Teach English in South Korea with CIEE | Includes TEFL Certification & Rent Free Housing

I moved to South Korea in August 2016. I picked CIEE because it had a TEFL certification program. I took it as I worked two part time jobs back in the states and waited for my placement. While I left my first location in Bucheon after a year, I have not left South Korea. South Korea is a wonderful city. After a year outside of Seoul, I moved to Seoul and created a good social circle. None of this would have happened if I did not got to South Korea in 2016 through CIEE. I have grown a lot as a person since then and constantly see myself improving.

I love living in South Korea and plan on living here for as long as I can, with hopes of getting the F Visa down the line. If I did not take that first step back in 2016 with CIEE, none of this would have happened.

Teaching at a private kindergarten/elementary hagwon has its benefits and drawbacks, but regardless, the kids are adorable! There isn't as much freedom with curriculum and classes can be very short, but this means the planning responsibilities are pretty minimal a lot of the time. At the particular hagwon where I'm working, there is a rotation of extracurricular activities that add quite a bit to responsibilities (holiday parties, musicals, etc.) so it evens out. My background is in secondary education, so it's been a fascinating experience to work with younger kids...even if it has made me realize how much more suited the middle/high school environment is for me! But this experience gave me some clarity about graduate school to focus on the needs of ESL students upon my return to the traditional classroom. Though there are certainly highs and lows, I can assure you that you won't regret this experience in South Korea!

Outside of the classroom, the food and natural beauty (combined with the affordability) of Korea is enough to sell it to an adventurous type. Transportation around the country is wonderfully cheap and you'll be able to explore a lot of the country in your time here. I'd highly recommend coming to Korea.

CIEE is a great organization! They helped me enroll in a TEFL course, found schools for me to interview with, and made the long visa process much easier. They also held an orientation once I arrived in Korea that introduced me to other foreign teachers. The in-country orientation provided an excellent platform to learn more about the culture and hear about other teachers' experiences. I was able to ask questions and receive feedback and advice about my hagwon experience, as well as learn about the epik program and its pros and cons. Having an in-country support system significantly enriched my teaching experience.

CIEE is a fantastic organization that helped me prepare for teaching abroad and provided me with a great community here in Korea.

I live in a small town near the Southern peninsula of Korea. Overall, the community is kind and welcoming. There have been countless times I have been lost or taken the wrong bus and people have helped me. It can also be very boring at times. Most of the young people when they graduate leave to Seoul or a university or both. So the community is full of old people and really young people mostly. English is not commonly spoken by the locals, in the cities you would encounter it more. However, EPIK, offers more money to those placed in the rural areas, so there is some compensation for being out in the middle of nowhere.

Overall, this is an experience worth having. The application process was tedious and at times overwhelming, but I do appreciate CIEE helping me get this position.

There are so many different ways to get to South Korea and teach English! I am mostly happy that I went with CIEE because they took a lot of the stress and planning out of my hands. I applied to teach English abroad when I was an insanely busy university student--overloaded class schedule, work, varsity athlete, etc. I felt that I didn't a lot of time to devote to finding my own recruiter or figuring out my TEFL certification, and CIEE made those steps a lot easier. The support from the program and network that it offers within Korea has been really amazing, too! However, the program does come with a considerable price tag. Of course, there are pros and cons of every service. I think if you are someone who likes structure, amazing in-program support, and an immediate community to be able to reach out to, then the price is justifiable.

I would definitely recommend finding a teaching position in South Korea or just anywhere with CIEE. They are honestly so helpful throughout the ENTIRE process of searching and making sure you have all documentation. Essentially they simplify everything so you don't have to be stressed out. I love my school placement and the coordinators try to make sure that your school and area is a good fit for you. This program is a great chance to get out of your comfort zone and experience a very different culture than what most participants generally come from! Also, there is no need to worry about prior teaching experience because CIEE also provides you with great training beforehand through their online TEFL course. Going straight after college I think is definitely a great adventure into the adult world in a very unique way.

After studying abroad for one semester in 2015, I came back to Korea with CIEE to teach at a private school. The support I have received and continue to receive from the staff is nothing short of remarkable. The local representative is available 24/7 for any questions, comments or concerns I may have. My school placement is fantastic and offers excellent benefits. Without CIEE, I wouldn't have known where to start or with whom to get TEFL certified. I am very impressed with this program and would enthusiastically recommend it to others.
Because of this placement, I have developed a strong network consisting of other CIEE participants. I am confident I will continue to rely on their connections in order to advance in the English teaching community. I am excited to see where else CIEE can take me around the world.

The CIEE program provided a full package for me to teach in South Korea. At the beginning, they did a great job of getting me excited and reassuring they would help me though the entire process, which they definitely did. After ever step of the way they prepared me well to take on the next step making sure to waste none of my time. When there were waiting periods such as waiting for documents or waiting for an interview, they provided me with a crash course to work on at my own pace. The good thing about this course was that I was able to see comments and discussions with other teachers just like me. It was reassuring to have some of the same questions and concerns as others but it was also helpful to learn new ideas and prepare myself for obstacles I wouldn't have previously considered. Not only was CIEE there for me when I got off the plane in South Korea, but they were there weeks after. They held a weekend for the new teachers a couple weeks after my arrival. This was a great chance to meet some English speaking teachers as well as voice some concerns about teaching and life in Korea. It was helpful to tackle these issues together and reassuring to know there were people in the country who could help me with anything. I have many CIEE contacts in Korea that I know I can contact and get help whenever I need it. This is something that you might not get with every program. CIEE was a great choice for me and I am happy to have made this great life transition with their help.