How to Get a Job Teaching English in Europe

Figuring out how to get a job teaching English in Europe is easy thanks to this comprehensive guide. Europe is an incredible blend of old and modern culture and history, romance, picturesque landscapes, mixed cultures and energies, mouthwatering cuisine and a great balance between work and play. Even a workaholic will find it hard to not take a siesta or enjoy the short Friday schedules. 

Be your best self and teach English in Europe! Jobs range from full to part time across dozens of locations.

And that’s just scratching the surface of what makes Europe an ideal destination for TEFL teachers. It’s complex, culturally varied, and full of an immense number of teaching opportunities.

As you get serious about your plan to teach English in Europe, make sure to research your work visa, teaching English in Europe salary, the cost of living, initial budget, different teaching options (more on this below!), travel expenses, and placement programs that can help you find a job more quickly and easily. 

To increase your chances of success, make sure you either have a bachelor’s degree, a TEFL certification, or both. Although there are a great number of teaching English in Europe jobs, the competition for them is also very high—so you want to make your application shine. 

But before we get to the nitty gritty details of preparing to teach abroad, you need to make sure you actually have a teaching job, first! Read on to learn the most popular ways you can get a job teaching English in Europe. Here’s how to teach abroad in Europe ASAP.

7 ways to teach English in Europe

1. Through a provider

Finding a job abroad on your own can be scary and challenging. Without knowing what to expect, what safety measures to take or even how to apply for a job, this can make the process so much harder to the point where some people give up very fast.

The fastest and easiest way to finding teaching English in Europe jobs is of course through a provider. These organizations, such as International TEFL Academy, i-to-i TEFL, or Greenheart Travel, help create a hassle-free work experience in Europe, essentially matching you with a safe and exciting placement that meets your requirements and level of expertise. 

With most providers, you can find teaching jobs and school placements all over Europe. If you long for the beach, they will find you something in Spain or Greece; if you’re a pizza lover, you can find English teaching jobs in Italy; for romance, you can choose teaching jobs in France, and for historical sights, the Czech Republic will steal your heart.

Pack your wellies before you teach English in Europe!

When finding English teaching jobs in Europe through a provider, trivial things, such as visa requirements, travel plans, and accommodation are taken care of for you. All you gotta do is prepare your resume and your teaching plan and show up to the airport for your travel. 

2. At an international school

The number of international schools in Europe has increased tremendously in the past decade and you shouldn’t be surprised to hear that most students already speak three languages. Crazy, we know!

That being said, English is by far the most popular and spoken language in Europe, therefore there is no shortage of international or bilingual schools all over the continent, especially in big cities like Berlin, Madrid, or Amsterdam.

How do you find these jobs? It’s simple: you either use a provider (check number one), which will simplify things for your a LOT, or do a simple google search and apply for the open positions yourself.  

3. At a local school

All over Europe, almost all local schools have introduced English as a second languages as being mandatory in the school curriculum. In countries like Romania or Hungary, kids start learning English as early as first grade, making them almost bilingual by the time they hit high school, where they start learning a third language.

Usually you can get a teaching English position at local schools, from first grade all through high school years, and even university positions through a government sponsored program. For example, the Ministry of Education in Spain hires over 2000 participants each year in Spanish public schools; the Teaching Assistant Program in France offers teaching opportunities for students of all ages all over the country.

[8 Amazing Teaching Jobs in Europe Hiring Now]

Of course you can apply for these positions yourself, but with a program you have better chances at getting hired. If you have a friend overseas, they can surely give you better tips and maybe even host you for a few weeks. Sometimes it’s easier to find teaching English jobs at local schools if you’re already in the country and considered a local.

4. At a language school

Almost all cities across Europe have several private language schools that are looking for English teachers all year long. But because they are private schools, they only look for the best and offer higher wages, so make sure your resume rocks. You can teach English to children or adults from beginners to advanced level, business English or conversational English. 

You can find such English teaching jobs in Europe through a program placement or a simple google search and sending in your application. You can even hit the yellow pages (or online classifieds) of each country to find more info about these language schools, check the local newspapers or different websites and forums where former teachers share their experience. If you are TEFL certified, you can reach out to the TEFL training centers in that country and see if they can help you out. Asking doesn’t cost you anything!

Connecting with your students is a top priority

5. Freelancing

Freelancing as a teacher is mostly a form of private tutoring. If you decide to teach English in Europe as a freelancer, you need to know from the start that you are pretty much on your own.

That means you have to do your own advertisement, print them out and spread them across the city, or advertisement boards in schools, use social media, or even go as far as posting ads in the local newspapers. You can also use some ad agencies but that involves extra cost so research that in depth. 

The good news is that once you’ve found your first clients and they are satisfied with your services, your business can only go up from here. Through word of mouth, you could have private classes as frequently (or infrequently) as you’d like to!

That is the beauty of freelancing: you make your own schedule, hours, and holiday plans. You can also use this tactic as an extra pocket money maker if you’ve already found yourself in full time English teaching jobs in Europe. 

6. As an au pair

An au pair, or a cultural exchange program is a great way to teach English in Europe without having to worry about rent or other expenses that moving abroad might involve. Work for and with a host family to help them and their children to improve their English skills, while they also help you learn a new language and all the ins and outs of a new culture. It’s a win win situation, right?

You might have to have some knowledge of the host’s family’s language so you can have a smooth communication system with them, but even if you are not fluent, you will definitely get better during your stay with them.  

