFL instructors are employed by one of the numerous private language schools in Beijing. Some of them constantly seek to abuse or swindle their workers, despite the fact that they serve a large portion of the market. You should use care while selecting an employment in order to prevent encountering these undesirables.

Please only accept to go to China on a Z visa, regardless of what anybody else tells you.

Inquire about references from your possible workplace and follow up on their recommendations.

Avoid working for any Beijing-based school that does not adhere to the basic guidelines set out by SAFEA.

Make an effort to improve your working environment. A suitable contract for a TEFL employment in Beijing should include reimbursement for round-trip travel, lodging, and vacation time.

First and foremost, demand to view a photograph of the instructors' living quarters.