Teach English in Russia

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How to Begin Teaching in Russia

Tsars & Revolutions

There is a huge demand for EFL due to tourism and international business.

Russia is officially the biggest country in the world, with its landmass spanning from the trading port of Vladivostok in Siberia, near the Chinese border, all the way to its Western neighbours in Eastern Europe. Russia has a unique history of Tsars and the communist revolution of 1918. The richness of this history and the intricacies of the country have been recorded in the works of Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky, as well as Pushkin. The country has seen the breakup of its satellite states and the USSR, but its orthodox religion still remains. This is evident in the sight of the brightly coloured domes littered across the Moscow skyline. 

The golden domes and white buildings of the Kremlin, home to the current president and the Tsars of the past, remind the visitor to Russia of its amazing history. The Red Square and Lenin’s Mausoleum hail back to the era of communism and the only hidden evidence of Stalin is kept beside the Kremlin walls. The underground splendour of Moscow’s metro stations, decorated in chandeliers, is an adventure in itself. Riding the metro and comparing the stations’ opulence will more than amply occupy a rainy day. Such opulence is more than matched by the heritage of St Petersburg.  Outside of these two western cities lies a vast expanse of grass lands and wooden houses, stunning lakes and mountain regions, as well as the deepest lake in the world, Lake Baikal, where unknown species are still discovered in marine biology.

The Russian alphabet also presents a challenge and adventure to those used to western style scripts. This challenge is one worth undertaking. The Russian alphabet uses the Cyrillic script and has 33 letters unlike the English alphabet, which uses the Latin script with 26 letters.  There are over 150 million Russian speakers in the world and due to Russia's enormous size it is the most geographically widespread language in Eurasia. 

The world’s greatest train journey, the main Trans Siberian Railway connects Moscow with Vladivostok. It’s the third longest continuous railway line in the world, covering eight time zones and taking eight days to complete the journey. While the Trans-Siberian line attracts many foreign tourists, it remains the most important transport link for domestic passengers and Russian exports. Hundreds of large and small cities in the European and Asian parts of Russia are connected by the railway with connecting rails going into Mongolia, China and North Korea.

Teaching Opportunities

There is a huge demand for EFL due to tourism and international business. This demand is also increasing due to the 2018 FIFA World Cup that will take place in Russia. The main locations for EFL are Moscow, St Petersburg and Vladimir. There are also opportunities outside of these cities for the adventurous EFL teacher. There is a wide-range of students to choose from, ranging from young learners, teens, students, adults and business professionals. Job opportunities are advertised online and can come with good benefit packages, such as airfare, accommodation, paid holidays, 9-12 month contracts and a contract completion bonus. The contract hours usually consist of 25 hours of class contact a week. A 120 hour TEFL certificate is generally required, and the more experience you gain the more this will be reflected in your salary. Your salary and the cost of living seem to balance themselves, so although you might not save, you will have a comfortable lifestyle. Outside of the main cities, more savings might be achieved. For all those living and working in Russia, you will need to have a work visa.  

Teaching Requirements

Degree Requirement Typical Contract Length Peak Hiring Seasons Visa Info Typical Students Average Monthly Cost of Living in £ GBP & Local Currency Average Monthly Salary in £ GBP & Local Currency
Not required9 - 12 Months September - June Work visa Business professionals, children 20,000 – 33,000 RUB (370 - 612 GBP) 20,000 – 33,000 RUB (370 - 612 GBP)
Not required
9 - 12 Months
September - June
Work visa
Business professionals, children
20,000 – 33,000 RUB (370 - 612 GBP)
20,000 – 33,000 RUB (370 - 612 GBP)

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