|
|
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
How long is each contract?
In most cases, 12 consecutive months. However, contracts shorter than 12 months
are not uncommon.
May I renew my contract if I wish? Are there advancement possibilities?
If you and your institute agree, you may renew your contract. This can be
arranged with your employer. If you wish to be placed at a different institute,it
is possible by obtaining release letter from your employer. There are teachers
who stay on in Korea for years. Some become teacher trainers. Some become
academic directors for their schools. Others have been hired by Korean businesses.
A lot can happen depending on your efforts to make the most of your experience
and time.
If I do not want to work, can I break the contract? What happens to
me if I leave before the one year contract if finished?
If you leave before the one year contract, you are required to reimburse the
airfare. If you complete a year contract, you will receive a Bonus(Severance
Payment). If you leave early, you lose the money. In addition, it will be
hard to find another job in Korea. If you break a contract, your visa will
be canceled.
Relocation(Departing & Arriving) | | |
Who will be picking me up at the airport?
The director or someone from the institute will be waiting at the airport
for you. They will be holding a sign with your name on it. If no one is there,
wait for about an hour, as they could be stuck in traffic. If after an hour,
no one has yet arrived, call the institute or the director directly.
It says I will receive a one way ticket to Korea, what about the return
portion home? Am I responsible for the cost of the return ticket home? What
is the approximate cost?
You are responsible for the return ticket home. If after one year, you decide
to come back to the US/Canada, you are responsible for the return fare home.
The cost is about $ 400-500 back to the West Coast and about $600-700 back
to the East Coast. If you decide to renew your contract with the same institute,
the director will agree to pay for your round-trip airfare either back to
the US/Canada or to a neighboring Asian country such as Japan or Hong Kong
to renew your working Visa permit. Many teachers take a tour of Asia prior
to their return. Therefore, it is wise to wait to purchase the return portion
of your ticket until you have decided what your plans are after the completion
of your contract.
How long will it take before I am hired? When should I sell my car and
move out of my apartment? How long will it take before I am actually in Korea?
The hiring process can vary depending on several factors. Sometimes if
an applicant is ready to depart immediately, he or she could be hired as quickly
as three days after the application is received. Sometimes it could also take
3 months before a suitable institute decides to hire an applicant. The timing
of a hire has to do with the number of institutes who are looking to hire
at the time you are available. But in most cases, if an applicant can be hired
he or she will be hired within 3 months from receipt of the application. You
should not plan on selling your car or moving out of your apartment until
you are officially notified of your hiring decision by your employer in Korea.
In most cases you will have at least two to three weeks to prepare for your
departure upon notification of your hiring while your Visa is being processed.
In many cases this time period could be much shorter depending how quickly
your Visa is approved. All applicants should plan on departing for Korea as
soon as the Visa is approved..
Qualifications(Departing & Arriving) | | |
I don't have any related experience. Will it be difficult to teach?
No. Most institutes provide some type of training. In private language institutes,
you will teach mainly everyday conversational English. Each class uses a textbook
for the course.
What is a Diploma Confirmation? Why is it necessary?
A Diploma Confirmation is a photocopy of your diploma which has been stamped
by the Korean Consulate once they have verified that your original Diploma
is authentic. A Diploma Confirmation is necessary because the Korean Government
requires it for the issuance of an educational work visa. In order to verify
this, the Korean Consulate must validate your diploma. Due to instances
of forge diplomas being submitted by applicants without Bachelors degrees,
the Korean government now requires the Original Diploma to be physically
sent in to the Consulate. By including a Diploma Confirmation in your application
you assure institutes that, if hired, you will be granted an educational
work visa. When you send the Diploma Confirmation to the U.S. office, we
forward it to Korea so that upon hiring your institute can then start the
visa process on your behalf.
What should I do if I have lost my Original Diploma or
had it permanently framed on the wall and it is too large to mail?
Most Consulates will also accept an official letter from your Alma Mater,
stating that you have graduated. This can be used in place of your original
diploma. You should contact the Korean Consulate which handles your jurisdiction
to confirm that they will accept this.
I have a college degree but my spouse does not. Can we
still go together?
Unless both of you qualify for the teaching positions, it will be difficult
to find an institute which will hire you under these circumstances. Although
in recent times we have been able to find some institutes which would accept
these conditions, it could take a much longer time. The spouse could come
to Korea on what is known as a Spousal Visa. If time is not a factor you
are welcome to apply.
I would like to take my child with me to Korea. Is this
possible?
No. Dependents are not allowed. Korea has very little child care available,
nor are there many English speaking schools. The few that exist in Korea
are very expensive and may not be located near your job location.
I have a Teaching Degree/Certificate/Masters in English.
Will I be offered a higher salary?
In some cases you may be offered a higher salary based on your credentials.
If a higher salary is offered it will be indicated by the institute in your
contract at the time of hire.
What are the accommodations like?
It depends. In most cases, the instructor will be living in a shared apartment
with other teachers. All teachers are assured of their own private bedroom.
The director will provide basic furniture. You may have to share the kitchen
and bathroom in the apartment.
Will my housing be far from my job?
Most jobs will be within walking distance of your accommodation. If not,
it will be either a short bus or subway ride away. Most institutes have already
established teacher housing very near the institutes.
What can I expect my housing situation to be like?
