To become an English teacher, complete an accredited TEFL certificate of at least 120 hours, then apply to online platforms, private language schools or a government program abroad. Most employers and visa routes ask for that certificate plus a bachelor's degree, and no prior classroom experience is required to start.
English teaching is one of the few careers you can enter in under three months and take almost anywhere. The route is short, the qualification is portable, and the work exists in classrooms, corporate training rooms and on your own laptop. This guide walks through the job itself, the certificate you need, what the work actually pays, and how to land the first role.
What does an English teacher actually do?
An English teacher helps students improve their reading, writing, speaking and listening, and spends as much time building confidence as correcting grammar. The day splits roughly into planning, teaching and feedback, whether the classroom is a room in Seoul or a video call.
What are the core responsibilities?
- Planning and delivering lessons pitched at the students' actual language level rather than the syllabus you were handed.
- Explaining grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation in plain language, with examples students can reuse the same day.
- Building or adapting materials and activities so lessons stay interactive instead of turning into a lecture.
- Assessing progress through tests, assignments or informal checks, and tracking it over the term.
- Giving feedback often enough that students know what to fix before the next class.
- Getting students talking, which is the single hardest and most valuable part of the job.
- Adapting your approach for beginners, intermediate and advanced learners, often in the same week.
- Managing the room, online or in person, so the class stays engaged and on task.
Which skills matter most?
- Clear communication, because explaining something simply is a skill in itself.
- Patience with students who learn at very different speeds.
- Adaptability, since no two classes respond to the same material the same way.
- Classroom management, in person and on video.
- Creativity in lesson planning, which is what keeps students booking again.
- Cultural awareness, especially with international students and mixed classes.
What qualifications do you need to become an English teacher?
The standard entry qualification is an accredited TEFL certificate of at least 120 hours, and for most jobs abroad a bachelor's degree in any subject sits alongside it as a visa condition rather than an employer preference. A teaching degree is not required. Accreditation is what employers check first, and our explainer on accredited TEFL certification sets out what a credible certificate looks like. If you are still deciding between course lengths and levels, our guide to choosing the right TEFL course compares them side by side.
How do you start if you have no teaching experience?
Start with a 120-hour course, which is the qualification written into most job adverts and several visa rules. The 120-Hour Online TEFL Course is the standard entry-level route and is accepted by most employers, native speaker or not.
A 120-hour course covers teaching methodology, structured lesson planning, classroom management online and in person, how to explain grammar and vocabulary clearly, and how to work with different age groups and levels. By the end you are job ready for entry-level positions, which is the only bar you need to clear at this stage.
How do you upgrade your qualifications once you have experience?
Higher-level diplomas are how you move into the premium pay bands, and Premier TEFL's 2026 Salary Report finds that a recognized qualification is priced directly into official scales. South Korea's EPIK program, for example, pays roughly 200,000 won a month more for a 120-hour certificate alone.
The next steps up are the 180-Hour Level 5 TEFL Diploma and the 300-Hour Level 5 Advanced TEFL Diploma. Both are regulated Level 5 qualifications, and both add the specialist ground that separates a general teacher from a candidate for business English, young learners or exam preparation work. The 180-hour diploma carries Ofqual qualification reference 610/1572/6 and the 300-hour carries 6101574X, and you can look either up on the government's register of regulated qualifications.
How do you get your first English teaching job?
Apply the week you finish certifying, and apply widely. Language schools, international schools, private tutoring, corporate training and online platforms all hire at entry level, and each wants the same three things in your application.
- A CV that puts the TEFL certificate and its hour count near the top, not in a qualifications footnote.
- Any teaching experience at all, including volunteering, conversation exchanges or tutoring friends.
- A rehearsed demo lesson, because most employers and every online platform will ask for one.
Ready to qualify? Browse Premier TEFL's accredited courses and pick the level that matches where you want to teach.
How much can you realistically earn as an English teacher?
