Capital city - Madrid
Population – 46, 661, 950
Languages – Spanish, Basque, Catalan, Galician
Religion – Roman Catholic
Currency – Euro

Spain offers an idyllic lifestyle of constant sunshine, a slower pace of life and a population hungry to learn English. Even in difficult economic times, the demand for English lessons is extremely high and there are jobs in a variety of locations and disciplines.
Despite a high demand, competition for TEFL jobs is fierce with many Spanish educational establishments being swamped with applications. You might find it easier to stay away from the traditional TEFL cities such as Barcelona and head for rural and small town schools. Competition is lower and employers should be less concerned with qualifications. As well as being more lenient, these jobs offer an authentic Spanish experience and may offer the opportunity to brush up on your Spanish skills.
Salaries for TEFL throughout Europe are lower than Asia and an average hourly rate is around €10-12. Factor in a short working week of only 20 hours and you can see that TEFL in Spain is unlikely to make your fortune. It’s important to remember that the cost of living in rural Spain is low and you may be lucky enough to secure some free accommodation and extra benefits like meals or transport. Private tuition can help to supplement your salary.
On the whole, our graduates are not teaching English in Spain for the money. Spain offers culture, colour, great cuisine, beautiful landscapes and clement weather, while only being 2 hours from the UK.

Top things to do

• Watch a bullfight (not for animal lovers!)
• Admire the beautiful art and architecture
• See a Flamenco show
• Join in the local Spanish fiestas
• Watch the best football in Europe
• Ski in the Nevada mountains
• Surf in Cadiz
• Soak up the sun in Barcelona

Find out more: TEFL Jobs Spain

Find out more: TEFL Spain Summer Camps

Find out more: TEFL Jobs Spain Year Round

This feed was drawn from the TEFL Scotland website

Japan has been at the very heart of the TEFL profession for decades and is a still a popular destination for newly qualified TEFL teachers to this day.
The standard of TEFL schools there is very high and consequently recruitment is rigorous and thorough. While a TEFL school may not necessarily insist you have a university degree to teach, the Japanese government won't grant you a visa without one. You will also be required to have an accredited TEFL certificate, such as those provided by TEFL Scotland. Find out more: TEFL Course Options
With your qualifications in place, you can use our TEFL Jobs Centre to find the right teaching position in Japan. Don't forget to use our special Job Placement service, designed to help all TEFL Scotland graduates through their application process. We'll even help you produce a knockout CV to help your chances of success.
Once you have been offered a TEFL teaching job in Japan, there is some paperwork to contend with, but don't worry, it's quite straightforward and won't take long to arrange. One of the initial documents you'll need is a Certificate of Eligibility, which is issued by the Japanese authorities. Your new employer in Japan will work with you to obtain this as quickly as possible. This document tells the Japanese government you have work already arranged once you arrive on Japanese soil.
Next up, your visa. The Japanese immigration authorities issue a variety of visas and the one you'll need in your capacity as a TEFL teacher is the Instructor Visa. This will allow you to live and work in Japan for up to three years.
Visas can be downloaded and completed via the UK Japanese website. Once signed and completed, take your visa application to the Japanese Embassy in London. Make sure you also take with you a valid passport, a passport-sized photograph, and the Certificate of Eligibility, together with a copy. Expect to wait up to three working days for the paperwork to be rubber-stamped and you'll finally have a visa to teach in Japan.
For those of us living in the North of England and Scotland, you can apply for your visa by visiting the Consulate General of Japan's offices in Edinburgh.
You can find out more about teaching English as a foreign language in Japan here: TEFL Jobs in Japan.
One prerequisite for TEFL in Japan is a good 140-hour TEFL certificate from TEFL Scotland. Book your course now: 140-hour Premier TEFL course

This feed was drawn from the TEFL Scotland website

Head west and TEFL in Brazil

Historically, newly qualified TEFL teachers have looked east to find their teaching post in Europe, the Middle East and Asia. While these destinations all offer excellent opportunities for any English teacher, have you considered heading west to the exotic shores of South America, and Brazil in particular? The world's fifth largest country is hungry to learn the English language and the jobs market for TEFL teachers there is varied and vibrant. Being one of the so-called BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) nations means Brazil has seen enormous economic growth even during the last few years of the global downturn. This makes Brazil an exciting country in which to live and work – there's a lot to get excited about, and we're not just talking about the pristine white beaches and tropical rainforests!

