When many people think about teaching English as a foreign language, they imagine that they have to travel as far afield as India, Thailand, or China to find work. Yet it’s perfectly possible to come up with a viable teach English in Europe plan if you’d rather explore stunning destinations like France, Germany, and Italy.
Whether you’ve fallen in love with the fair city of Verona and long to teach English to Italian students, or whether you’re eager to experience the romance of living and working in Paris, the city of love, you may be surprised to learn that there are plenty of opportunities for TEFL professionals to relocate to Europe to practice their occupation.
Around 88% of students studying at the upper secondary level in the EU are learning the English language. Not only that, but plenty of adults all over Europe are keen to develop their English skills to improve their employment prospects. With this in mind, you can travel to European countries and teach English as a qualified TEFL professional.
Countries like Spain and the Netherlands are among the top five worldwide destinations for emigrating families thanks to the high quality of life that they offer. In this helpful guide to teaching English as a foreign language in Europe, you can find out more about the requirements you’ll need to meet as well as the types of teaching roles you could undertake.
What Are The Requirements To Teach English As A Foreign Language In Europe?
Depending on where you plan to relocate to, the requirements to teach English as a foreign language in Europe will differ between nations, employers, and institutions. However, certain things will be required in most instances. Firstly, you will need to obtain your TEFL certificate to demonstrate your knowledge and skills as an English language teacher.
Do I Need A Degree?
Some employers and schools in Europe will require you to have obtained a university degree to teach professionally. In some places, your degree must be related to the English language, but in others, any degree will be accepted. If you don’t have a degree, however, rest assured that not every employer will make one a requirement. Furthermore, there are options that you can pursue, such as freelance teaching, that will allow you to teach in Europe without having to go to university.
Do I Need To Be A Native English Speaker?
Certain European countries hire only native English speakers to work in their schools, and they tend to prefer those who come from the UK, United States, Ireland, Canada, South Africa, New Zealand, and Australia. Nevertheless, if you are not a native speaker, there’s no need to worry. It’s still possible to teach in a lot of places in Europe as long as you are fluent.
Do I Need To Have Teaching Experience?
If you have no teaching experience, you can often still obtain an entry-level teaching role, however, if you are aiming for a more senior position, you’ll find prior experience as well as teaching qualifications a significant advantage.
What Qualifications Do I Need To Teach In Europe?
If you’re keen to work as an English teacher anywhere in Europe, it goes without saying that having a TEFL certification will give you an advantage in the job market. Most language schools will not even consider applicants without TEFL qualifications, and even if you’re looking for teaching placements at summer camps or other temporary roles, being TEFL certified will still boost your chance of getting your chosen post.
Do I Need A Work Visa?
Wherever you wish to teach overseas, you’ll usually need to have a work permit or visa to work legally in the country. Most European countries will require either you or your employer to obtain a visa for you. In some cases, you may be able to obtain a Working Holiday Visa that will allow you to teach in certain EU countries. It’s therefore essential to check out the visa requirements carefully for any country that you wish to work in and ensure that you have made the appropriate visa application before travelling.
What Kind Of Teaching Roles Could I Have In Europe?
As a qualified TEFL professional, there are many different teaching jobs that you could apply for in Europe. Some roles for TEFL teachers in Europe include working with young learners in private or public schools, up to tutoring senior citizens as a freelancer. Summer camps, language schools, and Business English tutoring are also options worth considering.
Working As An Online English Teacher
One increasingly popular option is to teach English online to overseas students as a digital nomad. Many companies employ TEFL-certified professionals to teach English in virtual classrooms to students all over the world. These roles allow you to travel anywhere while working at the same time. Many TEFL professionals find that this is the perfect way to work as an English teacher in Europe since they can enjoy the complete flexibility that comes with online working.
Choose this option, and you can experience the best of Europe, exploring a variety of stunning destinations and discovering all of the famous landmarks that Europe has to offer, all while fitting in your teaching commitments around your touring schedule. This is a way of life that appeals to people from all walks of life, from young adults to older professionals who want to make the most of their retirement while still bringing in an income.
Is Working As An English Teacher In Europe Right For Me?
If you’re keen to work as an English teacher in Europe, you can see that there are plenty of roles and options available to you. However, to make the most of those opportunities, you first need to ensure that you have obtained your TEFL certification. With that qualification under your belt, you’ll find that the world is your oyster.