All teachers are assured of their own private bedroom, although you may
have an apartment mate who will also have her or his own room. This apartment
mate will usually be another English teacher from the US/Canada though sometimes
he or she will be a Korean English teacher. You may have to share the kitchen
and bathroom in the apartment. The housing will be clean and modern by Korean
standards. Keep in mind that the amount of living space in a Korean apartment
is generally less than in a standard Western apartment. These institutes have
a lot of experience with these matters, having housed many Foreign teachers
throughout the years they have been in business.
How large are the classes?
The classes in private language schools are
generally from 10-14 students. What are the classes like? All classes use
textbooks that are very similar to the second language books used in high
school and university. With younger students, more learning activities are
incorporated into the class. In adult classes, more "FREE TALK" time is given
to promote conversation. How long is each class? The classes are usually 45-50
minutes each. What are the ages of the students? That will depend on the school
that you will be contracted with. The ages can vary from kindergarten to adults.
Most of the positions require you to teach a mix group of students.
Who are the students?
What is the schedule? Language institutes are usually open to students of
all ages, from elementary school students to working professionals. Teachers
are expected to teach all age groups as necessary. Institutes operate year
round. Instructors are hired on an individual basis as necessary all year
round. The actual starting date will vary from instructor to instructor, institute
to institute.
How much class preparation will be required of me?
The amount of time spent on class preparation will be up to you. You will
be required to prepare your daily lesson plans. Once you have gained some
experience, you should be able to develop a lesson planning routine which
will help you to greatly reduce the amount of time you will need to spend
on class preparation.
How often will I get paid?
You will be paid once a month. Your monthly salary will be deposited directly
into your Korean account.
Can I send money back to my country?
Yes. On a work visa, you can open a bank account. Through your bank account
in Korea, you will be able to transfer funds to your country, for a small
transfer fee.
Can I open a bank account in Korea?
Will I be able to send money back home? Yes. You will be considered an Alien
Resident of Korea. With your passport, you will be able to open a bank account
at most banks. Through your bank account in Korea, you will be able to transfer
funds anywhere in the world, for a small transfer fee.
I have student loans and other payments I am responsible for here in
the US/Canada. How can I take care of these while I am away for a year?
Through your bank account in Korea, you may wire 75% of your salary out of
Korea. You could send money directly to the institutions or you could send
the money to a friend who could pay these bills for you.
How will I be paid? Monthly, weekly?
You could be paid monthly or biweekly. It will depend on the policy of the
specific institute that decides to hire you.
Will I be paid in Korea Won or US dollars? You will be paid in Korean Won.
Your contract will indicate your pay structure.
Can I exchange my Korean Won to US dollars?
Yes. You can exchange to US dollars if you wish. But during your stay in Korea
there will be no need for you to convert Korean Won to US dollars or any other
foreign currency. All vendors prefer Korean Won.
How much money should I take with me when I go to Korea to get me by
until my first paycheck?
Take as much as possible, it never hurts to have extra money. But we recommend
at least $ 400- 500. This figure depends on what you plan on taking with you
versus what you plan on purchasing in Korea.
Do institutes have computers and can I access the Internet in Korea?
Can I take my laptop to Korea? Some institutes have computers, some do not.
Again, it will depend on which institute hires you. The Internet is accessible
in Korea. If you have a laptop computer, you are encouraged to take it with
you.
If I am hired by an institute, may I contact my institute?
When you are hired by an institute, we provide you with the phone numbers
of the institute so that you can talk with the institute directly or even
talk to English teachers that you will be working with. In this way, you can
get detailed information about the specific institute for which you will be
working.
Do I need to know any Korean? Can I learn any Korean while I am there?
Are there any classes for Foreigners? Do most people in Korea speak English?
You are not expected to learn any Korean for your classroom duties, though
it would be wise to study it in order to enrich your time in Korea. Learning
the language can help you gain insight into the Korean culture and help you
meet people. At any rate, you should try to learn some "survival" Korean.
Most Koreans do not speak any English. Though they may read and write and
understand some English they may not have enough confidence to speak any English
to you, although they would like to. If you would like to learn Korean, many
Universities have classes for beginners. Sometimes teachers will also barter
with some of their older students to tutor English privately outside of class
time in exchange for private Korean lessons. The students get very excited
about the prospect of teaching their teacher Korean.
What is the cost of living in Korea relative to the US/Canada? Is there
a difference within Korea?
The cost of living in Korea is generally less than in the US/Canada. The cost
of living varies from larger cities to smaller cities. Your monthly expenses
will largely depend on your discretion, how you choose to spend your money.
One way to save money is to buy domestic brands rather than imports with names
you recognize.
What is a breakdown of typical living costs for a month?
Taxes generally run from 80,000 to 110,000 won. Transportation might cost
you between 10,000 and 20,000 won. Utilities would run between 10,000 and
50,000 won depending on use, location and season. Food generally costs between
100,000 won and 170,000 won.
I would like to go with my friend and be placed together. Is this possible?
We can hire two or more teachers for simultaneous placement. You should cross
reference on your application that you would like to be placed with a friend.
If possible, submit your applications at the same time.
Will I be in a rural town or village? Will I be near other Americans/Canadians/
Foreigners?
You will not be placed in a rural village. If there is a demand for an English
teacher, the city will generally have at least 100,000 people. Since there
are many English language institutes throughout Korea, there is a good possibility
that other Americans/Canadians will be working in the area.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
