The 10 Most Commonly Asked Questions About International Teaching (Answered)
If you're thinking about making the leap into international teaching, you've probably got a list of questions as long as your arm. I know, because I get the same ones over and over — on YouTube, via email, from people at every stage of the process.
So here they all are in one place. The ten questions I get asked most, with real answers based on 24 years of teaching across six countries and eight international schools.
1. What qualifications do I need?
Let's be clear about what we're talking about first. There's a difference between picking up English teaching work at a language centre in Thailand or Vietnam — where the bar can be pretty low — and working at a genuine international school. I'm talking about the latter.
For international schools, you need two things: a recognised teaching qualification and a bachelor's degree. That's the baseline. No shortcuts, no workarounds. The reputable schools won't budge on this, and frankly, you wouldn't want them to — it's part of what keeps the quality high.
2. Do I need teaching experience?
Yes, and ideally some of it in your home country before you go abroad.
Most good international schools will want to see at least two years of teaching experience. That's two years in a real classroom, not just a practicum. For the majority of people applying for their first international posting, that means spending a couple of years teaching at home first.
There are exceptions — internships that lead to offers, newly qualified teachers who happen to be in the right place at the right time — but they're rare. Plan for two years minimum, then start looking.
If you already have some international experience under your belt, even better. It opens doors to the higher-tier schools and makes you a much stronger candidate overall.
3. How much do international teachers get paid?
This is genuinely hard to answer because it varies so much by region, school tier, and personal circumstances. But here's the framework I use.
First, forget about comparing raw salaries in isolation. The number on your contract means nothing without the cost of living context. I earn around the same in Thailand as I would back in Australia — but in Thailand, that salary goes a lot further and I save considerably more.
Flip that to somewhere like Singapore or Hong Kong, where the cost of living is high but the salaries at top international schools are significantly above what you'd earn at home — and the savings potential is again strong.
The other thing worth thinking about: many international contracts don't include superannuation or pension contributions. You might be saving more month-to-month but missing out on long-term retirement contributions you'd be getting back home. Factor that in.
The short version: if you're in a good school, you'll almost certainly be better off financially than you would be teaching at home. But do the actual maths for the specific school and country, not just the headline salary figure.
4. Where should I teach?
I'm biased here — I've spent my entire international career in Asia and I think it's the best region to be based, particularly when you're getting started.
The reasons are straightforward: there are a huge number of international schools, the quality of life is excellent, teachers are well-respected, and the savings potential is higher than almost anywhere else in the world. Teaching in Europe might give you incredible weekend travel opportunities, but the salaries and cost of living often cancel each other out. South America and Central America can have a low cost of living, but the salaries are also lower, so the savings don't follow.
The Middle East — particularly the UAE, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia — deserves a special mention. Some of the best packages in the world are there, and the tax situation (low or zero income tax in many cases) makes the financial case very compelling.
Africa has great opportunities too, and I know plenty of people who've made the move from Asia to Africa with good results — though I have less direct experience with salary norms there.
Ultimately, the "right" answer depends on where you're from, what proximity to home matters to you, and what you're optimising for. But if you're just starting out and want the best combination of opportunity, quality of life, and financial upside? Asia.
5. When should I apply?
Earlier than you think.
The international school recruitment calendar runs well ahead of the academic year. If you're targeting a job that starts the following August, you should be getting your materials together in September, actively applying in October and November, and hitting peak application season in December and January.
Many of the major recruitment fairs happen in January, so if you're planning to attend one of those, you want to already have applications in motion.
Applying in March or April for an August start is leaving it very late. The good jobs at the good schools are typically filled well before then.
6. How do I find international teaching jobs?
There's no single answer — I've found jobs through cold emails to schools, recruitment agencies, notice boards, and referrals. The ecosystem is broader than people realise.
That said, I'd recommend starting with the recruitment agencies, and there are three I consistently point people toward:
Search Associates — the biggest and most established in the field
Schrole — more of a job board, but with a huge volume of listings and strong coverage across Asia
Teacher Horizons — particularly good for people getting started, and unlike the other two, it's free to join
Sign up, get your profile sorted, and start making connections before you're ready to apply. The relationships you build through these platforms matter.
7. What benefits should I expect?
This is where international teaching really starts to look attractive. Beyond your salary, a typical contract at a good international school might include:
Housing — either a fully furnished apartment or a housing allowance (this alone can be worth tens of thousands of dollars a year)
Health insurance — usually comprehensive, covering you, your partner, and your children
Tuition for your kids — free education at the school for your children while you're employed there (potentially worth a fortune, depending on the school's fee structure)
Return flights — often annually, back to your home country
Contract renewal bonuses — paid out when you sign on for another year
Gratuity — a lump sum paid at the end of a contract even if you don't renew
Meals — some schools throw in free lunches; my new school in Shenzhen does breakfast and lunch for all staff
When you're comparing offers, salary is only part of the picture. Run the full package through your head before you decide.
8. Is it safe to teach overseas?
Generally speaking, yes — especially in Asia.
Having lived and worked across the Philippines, Singapore, Hong Kong, China, and Thailand, I've consistently felt safe everywhere I've been. Singapore and Hong Kong are famously safe cities where expat families let their kids move around independently in ways they'd never feel comfortable with back home. But I've felt comfortable across the board.
Every destination is different, and I can't speak for regions I haven't lived in. Do your research before accepting a role in any country. But the assumption that "overseas" means "unsafe" is usually wrong, particularly when you're talking about established international school postings in Asia.
9. Can I travel while teaching abroad?
If you couldn't, most of us wouldn't bother.
Travel is one of the defining features of the international teaching life. You get long summer breaks, school holidays throughout the year, and long weekends — all of which you can use to explore. Living in Asia means that a long weekend genuinely can mean a flight to a neighbouring country. A week off can mean Hong Kong, Bali, Vietnam, Japan.
You don't mention any of this in your interview, of course. But it's real, it's frequent, and it's one of the things that makes this life genuinely different from teaching at home.
10. What are the biggest mistakes new international teachers make?
Two big ones come up again and again.
Applying too late. People underestimate the recruitment calendar and miss the window for the best positions. The schools you want to work at are not scrambling to fill spots in April. Get organised early.
Choosing a country over a school. This is the one that does the most damage. I've seen people take poor positions at weak schools because they were seduced by the idea of living in a particular city — and they were miserable. The school is where you spend the vast majority of your time. The school community, the benefits, the management, the culture — these things make or break the experience, regardless of what country you're in.
Ideally, you get both: a school you're genuinely excited about in a place you want to live. But if you have to choose, take the better school.
Want to go deeper?
I cover all of this and more on The Footloose Teacher YouTube channel — including a video walking through each of these questions if you'd prefer to watch rather than read.
And if you're just getting started, you can download my free International Teaching Starter Guide and access a stack of other free resources.
The international teaching life is genuinely great. Getting the entry right makes all the difference.
