TEFL Graduate

I did my TEFL course with the intention of traveling while earning money by teaching English for a year. Although I don't have a degree, I was lucky to find a job teaching in English in Chengdu, China. It was such an amazing experience learning about a new culture, surviving the first months without google based apps and my new environment. Chengdu is a great city and everything was very convenient, especially when you have opened a bank account and get apps like didi (taxi service), taebao (shopping online), alipay (where you can unlock bicycles and pay everything) as well as wechat pay. The transportation systems (metro train and busses) are also very easy to figure out and cheap. What I liked most about this city was how safe it was. The English institute where I taught English was also such a great experience. I had amazing co-workers, Chinese staff and managers I worked with. Everyone is always ready to help out and the Chinese people are very hospitable. Ofcourse there were ups and downs just like in any work environment but the people and living style pays off for any bad that pops up. I made a lot of life long friends and keep in touch with my students till today. I ended up staying for 2 and a half years and it will be an experience I will remember forever.

I arrived in China 30 September 2019, and so far so good. It has been a delightful stay, no drama and hassles. I am happy with the school I was placed in with the help of TEFL Graduate. School management and rest of the staff have gone the extra mile to ensure that I am comfortable and adjusting well into my new life. Furthermore I have consistent support from Carlos (TEFL Graduate) who has been a reliable source of information and guidance throughout the journey of coming to China, he has stayed in contact even after the placement. I would recommend coming to China- it's a wonderful country, with many life changing opportunities. I also highly recommend TEFL Graduate they are legit and trustworthy.

I've always wanted to live in Asia, but that meant needing a job. I'm not a teacher by trade, but with a degree and some childcare experience I was able to teach. I took the online TEFL course and through their jobs contact, found a few options and countries to teach in. It is not glamorous or easy work, but it is an experience if you're open minded. It's still tough to find things to do in the local community if you're not fluent or if you don't gel with other foriegn teachers. For me the job was secondary to living in Asia. Jobs are available with openings for variety levels of experience and good contacts to help you through the process. It isn't like living at home, but locals are happy to see a foreigner.

I was a bit scared about packing up my whole life to come to the other side of the world but it really has been the best decision I've made so far. The program I chose has people that are committed to helping me succeed as teacher during my year here and the work/life balance is great

After completing the master TEFL course with TEFL Graduate I immediately got an interview for a position in China. I have been teaching English for 5 months and I'm looking forward to making them 5 years.

When I say I had no idea where to start with my move, I really mean it. I was incredibly lucky that Carlos reached out to me during my time completing my TEFL course. Carlos was absolutely brilliant, he always e-mailed back promptly and he really knows his stuff. If I had any queries or concerns he was able to give me information and help me make a decision when it needed to be made. Even when I had a moment of panic a few days before leaving when one of my documents was missing Carlos and the team did everything they could to help me and to ensure I could get my visa at the airport. The school Carlos recommended could not be better. I have met amazing people and I can see how this experience will help my professional development greatly. Even after I landed in Vietnam Carlos has been checking in and making sure everything is going well. I cannot recommend them highly enough, I wouldn't go with any other organization! Thank you to you all for helping this amazing experience go from a dream to a reality!

Go Abroad were a great help when I was looking to move to Vietnam. Carlos always responded to me quickly and stayed in touch to see how I was getting on even after I had been placed. The whole process was quick and easy.

Great fun, saved money, met new people, saw the world. It's a beautiful experience to leave your hometown and move onto bigger and better things. Made even better when you're making good money, eating good food and drinking good drinks. I moved to Shanghai and everything was at my fingertips for me whenever I wanted it. Highly recommended.

