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

CIEE has a great network community where you can get advice and learn from other CIEE teachers. They also have an amazing "in state" and "in country" team. Not to mention, the awesome orientation and end of year events (we're talking FREE lessons, FREE site seeing and FREE food). For the pass six months, I had the privilege to experience the culture, eat delicious food, meet locals, and travel. Despite all of the wonderful things that I have experience, my most memorable moments was meeting my team (totally amazing people ) and when I got lost in my neighborhood the first day I arrived in Korea. I wasn't sure where I was going, but then I stumble upon the neighborhood's walking trail that has a river flowing along side. It may seem ordinary, but somehow I felt like everything was going to be okay because of the peaceful vibe. It was "my heaven" and I still walk on that path during my down times. To be honest, my first few months were pretty tough because I couldn't speak or read Korean, so my advice is, to be open minded, adapt to the culture and engage in groups of your interest . The rest is really up to how you would like to remember your experiences. I've learned so much about teaching, communicating and most importantly I've gain a sense of who I am. I highly recommend taking this opportunity to grow as an individual and make memories that will last a life time.

I was able to meet some of my best friends while teaching here in Korea. I also was able to gain so much more than just teaching experience. I feel like I was put in situations that will help me grow as a professional in other jobs and has set me up with experience to succeed in other parts of the world. I absolutely fell in love with the students I have and didnt expect to have as much fun being a teacher.
The best advice that I have and that I would want to hear upon moving here to teach is to keep an open mind about everything! Nothing can be expected and everything can change. Staying positive and using my peers as support as well as believing in myself has gotten me far while doing this. It isnt easy, to do what we adventures love to do. Many people cant do it. But its worth it for sure! CIEE helped in that aspect as well.

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.