Teaching In China

To be eligible to teach in China, you’ll need to meet several strict criteria. These criteria not only ensure that new teachers can be granted work visas, but that schools are recruiting the best candidates.

You must meet the following criteria to apply for teaching in China:

• A bachelor’s degree
• A Post Graduate Certificate of Education (PGCE) or equivalent
• A valid passport
• Aged under 60 years
• No criminal convictions
• Willing to commit to a two-year contract

We know from first-hand experience (10 years of it!) that living and working in China is a bucket-list-worthy experience.

China is rapidly expanding, and it’s an exciting time to see exactly what this vast country has to offer.

You can expect to be awed by the scale of China’s new megacities, while the traditions, history and heritage of old towns and hutongs will leave you fascinated. You will experience culture shock (not knowing the language is always a struggle at first), but you’ll soon embrace the differences when you delve wholeheartedly into the Chinese way of life.

Although it might seem daunting, teaching in China is a challenge you’ll come to love, especially if you have a thirst for adventure. And don’t forget, our team will be there to help you through it all.

China offers a new frontier of teaching opportunities for qualified professionals looking to follow a new career path abroad. There are two distinct types of schools you’ll find jobs at:

• International schools
• Bilingual schools

International Schools in China

Teaching jobs in China are full-time roles, and they’re typically found in international schools using internationally recognised curricula.

Students enrolled at international schools have a non-Chinese passport, and each school typically has one international syllabus it keeps to.

International school teaching roles in China are varied, and there are openings for different subjects, departments and levels of seniority within different schools.

There are openings for preschool teachers, primary school teachers and secondary school teachers. Preschool and primary school teachers are expected to teach a broad range of topics to young students, in the same way that schooling systems work in western countries like the UK or Australia.

International secondary schools have similar departments to those you’ll find in western countries, too. You may even find that you have to specialise more in one subject than you ever would back home, providing much more opportunity to develop specific skills.

For example, you could apply for a job as a PE teacher, a maths teacher, a chemistry teacher, and so on. You’ll be expected to demonstrate relevant experience, knowledge and qualifications in the specialities you’re applying for.

Bilingual Schools in China

The other type of school you might teach at is a bilingual school. These schools are for Chinese nationals, and they offer students more in-depth teaching in the English language, as well as in Mandarin.

However, this does not mean you’ll be teaching in Mandarin. Instead, you’ll be teaching subjects such as maths or science in English, often with a Chinese-speaking classroom assistant to help.

INTA Education only posts legitimate teaching opportunities offered by reputable and well-established international and bilingual schools in China. In many cases, we’ve even visited the schools ourselves, and, at the very least, we’ve heavily vetted them before advertising their postings on our job boards.

With so many schools offering postings for foreign teachers, it’s likely that you’re going to have lots of say in where you end up. With that in mind, you might well be wondering how to decide where you’d be best suited to teach in China.

There are a number of factors that prospective teachers look at before deciding where to accept a placement, and the experienced team at INTA Education is happy to help answer questions you have during the application process.

For example, you might be interested in teaching in a large city, close to western amenities and with easy access to international airports. In this case, we’d recommend looking at schools in major hubs like Shanghai, Shenzhen or Beijing.

If you’re more interested in an authentic cultural experience during your time teaching in China, then we’d recommend considering lesser-known Chinese cities. This might include places like Hangzhou or Tianjin. Remember, just because a Chinese city is ‘lesser known’ doesn’t mean it’s small. The population of Hangzhou, for instance, is over 10 million.

Whether you’re looking for a new adventure, have always wanted to learn Mandarin, or simply love immersing yourself in new cultures; there’s no denying that China is a destination guaranteed to intrigue even the most well-travelled of teachers.

However, the world’s second-largest economy and its most populous nation is also packed with professional opportunities for fully qualified teachers.

High-achieving international and bilingual schools across the country actively seek experienced and enthusiastic teachers to fill vacancies in multiple departments.

You’ll find that teaching in China provide impressive financial rewards and travel perks, alongside unique chances to develop your skills and expand your experience as an educator.