Teaching English as a Foreign Language doesn’t necessarily mean you need to hop on a flight and travel half the world to do it. You can teach English from wherever you want. Yes, that means even from the comfort of your own home. Plenty of online TEFL employers are looking for enthusiastic teachers to meet the demands of inquisitive students (or insistent parents).
Benefits of Teaching English Online
Teaching English online is a great way to work whether part-time or full-time. If you’ve other social, academic or occupational responsibilities, its flexible nature will accommodate your schedule. If you’re looking for something more serious, no problem. Working for online TEFL employers (or for yourself) allows you to earn a decent salary without having to step outside your front door.
The pandemic has also taught us that most things can be facilitated online. Why should you need to spend 45 minutes in traffic to get to work? Especially when you can work optimally from home? Teaching English online allows you to work from your humble abode on whichever schedule you desire.
Requirements to Work for Online TEFL Employers
The requirements that you will need to work for online TEFL employers might vary from one platform to another. However, here is a generalised list of requirements;
- A TEFL Certificate
- Native or near native English proficiency
- Stable internet connection
- Personability and communication skills
Some online TEFL employers may require you to have a Bachelor’s Degree to work for them. Others may go further and request that you have a Bachelor’s Degree and teaching experience under your belt.
However, there are many exceptions. Some online TEFL employers do not require you to be a native English speaker or to have a Bachelor’s Degree. Those that have stricter requirements typically pay more for their English teachers. If you aren’t already TEFL qualified, we have a vast range of accredited and regulated courses available for aspiring teachers.
If you’re concerned that you are lacking in one of these requirements, don’t worry! In this article, we’re going to provide plenty of options for every kind of teacher. So, let’s explore some of the online TEFL employers that are hiring right now.
1) Preply
Preply is an international online TEFL company which boasts of having over 800,000 students from over 180 countries. Aren’t there only around 195 countries in the world, though? That’s right, apparently. It also has over 140,000 tutors working for them, which speaks for itself.
But won’t working for a company which has over 140,000 tutors be too competitive? Maybe. But, Preply doesn’t only specialize in English language teaching. Tutors on Preply can teach a range of languages, not just English. Many of its tutors teach Spanish, Japanese, Chinese, Thai, you name it. If you’re bilingual, why not offer two languages on the same platform?
Working for Preply means that you can set your own hours as well as your own rates, giving you flexibility in abundance. English tutors on Preply typically charge from $15-25 per hour depending on their qualifications and experience. Additionally, there isn’t a fixed time schedule or minimum time commitment. You can set a schedule which entirely caters to you and no one else. You can even attend webinars and engage with an encouraging tutor community to develop your skills as a teacher.
Requirements: All you need to do is create a suitable profile photo, video introduction, and description!
2) Cambly + 2.5) Cambly Kids
Cambly is another prominent example among the online TEFL employers that are always looking to add tutors to their roster. While English teachers who work for Cambly earn $10.20 per hour which may be less than other platforms, it requires neither a degree nor teaching experience.
Working for Cambly involved delivering lessons to students from all over the world in whatever format you or your students want. One lesson you may be free-talking with a student who wants to develop their conversational English, another lesson you may be teaching someone Business English. Teachers on Cambly can set as few or as many hours as they want for their teaching schedule.
English teachers working for Cambly Kids, however, can earn $12 per hour. Similar to those who teach adult students on Cambly, Cambly Kids tutors do not require a degree or teaching experience. Again, administration responsibilities are minimal. The way the schedule looks is entirely up to the tutor, as they can teach students from whichever time zone they want.
Requirements: Native or “near native” English proficiency and strong conversational skills
3) MHC Business Language Training
Contrary to Preply and Cambly, MHC Business Language Training focuses on formal Business English training. This means that teachers will teach English within the context of making and answering phone calls, hosting presentations, composing emails, and other tasks which are required in the workplace.
Lessons will be conducted either in a 1 to 1 format or a small group of learners. Classes last from around 60 to 90 minutes, with teachers earning around $20-$25 per hour. Teachers can teach up to 25 hours per week.
The pay is high because the students seeking English training are looking to progress their careers. Therefore, tutors must be qualified and experienced enough to facilitate learning on this platform. Teachers are expected to hold a Bachelor’s Degree, TEFL certification, and to have some experience. At Premier TEFL, you can become Business English certified in order to improve your chances of working for MHS Business Language Training.
Requirements: Bachelor’s Degree, TEFL certification, 2 years of teaching experience
4) EF Education First
If you’re familiar with online TEFL employers, you’ve probably heard of EF Education First. Before online TEFL employers in China were shut down due to new regulations, EF was a huge company which offered online English training to young students. Now, however, EF offers English language training to adult students.
