While moving overseas is a perfect formula for making money and a change of scenery and lifestyle, you cannot find a foothold without having a degree in many European countries of Asia and Latin America. This is because teaching in a local school is very different than teaching in an international school, as you are mostly teaching non-English speakers.
Not only that, it takes lengthy research, loads of time and the right qualifications to land the job abroad that your Instagram posts must approve of.
In short, it depends on the qualifications you have and where you want to teach, as every Government around the world has its own license and regulatory rules. This means that as every country sets its own standards to teach in international schools, you may be allowed to teach in one country and not in another.
Again, some qualifications are more of a problem than others, as they include diplomas that are either short in duration or not obtained from a University or are obtained without a bachelor’s degree. The Ministry of Education for the Middle East, for example, says that your degree must match exactly with your teaching subject.
Admittedly, while there is a never-ending shortage of trained teachers, a number of new options have emerged to allow these trained personnel to teach abroad, providing they have the required qualification experience before they are granted a visa.
Earning an online education degree and teacher training is also considered to be another potential minefield as those teachers who have these qualifications will have to look at other locations, rather than their preferred one. This is because some Middle East countries do not recognize certain online universities, while others do not consider online teacher training valid.
That said, Government policies change with passing times and teachers can teach in a country with their qualifications. Secondly, you may get employment in a school that has a less restrictive license and finds a loophole to hire you without obtaining any prior approval. We do not recommend this last path as it may make your medical insurance invalid and increase the risk of deportation.
The bottom line is that even though a growing number of countries require a university degree to qualify for a teaching visa, there are still some amazing ways to land a job, especially as an English teacher without having a degree.
Some Asian countries like China, Vietnam and Japan do have strict visa requirements, but there are other great places where you can find a dream job. Russia, Cambodia and Mexico are some of the top destinations where you can teach English even if you have just passed out from college.
Finally, you can opt for online teaching. It may not take you to distant places, but you can earn a good wage from anywhere without the hassles of obtaining a visa. A TEFL certificate, laptop, webcam and a reliable internet is all that you need to get going.
