Adult bushibans in the Taipei area?

Work Teaching English in Taiwan
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Hello everybody

I run a small exam-preparation academy principally for uni students in Southern Spain, and I’m worried that the virus will decimate what is an already precarious market.

So, I am considering other options. What I’d like to know is roughly how many bushibans exist in Taipei that cater to a similar market (university students and older - I’ve been in this business for years, and have studiously avoided teaching children, and I don’t intend to start now), and if possible, concentrate on exam preparation. Any contact details/links would be greatly appreciated.

Do they exist? Are they common? Average hourly rate? etc.

I found this link here on Forumosa, but it’s five years old and seems far from exhaustive; Review: Adult ESL Schools

Thanks for your help.

*edit. I should perhaps add that the reason I’m looking into Taipei is that I am married to a Taiwanese, which, I hope, should make any paperwork a little easier.

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I hope you are aware that only Taiwanese and residents are allowed to enter the country. This pandemic preventive measures are in place until at least may 31.
Unless you are planning to do online courses.

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Are you looking to run your own cram school or work for one? Pay rates for teaching adults vary wildly depending upon qualifications, experience, and contacts - from 500NT an hour at the lowest. I just turned down 1500NT an hour to teach IELTS preparation. Average for conversation classes is about 700NT. There are loads of cram schools around Taipei Main Station and everywhere else for that matter.

Being married gives you open work rights assuming you have a Joint Family Resident Visa. If you have one already you can enter Taiwan now if you can get a flight. You’ll be quarantined for two weeks upon arrival.

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1500NT$ is very good money considering the low tax rate and living expenses but I am guessing that is not block hours.

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It was only two hours a week.

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$1500 is a nice chunk of cash. Most private students are only willing to pay $600 to 700 an hour but they are too flaky so I don’t bother anymore. GVO is still at $500 or so and Gjun is $600 I believe. The pay seems to be very low at adult cram schools.

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I’d have taken it but the hours clashed with my full time gig.

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Of course I am aware. I’m looking at making the move at the end of the Summer, possibly.

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I won’t be making the move until after the Summer at the earliest, and I plan to work for a cram school, as opposed to run my own, at least initially.

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skin color matter too.

If you are Asian you will be offered 300 an hour for IELTS prep… if you are lucky.

If you have the wrong skin color, better to open a bushiban and hire people of the right skin color to do your marketing.

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300 for ielts might be a bit exaggerating… did you really get an offer like that? I taught grade school students for a higher price when I was in college.

I heard that 地球村 offers 350 per hour. Lowest pay I’ve heard so far. but I doubt any native speakers would take that offer.

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Probably exaggerating but in the bushiban world skin color matters more than qualification. I mean basically if you are Asian, expect to have a PhD in English Literature from Harvard if you want the same wage as a white person who has BA with TESOL from University of Phoenix.

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Well, I have a story that might make you feel better. Got a British friend in japan who took a test for the jyuku (similar to bushiban) job he was applying for. He didn’t get the job because he spelled “color” wrong. He spelled “colour”. I guess he being white didn’t help him with that :joy:

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The GVO near me offers 490 an hour, or 510 if you have a North American accent LOL. That’s the lowest rate I’ve ever heard of. There’s a branch chancing its arm at 350? Wouldn’t surprise me.

There are benefits to teaching at GVO and I understand the reasoning behind the decision to work for them. Not at 350, though.

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350 could be just for local teachers. Or maybe my information is just old.

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I don’t know if these comments are aimed at me or not, but I am a whitey and I spell it as “colour”. I also say “nuclear” and “aluminium” correctly :wink:

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What’s the benefit of working at GVO? More stable hours, bonus, perks?

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I googled. A post on 1111 offers the English teacher in yunlin/jiayi 350-370 per hour. This is just sad :cry:

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Rock up and teach.

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Wow! Stuck in Yunlin and earning SFA.

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