I had a big decision to make the day I turned 29. Am I going to have a 9-5 job for the rest of my life, working from paycheck to paycheck or am I going to be brave, take a big chance and work abroad. I chose the latter! I came across TEFL Graduate while browsing for TEFL courses online, I registered, paid and within no time I was assigned with a tutor and a lot of help. I finished my 150-hour course in 2 weeks' time and immediately had a response from Carlos (the recruiter). I never thought finding a job abroad could be so easy. Carlos sent me a lot of options, and I could basically choose where I wanted to teach English as a foreign language. As my best friend and I were traveling together, TEFL Graduate was so helpful that they found a way for us to work together in the same city and in real close proximity to each other. After every interview or milestone Carlos was checking in to see how we were doing - he still is checking in! I would recommend TEFL Graduate for anyone old or young who is bored with their lifestyle and would like to travel and explore different cities and cultures. Being a TEFL foreign teacher in Chengdu, China has financial and personal perks! AND I LOVE IT!

I have been teaching in China for nearly two years now. I found the TEFL course helpful and informative, it definitely gave me some useful insight into teaching English as a second language. Carlos helped me find a job in the city I wanted (I was very specific about where I wanted to go as I was planning on living with a friend). I really couldn’t have done it without him! Even after being in China this long he will still check up on me and ask if I need help with finding a new job, whether that be in China or somewhere else. The agency he put me into contact with were very helpful and professional and made me feel safe and at ease with finding a job in a country I wasn’t currently in! I really couldn’t have done this without TEFL Graduate and Carlos. Thank you so much! I’d recommend their course to anyone thinking of going somewhere abroad to teach English.

Entering the program was a bit scary for me to start with but the support I received from my recruiters and placement handlers, everything was thoroughly organized and ensured that I had all the information I needed. The placement was seamless and made for a smooth transition into such a big change in my life. I teach in two wonderful schools with great support from the teachers, my placement handlers and my recruitment teams where needed. I live in a beautiful and modern one bedroom apartment with minimal utility cost and transportation is easily accessible. I appreciate being able to integrate into the community and the opportunity to travel around the country. Most of all it has been a great journey of self discovery and this is possible because everything else is so well organized that there is nothing to worry about.

The course is concise and accesible yet very insightful into all of the big fundamentals of teaching and aspects of teaching a language (approaches to teaching, methodologies, learning styles, cultural differences, assessment, classroom management, etc) and provides examples and ideas for classroom activities. If anything I would have wished some practical classroom experience with observation and feedback, but other than this it was incredibly useful. As for the enrollment staff, the person in charge of my CV was always incredibly helpful, accessible and kind. He always provided good advice, was always available and always willing to negotiate and improve my situation with the school/company who hired me and my quality of life abroad. He also frequently checked up on me after moving abroad to see if I was coping well. I will always be thankful to him for all the things he did for me! The process for choosing a country and a school type was straight forward and same for the document and visa support.

TEFL Graduate placed me at one of the leading teaching centres in China. My centre was located in one of the 4 major cities in China in a very attractive location that provided me not only a great workplace, but a great living place as well. Carlos kept checking up on me and provided me with constant support along the way.

I was placed in Yuanping, Shanxi province. Small town with a Big Heart. My colleagues and neighbours became friends for life. The town is a jewel between beautiful mountain and warm spring spas in the area. People embraced me, invited me to their homes and took me to interesting places. I can really recommend the experience!

Mr Carlos Salamanca from TEFL Graduate was very helpful during my job search after I successfully completed the TEFL LEVEL 5. He was very professional and provided me with additional help for finding jobs and supported me with my visa application. Carlos is very friendly and hardworking and was always happy to have a conversation on the phone. Pay rise needed asap! I highly recommend the TEFL Graduate course due to Carlos.