Living and working in Brazil
While it can be tricky obtaining a long term visa to work in Brazil, many of the Brazilian TEFL jobs advertised with TEFL Scotland  are for short-term contracts of up to six months, which allow you to obtain work there under a tourist visa.
TEFL teaching in Brazil is usually based in private language schools in or around the country's major cities such as Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. Accommodation will usually be provided, meaning you can concentrate on teaching and settling into your new life in this fabulous country. This may mean staying with a host family, allowing you to experience Brazilian life and culture at close quarters, not to mention brushing up your Portuguese.
Many schools don't insist on your being a graduate with a degree, but will expect you to have an accredited TEFL qualification, such as those offered by TEFL Scotland. That said, it's worth checking TEFL Scotland's Job Centre where you can browse the current jobs available in Brazil and see what each school is looking for.

This feed was drawn from the TEFL Scotland website

Taking a TEFL course

For TEFL age doesn’t matter, honest! Students on our TEFL courses range from 18 years old to older retirees. In the past TEFL courses were probably predominantly filled with younger people but this is certainly no longer the case. People embark on TEFL for all variety of reasons, from university students heading off on a gap year to older retirees or looking to move abroad with an extra string to their bow.
Essentially, we believe that if you can speak English you have the potential to teach it. Therefore we only ask that you are a native English speaker, enthusiastic about learning something new – no previous experience, qualifications or age specifications necessary.

Finding a TEFL Job

There are plenty of TEFL employers that will be happy to take on TEFL employers regardless of their age. However, when you start looking for a TEFL job you may see that some employers will advertise positions with age restrictions. For countries that require you to have a degree in order to obtain the correct working visa the minimum age is often set at 21. For countries where a degree is not essential it is perfectly possible to find a job if you are younger. Many TEFL jobs are for first time TEFL teachers so a lack of experience should not be held against you and even older TEFL graduates may have zero previous experience in the field of TEFL.
There is a small problem of age discrimination in the TEFL industry; some organisations may simply not hire anyone over a certain age. Don’t let this put you off, the demand for qualified TEFL teachers all around the world is huge, and for this reason you should find any age discrimination just a small obstacle in securing your TEFL job.

With an official TEFL qualification there are plenty of opportunities to teach English all around the world. For those with age concerns about TEFL our advice to you is not to worry!

Start your TEFL journey with TEFL Scotland and get paid to see the world.

Check out our TEFL course options.

This feed was drawn from the TEFL Scotland website

Given its popularity as a favourite holiday destination, it's no wonder many TEFL teachers clamour for English teaching jobs in Thailand . In many ways the country epitomises the TEFL dream – getting paid to do a job you love in a far-away exotic destination where you can immerse yourself in a new culture while taking in the tropical splendour. It's certainly true that teaching English in Thailand offers all this and more.
Many of the TEFL jobs advertised will involve teaching children to speak English, so it's worthwhile considering TEFL Scotland's specialist module on Young Learners, before jetting off. This module is built-in to many of TEFL Scotland's recommended courses, but it's worth checking prior to booking. This age group includes students up to and including secondary school age.
You'll find work all over the country, not just in Bangkok, so there's plenty of opportunity to live and work out of the big city environment and closer to nature if that's what you prefer. It's possible to find work in both dedicated language schools in addition to government institutions. All you'll need is an accredited TEFL certificate, such as those you can obtain by studying with TEFL Scotland.

Living and working in Thailand
While the scenery will knock you sideways, so too will the culture! From the amazing and diverse cuisine, to the art and architecture, you'll feel you've very much arrived in a whole new world. Don't be alarmed, however, the Thai people are extremely welcoming and friendly and eager to learn English. With an established TEFL industry there, you'll also find yourself among other likeminded English teachers, so assimilating into your new life abroad will be easier than you may initially think.
You'll probably teach for around 20 hours a week leaving you time to take in the sights be it watching the amazing aerial stunts of kite fighting, feeling the adrenaline rush of a Thai kick boxing match, or even diving with sharks in Bangkok's Siam Ocean World. For those who prefer a less frenetic spare time activity, how about riding elephants in the heart of the lush Thai countryside or kayaking through the islands in Phang Nga Bay, near Phuket? You'll never be stuck for things to do and why not ponder what to experience next over a mouth-watering Thai green curry and cold beer? Book me on the next flight!
 

This feed was drawn from the TEFL Scotland website

Your TEFL Scotland course  is designed to be as accessible and affordable as possible, and will help you find that dream job teaching English abroad. What's more, you may be eligible for significant government funding towards your course thanks to the ILA scheme which could reduce your course fees by up to ￡200! That's a huge saving and a great reason to book your TEFL Scotland course without delay.

The options you can take to studying for your TEFL Scotland accredited certificate aim to be flexible and fit around both your budget and daily commitments. Our Course Options guide provides you with an at-a-glance summary of the various course modules you can take with click-through links that explain each component in greater detail.
Our recommended courses, for example, combine both classroom and online study providing you with a rounded and comprehensive introduction to TEFL teaching. This will more than equip you for your first English teaching post, and give you the confidence to step into the classroom and conduct a successful lesson with ease.

