How to teach English abroad
How to teach English abroad, with or without a degree.
Staring at office walls, wondering if life offers more than spreadsheets and leftovers? Teaching English abroad might be your answer. Not the romanticised Instagram version, but a real job where you're paid to live in another country and help people learn one of the world's most confusing languages.
You don't need a teaching degree or years of classroom experience. You need fluent English, proper TEFL certification and realistic expectations. And if you don't have a university degree at all, there are still legal routes.
No degree? Quick answer
General guide, October 2026. Rules change, so always check.
What teaching English abroad actually means
This is work. Real work. Just not in a grey cubicle.
You'll be teaching English to non-native speakers. Sometimes that's helping Japanese businesspeople practise presentations. Sometimes it's explaining grammar to Italian teenagers who'd rather be on their phones. Sometimes it's teaching the alphabet to young children in Thailand.
You'll teach real classes, deal with visa paperwork, navigate cultural differences, and work out how to explain why “read” and “read” are spelled the same but pronounced differently. The work varies by country, school and student age. What stays constant is that you need TEFL training to do it well, and often to do it legally.
How to teach English abroad, step by step
Six steps from here to your first class abroad.
- 1
Get a 120-hour TEFL certificate
It's the standard most employers and many visa systems expect. Our 120-hour course is $39.
- 2
Pick countries that fit you
Your passport and whether you have a degree decide where you can work legally. Use the tables below to shortlist.
- 3
Prepare your documents early
Passport, TEFL certificate, CV, a criminal background check, and a degree if you have one. Some countries want them apostilled.
- 4
Apply through trusted routes
Reputable recruiters, schools that hire directly, and government programmes such as EPIK in South Korea or JET in Japan (both need a degree).
- 5
Interview and check the contract
Confirm the salary, hours, housing, flights and, above all, that the school will sponsor a proper work visa.
- 6
Get your visa, then fly
Your school sends instructions. Never start paid work on a tourist or visitor entry.
Teach English abroad with no degree
Where you can teach without a degree.
A degree matters more for visas than for teaching. These are the main legal routes for teachers without one. Pay is typical, not guaranteed.
| Where | Usual route | Typical pay | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cambodia | Most schools sponsor a business visa and work permit after you arrive | Around $1,000–$1,300 a month in Phnom Penh | One of the most open markets. A TEFL and a clean record are usually expected. |
| Mexico | Temporary resident visa with work permission, sponsored by your employer | About MXN 10,000–25,000 a month at language schools | Degree not legally required for language schools. Our Mexico guide |
| Colombia | Work visa sponsored by a language institute | Modest; covers local living costs | Many language institutes hire without a degree. |
| Costa Rica | Usually a work visa sponsored by the school, which can be slow | Around $600–$1,200 a month | Schools prefer TEFL-certified teachers who can stay at least a semester. |
| Argentina | Private schools and company classes; work visas exist but are complex | Low, and affected by inflation | Better for experience than savings. |
| Spain | EU citizens can simply work. Others usually need a student visa or an assistant programme | Assistants about €700–€1,000 a month; academies more | Some assistant programmes need university enrolment or a degree. |
| Online, from anywhere | No visa for the teaching itself, but check local tax and remote-work rules | Often $10–$15 an hour to start | Many platforms don't require a degree. A TEFL helps you stand out. Online jobs |
Where a degree is usually required
| Country | Why |
|---|---|
| South Korea | E-2 teaching visa needs a bachelor's degree and a clean background check. |
| Japan | Work visas and the JET programme usually need a degree. |
| China | Most provinces need a bachelor's degree and a TEFL for the work (Z) visa. |
| Taiwan | Work visas need a degree. Working holiday or student visas are the alternatives. |
| Thailand | Standard school jobs need a degree for the work visa and permit. |
| Vietnam | A degree is officially required for a work permit. Avoid schools that offer to skip it. |
| UAE and Saudi Arabia | Usually a degree, and often a teaching licence too. |
Some schools offer to hire teachers on tourist visas. It's illegal in most countries and can lead to fines, deportation or a ban. If a school won't sponsor a proper work visa, keep looking. Check your destination's official immigration website before you commit.
Why TEFL certification matters
Speaking English isn't the same as teaching it.
Most people who speak English can stand in front of a class and talk. Not everyone can teach it. Without training, you miss the skills and solutions for problems you wouldn't imagine exist.
