Teaching Internships in Lisbon – Travel to Portugal and Get Paid

Written by Premier TEFL Published 13 January 2016 ~3 min read

Teaching internships in Lisbon offer you that opportunity many believe is too good to be true – to travel to Portugal and get paid. If you are adventurous, with a passion for the tasty Portuguese foods and exclusive Port wines, and if you want to sunbathe as late as November, take the opportunity. To get a teaching job in Lisbon all you need is an accredited TEFL course qualification. After that is a matter of finding the best job for you, packing your bags and not worrying about costs, because you’re going to earn like a local.

The Perks of Teaching Internships in Lisbon

A TEFL internship in Lisbon has many perks, from a stable salary to a cultural experience and so much more. To start with, you have the option to work part time TEFL jobs and have plenty of free time to travel around. You can also opt for full time jobs that will certainly cover most of your expenses. You can choose to work on a monthly salary or find jobs that pay by the hour and offer you more flexibility. Also, if you are a solo traveler, a teaching internship will give you the opportunity to meet new people and probably even make friends for a lifetime. As you are likely to have weekends off and long holidays, there’s plenty of time for you to explore Lisbon and other Portuguese destinations. Spain is just next door, so you might want to fly over to Madrid or Barcelona in your days off.

How Much Can You Expect To Earn?

For a full-time job TEFL job you can expect to earn between €900-€1400 euros on public school contracts and significantly more if you work for private schools. At an hourly rate, you can expect to earn somewhere around €15-€20 per hour. The language schools work with young learners, from kindergarten up to late teenage ages. The standard working hours are about 10 hours of lesson time + preparation. Depending on the school and whether your contract is part-time or full-time, the hours could be significantly lower or higher. You also benefit from weekends and the long school holidays. The schools usually offer you accommodation or at least offer an 'allowance' towards it. They may also reimburse your airfare costs. If you live outside the EU, they can help you to get a working visa or scholarship. You can also work as a freelance English teacher, and have one-on-one private lessons with students of all ages preparing for their exams or for studying abroad. You could also freelance or be a self-employed TEFL teacher for private schools or companies. You can charge an hourly rate per session, or if you are teaching larger groups, you can charge per person. If you freelance, you will be responsible for your own accommodation and living expenses and also tax affairs. Ensure to seek professional advise or support in being compliant with Portuguese working laws. The hourly rate varies between €15-€20 per hour. If you freelance completely on your own, you set your own rate, but if you freelance for a school they may have a say in how much you can charge per hour. Working as a freelance might involve after-school/after-work hours and weekends.

Cost of Living in Lisbon

A full-time salary will ensure you a comfortable life in Portugal, as the living cost is fairly low. Here are some indications of what you can expect to pay in Portugal for everyday things, from rent to grocery shopping and driving:

Monthly rent for a small city centre apartment – €500-€600
1 litre of petrol – approx. €1.65
One way bus ticket – €1.50
Bottle of wine – €1.20-€6
Carton of milk – €0.60
3 course restaurant menu – €16-€30
Tourist attraction prices – €3-€9

Overall the cost of living in Lisbon is quite low, especially for food and drinks, both from the supermarket and when going out. The town has only a few historical monuments, but it does have excellent weather all-year-around, with very mild winters, and a buzzing night life.

How to Get a TEFL Job in Lisbon

By now you are probably excited to hop on a plane and start your Portuguese adventure. Teaching internships in Lisbon do really give you an opportunity to have a local experience and not worry about a tight budget. You can choose to live in Lisbon anywhere between a few weeks to a few years. So, how do you get a TEFL job in Lisbon? The answer is simple, get qualified and start applying. You won’t need to speak Portuguese, as most language schools prefer that the classes are carried out in English only. However, they do usually specify that they want native English applications with TEFL qualifications.