I knew I wanted to teach abroad, but there were so many places to choose from. After contacting a few agencies, I stumbled across TEFL Graduate. After my first conversation with Carlos from TEFL Graduate, Korea was the obvious choice to start my journey. His knowledge of what certain countries could offer really helped me make my decision. Once I’d decided on Korea, Carlos put me in touch with Alistair from Korean Horizons, who specialises in the EPIK application process. Getting everything ready for EPIK would have been quite daunting. I’m glad that I had the support of TEFL Graduate and Korean Horizons to look to for advice and guidance. Once I landed in Korea, I was greeted at the airport and put up in a hotel for the night. The 9-day EPIK orientation was great for networking and meeting like-minded people who are also starting their journey. I met some great people that I’ve stayed in touch with throughout my time in Korea. I was placed in 3 middle schools. At first I didn’t think that I’d like being spread out, but it meant I got to meet more amazing kids! My classes ranged from having just 1 student to having 28. My co-teachers were helpful and you’ll definitely appreciate them if you’re new to teaching. Outside of school life, I joined an English club for local Korean adults to practice conversational skills. I made some amazing friends in this club, and they were keen to show off their country, so we went on many trips together. I was lucky enough to attend one of their weddings, which was so different to back home. I love trying new food, and Korea has plenty of delicious dishes. School meals are good quality and varied, so you’ll always be trying something new. Korean healthcare is excellent. Each town has a wide range of clinics and dentists to choose from. Just show them your ID card and you’ll be seen in minutes. Most doctors speak English too. Your health insurance brings down the cost of care, so it will just cost a few dollars to be seen and prescribed medicine. Overall, it’s great being an English teacher in Korea. You’ll meet fantastic kids, make great friends and have an enriching cultural experience. Thanks to TEFL Graduate and Korean Horizons!

I began my TEFL experience in 2016 by taking the 120 Hour Graduate Course provided by the highly reputable TEFL Graduate company. The course was easy to navigate, and the modules were clear, concise and straight forward. I was able to complete the course at my own pace and around my own schedule, which was extremely convenient and the support team were quick to respond to any queries I had throughout the course. Once I had completed the course, I registered my interest in jobs and was immediately put in contact with a recruitment consultant who provided me with more information about available positions with their partner organisations and the next steps needed to start my journey teaching English abroad. My recruitment consultant at TEFL Graduate, Carlos Salamanca, was very efficient in helping me schedule an interview with their partner organisation Korean Horizons, who could not come more recommended. My experience with Korean Horizons from start to finish was outstanding. Alistair is an amazing recruiter who went above and beyond to ensure that my application process went as smoothly as possible and I would not have been able to do it without his help and support, especially as the process of applying for an EPIK position can be lengthy, stressful and at times overwhelming. However, Alistair was always quick to respond to my emails, eased any concerns I had and helped me successfully prepare for my interview. His support did not end there, as he personally picks you up from the airport, provides you with a hotel room for the evening and personalised gift bags that include helpful Korean phrasebooks, maps, supermarket vouchers, to name a few. If you are planning to teach English abroad and particularly in South Korea, I cannot recommend TEFL Graduate/Korean Horizons highly enough, as they helped ease my worries and concerns, kept in contact with me throughout my time in Korea to see how I was getting and helped kick start an unforgettable, once in a lifetime opportunity as an English Teacher abroad.

Im am currently still living in China and love it. The work schedule gives you a lot of time off to travel and explore the rest of the country! And if you’re not interested in travelling, saving money is the easiest task - the cost of living is very cheap! With lots of friends near and local attractions it’s easy to save and still have a good time! Don’t hesitate to try this experience, it will be worth it!

Teaching in South Korea happened very suddenly for me. After a year in the UK for my MA, I wasn't ready to go home and settle down (too many pages left in my passport!). TEFL Graduate was super helpful and reliable throughout my application and moving process. What really stuck in my mind is that my recruiter continued to reach out to me throughout my time in South Korea. I am really thankful for the chance to not only travel to South Korea but to live there and get to know the people, the culture, and connect with other internationals. South Korea is a melting pot and an excellent chance for learning. I loved teaching my students and learning from both the Korean and other international teachers. Building relationships and overcoming language and cultural differences has made me a better person. And there's nothing better than seeing your students be excited to see you both in and out of school!

I was placed in a small town off the coast of South Korea and absolutely loved it. Loved the school, the expat community, loved the experience. I was there for 18 months, placed at a public school and taught kids from 5-13.