Home / Tefl residential courses / South Korea / Seoul

South Korea is a small but incredibly beautiful country, and during the 4 week TEFL you will have fantastic opportunities to experience the rich culture and history. Not only will you have the chance for local excursions, but based in Incheon, you will be less than an hour away from the lively city of Seoul on the express train.

The first week of your program includes in-depth cultural orientations, ensuring you deeply understand the Korean way of life and culture. This includes a welcome dinner, tour of the local neighbourhood and the “Grand” Palace (Gyeongbok Palace), taekwondo class and learning South Korean cookery and language. Incheon is home to Korea’s only official Chinatown, where you can try jajangmyun (noodles with black bean sauce) at the Gongwachun restaurant and for seafood you can visit the popular Sorae Pogu fish market.

Situated on the west coast, Incheon is also well known for its beaches such as Eurwangni and the local islands. Inland you will find the Grand Park, bordered by the mountains of Sangassan and Gwanmosan offering excellent hiking, biking and sledding.

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The School

Your TEFL course takes place at a school on Yeongjong Island just 40 minutes from downtown Seoul and while the course prepares you to teach English anywhere in the world, the cultural orientations leave you uniquely positioned to understand the role of a teacher in South Korea.

Our holistic approach involves a 1 week in-depth cultural learning experience followed by three weeks working with experienced instructors to ensure you are able to effectively manage a classroom for learners of any age and plan, develop and deliver lessons effectively and with confidence.

You will complete two full days of practical teaching at a local Korean school with your fellow course participants to ensure you’re fully prepared and confident for the real thing once you’ve graduated from the course. This includes immensely valuable feedback from your instructor on areas you’ve performed well and where you can improve.

Week 1:

Your Cultural Immersion includes elements such as:

• 6 hours of foundational language lessons
• Cultural Do’s and Don’ts
• Political History
• Socio-Economic and Religious history
• Multiple cultural excursions
• Welcome dinner with fellow program participants

Week 2:

This week typically involves learning to plan and teach conversational english, while weaving in regular grammar refreshers.

Week 3:

In week three you will focus on teaching reading and techniques to ensure you are listening to your learners of all ages and abilities.

Week 4:

The final week concentrates on classroom management and effective design of a curriculum.

The accredited course in Seoul is operated by an independent organisation that issues its own certificate on completion of the course.

Accommodation

Students typically share a double room for the duration of the course. This would be in a shared room with two separate beds with a participant of the same gender for $475 USD. We can however accommodate requests for a private room which will be double the price ($950 USD)

Facilities: A typical hotel room with an ensuite bathroom and kettle. One won't have cooking facilities like a stove or microwave but the hotel is in a great location near to grocery stores and affordable restaurants

Local amenities nearby: Include everything in close proximity such as grocery stores, restaurants, public transport (bus and subway), a library, and recreational activities such as gyms, running tracks, football field, basketball courts, and walking and hiking trails

Distance to training centre: It's a quick 5-minute walk to the training center

Course dates

2023

• 24 July 2023 - 19 August
• 28 August 2023 - 23 September
• 23 October 2023 - 19 November

2024

• 29 January 2024 - 1 March
• 25 March 2024 - 26 April
• 27 May 2024 - 28 June
• 22 July 2024 - 23 August
• 23 September 2024 - 25 October

Course fees

The total price is divided into: deposit and balance.

The deposit may be paid via a) credit card b) Paypal c) wire transfer d) Western Union.

Course balance fees for Korea are due 12 weeks prior to the start of the course. Intakes automatically close after the final payment due date. No applications received less than 12 weeks before the start of a course can be accepted.

 

Deposit
US$ 600

to be paid in advance

+

Balance
US$ 1700

to be paid on arrival

Accomodation Fees

The accommodation fees are not part of the course price and you are free to choose whichever accommodation option you prefer.

If you choose to use our accommodation, it should be paid for either by cash, PayPal or bank transfer directly to the school at the start of the course.

from
US$ 475

(to be paid on arrival)

Frequently Asked Questions

• What's included in the program fees?

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  • Once enrolled in the program, the partner organization in Seoul will support you through all aspects of preparation to ensure that you have all the right documents, visa’s, flights etc.
  • There are a number of options to obtain the TESOL certificate. The partner organization’s TESOL certifications do not expire and are accredited and globally transferable.
  • On top of your TEFL certificate, you will have the opportunity to enjoy a comprehensive cultural immersion course upon arrival, all included in the cost. On top of the elements listed above, this may include:
    • A cooking class
    • Excursions to the the Gyeongbok Palace
    • A traditional tea tasting in Insadong
    • Cultural etiquette classes
    • Martial arts classes
  • 24/7 in-country support from our team on the ground with you.
  • For a small additional fee, the partner organization in Seoul can arrange work placements for TEFL graduates.

