Frequently Asked Questions

No, not necessarily. However, as a minimum you will need a university degree, a TEFL certificate, and lots of patience and enthusiasm! Please note that certain provinces have stricter requirements to issue a work visa, and may ask for evidence of some teaching related experience – many provinces are not as strict.

If you do have formal teaching experience, that’s wonderful; it is likely that you will be able to command a higher salary.

Opportunity China can begin to find you a position at a Chinese school before you graduate from University or have started your online TEFL training. Learn more about discounted online TEFL courses

No. Each school will have at least one English speaking liaison and some schools will provide Teaching Assistants which can speak English. However, we would encourage you to learn a few basics before departing for China, and do not forget to take a phrase book!

Some schools provide free Mandarin classes. If not, you’ll easily be able to arrange lessons with a local person for around £3 to £6 per hour, or even arrange a language ‘swap’ where you exchange English lessons for Mandarin lessons!

We only work with schools which guarantee a minimum salary of 7000RMB per month; approximately £700, and about the same salary as a doctor in China. This is enough to live very comfortably on in, especially as your accommodation is usually provided free and many schools have complimentary canteen meals for teachers.

Many of our partner schools pay between RMB8000- RMB11,000 a month. Teachers with 2 years prior experience can earn up to RMB17,000 a month. Learn more about salaries.

Yes, many English teachers opt to deliver private tuition work that pays a decent hourly rate. Private tuition tends to take place in public places or in pre-prepared classrooms.

You should check that your school allows this; most schools do not mind on the basis that you do not tutor any of their students, however it is wise to check their policy.

Yes you will need a visa for China.

All China visa’s from the UK are now processed through the China Visa Service Centres in London or Manchester: http://www.visaforchina.org.

Learn more about visas.

Although prices in China are rising, and tend to be much higher in cities such as Beijing and Shanghai, China is still exceptionally cheap and foreign teachers enjoy a very comfortable lifestyle. Many teachers enjoy traveling, restaurant meals, massages and nights out.

Here are some examples of what you would expect to pay for every day items: bowl of noodles – 5 RMB (50p), large beer – 5RMB (50p), 10 minute taxi ride – 10RMB (£1), 30 minute massage 40RMB (£4), cinema ticket -60RMB (£6), a tailor made suit – 500RMB (£50).

Yes, and we would encourage you to explore this beautiful country! Many of our teachers use weekends and public holidays to venture to other parts of China, as well as countries such as Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia. Domestic flights are inexpensive, trains are numerous, and high speed services connect large cities.

As a guide, you can expect to pay the following prices:

One night in a mid range hotel – 350RMB, train from Ningbo to Shanghai – 220RMB, flight from Shanghai to Hong Kong – 800RMB.

Learn more about Travel in China.

Most contracts require 20-25 teaching hours, as well as some office hours. This will be stipulated in a contract.

Our partner schools are located across China and Hong Kong, including Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Shenyang, Foshan, Hangzhou and Guangzhou, to name just a few cities.

In your initial interview with us you will be asked if you have any preferences, or if there particular places you do not want to teach in. You will also be asked for any preferences you have regarding the age group of students you would ideally like to teach.

We work with a variety of institutions, including public kindergarten, middle and high schools, universities, as well as private language centres for small children right through to adults.

The monthly salary at private language centres tend to be a little higher, but the hours are longer. Teachers at private language centres might be asked to help with student marketing and recruitment activities, and be paid bonuses when certain performance targets are met.

Public schools tend to pay a salary of approximately RMB7000-8000 per month, and will provide simple accommodation. The teaching hours are usually around 20 per week, with minimal office hours. They can offer a less pressured teaching environment.

Many partner schools will provide a free teacher apartment located close to the school, and if not, a living allowance. The accommodation is likely to be much more basic than what you might be used to, but it will be clean and safe. Should you want to live somewhere slightly more luxurious, as you will be paid a good wage you will be able to add a little of your salary to your accommodation allowance to privately rent a better apartment. Learn more about accommodation.