Verified 2 September 2026. Every figure below is taken from Premier TEFL's 2026 TEFL Salary Report, which compiled pay across 30 country markets against official program pay scales in July 2026. Local currency is authoritative and USD equivalents are approximate. Ranges describe typical advertised pay, not guarantees. No application deadline or program window is quoted on this page, because those change through the year and belong on the country and program guides linked below.
- Highest verified package: Hong Kong's NET Scheme, HK$35,080 to HK$81,510 a month, roughly US$4,500 to US$10,400, plus a HK$20,989 housing allowance.
- Best markets for saving: Saudi Arabia at a reported US$1,000 to US$3,000 a month, Kuwait at 60 to 70 percent of salary, and the UAE at US$1,500 to US$2,500.
- Where housing comes free: all five Gulf states, Hong Kong, South Korea and China. It is rare in Europe and Latin America, where salaries sit close to local living costs instead.
- Online rates: from a flat US$10.20 an hour on Cambly to US$30 and above for established independent teachers with their own students.
- No degree: Cambodia is the only major Asian market with no legal degree requirement, alongside language centers in Mexico, Colombia, Argentina and Costa Rica.
Typical monthly pay abroad, with living costs beside it
| Market | Typical monthly pay, local currency | Approx. USD | Housing | What is left over |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Korea, EPIK | 2.1M to 2.8M won | 1,575 to 2,100 | Rent-free apartment | Savings of 500,000 to 1,000,000 won a month |
| Japan, JET | 335,000 yen | 2,200 to 2,400 | Only if pre-arranged | Rural placements save 50,000 to 100,000 yen |
| China | 12,000 to 25,000 RMB | 1,650 to 3,450 | Free housing or allowance | Savings of US$600 to US$1,500 |
| UAE | 10,000 to 21,000 AED, tax free | 2,450 to 5,700 | Yes, or an allowance | Savings of US$1,500 to US$2,500 |
| Thailand | 30,000 to 45,000 baht | 800 to 1,200 | Sometimes | Bangkok one-bed rent around 13,000 baht |
| Spain, academies | 1,000 to 1,600 euro | 1,100 to 1,750 | No | Break-even market, teachers stack private work |
Source: Premier TEFL, 2026 TEFL Salary Report, verified July 2026. Typical ranges, approximate.
For the full country-by-country picture, including degree requirements and savings potential across all 30 markets, read The TEFL Salary Report on what English teachers really earn. Using verified figures rather than guesswork is what lets you budget honestly and negotiate a fair contract.
Which online teaching platform should you choose?
Platforms fall into three groups, and the right one depends on how much predictability you want. Structured platforms assign you students and set your rate, which suits new teachers building confidence. Marketplace platforms let you set your own price and build a profile, which rewards good reviews over time. Independent teaching, where you find your own students, pays the most and asks the most of you.
Online teaching pay by route
| Route | Hourly rate, USD | How it works |
|---|---|---|
| Cambly | 10.20 adults, 12.00 kids | Flat per-minute rate, unchanged since around 2013 |
| EF Teach Online | 11.85 to 20 | Base rate plus incentives |
| Preply | 19.37 average, tutor-set | Full commission on trial lessons, then 18 to 33 percent |
| iTalki | 15 to 35, self-set | 15 percent commission |
| Independent, own students | 12 to 20 entry, 25 to 40 exam prep, 30 to 70 plus established | No commission, and you own the client relationship |
Source: Premier TEFL, 2026 TEFL Salary Report, verified July 2026. Typical ranges, approximate.
Cambly is where a large share of new teachers start, and our full guide to Cambly jobs for English teachers covers the pay, requirements and application process in detail. Whichever route you pick, a simple starter profile, a rehearsed demo lesson and a clear first-lesson structure will do more for your chances than a long resume.
Is it better to teach English online or abroad?
Abroad usually wins on take-home value, online wins on flexibility. A Gulf or East Asian contract bundles housing and flights, which is why those markets dominate the savings tables even where headline pay looks modest. Online, your income depends on your niche, your rate and how consistently you fill a schedule, and it costs almost nothing to start.
