ESL China: Where do we go from here? Whatever you’re looking for we have the (non-Chinese) company for you.

BY CLAUDIA JACKSON

With the imminent collapse of online ESL in China, many teachers are looking for opportunities with companies based outside China. Though they tend to be smaller, less visible, and harder to find than their Chinese counterparts, and it’s true that the rates of pay tend to be lower, there are still some good companies out there! Let`s have a look at a few of them today.

First things First

In the current climate, with thousands of teachers going for the same jobs, it`s more important than ever to stand out from the crowd.

A professional-looking, eye-catching CV is the first step to landing an interview. As well as listing your relevant qualifications and experience, including a great photo and any relevant information that will make you stand out. There are a number of online templates that will help you build the perfect CV. Check out resume.io Canva and picmonkey
A TEFL certificate is a great investment that will open many doors in your teaching career as most reputable schools require one. For online teaching most employers require a minimum 120-hour accredited course. Try this one from TEFL INTERNATIONAL
Most online ESL companies want a brief introductory video so have yours prepared in advance. Check out these tips on how to make a great video.
Cast your net wide. Due to the situation in China, many non-Chinese companies are saturated right now and may even be on a hiring freeze, so now is not the time to be fussy. You can always apply again when things settle down.

Below are a range of companies with different application requirements, students, class types and pay rates, including platforms where you plan your own lessons and set your own rates and those where materials and bookings are provided by the company.

Hopefully, you will find something that is perfect for you!

NIL English

A small company based in South Korea that provides mostly conversational classes in 10-minute increments.

Students Kids and adults from 6-70 years
Requirements Native speaker from the USA or Canada. Bachelor’s degree (or working towards). TEFL certificate. Experience teaching children.
Pay $1.50 per 10 minutes ($9 per hour) rising to $2.50 per 10 minutes after a few months ($15 per hour)

To apply to NIL English click here

Cambly

Based in the US, Cambly provides one on one video classes and focuses on conversation practice. Students can talk for as long as they want in increments of 10 minutes.

Students Kids and adults from all over the world.
Requirements Native speaker from the United States, Canada, UK, Ireland, South Africa, Australia, or New Zealand. No previous experience, degree or TEFL required, though for teaching kids experience is preferred.
Pay Adults: $0.17 per minute ($10.20 per hour) Kids: $0.20 per minute ($12 per hour).

To apply to Cambly click here

Outschool

Looking for a change from teaching English? With Outschool you can create your own classes and teach whatever you like. Great for teachers with expertise or skills in niche areas.

Students Kids aged 3-18 from all over the world.

Requirements Teachers must be over 18 and from the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, or the UK. No degree or teaching experience necessary. Background check required.

Pay Teachers create their own lessons, set their own rates, and get paid per student, not per class making it potentially very lucrative. Outschool take commission of 30%.

To apply to Outschool click here

Open English

The biggest online ESL company in Latin America. Open English provides lessons 24/7

- Students Adult individual or group classes. One to one Junior classes with kids aged 8-14. Open English “centers” provides group classes in centres all over Latin America.
- Requirements ESL professionals from North America with a TEFL and at least one years’ experience. Spanish or Portuguese language skills are a plus.

Pay Up to $15 per hour

To apply to Open English click here

Preply

Preply is a platform that teaches a range of languages to students from all over the world.

Students Mostly adults.
Requirements No degree, TEFL or teaching experience required.
Pay Teachers set their own rates but be aware that Preply take a sizable commission and you are in competition with a lot of other teachers so it’s important to price yourself competitively. The first (trial) lesson the company take 100% commission, so you are basically teaching for free. After that, commission is 33%, dropping to 18% the more you teach.

To apply to Preply click here

Italki

Italki provides a platform for teachers to connect with students from around the world for one-to-one lessons.

Students Mostly adults
Requirements Native/ C2 level of English. An accredited 120-hour TEFL certificate OR a degree in Teaching English as a Foreign language, OR a national or state teaching licence OR proof of employment at an English language institution.
Pay Italki teachers can set their own rates starting at $10 per hour. Italki charge 15% commission.

To apply to Italki click here

Starkid

A relatively new start up, Starkid is based in Hong Kong, so not subject to the new Chinese regulations. Bookings are made by the company at least 24 hours in advance.

Students Kids from 4-12 years

Requirements Native speaker with a neutral accent from US, Canada, UK. Bachelor’s degree. TESOL/ TEFL certificate and teaching experience,
Pay $10 per 30 minutes plus bonuses up to $25 per hour

To apply to Starkid click here

Novakid

With offices all over the world, Novakid provides all lesson materials on its platform. Lessons last 25 minutes.

Students. Children aged 4-12 years from all over the world including Russia, Poland, Turkey, Germany, and Spain.
Requirements Native speaker from USA, UK, Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa. Near native speakers with BA degree or higher. Minimum one year teaching experience. Online experience is a plus
Pay $5-16 per hour

To apply with Novakid click here

We`d love to hear about your experiences with any of these companies or any others we haven’t mentioned. Leave a comment below!