I have quite a few questions on the subject so if you only have the answer to one PLEASE answer it anyway. All informative answers are GREATLY appreciated.
I have heard that it is very difficult to get a job teaching English in South Korea without a degree. I’ve also heard that it would be best to just go out there and start looking.
—Should I just go out there and start looking?
—How can I get help paying for this whole process? (Credit cards, loans, etc.)
—Will I have trouble finding places since I don’t speak fluent Korean (For example, with reading job offers, getting around, etc.)?
—Once I get a job offer and accepted for it, how do I apply for a visa to work LEGALLY (I know it’s possible so please don’t say that it’s not)?
—Which visa should I apply for (keeping in mind that I don’t have a degree)?
—I would really like to continue my education in teaching (especially so that this process is a lot easier) how can I do so while I’m out there?
—And FINALLY, can I rent an apartment during the job hunting process or will I only be allowed to stay at hotels, hostels, etc.?
Also, I am completing my TESOL course and I would like to go to school to get my bachelors, I would just rather do everything out there. I’ve always had this dream to live outside of the US and South Korea was always the place I wanted to be (And still is ^_^).
Again, any informative answers are greatly appreciated. And if you know of a place where I can get the answers (website, phone number, etc.) please leave them as well.
Thank you so much in advance!
You must have a bachelors degree to legally teach in Korea and get paid a reasonable salary. There is one program for non-degree, but some college, holders. You will be paid a lot less than most other teachers and probably stuck in the boonies of Korea. I would NOT reccommend just going to Korea and trying to find a job there. For one, you will need to get your first Korean working visa from within your home country. Some Korean embassies prefer to interview you in person before they will give you a visa. You will need to have a criminal background check done and then it must be apostilled by your country’s apostilling office. You’ll want to have a notarized copy of your TESOL certificate apostilled as well. You don’t want to send original certificates or diplomas in your visa application as they are not always returned. Then you will be out the cost of replacing them if you need the originals again. You could probably rent an apartment if you choose to job search within Korea. However, many landlords require a key money deposit of several thousand dollars before they will rent to you. You will not be able to open a bank account nor easily buy a cell phone without an Alien Registration Card. You need a work visa in order to get an ARC.
You should really complete your bachelor’s degree before going to Korea. Having a BA gives you a lot more options job-wise. And Korea is a country where you need options. Read blogs by people teaching in Korea and read the posts on Dave’s ESL Cafe. I thought Korea was where I wanted to go too. My first job was bad and my second one was horrible. And I have a degree, ESL experience in Asia, did my research, and visited Korea three times, but it still wasn’t enough to get me a good situation. Korea has one of the worst reputations for it’s treatment of foreign workers, ESL teachers included. And it’s only getting worse. You used to be able to count on public schools to treat you decently enough, but even that is becoming a thing of the past. If you think Korea is the way it appears to be in K-dramas and movies, it really isn’t. I won’t say that there are not teachers who love Korea, there are, but there are many more who do their "pay the bills" one to two years and get the hell out.
I hope the situation for ESL teachers and other foreign workers in Korea will change for the better, but that will take time. Finish your BA. And, maybe, working in Korea will be a more pleasant experience. The current Korean leader is not friendly towards foreign workers and it is affecting the way teachers are treated by their employers. Believe me, I had more freedom of movement and time when I lived in China than I did while living in Korea.
It’s not generally possible, legally. Some people do it anyway, but to do it legally you need a visa, which you can generally only get if you’ve graduated university. There are other ways, but it’s usually things like having completed some university (a programme which can be jointed after doing 2 years), having Korean parents, marrying a Korean, etc.
Completing your education out there will be difficult too. Most universities teach in Korean language – sometimes with some classes in English but not all of the ones you’d likely need. Even the ones that teach in English can still have Korean worksheets/books/etc.
Check Dave’s ESL cafe for more specific advice.