Good teachers understand how people learn languages, know several ways to explain the same idea, read the room and adjust, manage a class without killing its enthusiasm, and plan lessons that actually achieve something. That's what TEFL training teaches. Many visa systems and most decent schools ask for it.
Choosing where to teach
Different regions, completely different experiences.
Choose based on what you actually want, not what looks good in photos.
Asia
High demand, good salaries and strong savings potential, if you're not spending everything on travel and street food. South Korea, Japan, China, Vietnam and Thailand employ thousands of English teachers.
Contracts often include housing or a housing allowance, flight reimbursement and health insurance, with 20–40 teaching hours a week. Most Asian work visas need a degree; Cambodia is the main exception.
Europe
Salaries are lower than in Asia or the Middle East, but you're in Europe: weekend trips to other countries, deep cultural immersion and often a better work-life balance.
Spain, Italy, the Czech Republic, Poland and Portugal hire regularly, mostly through private language schools. Many teachers work for more than one school to make a full-time income. Visas are the main hurdle for non-EU citizens.
Latin America
Pay is lower, but so is the cost of living, and it's the friendliest region for teachers without a degree. People go for the culture, the language and the lifestyle rather than savings.
Mexico, Colombia, Costa Rica and Argentina hire through language schools and company classes, and many interviews happen in person.
The Middle East
Some of the highest salaries, often tax-free, with housing and flights included. The catch is stricter requirements: usually a degree, often a teaching licence and some experience.
It suits experienced teachers more than first-timers.
Finding teaching jobs without getting scammed
Scams exist. So do good jobs.
We point you to TEFL job recruiters rather than posting jobs ourselves. We know TEFL training; recruiters know how to place teachers. Our jobs board links to recruiters and openings abroad and online, which we check regularly, but always do your own research too.
- They ask you to pay to secure the job.
- They won't give you a written contract.
- They want you to start work on a tourist visa.
- Salary, hours or housing details stay vague.
Visas, travel and arrival
Do schools help once you're hired?
What the school usually does
Most reputable schools and recruiters handle the heavy lifting. They send a contract and a list of documents (degree if needed, TEFL certificate, background check, medical results), then process your work permit or invitation letter. Many reimburse your flight after 6–12 months, and some pay upfront.
When you arrive, they often arrange airport pickup, a few nights' accommodation and help with in-country visa paperwork, including going to appointments with you. Housing is often provided or arranged.
What you're responsible for
Gathering and, if needed, apostilling your documents before you leave, attending any embassy appointments at home, bringing the right paperwork for processing on arrival, and booking travel if flights aren't provided upfront.
Government programmes and large schools offer the most support; small academies may expect more independence. Always clarify what's included before you sign.
Some StudyTEFL teacher reviews
From teachers who've taken the course.
“I'm an experienced teacher but this course helped me see my strength and weakness and how to work on it.”
Gyuyeon Park · Trustpilot · 2021“After doing my research, I signed up for StudyTEFL, and I definitely do not regret it.”
Patrick H. · Trustpilot · 2026“Their theoretical foundation in language teaching methodology is exceptional, and they demonstrate a clear understanding of modern ESL classroom practices.”
Rowena Menzies · Trustpilot · 2025Cheap TEFL certification for teaching abroad
Accredited TEFL, from $39.
Made by teachers and supported by teachers. Fully online, with no essays: you're assessed through quizzes and scenario-based tasks instead. Every course includes a QR-verifiable digital certificate.
120-Hour TEFL-TESOL
The standard qualification for most jobs abroad, with real classroom video and tutor support.
- 24 core units
- Six complete ESL lessons
- 15+ teaching scenarios
- 12 months of access
- QR-verifiable certificate
168-Hour TEFL-TESOL
Adds 48 hours on young learners and adults, the classes most new teachers abroad start with.
- Everything in the 120-hour course
- 40 hours on young learners
- 8 hours on adults
- Tutor support
Want practical experience? Every course already includes practical tasks with tutor-made feedback. For individual tutor feedback on lesson plans and demo lessons you create yourself, add Demo Lessons to any course for $30. How Demo Lessons work → · Is StudyTEFL legit?
Teaching English abroad FAQs
Short answers.
Can I teach English abroad without a degree?+
How many hours of TEFL training do I need?+
Should I get more than 120 hours?+
Does accreditation matter?+
What's included in proper TEFL training?+
Can I skip TEFL if I have a teaching degree?+
Can I work on a tourist visa?+
What are the red flags when job hunting?+
When should I start applying?+
Do schools help with visas and travel?+
Your first step abroad
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