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Our guide to teaching with EPIK

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Requirements

Applicants wishing to teach on the public school program in Korea need to meet the following minimum entry requirements:

  • Passport holder of Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, UK or USA
  • Minimum education of Bachelor’s degree
  • Under 55 years of age
  • No criminal record
  • Be mentally and physically healthy

Application Process

How to apply for a teaching position with the public school (EPIK) program

Here is a brief rundown of how to apply for a public school position in South Korea.

STEP 1: Resume & Photo

Send your resume and photo to ESLstarter: jobs@eslstarter.com

STEP 2: Initial Application Documents

You need to send the following initial application documents to us by email so that we can schedule your interview:

  • Completed application form (which we will send to you).
  • 2 scanned letters of recommendation.
  • GPA (Grade Point Average or final degree score as a percentage).

About the application form

  • The application form must be typed.
  • All dates of your schooling (including elementary school) must be included.
  • The personal essay must be over 300 words and discuss your educational philosophy and why you would like to teach with the EPIK program in South Korea.

About the letters of recommendation

  • Initially, you need to scan two letters of recommendation.
  • These letters of recommendation must be from a professional or academic source.
  • Letters from co-workers, family members, relatives or friends are not acceptable.
  • The referee must state their relationship to you in the letter (e.g. direct manager, lecturer).
  • The letters of recommendation must be on company / organization headed paper.
  • Applicants who are currently working in Korea or worked in Korea in the past should submit at least one recommendation letter from previous employer in Korea.
  • The letters must include name, title, address, contact number and ink signature of your recommenders.

STEP 3: Interview

After you’ve submitted your initial application documents to us, you then have your interview.

About the interview

  • Interviews last for around 30 minutes and are with an EPIK coordinator.
  • Interviews will be conducted by phone or via video-conferencing.
  • The coordinator will ask you about why you want to teach in Korea and also be part of the EPIK program.
  • They may ask you what you know about the EPIK program.
  • They may ask you about what you feel the main differences would be between living in Korea and your home country.

We would usually have your result within 1 or 2 days of you having your interview

STEP 4: Mail Visa Documents

Once you’ve had your interview and if it is successful, the next stage is for you to mail your visa documents to ESLstarter.

Here is a checklist of the documents that you will need to prepare and send to ESLstarter:

  • An Apostilled photocopy of your original Bachelor's degree certificate PLUS photocopy of this document. If you are a Master’s degree holder, you must also send a photocopy of your MA degree certificate. The copy of your MA certificate does not need to be apostilled.
  • 2 Passport Photos (4cm X 3cm).
  • 2 Photocopies of the Picture Page of your passport and also, where applicable, photocopies of past E2 Visas.
  • 2 Original Letters of Recommendation (must be from a professional / academic source). These letters must be the original versions of the scans you sent initially. They must include name, title, address, contact number and ink signature of your recommender. They must be from two different sources and sent on official company headed paper.
  • Apostilled Original Criminal Record Check PLUS a photocopy of this document.
  • Original Signed Application Form PLUS a photocopy of this document (please ensure your form is signed in ALL the required places, including the consent form, medical assessment and survey. Also, please make sure to include your personal essay and personal medical assessment when sending your application form.)
  • One Sealed Set of University Transcripts (a breakdown of your Uni modular scores) - these must remain sealed in an official university envelope with the university stamp across the seal of the envelope. Where applicant has both a Bachelor's degree and a Master's degree, sealed transcripts for both degrees must be sent.
  • Proof of full-time teaching from institution with exact dates. This must be an original document with signature or stamp (where applicable).
  • Two Photocopies of TEFL/TESL/TESOL or CELTA certification (where applicable).
  • Two Copies of Teachers License or certificate (where applicable).

These documents need to be sent to ESLstarter via courier mail (UPS, Fedex etc.).

What to do if...

I'm from Canada where we don't use Apostille

  • In this case, you need to submit a Criminal Record Check notarized by your local Korean Consulate / Embassy.
  • Your check must include a Vulnerable Sector Search
  • Canadians who are currently residing in Korea do not have to submit a VSS
  • You need to attach a notary from the Korean Consulate / Embassy to the copy of your diploma

I have not yet graduated

  • You can submit a 'Letter of Expected Graduation' from your university home school office and then submit your Apostilled degree certificate as soon as you receive it. Your Letter of Expected Graduation does not need to be apostilled.
  • You must also initially send a set of sealed incomplete transcripts which cover all of the course modules you have studied so far and then submit the full final set of sealed transcripts as soon as you receive them.

