Student Teachers

Did you know the opportunities to teach and travel are incredible? You can now teach your subject in one of over 7,000 English-language international schools across the world. 

International schools are constantly looking for enthusiastic, skilled, qualified English-speaking teachers. Most teachers are recruited from the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and the USA. As a teaching graduate, once you have completed your Newly Qualified Teacher year, the possibilities to teach anywhere are almost limitless!

Many international schools follow the National Curriculum of England. Others follow an American curriculum and an increasing number follow an international curriculum. Exams range from A Levels and GCSEs to IB Diploma, IGCSEs and others. Many international schools lead the world in their pedagogy and learning facilities.

Contracts are typically two or three years, with a chance for renewal or the opportunity to move to another international school in another country. There are currently over 350,000 teachers working internationally in this way, and so could you!

How to start your international teaching career:

• Sign up to the TIC GradHub email newsletter and LinkedIn page now which will keep you updated on all the latest news, jobs, advice, experiences from teachers and much more.

• Complete your NQT (Newly Qualified Teacher) year in your home country. There are now a few opportunities to complete your NQT in a number of British International Schools but the opportunities are limited.

• Get one or two years of teaching experience in  your home country. This will put you in the best position for your international job opportunities – many reputable international schools require this.

• Start exploring the opportunities in international schools about 12-18 months before you want to make the move.

• Think about the region of the world that you might want to work in. Do you want to be fairly close to home for your first international job?  Try to be open-minded about your location choice. If you set your heart on working in Vienna, for example, your chances will be very limited indeed. Expatriate websites like Expat Arrivals give great insight into living in other countries.

• Register with a reputable recruitment organisation (such as TIC). This should be a completely free service for you. 

• Select an organisation that knows the international schools market well. TIC specialises in international school recruitment only. This means you will have support from people who know the schools and school leaders, who know the visa requirements and logistics, who understand the skills and expectations required, who can guide you on all the opportunities and prepare you well for the challenges that you’ll face along the way.

• When you are actively job-hunting, register early in the school year. Some of the best international schools start their recruitment process in December. The sooner you are registered, the better the options and the more chance you will have of finding a great job.

• And do get in touch, if you want any advice. We are here to help.

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