• How long does it take to get a TEFL/TESOL in South Korea?

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  Our TEFL course in South Korea is spread over 4 weeks and designed specifically to prepare you for teaching English in South Korea. For a small additional fee, TravelBud can work with graduates of the TEFL program to place them in long-term teaching positions around the country / region.

• How much does it pay to teach English in South Korea?

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  If you are in search of a 1 year vibrant experience teaching, traveling and earning great money abroad ($1700 USD to $2000 USD per month), this is the perfect program for you. In the local currency (paid into a local bank account you will set up in your first month), you will earn on average 2.1 – 2.3 million Korean Won.

  
  

• Is English spoken in South Korea?

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  Yes, English is spoken in Korea. There are different levels of English- in cities like Seoul you will encounter people with a high level of English, as opposed to smaller cities or towns. To work for bigger companies in Korea (which is a dream of many Koreans), you will need to have a good handle on English, but it isn’t as widely spoken as Thailand, as there isn’t such an enormous tourist sector. In South Korea, it is good to note that there are certain social restrictions to speaking English, especially to a foreigner.

  Korean people often believe that your level of English directly indicates your economic background, as having a high level of English will mean that you attended classes at a private academy, or that you have travelled or lived abroad. For this reason, many Koreans are often shy or reluctant to speak English, even if they can.

  
  

• Are teachers in high demand in South Korea? Why?

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  Native English-speaking teachers are in high demand in South Korea, mainly because the population is in a tight competition with their peers for jobs and other opportunities. Many young students aspire to study/live abroad, so the parents are more than willing to invest in native speakers to teach their children.

  The overall hope for South Korea is to train Koreans to replace foreigners. They want the level of English to rise for Koreans, who could eventually become English teachers and eradicate the need for foreign teachers. The reasons for this are largely due to a patriotic outlook from Koreans, but also the fact that they do have a very high level of youth unemployment due to high competition for jobs based on the population size versus job availability.

  
  

• Do students have to learn English in South Korea?

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  Yes, it is compulsory at their public schools. On top of their public schooling, many children attend private English academies (also known as Hagwons) after school to improve their English.

  
  

• Do you need a degree to teach English in South Korea?

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  Yes, you will need a Bachelor’s degree in any field to teach English in South Korea. You may also be accepted if you have a diploma in education specifically.

  
  

• What is the big difference between language schools, private schools, government schools and varsity?

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  The basic structure of the school system differs between language centers/private schools and public schools. Language centers/private schools have a bit more flexibility in terms of the curriculum, use of textbooks, and so on. Teachers also generally teach smaller class sizes with students of similar English proficiency levels.

  Public schools will generally have a set curriculum and textbook work. Class sizes are generally bigger, and students will have varying English proficiencies. Work hours for language centers/private schools are in the afternoons on weekdays, and weekends.

  Public schools will generally be from around 7:30AM to 4:30PM on weekdays.

  Read our guide on the Difference between Public and Private schools in South Korea on our blog.

  
  

• How much money can I save teaching English in South Korea?

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  It is generally up to your lifestyle (as Western foods, alcohols etc are far more expensive). However, because your rent is paid for entirely by the school, all you really have to pay for is food and transport- both of which can be done very inexpensively if you live like a local.

  You would probably spend about half your pay without creating any limitations for yourself, but can save more if you live frugally. On average, you can save about $700- $900 per month. You will also get a severance package at the end of your contract which is one extra paycheck for the amount of years you have worked there, so even if you only stay for 1 year, you will always get a bonus $1700 paycheck at the end of your contract.

  
  

• What is the main religion in South Korea?

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  The religion is predominantly Christian (which stems from the involvement of the Western world, particularly the US after the end of the Korean war in 1953. There are a number of Buddhists as well, but the majority is atheist.

  
  

• Will I get picked up from the airport?

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  When you arrive in Seoul, you can count on airport pick-up and travel assistance to your accommodation.

  
  

• Where will I be placed Teaching English in South Korea

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  If you go on to arrange a placement, we place teachers in: Big or small cities, South Korea is highly urbanised so even towns with smaller populations will feel quite developed. You can teach: Kindergarten, Primary (elementary and middle) or High school. Read our guide to placements in South Korea on our blog.