Make sure you do your research right, as during some of these programs you don’t actually earn beaucoup money, but for some people, the experience—and the chance to live with a family, learn a language yourself, or get to know a culture more deeply—is more important than that.

7. At a company 

Big corporations that deal with international affairs hire English teachers to help their employers improve their business English skills.

Depending on your level of experience and certifications, some companies can hire you for longer periods of time and sometimes even pay or help you with accommodation and the whole process of moving abroad. Such positions you can find through different program placements or directly on the company’s website.

GoAbroad tip—hosting people from 28 different nationalities, NATO is always looking for English teachers so check out some of their websites! 

[Browse ALL European Destinations Hiring Teachers Abroad]

FAQs on teaching English in Europe

1. What is my expected salary? Where will I make the most money?

What can I expect to be my teaching English in Europe salary—that’s the question!

Your challenge? Make learning fun!

Europe consists of 44 countries, which means 44 different salaries and lifestyles. It also means different job opportunities, depending on your level of experience and side gigs to make that extra pocket money. 

The salary for teaching English in Western Europe can be anywhere between $1,200 to $2,000 in countries like Germany, Austria or the Netherlands. However, the cost of living here is also on the high end, which means that your Europe teaching salary will only be enough to meet each month’s end.

In countries like the Czech Republic or Poland, salaries can be on the lower end, with a max of $1,200 per month, but the cost of living is also very affordable—meaning you can save big time.

However, in both cases, you can easily save up on some money if you budget right and take actions such as sharing rent with a friend, living with a host family, cooking at home, taking up some extra private tutoring hours, or even finding a job that pays for your accommodation (there are some out there!). There are tons of options to choose from out there, you just have to do your research thoroughly. 

You will not get rich with a teaching job abroad, but you will be able to travel to your heart’s content and experience Europe like a local! Getting paid in experience isn’t half bad, either.

2. What are the best countries to teach English in Europe?

Depending on every person’s goals and experience expectations, the answer to this question will probably differ a lot, so we’ll try to cover all answers to make your decision easier and check out some of the best countries to teach English in Europe.

In terms of money, Western Europe is definitely the place to go. Prosperous countries like Germany, France, Switzerland, or the UK offer a variety of teaching opportunities in local schools, public schools, private schools or language schools at different levels. You will also be able to experience an abundance of different cultures and you will always have a high number of people that will want to improve their English skills. 

Do you want more of a relaxed, warm environment but still a decent salary? Why not give Spain, Italy, or Portugal a try? Enjoy your siestas in the afternoon, take a cappuccino break, and serve a late dinner with a side of sweet Porto wine. In such exotic countries, being an English teacher is only a dream come true. 

You can also check out English teaching jobs in Eastern Europe in countries like Poland, Romania, or Croatia. For some people, these are not the ‘go to’ countries, but if you’re interested in a fun environment, culinary adventure, and a class of extremely interested students, these are the destinations you should give a try. 

Whether teaching one on one or in a traditional school, you’ll love the experience.

Teaching English in Europe is not all about making money, but the once in a lifetime experience that you will never forget. There are not many places in this world where a border between countries is a simple line on the ground like in between Germany, the Netherlands, and Belgium, for example. 

3. Is teaching English in Europe without a TEFL possible?

Finding a teaching job without a TEFL certification might seem like a mission impossible, but it’s not. There are ways around making your resume to stand out amongst those that do have a TEFL certification.

If you’re a native or close to native English speaker, make sure you have at least a bachelor degree that somehow translates your teaching skills. To empower this degree, get yourself some teaching experience, even if it’s only from private tutoring classes. Schools and employers in countries like Poland, Slovenia or Greece are more interested in your ability to handle a class full of teenage students, or even adults sometimes. 

GoAbroad tip—prove that you can do this by preparing some creative ways that you can present during your interview. 

Once you’ve scored a teaching job already, you can always apply and earn your TEFL certification in that country. This will help you build more connections and networks with local schools where you might find a more fitting position and extend your stay abroad by a few months or even years.

You got nothing to lose! A degree combined with a TEFL certification in hand will increase your job opportunities incredibly and you might actually find it hard to decide what job you should take and in which country. First world problems, huh?

4. How about without a degree?

As crazy and unbelievable as this might sound, teaching English in Europe without a degree is very much possible. Oooopa!

This is where the TEFL certification comes in handy. You might be able to speak English like a native, but you gotta prove your teaching skills, that you know how to handle yourself and a class full of students. A TEFL certification is just that—your proof that you have been trained in all this. 

You don’t even need years of experience to be considered for some positions, you just have to get certified. A popular destination where you can teach without a degree is Spain, where the teaching English market is growing each year but so is the competitions. But even countries like Greece, Romania, Russia, Poland, or Slovakia don’t require a degree for you to help their young population improve their English skills.

You definitely have options and you should check them all out. Don’t let yourself get distracted by trivial things. Whatever your current career is, a TEFL certification can change that within a blink of an eye.

Let’s all teach English in Europe!

Still wondering how to get a job teaching English in Europe?

If you’ve ever wondered how to get a job teaching English in Europe, we’re pretty sure we’ve covered everything here, but if we missed anything, we have more and other resources that you can check out. Heck, you can even contact us directly if that’ll make you feel better.

Bottom line is, if your dream was ever to live and experience life in Europe, this is your chances. It couldn’t get easier than this. Hundreds of thousands of other people like you have done it before and you can do it too. 

You already know that teaching English in Europe without TEFL and degree is not impossible, but we recommend that you have at least one. Be brave! Be adventurous! Take chances and you will not regret it. Check out your options today and by summer you will be living como un vero European.

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