Frequently Asked Questions
Who will I be working for?
Total English works with six of Korea’s major English academies. Our instructors are employed directly by these academies.
Who will I be teaching?
The academies teach students from the age of 11-15. The students come to the English academy after they have finished school.
Will the academy have its own books and materials?
The academies have their own materials and textbooks. You are also welcome to introduce a few fun games or activities if you feel it is necessary. We have attached some fun activities for you to take to your academy with you.
Will there be any training?
The textbooks and materials are all very self-explanatory and simple to use. Before teaching, you will spend your first day or two being inducted and observing another teacher’s lessons. The academy will also show you how its curriculum works.
Will I be expected to teach English grammar?
Luckily you will not be expected to teach complicated grammatical points. This is left to your Korean partner teacher who teaches your students twice or three times a week. By the time the students appear in your lesson, the Korean teacher has already familiarised the students with the key language points that you will be going through in your lesson. The most important point is that you are enthusiastic and create a happy atmosphere for the students.
What qualifications do I need?
Unfortunately, to meet with Korean immigration’s requirements in obtaining an E-2 visa for our instructors, we can only accept graduates with BA and BSC degrees. Applicants with any other class of degree such as HND or MA will not be considered unless they have either a BA or BSC degree as well.
How long will I have to wait before a position becomes available?
Positions become available on a daily basis, usually requiring an instructor to be there within three to four weeks. This means that applicants who are prepared to go at shorter notice stand a better chance of being allocated an academy.
Will I have to supply Total English with a reference?
It is very important that we can contact either a former lecturer or employer for a reference. Once you have completed the first stage of the application process, we will then ask to be provided with a reference. Once we have obtained a reference we will then arrange a telephone interview between you and one of our associated academies.
Why do I have to submit my photograph?
The first stage of the application requires you to attach a recent photograph. This is very important for two reasons. Firstly, our associated academies expect their instructors to appear tidy and presentable. Applicants of an unkempt appearance will not be considered. We recommend applicants do not send photographs with facial hair or facial piercing other than earrings.
Secondly, Total English provides a pick up service from the airport and we need to be able to identify you on your arrival. Applications will not be considered without the applicant attaching a recent photograph.
When will I know if my application has been successful?
The final stage of the application process involves a telephone interview between the academy and the applicant. You will be given the outcome of the interview the next day.
Who will be conducting the telephone interview?
Usually the academy’s director carries out the interview. However, in larger academies this duty may fall upon the academy’s Director of Studies.
What is the purpose of the telephone interview?
The director will ask why you would like to teach English to young learners in Korea and what you know about Korea. However, the main purpose of the interview is to see if you are cheerful and enthusiastic and will be able to set a friendly environment for the academy’s students. Academies tend not to employ applicants with strong regional accents, so we urge our applicants to speak slowly and clearly during the interview.
Is Total English registered with a government body?
We are proud of the support we provide our instructors and academies and proud of our five year affiliation with the Korean Council for Overseas Recruitment. Keeping our KCOR license means undergoing stringent checks ever year.
Does Total English carry out checks on its associated academies?
Total English’s associated academies are all vetted annually. Total English checks with the academy’s local City Hall’s education department to ensure that the academy’s licence has been renewed and that the academy still has a clean record. An academy that has been black listed or has had a license revoked will not be considered by Total English.
Total English carries out thorough checks on all of our associated academies’ facilities and accommodation to ensure that our instructors have a comfortable stay.
Do I need a Visa?
Yes, an E-2 visa is required to teach in Korea. See the Visa section for full details.
What documentation will I have to forward to the Korean immigration office in Korea before departing?
- 4 passport size photographs
- CV
- Signed contract
- University transcripts in a sealed University envelope (requested from your University’s registrar’s office)
- Original degree certificate
- Photocopy of the front page of your passport
Will I be reimbursed on the cost of my flight tickets?
You will be reimbursed fully on the cost of your flight tickets. The academy will indicate in the contract how they plan on reimbursing you on the airfare. Half of our academies reimburse the instructor the entire amount on arrival while other academies reimburse half of the instructor’s airfare on arrival and the other half after six months.
When should I buy my flights?
After your telephone interview, we will hear whether you have been successful or not. If the academy agrees to employ you, they will send you a contract to sign. Once you receive the contract you can go ahead and book your flight tickets.
What type of flight should I buy?
Your contract will be for a year so we strongly suggest that you book a one-year open return ticket.
Where should I buy my flights?
STA travel provides the cheapest flights to Seoul’s Incheon International airport.
What happens when I arrive in Korea?
A member of Total English team will meet you at the airport and drive you to your academy.
Will I have to pay for my accommodation?
Total English’s instructors have the luxury of staying in rent-free accommodation.
What type of accommodation will I be living in?
You will be staying in a single bedroom apartment.
How far from the academy will my apartment be?
Your apartment will be situated within ten to fifteen minutes walking distance of your academy.
Will I have easy access to the Internet?
If you like, the academy can provide you with Internet access in your apartment. There is almost a PC room on every street that is cheap and comfortable. Korea boasts the fastest Internet connection in the world.
Will I have a telephone in my apartment?
All instructors have a landline telephone in their apartments. Making a telephone call in Korea is considerably cheaper than in the UK. Instructors are pleasantly surprised by the great value of calling nationally and internationally.
How will I be paid?
You will be paid monthly in Korean won.
Will I need a Korean bank account?
On arrival in Korea your academy will assist you in opening a bank account. Your salary will then be paid directly into your Korean bank account every month.
What do I have to pay for?
Although your apartment if free, you will have to pay for utility bills, such as, gas, electric, and telephone bills.
Is it easy to send money to my bank account in the UK?
Many teachers like to transfer part of their salary to their UK bank accounts, which is done quite easily by going into any bank and giving your bank’s address, sort code and account number. It is also very easy to transfer Korean won into UK pounds and vice versa, all you need is your passport.
What is the cost of living like?
The cost of living in Korea is slightly cheaper than the UK. Food and groceries are slightly cheaper. Transport in Korea is very cheap and so is eating out.
Sample Contract (Click Icon to download)
