In this article, I will tell you how to become an EFL (= English as a Foreign Language) teacher in China without any prior experience. Many young graduates work as EFL teachers on a short-term basis in order to fund a gap-year. However, others choose to forge a life-long career in TEFL. Within this group, some decide to live an itinerant lifestyle, funded by a teaching income. Others use EFL as a stepping-stone to move onto more professional teaching roles. Whatever your career goals may be, China remains an ideal jumping-off point. The food is amazing; the people are friendly; demand for English teachers is high.
Read more: How to teach English in ChinaThe steps you must take are as follows: (i) obtain a degree, (ii) obtain a teaching certificate, (iii) choose your teaching setting, (iv) get vaccinated, (v) undergo a physical examination, (vi) notarize your documents, (vii) apply for a visa, (viii) find out how to access money, (ix) pack your bags, (x) upgrade your visa (upon arrival).
1. Obtain a degree
I first moved to China in 2014. Back then, entrance requirements were somewhat lenient and they tended to differ from province to province. For example, about ten years ago, you might have been able to enter the country without any formal academic qualifications. But things have changed. If you hope to live and work in China these days, you must at the very least hold a bachelor’s degree. Your degree can be in any subject. However, your chances of employment will be higher if your degree is in a related subject, like English, Education or Linguistics.
2. Obtain a teaching certificate
You must have a teaching certificate of some kind (referred to as either TEFL or TESOL certificates). There are three options here. Your first option is to complete a short online course. This may be enough for a gap-year, but it won’t get you much further than that. Your second option is to attend an in-person weekend course. This is a bit better, but it still won’t give you enough face-to-face practice. By far the best option is to go back to university and complete a CELTA. This option is by far the most expensive one, but your qualification will be respected and it will be a worthwhile investment in your future career. These days, many job postings specifically mention CELTA as a minimum requirement.
3. Choose a teaching setting
The next step is to decide if you want to teach in (i) private language schools, (ii) public schools, or (iii) universities. As an EFL teacher at a private school, you can expect to work during the evenings, but you will be paid a lot more than your Chinese colleagues. The first alternative is the public-school system in China. These jobs are harder to come by and pay less, although they are full-time and generally more stable than private school employment. The final option is university teaching. Universities will offer you on-campus accommodation and you will benefit from a lot of vacation time. There is not always the option of working many hours. And you will not earn as much at a university as you will at a private language school.
NB: Since I wrote this article, there have been major changes to the English teaching job market in China (and to private school teaching in particular). Please do your research before you make any decisions.
4. Get vaccinated
Your first priority when preparing to relocate to China is to ensure that you receive the correct vaccinations for the region where you are planning to teach. The more rural your teaching destination is, the more vaccinations you will require. Track down your medical records and book an appointment with your GP. He or she will advise you as to which vaccinations you require. I needed a single hepatitis jab plus a three-day course of typhoid tablets as a minimum requirement. Your GP may also recommend a month-long course of hepatitis-B jabs, but this is not essential. Please note that there may be a waiting list for an appointment with your GP. For this reason, be sure to allow plenty of time for this stage.
5. Undergo a physical examination
Next, you will require a routine physical examination in order to apply for a Chinese visa. The examination report must carry a doctor’s stamp (i.e. not just a signature; this is important). You can expect the physical examination to include: (i) blood pressure, (ii) blood test, (iii) eye text, (iv) ECG, (v) chest X-ray and (vi) general biometrics. The entire physical examination may be rather expensive. But you may be able to persuade your doctor to skip the expensive parts (i.e. the chest X-ray).
6. Notarize your documents
When I moved to China, document notarization was not a requirement. Now, all foreigners hoping to work in China will need to have their qualifications notarized / authenticated. Arrange an appointment with a notary public (a kind of solicitor) in your local area. Please note that not all solicitors are qualified to act as notary publics. As part of the fee, he / she will contact your University to verify that you did indeed attend and earn your degree there. The notary public will stamp your documents and then pass them on to the FCO (the Foreign and Commonwealth Office) for the all-important apostille stamp. Be aware that this is in itself a multi-step process because it involves different institutions. As such, timescales may vary considerably.
7. Apply for a visa
In order to work in China, you will need a Z-visa. Your new employer should supply all the paperwork (or at least give you clear instructions). The role of your employer in this process is to formally invite you into the country. All you need to do is complete the correct forms and post them, together with your original passport, to a consulate. If you are British, you can apply to the consulates in London, Manchester or Edinburgh. This process can take anywhere between two weeks and one month.
8. Find out how to access money
The exchange rate is (at the time of writing) roughly 1GBP = 9RNB. This means your money will go further in China than in UK. Make sure you have some savings in your UK bank account before you leave. Once in China, you will be able to use your UK debit card to withdraw RNB. I do not recommend taking a credit card, for security reasons. I also do not recommend exchanging much currency before you leave. Make sure you have the following information about your UK bank: (i) the postal address, (ii) your BIC number and (ii) your SWIFT number, otherwise known as your IBAN number. The best way of getting money out of China is to first entrust it to a Chinese national (because, as a foreigner, the amount you can take out is capped). Transfer your money to a friend’s account and he/she will then transfer it into your UK account.
9. Pack your bag
Please give careful consideration to this stage. Here are my top tips for how to pack like a pro for China: (i) choose casual clothes which cover your arms and legs (to avoid mosquito bites), (ii) bring UK-China adapters, but be aware you may encounter different styles of plug sockets, (iii) bring a power bank (since train journeys in China can last entire days), (iv) leave behind your guidebooks, phrasebooks and bulky dictionaries (trust me: you won’t use them), and (v) bring a well-stocked medical supply. Your medical supply should include at least the following items: (i) plasters, (ii) blister plasters, (iii) hand sanitizer; (iv) general antibiotic, (v) anti-diarrheal tablets, and (vi) mosquito repellent that contains 50% deet.
10. Upgrade your visa (upon arrival)
In Step 7, I explained that you would need a Z-visa to enter China. This visa type is valid for a short time only. It will get you over the border, but from there you will need to upgrade it to a full residence permit. Your workplace (private school, public school or university) should help with this. Please ask in advance if help will be forthcoming in this regard: it may be a good indicator for how reliable / committed your new employer is. Please note that, when you arrive in China, you will have to submit to a second physical examination – in order to upgrade to a full residence permit.