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PLANET PEOPLETeach in Korea
Visa guideGetting Hired · 4 min read

Do I qualify to teach in Korea?

The nationality and degree requirements for an E-2, what to do if you are an ethnic Korean, and how much experience actually matters.

The Requirements

  • A Bachelor's degree in any major from an accredited university in one of the seven eligible countries (South African applicants must hold an NQF Level 7 degree or higher).
  • Citizenship of the USA, Canada, the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, or South Africa.
  • A clean criminal record (no criminal history whatsoever).

Your major does not matter. Education, engineering, art history — schools care far more about your energy in the classroom than your degree subject.

Things that help but are not required

  • TEFL / TESOL Certificate (100+ Hours) - Makes your application stand out and boosts your hiring success.
  • Any experience with children: camps, coaching, tutoring, babysitting, volunteering
  • Previous teaching experience in Korea (we can check references with your permission)
  • A teaching licence or an MA — required for international schools and some university jobs

Ethnic Koreans and other visa routes

If you hold an F-4 (overseas Korean) or F-5/F-6/F-2 visa you can teach without an E-2, which makes you attractive to schools because there is no visa cost or waiting period. Tell us your visa status up front and we will target the schools that value it.