English is the subject in highest demand, therefore most schools require English teachers. However, you should never put your skills to waste- for example if you’re a history graduate, you could try teaching English through the medium of history! You could mention your subject passions in your initial interview with a school, as they may wish to utilise your skills.

Most private language centres will have at least a couple of other English teachers working for them. Public schools are less likely to have a large community of teachers, but some have a few.

Where possible we will try to link you up with a teacher currently working at the school, or a former teacher. We also encourage our partner schools to facilitate prospective teachers meeting other teachers. Most large Chinese cities have big ex-pat communities, and you will easily meet other English teachers in ex-pat restaurants, bars and sports teams.

The vast majority of locals are very welcoming and friendly towards foreigners in China, and the society in general is very safe due to its collectivist outlook. However, common sense and taking precautions should still be applied as you would in any foreign country. We would also strongly recommend that you arrange an appointment with your travel nurse before you travel to China.

For UK applicants, please see advice on gaining travel insurance from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website.

There are many insurance policies and companies to choose from and Opportunity China has partnered with one broker that specialises in long stay worldwide policies. To find out more please visit the travel insurance section of our website.

You should print out at least two copies of your policy, and keep one copy in your hand luggage. Ensure that you have noted the emergency contact number stated on the policy.

Before signing a contract, it is very important to carefully consider your own personal situation and understand that you will be committed to working for a school for an entire year.

If unavoidable personal circumstances occur then we suggest that you address the situation in a professional, polite and understanding manner. This is likely to result in a better outcome.

If you break your contract it is very normal to forfeit certain elements of a contract, such as reimbursed flights, accommodation, and any end of contract bonus.

Please apply online. If your application has been successful a member of our team will contact you within 3 working days to arrange an initial telephone or skype interview with our Director. The purpose of this conversation is for us to learn more about you, as well as any particular requirements you have.

Should this conversation go well, you’ll be contacted within 2 working days to inform you that you have been successful. We will then begin to send you potential positions to look at immediately if you wish to travel to China ASAP, or 8-10 weeks before your preferred start date.

If you wish to be put forward for an interview we will liaise with the school to find a mutually convenient time. A school will usually make a decision within 3-4 working days, and either Opportunity China will communicate this decision to you or the school will email you directly.

Read our full Application Process.

As with any job you apply for, it’s a good idea to tailor your CV for that job. Remember that a potential future employer who will read your CV may not be a native English speaker, so try to make your educational history and any relevant teaching or training experience very clear.

Read our CV Writing Guide.

Read our skype interview and teaching demo guidance document.

It is very important that you please note that your contract is signed between yourself and your employer (the school), not with Opportunity China. The contract should be signed prior to the visa application process starting.

The contract should be a thorough document noting the conditions of your salary, working hours, teaching hours per week, students per class, accommodation provision (if relevant), visa provision, medical insurance (if relevant), flight reimbursement (if relevant), conditions regarding overtime, and terms of the employer release letter.

Please review the contract very carefully when you receive it; if you feel that anything is missing or incorrect then you should raise this before signing it. Many contracts impose various fines should you break its clauses, so if something is not clear or you do not agree then the contract should not be signed.

Before signing a contract, it is very important to review your own personal situation and understand you are making a promise to your future students and employer that you are committed to work for them for the entire year.

If you are unsure about the position, do not sign a contract. It is expensive for a school to apply for a Z visa and foreign expert permit. Once a contract has been signed and all required documents submitted, the school will begin the visa application process.

We strongly advise that you do not purchase a plane ticket until your visa arrives at your home as any delays may mean you need to rebook your ticket, which could result in very high administration fees.

For a flexible ticket we recommend that you book your flight via a travel agent, who can clearly communicate the conditions of a particular ticket to you.

If you are just booking a one-way flight, and no flexibility is needed, we suggest you look at websites such as skyscanner.org, kayak.org or lastminute.com to get the best priced flight available.

Yes, you can read our Pre-Departure Guidance document.