Teach in China

FAQ

Can I apply at any time during the year?

Yes. We hire all-year-round as we don't follow the traditional school terms, and we have a lot of campuses around China, so you can apply whenever you'll be ready to work abroad.

When will China’s borders reopen? Is your company currently recruiting candidates overseas?

At the moment there is no official information about lifting the entry ban for foreign nationals to China. Therefore, we cannot tell you exactly when it will be possible for you to arrive in China.
Even though we are more focused on recruiting those teachers who are currently in China, we still continue to look for talents overseas. If you are outside of China now and would like to apply for a position, you can contact us, and we will arrange an interview with you.

What are the requirements for a teaching position?

In order to provide our teachers with a legal working visa from i2 Education, we are looking for candidates who meet the following requirements:
1. Native English speakers from the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand or South Africa.
2. Bachelor's Degree or higher
3. TEFL/TESOL certificate is preferred, but not required
4. Non-criminal record/police clearance
5. Teaching experience is preferred, but not required

What will the visa process look like?

Steps for Work Residence Permit Process:

1. While you are still in your home country, i2 Education will apply for the Notification Letter of Working Permit for teachers from a local PSB (15 working days)
The teacher should provide i2 Education with the following documents:

1. Passport photo page (scanned copy);
2. Portrait photo (digital scan);
3. Bachelor Degree and its authentication in Chinese embassy or consulate (scanned copy);
4. Non-criminal record and its authentication in Chinese embassy or consulate (scanned copy);
5. Teaching Certificate (TEFL/TESOL/CELTA) and its authentication in Chinese embassy or consulate (scanned copy)
OR
Reference letter demonstrating at least 2 years of English language teaching experience (The working experience should be at least two full-years (without interruption) of English Language teaching experiences as an English Language teacher, and it needs to be after your BA degree graduation date.)
6. Medical Examination Certificate from home country

2. The teacher should apply for Z visa from the Chinese embassy or consulate and enter China (5 working days):

For this purpose, i2 Education should provide the teacher with a Notification letter of the working permit in both Chinese and English.

3. After the teacher arrives in China, the following procedures should be completed ASAP to prepare the documents for the Residence Permit:

a) Register your accommodation at a local related police station to get the registration form within 24 hours if you rent an apartment. Failing to do that, you will be entitled to be fund at 500 RMB per day, max 5000RMB.
b) Schedule a Chinese Medical Check with i2 Education visa specialist within one week of entering China. (covered by i2 Education)

Note: Z visa only valid for 30 days from the entry date, the Visa Specialist will assist you to apply for the working permit and submit the residence permit application materials to local PSB within 30 days. The teacher could not exit China Mainland until you get your residence permit.

4. i2 Education should apply for Residence Permit for the teacher in China from the local Foreign Expert Bureau (15 working days):

The teacher should provide:

1. Passport
2. Original Hard Copy of University Degree (will be returned after processing);
3. Original Hard Copy of non-criminal record;
4. Original Hard Copy of authentications to degree and non-criminal record;
5. Registration Form from the Local Police Station;
6. Chinese Medical Report
7. Five passport-sized portrait photos (hard copy)

5. Residence Permit from local PSB (15 working days);

The teacher should provide: Passport
Note: It will take more than 30 days to receive your passport when applying for a Resident Permit. If a teacher plans to travel abroad, please contact your i2 Visa Specialist in Foreign Teachers` Center before booking any flights.

How much money will I make?

On average, our teachers make at least $39,000 per year. The cost of living in China is only about $13,100/year for a very good standard of living. Therefore, you will have a real opportunity to save up at least half of your salary, travel wherever you want, and not to restrict yourself in daily life. Those teachers who have student loans back home can easily cover the expenses with the packages that they get at i2 Education. If you would like to live a comfortable life and never worry about paying bills, China is a place for you.
Other benefits at i2 Education include the following terms but not limited to them:
   1. Legal Z work visa support
   2. Flight allowance and sign-in bonus provided
   3. Housing allowance provided
   4. Hospitalization and accident provided
   5. Performance bonuses
   6. Contract completion bonus

Is housing arranged?

i2 Education provides a monthly housing allowance that varies from city to city to all the foreign staff. However, we give you the freedom to choose the accommodation according to your needs and preferences. You can decide whether you want to have a modest studio or a luxurious apartment in a rich area, but we make sure that our housing allowance is enough for a good, comfortable place.
You should not worry about finding the new home for yourself – we will be there to help you every step of the way! From the moment you land in China, i2 Education staff will take care of you. We'll provide temporary accommodation at a hotel upon your arrival for 7 days and help you find an apartment, communicate with landlords, sign your lease, set the Internet, and help you move in. We will guide you through all the details on daily errands – from ways to pay your Internet fees to order goods to your new home.

What costs are associated with i2 Education?

Initially, you are responsible for paying for your flight to China, but i2 Education will provide you with a sign-in allowance once you arrive in China. Besides, during your one-year full-time contract with us, you will be eligible to receive another flight allowance. You also need to pay expenses connected to your working visa application that happens in your country, outside of China. However, once you arrive in China, i2 Education will bear all the costs associated with the visa renewals in China.
You're also responsible for paying for your housing and living expenses, but we provide a monthly housing allowance and a competitive salary to enjoy day-to-day life in China.

