What Requirements are there to Teach English in Taiwan in 2024?
Updated 2/21/2024
Trying to find out how you can teach English in Taiwan? Learn the accurate and latest information about what you need to be an English teacher in Taiwan in 2024, including details about education, recognized universities, nationalities, criminal background checks, being hired directly, using a recruiter, bushibans, and more.
The vast majority of jobs teaching English in Taiwan are in after-school study centers for elementary school students called "cram schools", or bushibans. You can easily find jobs either full- or part-time across EVERY location in Taiwan. List of Jobs in Taiwan for English Teachers.
What Qualifications Do You Need to Be Able to Be an English Teacher in Taiwan?
To be hired you must be at least 20 years old, hold a passport from a country with English as an official language, a clean criminal background check and a bachelor's degree from a recognized university (links below). Monthly salaries range from US$2,100 up to US$3,900.
How to Get Hired to Teach English in Taiwan in 2024
Let's look in depth at the requirements to teach English in Taiwan in 2024.
1.) You must be at least 20 years old.
2.) Hold a passport from a country with English as an official language.
3.) Hold a bachelor's degree from a recognized university. (Links below)
4.) Have a clean criminal background check.
1.) You must be at least 20 years old.
Clear enough that, eh? :)
2.) Hold a passport from a country with English as an official language.
There is a greater demand to learn from native speakers with accents from the USA, Canada, the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.
Here is a list of all the countries (63) that in 2024 are designated in Taiwan as having English as the Official language for the purposes of getting hired as an English Teacher in Taiwan.
3.) Hold a bachelor's degree from a recognized university.
Any major is acceptable.
Here is a list of all recognized schools and universities for teaching English in Taiwan in 2024. Be sure to check if yours is there.
North & South America | Europe | Oceania | Africa | Asia Source
By and large, if your degree is from any of the main state schools in your country, chances are your school is on the list.
And, even if you're a graduate of a smaller school, it's likely there, too! :)
If your school is NOT on the list, the rules are that your bachelor's degree MAY still be acceptable if you can get it recognized by the Taiwan embassy in your country. This is not EASY to do, but possible. I saw it done with two different teachers from South Africa whose universities had merged with other schools.
It is legal to be hired to be hired to teach English in Taiwan holding an associate's degree, but in that case you must also have a TEFL or a TESL. And, your school must as well be on the list above.
At the same time, it may not be as easy to get hired as an associate's degree holder + TEFL / TESL.
4.) Have a clean criminal background check.
For Americans this will be an FBI fingerprint-based check. These take up to three months or LONGER to process if you just mail it in.
To speed things up, you can use a fee-based expediter. Here is a list of FBI-approved expediters.
Where I work in Taipei City I have personally helped American teachers get into positions who have used the first one on the list, Acccurate Biometrics. They were fast, efficient and reasonably priced.
Teachers I've helped from Canada, the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand were all able to get their background checks in a pretty timely manner directly from their respective authorities without needing to use expediters.
Requirements to Teach English in Taiwan in 2024!
Once you've gotten the items above you'll be ready to start your job search!
There is no need to use a recruiter to Teach English in Taiwan in 2024 - it's VERY easy to be hired directly, and most teachers do. Your bushibans will help you with every step, right down to airport pickup and help finding housing in many cases.
Also, it's good to know that older teachers and retired teachers are always welcome.
Most teachers will arrive as tourists and, while visiting decide to take any of the many full- and part-time jobs on offer. Once you decide, bushibans are usually able to move quickly enough so that your visitor visa can be converted into a resident visa for the purposes of work.
There are several famous chain bushibans with WELL over 200 branches across every part of Taiwan. Many people Teaching English in Taiwan for the first time will choose a position at one of the major chains.
At the same time, many teachers will come over at the recommendation of friends to take great jobs at many of the smaller chain bushibans or schools that that their friends here are already working at. Some schools may be just as large as a SINGLE school in one city.
I worked at a school that had been in existence for 50 years, but had JUST one location. It was really wonderful because many of the parents of the students had themselves attended the school. While the school owners could probably have taken the idea nationwide, they were happy with their school as it was.
And, happiness is what you ll find teaching English and living in Taiwan in 2024! The jobs are plentiful. The cost of living is low. Salaries are high relative to the cost of living, and with the EXTENSIVE, clean, reliable public transport as well as the world-class low-cost health care, its REALLY easy to start SAVING money. Finally, the people in Taiwan are warm and welcoming. There's no better place to be!