Neither path is better in the abstract. If you want cultural immersion, a fixed salary and a ready-made community of teachers, go abroad. If you want to stay near home, keep your own hours or test the profession before committing, teach online. Plenty of teachers do both, and combining them is the most common way to raise total income.
Where should you go if you want to teach abroad?
Pick the destination before the course, because visa rules and pay bands differ sharply by country and they decide which certificate you need. Start with The Departure Board, our hub of live teaching destinations, then read the country detail. For a country-by-country overview of demand, requirements and daily life, explore our guide on where to teach English abroad.
South Korea is the most common first posting, and it repays a little preparation. Read the culture shocks to expect in South Korea and what a hagwon actually is before you sign anything, because the private academy contract is the one most new teachers misread.
Do government programs make it easier to teach abroad?
Yes, and they are the usual recommendation for a first job abroad. Government-backed programs handle visa sponsorship, school placement and often housing or relocation support, which removes most of what goes wrong when teachers arrange everything themselves. Japan's JET is the best known, and Premier TEFL's Salary Report records that it raised its scale in April 2025 to 4,020,000 yen in year one, around 335,000 yen a month, with flights and national insurance covered.
The trade-off is timing. These programs run on fixed annual application cycles and are competitive, so missing a window costs you a year. Our guide to the JET Program for English teachers sets out eligibility, benefits and how to apply, and carries the current cycle dates.
What is the difference between TEFL, TESOL and CELTA?
They all certify the same thing, which is that you have been trained to teach English to non-native speakers. TEFL is the broad term and the standard entry point. TESOL is used more in North America and covers teaching English to speakers of other languages in an English-speaking country as well as abroad. CELTA is one specific branded certificate. For nearly every first job, an accredited TEFL certificate is what the employer or the visa officer is looking for.
The distinction matters mainly so you do not overpay for a qualification you do not need. Our explainer on the meaning of TESOL and who needs one breaks it down in plain language.
What else do people ask about becoming an English teacher?
Do you need a degree to teach English abroad?
Government programs such as EPIK in South Korea, JET in Japan and TFETP in Taiwan require a bachelor's degree in any subject plus a TEFL certificate of at least 120 hours. Some private language center markets are more flexible on the degree, but the destination's visa rules decide it, not the school.
Can you teach ESL online without a degree?
Many online platforms hire on the strength of an accredited TEFL certificate and a demo lesson rather than a degree, and adult and private students care mostly about results. Degrees matter far more when a work visa is involved, because immigration rules, not schools, set that requirement.
How long does it take to become an English teacher?
Most people are job ready in six to twelve weeks. An accredited 120 hour TEFL certificate takes around four to six weeks of part time study, and applications to online platforms move in days. Government programs abroad run on fixed annual cycles, so those can take several months from application to classroom.
Do you need teaching experience to get your first job?
No. Beginner friendly online platforms and most entry level jobs abroad hire teachers straight out of certification, because they are set up to train new arrivals. What they screen for is a clear demo lesson, a tidy profile and evidence that you can make a lesson easy to follow.
Which pays more, teaching English online or abroad?
Abroad usually wins on take home value once housing and flights are counted. Premier TEFL's 2026 Salary Report puts Gulf packages at US$2,450 to US$5,700 tax free with housing, while Cambly pays a flat US$10.20 an hour. Established independent online teachers charging US$30 to US$70 close that gap.
What is the difference between a masters in TESOL and a TEFL certificate?
A masters is an academic degree at Level 7 on the United Kingdom framework, taking one to two years. A TEFL certificate is a professional qualification, and a regulated Level 5 diploma sits two levels lower. The degree teaches you to research teaching. The certificate teaches you to teach.
What is the shortest route from here to a classroom?
Certify, apply, teach. An accredited 120-hour TEFL certificate is the one thing every route asks for, and it takes weeks rather than years. Pick your destination or platform first so the certificate matches it, then choose an accredited course and start applying the week you finish.
How to cite this page: Premier TEFL (2026). How to become an English Teacher? Available at https://premiertefl.com/blogs/posts/how-to-become-an-english-teacher
