Teaching Requirements

So I am strongly considering moving to Taiwan so I can have a go at teaching. Having visited a few years back and fallen in love with the place it has always been in the back of my head that I’d like to return.

I have had some experience teaching children in the past (math tutor when I was younger) and I can probably track down the teachers whom I had worked under for references. My only problem is that my education level is that of a 3 year business diploma and NOT a bachelors degree. I plan on taking the TESOL course but I’m not sure if that will be enough.

Is this basically a deal breaker for me?

It’s not necessarily a deal breaker. I don’t know what a “business diploma” is, but the official rule here is that you can have either 1) a Bachelor’s Degree OR 2) an Associate’s Degree + TEFL Certificate. It seems like your diploma might fit into the second category, since an Associate’s Degree is only two year’s worth of study.

I was able to get a work permit, resident visa and ARC with an AA and a CELTA.

I think that might be it, but I have not heard an “associate degree” before (is it American?). Basically I did a 2 year community college program with an optional third year. Unfortunately all of the ads I’ve seen ask for bachelors only. Is that just employers trying to set a high bar or will it actually hinder me in finding work?

Yup, your schooling is the equivalent of an Associate’s degree in the States. FWIW, I have seen schools give people grief for not having a Bachelor’s.

Unless it’s changed, the rule is for you to get a work visa teaching English in a cram school, you need to have a passport from a list of English speaking countries and a bachelors degree in any field from a university that the Taiwanese government recognizes. To teach in an elementary, jr or sr high, your degree needs to be in education OR you need to be a certified teacher in your home country.

I’ve never heard of them accepting an Associates + TEFL cert. Working under the table, however, anything goes.

[quote=“CraigTPE”]Unless it’s changed, the rule is for you to get a work visa teaching English in a cram school, you need to have a passport from a list of English speaking countries and a bachelors degree in any field from a university that the Taiwanese government recognizes. To teach in an elementary, jr or sr high, your degree needs to be in education OR you need to be a certified teacher in your home country.

I’ve never heard of them accepting an Associates + TEFL cert. Working under the table, however, anything goes.[/quote]
From buxiban.com:

The following three criteria must be met for you to qualify for legal employment as a foreign English teacher here:

[i]1. Be a native English speaker from a native English speaking country as determined by a passport from one of the following countries: Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, United Kingdom and the United States. These are the only countries that the government of Taiwan recognizes as native English speakers for the purposes of teaching English in Taiwan.

  1. Meet the following minimum education requirements:

a) Bachelor’s degree or above in any discipline from a tertiary institution recognized by the Taiwan government; or

b) An associate’s diploma plus a TEFL / TESOL certification. The problem is determining which diplomas and with certifications are acceptable by the government. (Admin - Please have a look at this thread for important information regarding this option.)

  1. Be willing and able to sign a minimum of a one-year contract [/i]

Again, the problem is that different immigration officials will have different interpretations of the rules. My AA is from a state university in the US, so checking it’s validity and accreditation was not a problem. It’s true that with only an AA you cannot work at a public school and are largely limited to cram schools – but the fact is it is still LEGAL and possible to teach in Taiwan without a Bachelor’s.

Many employers seem to be unaware of this rule. However, in all the interviews I’ve been to I have never had any issues about my qualifications. Once an employer understands that an AA is enough for the work permit and ARC, they are willing to accept it.

All the ads on Tealit specify “Bachelor’s” simply because “Associate’s” isn’t on the list. You can continue to apply for jobs, but be very clear about the qualifications you do have. I would even suggest contacting buxiban.com. They were very helpful when I was going through the process of applying for my work permit/resident visa.