How much money do I need to come to China?

Usually, the necessary expenses include visa application, flight to China, and accommodation rent. Working visa costs vary from country to country, but on average, our teachers spend around $500 for all the papers: non-criminal record, authenticated degree and TEFL, as well as a medical check.
The flight expenses of course depend on your location, time of the year, and airlines you choose.
For your first month in China, we recommend you to have 15,000-20,000 RMB ($2150-$2850) to feel comfortable and get everything you need to settle down. Normally, to rent an apartment in China you will need to pay for 3 months upfront, one-month deposit fee, and a one-month agency fee. For example, if your monthly rent is 2,500 RMB/month, once you sign the lease contract you will be expected to pay 7,500 RMB for 3 months, a deposit fee of 2,500 RMB, and an agency fee of 2,500 RMB (12,500 RMB in total).

What if I don’t have enough money to come to China?

Don’t worry, we are here to help you! We understand that moving to China is not an easy process both financially and mentally. Therefore, to support our new teachers and help them settle down in China comfortably, i2 Education offers financial assistance to those teachers who need it. Upon your arrival in China, you can apply for a loan from i2 Education to cover the expenses for accommodation rent and other costs.

I've never taught English before. Will I be able to do it?

If you have experience working with children, whether tutoring, teaching, coaching, or babysitting, we feel confident that you'll be able to acquire skills necessary to instruct a successful class. We have a one-week induction training for our new teachers and weekly training sessions on a regular basis for all the teachers that can help you improve your teaching skills.

How will my schedule look like?

As a training school, we are open for our students in the afternoons and evenings from Monday to Friday, and full days on the weekend. You will be working 5 days per week with 2 days off. Our teachers have their days off on weekdays since the weekend is quite busy at our campuses. As a teacher, you will work 35 hours a week having 20 teaching hours and 15 non-teaching hours. Your weekly timetable can have a maximum of 30 classes, 40 minutes each. Your non-teaching hours will consist of lesson preparation, training, workshops, or campus meetings.
On a weekday, our teachers start working in the campuses around 2-3 pm. Most teachers have about 2 hours to plan their classes and prepare teaching materials before the students come to the campus. The first class usually starts between 4 and 5 pm. Each class lasts 40 minutes with a 10 minutes break afterwards. On weekdays you might have 4-5 classes finishing your working day around 9 pm.
On the weekend teachers usually start teaching around 9.30 am and have 4 classes in the morning before the lunch break. In the afternoon teachers might have 4-5 more classes ending their day around 5.30 pm. Even though the weekend is sometimes tiresome, our teachers have fun during the PBL classes that take place outside at interesting locations on Saturday or Sunday.
Twice a month you might have a training or workshop organized at a campus or city level. This will help you improve your teaching skills as well as meet new friends who also work at i2 Education.

Will I have to design my own lessons?

Partially. At i2 Education we strive to offer English education of a high standard. To achieve this, we have a Teaching Lesson Syllabus supplementing our Macmillan curriculum. The Teaching Lesson Syllabus includes lesson aims, key vocabulary, and target structures that students should learn in class. However, as a teacher, you can decide how your class will look like and what activities you are going to use to achieve the minimum required lesson aims. You will have teacher’s guides and a huge variety of teaching resources to make your class effective and interesting. In i2 Education we value teacher’s creativity and independence to practice individual teaching style, and at the same time, we want to offer enough support to provide guidance to those teachers who seek it.

I have never lived abroad before. Will it be difficult to adjust?

No. It shouldn't be too difficult to adjust. We have a community of over 600+ foreign teachers in China to help and support each other. We have our own social network for teachers to ask questions and look for assistance. Along with that, we organize social and cultural events for our teachers to help them meet other teachers and to understand Chinese culture. Besides, every campus operates as a community where the staff always help you no matter if it is a work matter or a personal request. From the moment you join i2 Education, you become a part of our team and we take responsibility for it. We care about our staff and we make sure our teachers feel comfortable during their stay in China.

What's the social life like?

There's no shortage of things to do while you're teaching in China with i2 Education! Our campuses are all in cities full of great nightlife, delicious food, and fun cultural activities. You and your fellow teachers will have many opportunities to explore and enjoy China together! China is famous for its convenient transportation system. As a foreigner, you will not struggle to buy bus/train tickets to go to another place. There are many different bilingual Apps allowing you to book your tickets and accommodation in China.
Moreover, if you are looking to pursue some hobbies you had back home, that is also very doable. Most of our teachers continue to do their favorite activities or develop new interests while living in China. Social life in China is certainly never dull!

I have more questions. What should I do?

Don't worry. The best thing to do is to apply so that we could have all your details and make sure you meet the visa requirements. Once we know that, one of our recruiters will contact you for an initial chat before arranging an interview. This is the best time to ask those initial questions, others can be asked at our interview.

Apply now