Application Requirements for Teaching English in Korea

You MUST be a native English speaker to teach English in Korea - English being your first spoken language

People with ‘very mild accents’ may still be eligible; however, you will need to provide supporting documentation which verifies you have completed your education in English since grade 7 and onwards and within one of the 7 designated English speaking countries outlined by the Korean Ministry of Justice (Immigration).

Nationality

You MUST have citizenship and a valid passport from one of the following English speaking countries.
Australia, Britain, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, United States

You must have a bachelors level degree, or greater, from an accredited university or college - all majors and disciplines are accepted (BA’s, BFA’s, BED’s, BBA’s, BSS, etc.). Please Note: The university or college you attended must reside within 1 of the 7 countries listed in the Nationality section above. Example: An American citizen who graduated from a university in Spain is not eligible for a work visa with Gone2Korea’s schools and programs.

Haven’t graduated yet? Teachers who are in the process of completing their university degree (bachelors or greater) can apply for jobs with Gone2Korea before they’ve obtained their degree & diploma (certain conditions apply).

No Degree? There’s one teaching program in Korea that accepts applicants who haven’t completed their bachelor’s level degree. In order to qualify for this program you need to have a college certificate, or some university courses, or other teaching related credentials. Please refer to the Talk Program page for details.

Although it is possible for immigration to grant visa issuance numbers to candidates with blemishes on their background report; it is up their discretion; therefore, Gone2Korea strongly advises that all applicants should have a clean criminal abstract (e.g. no charges, arrests or convictions can appear on your criminal record check).

Note: Traffic violations (e.g. speeding tickets, parking tickets, etc.) will not affect your application.

Drinking and driving related offenses (DUI’s, DWI’s, etc.) are not minor offenses. We regret to inform applicants with drinking and driving related charges that your application will not be accepted.

Refer to our Background Checks page for proper details and related links.

As a teacher you will be required to have good physical and mental health. If you have any health problems please inform the Gone2Korea representative that you are working with. It’s not impossible to obtain employment with minor health problems, although it’s important to let the schools know in advance so they are aware of any potential problems that may affect your responsibilities as a teacher. Please be advised: All teachers are required to submit a Korean Immigration Health Questionnaire before securing their visa. Secondly, all teachers are required to complete a health check at a designated medical clinic in Korea upon arrival. If you falsify the information on your health questionnaire in order to secure the visa, then immigration will find out when you complete the real health examination in Korea. If this happens then your visa will be revoked and you will be forced to leave the country at your own expense.

Note: Anyone with a virus in their system (STD’s, STI’s, other) that’s potentially transferrable to others (students or the general population) is automatically screened by Korean Immigration.

Teaching overseas is a ‘social job’ that requires certain character traits to be effective. Having an outgoing, friendly and open mind will greatly increase your chances of securing a great job in Korea.

Documentation

To secure a work visa all teachers will need to provide the proper documentation to teach in Korea. Note: You can apply and begin the process before you’ve managed to secure all of the documents.

Gone2Korea does not have age restriction policies but the fact is many Korean employers do. The education offices in Korea (public schools) currently have a 60 year age limit on teachers; however, candidates over 50 will require a related major or formal teaching experience in order to be accepted. We apologize in advance to those who don’t qualify.

Private schools don’t have specific age requirements but the fact is most schools will only consider younger teachers - primarily between the ages of 22 - 35. We do our best to accommodate as many candidates as possible in this sector but as recruiters we’re limited to the hiring practices and demands of the schools. Note: Gone2Korea charges schools the same recruitment fee regardless of the candidate’s age.

Again, age restrictions have nothing to do with Gone2Korea policies - we’re third party recruiters, not employers.