Which Country Should You Teach English In? Quiz
Which country should you teach English in?
Answer five quick questions and we will match you to the destinations that fit your priorities, your qualifications and your timing, from the 24 routes on the Departure Board. No sign-up, just your best-fit shortlist.
1 · What matters most to you?
2 · Which part of the world?
3 · Do you have a bachelor's degree?
4 · Are you a native English speaker? (US, UK, Canada, Ireland, Australia, NZ, South Africa)
5 · When do you want to go?
How the match works
There is no single best country to teach English in, only the best fit for you. This quiz scores all 24 destinations on the Departure Board against five things: the salary and savings each typically offers, how accessible it is (degree rules and entry difficulty), whether it is open to your nationality, the region you want, and how quickly it hires. It never shows you a country you are not eligible for: if you are a non-native speaker, the native-only markets (South Korea, Taiwan and, in practice, China) are left out; if you have no degree, the degree-gated markets drop down your list. Every figure behind the match is dated and checked against official and recruiter sources.
The 24 destinations we match you against
The full set, highest typical pay first. Explore and filter them all on the interactive Where Should You Teach English? board.
- UAE / Dubai (Middle East) — from about $3,275/mo equivalent
- Hong Kong (Asia) — from about $3,075/mo equivalent
- Qatar (Middle East) — from about $2,885/mo equivalent
- China (Asia) — from about $2,700/mo equivalent
- Kuwait (Middle East) — from about $2,675/mo equivalent
- Saudi Arabia (Middle East) — from about $2,665/mo equivalent
- Oman (Middle East) — from about $2,470/mo equivalent
- Taiwan (Asia) — from about $2,400/mo equivalent
- Japan (Asia) — from about $2,250/mo equivalent
- South Korea (Asia) — from about $1,800/mo equivalent
- Vietnam (Asia) — from about $1,600/mo equivalent
- Online (Online) — from about $1,400/mo equivalent · no-degree route
- Czech Republic (Europe) — from about $1,375/mo equivalent · no-degree route
- Poland (Europe) — from about $1,375/mo equivalent
- Cambodia (Asia) — from about $1,250/mo equivalent · no-degree route
- Turkey (Europe) — from about $1,150/mo equivalent
- Thailand (Asia) — from about $1,125/mo equivalent
- Indonesia (Asia) — from about $1,100/mo equivalent
- Spain (Europe) — from about $980/mo equivalent
- France (Europe) — from about $930/mo equivalent
- Colombia (Latin America) — from about $850/mo equivalent
- Georgia (Europe) — from about $800/mo equivalent · no-degree route
- Mexico (Latin America) — from about $800/mo equivalent · no-degree route
- Chile (Latin America) — from about $800/mo equivalent
Questions about choosing a country
What is the best country to teach English in?
It depends on your goal. For the highest pay and savings, the Gulf (UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman) and East Asia (China, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong) lead. For lifestyle and culture, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, Spain and Latin America are favourites. For the easiest entry, Cambodia, Georgia, the Czech Republic and Mexico do not require a degree. The quiz above weighs these against your own answers.
Where should I teach if I do not have a degree?
Cambodia, the Czech Republic, Georgia and Mexico do not legally require a bachelor's degree, and teaching online is open to non-degree holders on many platforms. These are your strongest options, and a recognised TEFL certificate makes you far more employable in all of them.
Which country is best for saving money teaching English?
The Gulf states save the most: tax-free pay plus subsidised housing. China and South Korea are also strong because public programmes include free housing and airfare, and Vietnam offers excellent real savings for Southeast Asia thanks to low living costs. Choose "Saving the most" in the quiz to rank by savings.
Where can I teach English as a non-native speaker?
Most of the world. The main exceptions are South Korea, Taiwan and, in practice, China, whose teaching visas are limited to native speakers from designated countries, plus Spain's NALCAP programme which is for US and Canadian citizens. Answer "No" to the native-speaker question and the quiz only shows routes open to you.
More standing desks
Found your country? Get job-ready
An accredited TEFL certificate is the first step to every destination on your shortlist. Get certified, then let the Departure Board bring you each new opening and deadline first.