How to Begin Teaching in UK

Where the past comes to life

Every culture and country on earth seem to be represented here...

The UK consists of four distinct countries. To the north is Scotland, in the middle is England, in the west is Wales and in the north west away from the mainland is Northern Ireland. The UK has a well preserved history, from the ancient ruins of Stonehenge to Hadrian’s Wall, built by the Romans. It also has historical centres such as Edinburgh, Stratford-Upon-Avon (the birth place of Shakespeare), the popular town of Bath and the palaces built by the Kings and Queens of the country, littered up and down its shores.

The UK people love to walk and go out in nature. There are some stunning areas of natural beauty that have been preserved in the country. This includes Devon and Cornwall in the south west. This region has an idyllic landscape, set on the coast with 400-500-year-old cottages. The Cotswolds and the Lake District and the wild landscape of Wales and Scotland are also well worth exploring.

London has its very own character. Apart from the major tourist sites, such as the River Thames, Big Ben, Buckingham Palace and the Tower of London, it also has a vibrant multi-cultural population. Every culture and country on Earth seem to be represented here, and it is not unusual to sit on a bus with at least 20-30 languages going on around you. This means that you can try any cuisine and experience the music of many countries.

Teaching Opportunities

The EFL market is in huge demand, with EFL students coming to the country either to live for 6 months or a year, or for a summer camp to learn English. The unique element of working in the UK is that your classes will be multicultural. The learners have a direct motivation to learn and speak English, so that they can communicate with their classmates. For those staying and working in the UK, there are certain areas that are major centres for EFL jobs. These include London, Cambridge, Bath, Bournemouth, Brighton, Hastings, Edinburgh, Exeter and Belfast. There are many opportunities to teach every kind of EFL in the UK from seaside towns like Brighton to big cities like Manchester or university towns like Cambridge.

While there are many private language institutes that will employ teachers, not all of them pay on time or have good working conditions. The route into permanent and secure yearly employment can also be tricky, as the majority of EFL work, outside of some of the big cities, is seasonal. To try to find a year-round job it is essential to begin teaching on one of the summer camps or schools during the summer months. Applications begin as early as April. The job competition is stiff so it will be essential to have at least a 120-hour TEFL certificate. Most jobs can be found online in ESL forums or in the Guardian and the Times Educational Supplement.

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

BA/BS required

3 - 12 Months

April - May, summer holidays

EU Citizenship or work visa

Business professionals, children

720 – 1,400 GBP

1,500 - 2,500 GBP

Degree Requirement

BA/BS required

Typical Contract Length

3 - 12 Months

Peak Hiring Seasons

April - May, summer holidays

Visa Info

EU Citizenship or work visa

Typical Students

Business professionals, children

Average Monthly Cost of Living in £ GBP & Local Currency

720 – 1,400 GBP

Average Monthly Salary in £ GBP & Local Currency

1,500 - 2,500 GBP

Your TEFL journey starts here! Fancy teaching English as a foreign language around the world?

Great! You’re in the right place. The TEFL Academy provides the very best in accredited TEFL courses, meaning your qualification is recognized throughout the world . The TEFL Academy is the world's leading TEFL course provider. We can help you acquire the skills needed to teach English as a foreign language, whether it be through our specialist online TEFL course or our combined TEFL course. Unsure which is the best TEFL option for you? See our TEFL courses compared page for an instant breakdown of course specifics.

How TEFL works >