How to Begin Teaching in United States

This is a country of road trips and great open skies

The great American experience : bluegrass and beaches, snow-covered peaks and redwood forests

Land of the free, home of the brave, the United States is a gigantic geographical space just waiting to be explored. It’s a country of so many different parts you won’t know where to start. From the country music of Nashville in the south to the wilderness of Alaska in the north; the sunny climes of California in the west to the skyscrapers of New York in the east, and so much more in between.
If you’re not gambling away your money and partying the night away in Vegas, perhaps you’re enjoying the breathtaking views of the Grand Canyon. If you enjoy a little skiing, make your way to Colorado, but if you prefer an island getaway, head to the tropical paradise of Hawaii. Maybe you’d like a taste of the rich and famous and would enjoy a celebrity tour around Hollywood.
In terms of cuisine, the US offers tastes which mirror its melting-pot identity. Burgers and fries, pizza, New York-style baked cheesecake, pretzels, southern fried chicken and biscuits, Starbucks – the United States has whatever your stomach desires.

Teaching Opportunities

While the TEFL market in the US is not as big as Asia or South America, the US is home to a wide range of immigrants. In order to be successful here, a working knowledge of English is a must and for this reason there are loads of language schools dotted around the country to cater for the needs of the immigrant population. As the number of language schools grows, so too does the number of international students coming to these shores for a few weeks or months to improve their English. You are more likely to find these schools in east- or west-coast cities like New York, Boston, Miami or San Francisco.
There are opportunities in the K-12 public school system and community colleges, but these fall under different laws to the private language schools so you are required to have a teaching license, which makes finding a job a bit more complicated. Also, it’s such a big country that laws and requirements differ state by state, so perhaps think about where you would like to live and work before finding out the details.
There are various summer camps which take place during the summer months of July and August which are also a good option. It is not easy for non-US residents to work here and employers are not guaranteed to help with visas, so working for a summer on an Exchange visa is a good way to experience the States for a few months.

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

12 Months

Year-round

Working visa

Children, adults, professionals

USD 1 500 – USD 2 500 (£1 000 – £1 700)

USD 2 000 – USD 3 000 (£ 1 300 – £ 2 000)

Degree Requirement

BA/BS required

Typical Contract Length

12 Months

Peak Hiring Seasons

Year-round

Visa Info

Working visa

Typical Students

Children, adults, professionals

Average Monthly Cost of Living in £ GBP & Local Currency

USD 1 500 – USD 2 500 (£1 000 – £1 700)

Average Monthly Salary in £ GBP & Local Currency

USD 2 000 – USD 3 000 (£ 1 300 – £ 2 000)

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