Teach English at a Private School - Hagwon FAQs

If you are thinking of teaching at a private school in Korea, this section should give you a bit of insight into what you can expect. If your questions aren’t answered here, feel free to drop us a line at info@eslstarter.com and we will get right onto it!

What is a hagwon?

Hagwon translates roughly as ‘private cram school’. These schools are privately owned and aimed at students (or parents of students!) wishing to receive extra tuition in a certain subject(s). Often Korean kids are enrolled in two or three different cram schools.  For example, they might have English school on Monday, Science school on Tuesday and Math school on Wednesday. They visit these academies after their normal school-day has finished. This is the reason why many cram schools operate in the afternoons and evenings.

Exactly how do they work?

Hagwons that cater to students who want to get a head-start on their English usually employ a staff of both Korean and native English speaking teachers. They can vary quite considerably in size from very small operations with only a handful of staff to huge franchises employing thousands of teachers. Classes are divided according to age group and level and it is usually the role of the foreign teacher to help students improve their conversation and pronunciation skills.

Are all hagwons the same?

There are three main types of hagwon in Korea:

• Kindergarten / elementary hagwons (4 – 12 year olds)
• Elementary / middle school / teen hagwons (7 – 18 year olds)
• Adult hagwons

What does the teaching schedule involve?

You will usually teach a maximum of 30 classes per week which breaks down as six classes per day.

How long are the classes?

Classes vary from between 30 minutes to 1 hour in length depending on age of student. Younger students, particularly those of kindergarten age often have shorter classes. 

What would be a sample teaching schedule?

This very much depends on what age group of students your school caters to. A rough guideline breaks down as follows although schedules can change slightly according to school.

• Kindergarten / elementary:  9.30 AM / 5 or 6 PM
• Elementary / middle school: 2PM / 9PM
• Adult: 7AM / 11AM / then 5PM / 9PM

How big are the classes?

As private schools are well, private, classes tend to be much smaller than at public schools. There are usually a maximum of around 12 students per class. It is not unusual to teach only one student for some classes at the private schools.

Do I have to create my own lessons from scratch?

Almost all schools have a full curriculum in place so it is quite easy to make a smooth transition into the teaching. There are text books for each class along with CDs, quizzes, games and supplementary materials. Most schools also have the internet on hand if you want to add your own particular twist to the lesson. Although the schools do have a full curriculum, you have plenty of freedom to deliver classes in your own style and according to what you think will work best with your students.

What about the salary and benefits?

On average, private schools pay around 2.1 or 2.2 Million KRW monthly. The school will also provide you with a free, fully furnished private apartment (see South Korea accommodation for more on the standard accommodation), round-trip air-ticket, completion bonus which is equal to one month’s salary (so effectively 13 months pay for 12 months work), 10 days paid vacation, all Korean national holidays and also a contribution of 50% towards your medical insurance.

Do I need to pay my own utility bills?

Yes, you need to pay utilities and they usually come to around 70,000KRW per month (or less depending on how economical you are with the air-con!).

How much is the medical insurance?

This depends on school and the province you are working in but usually comes to around 35,000KRW monthly.

How do I get paid?

The Director will help you to set up a bank account as soon as you arrive in Korea and you will be paid electronically into this bank account every month. You will always be paid in local currency (aka Korean Won!).

Is there a particular start date for the private schools?

No, start dates for the private schools are ongoing throughout the year.

Would I be working with other foreign teachers?

In most cases yes - this is one of the big differences between private and public schools. Private schools usually employ several foreign teachers. If you choose to work at a very small private school, you might be the only foreign teacher but this is often the exception rather than the rule.

Does the school prepay my air-ticket?

This can vary from school to school but, in most cases, the Directors are happy to prepay the initial air-ticket to Korea and then provide you with the return leg upon completion of your contract.

Will I receive any training / orientation?

Yes, usually you will get the chance to go through the curriculum with the Director / Supervisor and also the other teachers working at the school. Then, you would observe some classes in order to get the hang of things. There is always a lot of support from the teaching staff to make things go as smoothly as possible for the new teacher!

What are the requirements to teach at a private school?

The main requirements are a Bachelor’s degree in any field and also nationality of the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland or South Africa.