Find the right course options for you
TEFL Scotland's range of Basic and Grammar courses require less study time and can be taken as combined classroom and online modules, or individually if you prefer. If you're already TEFL qualified, then TEFL Scotland's new Advanced TEFL Courses will help you keep up to date with the very latest thinking in teaching English as a foreign language. This specialist course includes invaluable coaching on teaching English to young learners, business English tuition, and teaching English online.
Refreshing your TEFL knowledge and keeping your qualifications up to date will always be welcome by employers, and help ensure your application stands out from the crowd when applying for jobs.
Once you have chosen the right TEFL Scotland course for you, it's easy to make a secure booking online or by telephone. And at the end of your studies, you'll have a fully accredited TEFL certificate, recognised and revered by English language schools and institutions in over 200 countries across the world.
This is one investment that will definitely pay dividends both financially and through untapped experience of travel and new cultures. What are you waiting for? Find your ideal TEFL job here: TEFL Jobs Centre 
 

This feed was drawn from the TEFL Scotland website

Recent years have seen a huge rise in online learning across dozens of subjects and disciplines right up to post-graduate degree levels. Online tuition has a proven track record of being an effective path to learning new subjects, so it's no surprise more people than ever are following this convenient route when training for their first TEFL job.

TEFL Scotland offers a series of leading online courses including a 50-hour online TEFL course, which goes into some depth regarding TEFL theory and methodology, a 30-hour grammar module, and 20-hour online video course, where students can watch and learn from seeing real life TEFL lessons in action. This combination of specialist modules, a personal tutor to assist you throughout your studies, and a flexible learning environment makes online tuition a powerful, effective and fast route to qualifying for that dream TEFL job abroad.

Develop your TEFL knowledge online
Many of TEFL Scotland's students combine their online studies with classroom-based courses, although you can study exclusively online taking the accredited 120-hour Premier Online TEFL course, if you prefer. Online learning allows students to consolidate and develop all they have been taught in their classroom coursework, giving them a more rounded perspective on the issues raised.

Perhaps the most attractive feature of online learning is the convenience it brings. Study at a time and place to suit you: in the evening after the kids have gone to bed, or over the weekend when you have some free time from your current job or college studies, for example. And contrary to what you might think, online learning does not have to be a solitary experience. In addition to regular contact with your own personal tutor, you have the opportunity to meet and chat with fellow TEFL learners on the various course forums.
Find out more about TEFL Scotland's online TEFL courses here – your virtual TEFL school.

This feed was drawn from the TEFL Scotland website

The demand for qualified TEFL teachers in Egypt is enormous as English is recognised as the primary foreign language in Egypt. There are opportunities to teach English as a foreign language in schools around the country. You may also find work teaching English in Egypt to adults and business professionals looking to become more competitive in the business world. 

What to expect

As with many countries, the pay and conditions can vary greatly depending where you work. Schools in Egypt are focusing on attempting to provide better resources and conditions for TEFL teachers, although you can expect your classes to remain crowded. The average hourly rate in Egypt is about £55 an hour. Business and freelance English teaching will also earn you more and can be a good way to supplement your salary. Even if the pay doesn’t seem very much by western standards it will go a long way in Egypt as the cost of living is a lot lower than what you are used to in the UK so you can expect to live well on your TEFL salary.

Living in Egypt

The Pyramids and temples have made Egypt a world famous destination. It is also home to the River Nile, which is the longest river in the world and a main source of life in Egypt. The capital city of Cairo, although noisy and not without its pollution, is an exciting place to be if you want to experience a true flavour of life in this country. Egypt has fewer restrictions than other Muslim countries which means there are better opportunities for women teaching English in Egypt.

What do you need

To give you the best chance at securing a job teaching English in Egypt you will need to have an official TEFL qualification. One of TEFL Scotland’s accredited TEFL courses will supply you with the qualification, skills and confidence to teach English abroad. TEFL Employers usually stipulate that 120 hours of TEFL training is the minimum requirement for most positions so we would recommend the 140-hour Premier TEFL Course. Remember that the more hours you have, the better qualified you are.

Finding a TEFL Job

After completing your accredited TEFL course you will have access to our TEFL Jobs Centre where you can browse through our jobs and apply directly to the employers. For TEFL jobs in Egypt it is good advice to make sure you have clear agreements of the terms of your contract with your employer. Some TEFL graduates choose to visit the country they are interested in teaching English and sourcing a job once they are there so this is another option.
 

Get your official TEFL Scotland Certificate

This feed was drawn from the TEFL Scotland website

Applying for a passport

It probably goes without saying that you need to have a valid passport in order to travel to teach English abroad. However, you may not have considered checking the expiration date. If your passport has expired, or is nearing its expiration date you will need to apply for a new one. Passports can take up to 90 days to process so make sure you do this well in advance so that it doesn’t postpone your TEFL adventure!

