Primary Teaching Jobs Abroad

Teaching Primary Abroad

Are you a qualified primary school teacher that is looking for a new teaching role abroad? If so, the possibilities are endless. Whether you decide to teach children in a private school in Thailand or a remote village in China, the opportunities for teaching primary abroad are plentiful. Even if you don’t hold years’ worth of experience, you still stand a very good chance of landing an attractive teaching job - as long as you make up for this in other areas - such as holding a Postgraduate Certificate in Education, or simply a Bachelor's Degree.

Ultimately, the specific eligibility requirements that you will need to meet will depend on a number of variables. For example, while locations such as Hong Kong and the US have very high requirements, regions in South East Asia and South America are more open to taking on primary school teachers that fall short in a particular area - especially when it comes to experience.

If you’re keen to find out more about what teaching Primary abroad entails, then be sure to read on!

Qualifications to teach Primary abroad

If you’re looking for a solid teaching career abroad, then it’s likely that you will need to hold the required academic credentials. First and foremost, this will include a conventional Bachelor’s Degree at a minimum - with some schools going one step further and asking for a Master’s Degree. If your career move is going to take you to an established education system in the first-world, then you will also need to hold a postgraduate diploma such as the UK’s PGCE. 

On the other hand, certain countries in regions such as South East Asia will still consider your application if you don’t hold a PGCE. However, not only will you still need to hold at least a Bachelor’s Degree, but you'll likely miss out on some of the more prestigious jobs found in international schools.

Experience required to teach Primary abroad

Whether or not you need to hold experience will depend on the school in question. For example, while public schools in China and Vietnam will usually take you on without any prior experience, this won’t be the case in other regions such as Australia, the US, or Singapore.

As such, your expectations - especially regarding salaries, should mirror that of your prior teaching experience. If a school does ask for it, then this will need to be at least 1-3 years’ worth.

Where is the best place to teach Primary abroad?

With Primary school teachers now in short supply on pretty much a global basis, your chosen destination is potentially down to you. For example, do you see yourself teaching at a primary school in the hustle and bustle of Beijing, or potentially a location more congruent to your natural surroundings, such as the US. The choice is yours!

Will I need a visa to teach Primary abroad?

Unless you are looking to take on a more casual TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) based role, you will need a work permit to teach Primary abroad. The specific requirements for this will depend on your chosen destination. In some cases, you can apply for this independently, while in others, you’ll need to get your new employer to do this for you.