Remind me about:

My signed recommendation letters

  • This must include the name, status, address, contact number and ink signature of the reference.

Proof of full-time teaching experience (where applicable)

  • Please include the name of the school or institute, address, and contact number in the header (official letterhead is preferred).
  • Exact dates must be provided and must state that you were a full-time teacher.
  • The proof of service letter must be dated after the end-date of your previous teaching contract.
  • Letters must be issued by the administrational office of the institution.
  • Letters from co-workers are not acceptable.
  • Proof of teaching must be an original document with signature or stamp (faxes, email and photocopies will not be accepted).
  • Previous contracts or visas are not accepted as proof.
  • Kindergarten or pre-school teaching will not be accepted.

Teaching English as a Second Language Certificate (e.g. TEFL / TESL / TESOL / CELTA (where applicable)

  • To qualify for a pay increase, your certificate must be at least 100 hours and this must be clearly stated on your certificate.
  • If the number of hours is not clearly stated on your certificate, please include some supporting documentation (an official, signed letter on headed paper from course provider stating number of hours)
  • CELTA certificates do not require proof of hours.

If you have any questions about the documents that are required to get your E2 visa, drop us a line at info@eslstarter.com and we will get right onto it!

STEP 5: Recommendation to POE

Once we receive your documents, you will then get recommended to your requested Provincial Office of Education.

The POE will then issue final approval and your Notice of Appointment.

We then mail you out your appointment package which consists of two contracts, your Notice of Appointment and some information about the orientation.

STEP 6: Appointment Package

You need to take your appointment package to your local Korean Embassy (or you can do it by mail) along with:

  • Visa application form (can be requested from ESLstarter)
  • Passport
  • 1 passport photo

You might be required to take more documents with you so please just call the Embassy first to double check.

They might also require you to have an interview (unlikely) so you can ask them about this too. Please be sure to tell them that you will be working for EPIK and that you have your appointment package.

The Consulate / Embassy will then put the visa into your passport which can take up to 5 working days from handing it in and then you are ready to go!

Download the Official EPIK pay-scale

Payscale_EPIK.doc (39KB)

How can I qualify for more pay with EPIK?

The best way to increase your salary is to take a TEFL / TESL/ TESOL or CELTA course.

If your course is over 100 hours, you will qualify as a Level 2 teacher which means a pay increase of either KRW200,000 or KRW100,000 per month.

What if I don’t have a TEFL certificate at the time I apply for a position but expect to receive one at a later date?

As long as you can have your 100+ hour TEFL / TESL / TESOL or CELTA certificate before you go to the orientation, you can still qualify for the higher salary.

When you apply, you can submit your Current Qualification and your Expected Qualification.

The Expected Qualification denotes the salary that you expect to receive with completed TEFL / TESL / TESOL or CELTA certificate.

For more information about how to enroll on the best value, fully accredited distance learning 120 online TEFL courses, visit: http://eslstarter.com/courses-get-tefl-certified.php

Download a sample EPIK contract

Find out about your duties, responsibilities and entitlements with the EPIK program with this sample contract.

Please note that this contract is a general contract and there is a slight possibility of variation between different POEs.

Download Sample Contract (PDF, 25MB)

Watch a sample EPIK video

FAQs

Find out what ESLstarter’s EPIK teachers have been asking about the program.

Although we've tried to cover as many previous questions as possible, I'm sure there are things that can be added so if you have any suggestions or questions, drop us a line at info@eslstarter.com and we will do our best to address them as quickly as possible!

Download a sample orientation schedule

Sample-orientation-schedule.pdf (674KB)

How much do I have to pay for ESLstarter’s service?

You don’t pay us anything. All our services to teachers are completely free.

What kind of salary and benefits can I expect from an EPIK position?

Salary varies according to experience, but public school teachers with EPIK make between 1.9 and 2.7 Million KRW per month. Please download the official pay scale which categorizes the various levels of salary. Rural and provincial allowance are added to basic salary depending on where you are placed.

Other benefits are plentiful and include free private apartment, airfare reimbursement, severance pay equal to one month’s salary, settlement allowance, medical insurance and 18 days of paid vacation plus around 12 Korean national holidays.

What is the housing like?

The housing is of a high standard. You will be provided with a private, furnished apartment, usually very close to the school. The accommodation includes TV (most with cable), washing machine, cooking facilities and utensils, shower, under-floor heating, air-con and queen size bed plus bedding. Internet access can also be provided and is super-fast.

