0xbt

Looking to maximize your saving potential? Don’t overlook teaching in rural Korea. You can save money teaching English in Korea.

Many of the really rural schools don’t have enough funding (or students) to justify the expense of their own native English speakers. But they still value the experience. Smaller schools sometimes pay bigger schools to borrow their English teacher one day a week (referred to as a travel school), or to get a few hours with the native speaker online.

The public school schedule isn’t high on hours (it can be anywhere from 9-22 hours a week, depending on your school). What this means is that you might get a position that ships you out to another school and gives you bonus pay for the inconvenience. Other schools will offer extra pay if you teach an hour or two online to nearby rural schools during your office hours.

None of this is set in stone, but it’s worth considering a rural area if you’re determined to save a lot of money or have student debt. Rural areas have fewer English teachers so you usually get all sorts of bonuses and add-ons for the inconvenience of being stretched across multiple schools.

If you’re worried about being stuck on the side of a Korean mountain, don’t be. Some rural locations have 30,000 residents! The towns are far from the remote villages you might have in mind. Public transport is second to none, and it’s worth noting that Korea is small. You’re never far from the nearest city.

What are the initial costs of getting set up to teach in South Korea?

Korea is attractive to many graduates because it has a relatively low set-up cost.

Within a month of landing, teachers will usually have their flights reimbursed as well as a settlement bonus to help them buy a few additional things for the apartment. Most apartments come equipped with what teachers need, but the bonus can be used to splash out on new bed sheets or buy a flashy blender. Many teachers pocket this money as savings as it’s the equivalent of about $300 USD.

However, it’s important to note that you will have to shell out for flights (they will be reimbursed) and have enough money to last you the first month. Once you get through that first month you’ll get all the money back but it’s worth taking into consideration.

What’s the deal with health insurance for English teachers in South Korea?

Not only is healthcare super cheap in South Korea, but most public schools will offer a subsidized health care package. This means that if you do need to visit the hospital you won’t need to panic. Travel insurance can be pretty pricey if you’re going to live abroad for a year, so knowing that there’s healthcare lined up, means you don’t have to worry beyond getting travel insurance to cover you until the Korean health care package kicks in.

What about pensions for ESL teachers in South Korea?

Chances are that a pension isn’t high on your list of priorities right now, especially if you’re saving to pay off student debt or trying to save some money. But that doesn’t mean you should ignore this benefit when considering where to teach in South Korea. Teachers from Canada and the US can claim back whatever they’ve paid into their pension at the end of their contracts.

Side gigs to boost your English teaching salary in Korea

You can choose side gigs to boost your salary by Teaching at a South Korean summer camp.

What many teachers don’t realize about teaching English in South Korea is that once you’re there you may find other opportunities to supplement your income. When considering these opportunities make sure they come through official channels, as you don’t want to violate your visa.

For example, programs like EPIK (one of the best teach abroad programs out there) and JLP will often pull from the pool of teachers already in the country to staff their English summer camps. These camps also attract some temporary contract teachers but are largely staffed by people who work full time in one of Korea’s public schools.

Hagwons will also run their own summer camps, but it may already be considered part of your initial contract. With public schools, anything outside of your main school hours (offered by the school board rather than your school) will be considered additional and will come with travel expenses and the equivalent of about $500 USD for a week of camp teaching. This can be a nice bonus at the end of the term if you can get it. It’s also a nice way to meet other teachers and new students.