Teachers will have the opportunity to teach (as much as they like) adults who are pursuing personal goals, career goals, or academic progression. Classes are available to teach all day, for every day of the week, all year. Teachers might teach private lessons which last 20 or 40 minutes, or group classes which last 45 minutes. Lesson planning isn’t required, meaning that administration tasks are minimal for teachers.
Requirements: TEFL Certification, C2 Level English fluency, Bachelor’s Degree, computer literacy
5) BridgeEnglish
Another example of online TEFL platforms specializing in Business English is BridgeEnglish. At BridgeEnglish, teachers assist corporate and business workers from South America in developing their Business English skills.
BridgeEnglish places emphasis on a student-centered learning approach. This means that the student’s lessons are highly personalized. Teachers must be able to cater to their requirements and facilitate lessons which will directly benefit the student in his or her career.
Teachers at BridgeEnglish are required to commit to around 8 months of teaching, meaning that they will need to be committed to their new position.
Requirements: C1/C2 English proficiency, Bachelor’s Degree, TEFL certificate, 8-10 months of commitment to a regular teaching schedule
6) Flalingo
Flalingo is an online TEFL platform where teachers can teach students from all over the world whenever they want. Teachers can earn $5 for each 25 minute lesson that they teach, or $12 per hour. Teachers are also paid each week, which is incredibly handy for those who want to use online English teaching as a way to earn more immediate spending money. Even if students do not show up to lessons, the teacher earns full pay.
Requirements: Prior English teaching experience, English proficiency and strong social skills
7) Engoo
Engoo is a company which caters to students from East Asia such as Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan who want to learn English. In fact, it is one of the leading online TEFL platforms in South Korea and Taiwan, and number one in Japan.
The prolific company also has teachers from over 70 countries. This means that their requirements are lenient, as they are very encouraging of non-native English speakers to apply. Similarly, life as a teacher at Engoo is relatively simple. The lesson plans and materials are presented to teachers, as are the students once they’ve set their availability.
Pay is set at $10 per hour, and while someone might think this is low, Engoo offers bonuses to teachers who complete a certain amount of lessons.
Requirements: English proficiency, high-speed internet connection
8) Lingoda
With Lingoda, teachers will be delivering lessons to highly motivated adult learners in small groups. Teachers have the opportunity to deliver lessons in English, German, Spanish, or French! Many of the students at Lingoda are corporate clients from Adidas, Google, BMW, and other notable companies.
CEFR-aligned learning materials and a structured curriculum is available for teachers to prepare their lessons. Students are highly motivated, and they vary in their efforts to improve their language skills due to occupational or personal goals. This will make the 1-1 or group lessons genuinely engaging as the students are genuinely interested in mastering English.
Requirements: “If you love languages, have experience teaching and have a minimum C2-level in your target language, then teaching with Lingoda is for you.” – Lingoda
9) Open English
BridgeEnglish isn’t the only example among online TEFL platforms that cater to South American students! Open English has facilitated lessons for over 600,000 South American students who want to improve their English.
Students at Open English are both adult learners and young learners. Classes can be held in the 1-1 format or in group classes, and teachers will meet students from different parts of South America in order to gain insight into the variety of cultures that it has to offer.
Lesson plans are prepared already so that teachers simply need to log in and begin the lesson. Teachers can choose to work whenever they like on a flexible schedule as long as they commit to a minimum of 10 hours per week. However, it is encouraged that teachers work on evenings and weekends because Open English will pay more for those who do so! Depending on the quality and experience of teachers, they can earn up to $15 per hour at Open English.
Requirements: A minimum commitment of 10 hours per week, TEFL qualification, Teaching experience
Teach English Online Today!
Remember, as long as you have the enthusiasm to match your English proficiency, there is a TEFL platform for you. Whether you do not have a Bachelor’s Degree or you’re not a native English speaker, opportunities are rife. English is a skill which is highly sought after, and students who want to learn English come from all over the world.
If you are a teacher who does not have a Bachelor’s Degree, online TEFL employers such as Open English, Preply, Cambly, Flalingo, Lingoda, and Engoo are all viable options. If you are a teacher who has a Bachelor’s Degree and teaching experience and you want to capitalize on these traits to maximize your income, platforms such as MHC Business Language Training are a viable option. There are many online TEFL employers out there beyond this article (and you can find more online TEFL jobs right here!) be sure to consider your options thoroughly to choose what’s best for yourself!