If I have an F4 visa, do I still need to send my visa documents?

Yes, you will still need to send all of the required visa documents. In the case of an F4 visa, this is not an immigration requirement, rather a requirement of EPIK.

How does the flight reimbursement work?

EPIK teachers are given an entrance allowance of 1.3 Million KRW to cover the cost of the flight into Korea. This allowance will be paid to you within one month of arrival. You are entitled to this allowance even if you are already in Korea and starting a position with EPIK. Also this allowance is a flat rate and is paid to you regardless of how much your ticket costs.

When you finish your contract, you will receive an exit allowance of 1.3 Million KRW to cover the cost of your trip home. Again, this payment will be made regardless of the cost of your ticket and even if you decide to fly to a country other than the one you usually reside in.

Will somebody meet me at the airport?

Absolutely! You will be met by an EPIK representative as soon as you walk through the arrivals gate. Somebody from ESLstarter will also be there to meet you and take you to the orientation.

What happens at the orientation?

The orientation is a chance for you to get to know your fellow EPIK teachers. Around 600 teachers typically arrive with each in-take. The orientation includes Korean cultural tours, social events, performances, tips for adjusting to life in Korea, guides to effective lesson planning and much more. Orientations are always held at nice resort areas and represent a gentle ‘easing in’ to life in Korea!

To download a sample orientation schedule, please click here.

How will I get paid?

You will be paid monthly in local currency and into your Korean bank account. Being a government sponsored organization, one of the great things about working with EPIK is that pay is delivered on-time and in full every month.

How will I set up a Korean bank account?

Setting up a Korean bank account is very straightforward and somebody from your school will be on hand to make sure you get one started within a day or two of your arrival in your assigned province. It is also easy and cheap to send money home from Korea, a telex transfer costs around 15USD per transaction.

Can I get a cell-phone?

Yes! Usually, foreigners get set up with a prepaid service cell phone. You’d have a local number and can top your phone up with cards from local newsagents and supermarkets.

How much are monthly utility bills?

Thankfully, very cheap! Electricity, water and gas combined usually come to around 70,000KRW.

All Korean apartments have under-floor heating which makes them very snug in winter. Even with the air-con blasting away all summer, you’ll rarely pay more than 75,000KRW a month in bills.

My Korean isn’t what it used to be so how will I cope?!

Don’t worry. This really isn’t as much of a problem as it seems. Once you get out to Korea, you’ll find that the locals go out of their way to help foreigners.

Although English is not always widely spoken (especially in rural areas), a combination of hand-waving, sign language and sense of humor is almost always enough to get by. In the larger towns and cities, bus and train stations have signs in English whilst taxis also provide interpreter service.

Is it easy to meet other foreigners?

Another great thing about working for EPIK is that the orientation provides a great chance to establish contact and friendships with other foreign teachers who are in exactly the same boat. Also, such is the boundless Korean enthusiasm for learning English that even the smallest towns and villages have sizeable expat communities.

How will I be assigned a location?

When you fill out the application form, you need to list your five most preferred provinces in order of preference. The EPIK coordinators will then work to make sure you are allocated a position in the area you want. Your placement location will be confirmed at the orientation. Also, if you want to be placed with your partner or a friend, simply state this in your application and we will make sure you are working at schools very close together.

What will I teach?

This will differ according to school but you will be given plenty of guidance and assistance in preparing your lessons. This will be provided both at the orientation and be ongoing from when you arrive at your school. Also, when you are in class teaching, you will have a Korean co-teacher to assist.

Who do I go to if I have problems after I’ve arrived in Korea?

You can simply contact ESLstarter. We will be on hand to assist you whenever you need us. If you have an issue with the school and don’t want to ask them about it directly, we will support you and help you reach solutions with them whatever your problems. We will be there for you and at your service throughout the entire duration of your contract.

How much money will I need to see me through until my first pay-check?

It is possible to live relatively economically in Korea. USD800 should comfortably be enough to see you through your first month. At a push, it could probably be done on USD600 whilst USD1000 would ensure plenty of meals out, shopping and the odd weekend away!

For a Living Cost Guide to South Korea, visit: http://eslstarter.com/south-korea-living-cost.php

Apply Online

Apply now for your position on the public school program in South Korea to start August 2010.

Please just fill out the following application form and we will get right back to you!