Beginning as an International Teacher

What's Included on this page:

Finding Jobs

Finding a job abroad can feel overwhelming, like a dream always out of reach. However, getting a job teaching abroad does not have to be terrifying.

It takes a lot of time, research, and knowledge to find a teaching job abroad at an international school, but it is worth it.

We found our first school placement through Search Associates. They are one of the top recruiting agencies for international teachers. International Schools Services offers similar opportunities for teachers looking to move abroad to international schools. You can find more options on our FAQ page!

Begin your search early. If you have teaching credentials in your home country and a bachelor's degree in your subject area, you are qualified for most international schools (more on that below). Most international schools and recruiters (like SA or ISS) begin filling their spots in early- to mid-October.

However! If it is later than October, do not panic. We did not start looking for positions until mid-February, and we did not receive a position until mid-March. The later you apply, the fewer positions you'll have available, but it is not impossible to find somewhere. We did not care where we went, so we were able to accept any offer that came to us. Most of the available offers were in China or the UAE when we started looking. If you have somewhere specific in mind, start early!

What to Prepare

When you find a recruiting agency you'd like to go with, they'll (obviously) ask for information from you. This can include things such as your basic information, a link to your LinkedIn profile, areas you are able to teach, and when your availability begins.

You'll be asked to enter every address you've had for the past 10 years, any and all teaching experiences, your educational experiences and teaching credentials, and an autobiography (just a few paragraphs).

SA and ISS both require references from people who have seen you teach and from your current principal(s). Factor in the amount of time it will take to obtain these references before you start your process, since your account is not active and you cannot apply to positions (or even search them) until you are approved.

The best candidates for international teaching positions are those with a teaching certificate from their country of residence, multiple years of experience, and experience with different types of curriculum. Most international schools prefer candidates with international experience and experience with Common Core Curriculum, IB Curriculum, and/or UK Curriculum.

The curriculum you teach varies depending on where you are. International schools sometimes follow a specific curriculum or blend curricula together. Showing you can teach and plan in a variety of curricula (A Levels, Australian National, Canadian, GCSE, IB CP, IB Diploma, IB MYP, IB PYP, IGCSE, IMYC, Inquiry Based Learning, IPC, Montessori, Ireland, New Zealand, Reggio Emilia, Scottish, UK Early, UK Primary, UK Secondary, US AP, US Common Core, Victorian Certificate, WIDA, etc.) makes you a more promising candidate.

To make your international teacher profile stand out, consider the following:

Have experience in one or more of the curriculum above
Have experience teaching for several years
Upload an easy-to-read, detailed CV/résumé
Upload official PDF copies of all college/university transcripts (and send them in for an Apostille before you begin applying for jobs to cut down on wait time)
Upload an official, Apostille version of a criminal background check (if you can do the Apostille early, it will save you time when you get a job)
Upload teaching credentials (teaching licenses, certifications, registration cards, etc.)
Add supporting documents such as a statement of your teaching philosophy

You'll want to make sure your LinkedIn page is up-to-date with supporting documents uploaded (for example, upload your transcripts or a copy of your diploma to your university experience, upload your teaching license to your teaching experience, etc.)

Making Your Teaching Website

If you plan on attending any job fairs, this is a must. At the top of your CV/résumé, add a link to your teaching website. Add a link in your LinkedIn profile as well.

A teaching website should include the following:

Statement of teaching philosophy
Sample lesson plans
Clickable CV/résumé
Introductory Video (~1-2 minutes)
Pictures from your classroom(s) and student(s)
Links to your LinkedIn, recruiter profile, other websites, etc.

You can include things on your website such as contact information, statements from students or parents, a list of goals or plans to improve yourself, reflections on your growth as a teacher, evidence of collaboration, etc.

Think of your teaching website as a digital portfolio where you keep the best examples of who you are, what you teach, how you teach, why you teach, and how you view teaching in an international and multicultural setting. You don't need to put every lesson plan you've ever written in your teaching website. Select the ones that best showcase who you are as a teacher.

When linking your lesson plans, add a quick 1-2 sentence summary at the top. You might say something like, "Below is a 3-day lesson plan for 50-minute periods that focuses on multicultural reading, differentiation for English Language Learners, and independent learning." Remember, recruiters are looking at hundreds of applicants from around the world. If you're at a job fair, they may meet with several hundred people a day. Make your website easy to scan and read, and use key words recruiters are looking for.

Instead of a summary (or along with one), you may also elect to use different tags with your lesson plans. For example, you could write, "3-day lesson plan, 50-minutes, multicultural reading, ELL support, independent research." These just help recruiters scan for what you're interested in as a teacher. If your tags or summary interest them, then they may take the time to scan or read through your lesson plan to get a feel for how your lessons are run.

Getting Ready for an Offer

In international schools, your word is your bond. If you interview with a school and they make you an offer, once you say "yes," you are bound to finish your commitment, even though you have not yet seen a contract or signed it. If a school makes you an offer, it is best to ask them how long you have to decide, if you can see a sample contract, and any questions you may have. Take some time to make a decision before agreeing. In many cases, where you agree to work will be for 1 to 5 years. Be sure you will be comfortable at the school.

Outside of job fairs, you may apply for a job and hear back anywhere from that day to a month later. You might have an interview (or two or three), and wait several weeks to hear if you have the job.

However, at job fairs, recruiting agencies like SA or ISS encourage schools to make decisions within the fair's time frame. Generally, this means you'll have an interview (day 1), possibly a second-round interview (day 2), possibly a third-round interview (day 2 or 3), and an offer quickly. If you are an experienced educator, you may find yourself with a lot of interviews and offers within just a few days, and you can start to feel overwhelmed.

Check out our guide for choosing a position to learn about the questions you might ask to make your decision easier.

The longest part about getting a position at an international school is the visa process. However, you can prepare for this process before you apply to jobs or recruiters, even!

Here's what you can do to prepare for offers:

Check that your passport is up-to-date and will not expire for several years. If you need to, start the renewal process immediately (normally 10-12 weeks)
Get a federal background check, and have it authenticated with Apostille (normally 12-14 weeks)
Have all copies of diplomas and transcripts authenticated with Apostille (normally 1-2 weeks)
Get letters from your doctor(s) with your prescriptions, the dosages, and the reasons why you have them (some countries will refuse certain medications, so begin talking to your doctor about switching to one accepted by your county/countries of travel)
Have 7-10 passport-style photos taken by a professional (Walmart, Walgreens, CVS, etc.) and keep them ready

Getting these steps done in advance (and checking other visa requirements, such as health checks, police background checks, drug tests, etc.) can speed along the process. Often, a school will offer you a position, and then they will have to wait about 14-16 weeks for you to get all of your documentation together. Starting early gives you an advantage and takes away a lot of stress.

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