Visas

A visa is a travel document that allows you to work and live legally in a foreign country. In order to teach English in most countries, a work visa is required. Depending where you are travelling, the requirements to obtain the correct working visa may vary so get in touch with the embassy and find out what you need. Like passports, the processing can take a few months so leave yourself plenty of time before setting off to get this sorted. Sometimes your TEFL employer may offer assistance in finding you the right working visa and some visas can even easily be obtained on the spot once you arrive in the country. The FCO website has a lot of useful information and details about the visa requirements to for British citizens travelling abroad.

Getting TEFL qualified 

In order to obtain a good job teaching English abroad you will need to get qualified with TEFL Scotland. Most TEFL employers require a minimum of 120 hours + of TEFL training, ofocurse the more hours you have the higher the qualification. Anyone of our recommended TEFL Courses will be recognised internationally and allow you to find that dream TEFL Job. As well as giving you the qualification that will impress employers, our accredited TEFL courses will also supply you with the skills and confidence to teach English as a foreign language anywhere in the world. After completing your TEFL course with TEFL Scotland you will also get access to our TEFL Jobs Centrewhich is an easy way to apply for TEFL jobs and is a free service that only our graduates can use.

Prepare yourself mentally

Expect the unexpected! Whilst teaching English abroad you will encounter all sorts of different cultures, people and religions. Try to research your destination as best you can, and make sure you get clued up on local customs and traditions so that you don’t end up accidently offending anyone. The more you can find out about your country, the better. Make sure you are open minded and don’t worry if you encounter a little culture shock to start off with, it’s only normal!
Teaching English abroad will be a unique and exciting experience that will most likely open up your eyes to a world you never knew about. If you catch the TEFL bug don’t be surprised if you find yourself extending your stay or returning for a second term.

Start your journey teaching English abroad with TEFL Scotland.
Check out our TEFL Course Options or book now.

This feed was drawn from the TEFL Scotland website

Once you have completed your TEFL Scotland Course you will undoubtedly have your sights set on securing a job teaching English abroad. This is both an exciting and daunting prospect. With literally the whole world open to you and thousands of TEFL Jobs to choose from where do you start? Here is a quick guide to help you choose where you want to work and how to get the right TEFL job for you.

Research your TEFL destination

Did you know that there are more people learning English in China than speak it in America? Let this be an indication of the enormous demand for qualified TEFL teachers all over the world. Once you are qualified with TEFL Scotland you really can find work anywhere in the world, from Germany to Ecuador there are abundant opportunities for native English speaking TEFL teachers.

The best thing you can do is make a list of your top three TEFL destinations and start researching. Think about what type of lifestyle you want to lead. Is a good salary important to you? Are you prepared to live in a developing country? Do want summer weather all year round? It is very easy to find information on the web, a quick country search will be enough. At TEFL Scotland we work with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), to help British nationals stay safe abroad. The FCO website has lots of useful and up to date information about every country in the world and is really worth checking out before you travel abroad to teach English.

Where can I look for TEFL jobs?

So once you have decided on a destination it will be time to start looking for a TEFL Job. After completing an accredited TEFL Course with TEFL Scotland you will have access to our TEFL Jobs Centre. This service is free and only open to our TEFL Scotland graduates. On here you can browse through our jobs and apply directly to TEFL employers. The site is always being updated with new jobs so sign up to our TEFL Jobs Newsletter to make sure you never miss out on any new vacancies. You will also have access to our TEFL Employers Contact Directory which will put you in touch with over 8,500 TEFL Employers from all over the globe. We can also point you in the right direction of other reliable sites to find TEFL Jobs if you are still looking for something else.

Another option, which some of our graduates opt for, is to travel out to the country you want to teach English and search for a TEFL Jobs while there. This can be done by dropping in your CV at schools and language institutions. If you are adventurous and have the courage to do this it can be a very successful way of finding a TEFL job. It also means you can discuss the terms of your contract face to face with your employer, which leads us to the next section.

Getting a reputable TEFL Job

Now that you have a potential TEFL Job lined up it is time to make sure it is what it says on the packet. Often if you are applying for a job overseas online you will be able to contact your employer via Skype or video call. Make sure you have a clear agreement of what your contract entails. Find out the hours you are expected to work, the size and age of your classes, the conditions you will be working in and of course what your salary is going to be. A lot of TEFL jobs may include free accommodation, some even offer to pay for your flights and others may offer additional perks such as local language lessons.

So now you know how to go about finding a TEFL job, what’s stopping you! If you’re already qualified with TEFL Scotland you can start applying for our TEFL Jobs today.

Not TEFL qualified yet? Check out our TEFL Course Options.

This feed was drawn from the TEFL Scotland website