Is a degree really needed to get a teaching job in China? This is a question we get asked every day without fail. On paper the answer seems quite straight forward – you can not teach English in China without a degree according to the government, however in practice things seem to be quite a bit more ambiguous, as is so often the case. There certainly are plenty of teachers currently teaching in China without a degree, with a valid work visa and residence permit, so it is possible.
In my experience dealing with various schools from all over China the policy, and how it is enforced, varies from province to province as well as over time. It seems like official line is open to a certain amount of interpretation by the provincial governments. Back in 2007 / 2008 in parts of Zhejiang province, for example, one could secure a work visa for a new teacher who had 2 years teaching experience in place of a degree. I am not sure if this holds true now but at the time it was possible.
I have also seen over the past few years policies getting stricter and stricter with regards to teaching English in China without a degree. Areas that previously could accept teachers without one are now demanding not only a degree but one or two years teaching experience where before they didn’t. Having said that it seems like the relationship the school has with the local labour bureau does make quite a difference to who they can process a work visa for. In some cases the person in charge of visa applications for the school will actually time their visit to the visa office based on when their favourite person is on duty.
The degree subject studied doesn’t actually matter, which does seem a little strange, I know, meaning someone looking for an ESL teaching job in China who holds a diploma in Early Childhood Development and Education would be less qualified than another candidate with a Bachelor’s degree in Golf Course Management. The logic behinds this one, I can only assume, is that the Chinese government would limit the supply of teachers too much if they demanded a degree in Education or English from every teacher, so they thought if they let those with a degree in they would attract a smarter bunch.
It is also no secret that there are schools and teachers out there who are prepared to fake degree certificates in order to obtain a work visa.
For a more detailed article on this situation I highly suggest this article.
Can anyone point me in the right direction in regards to finding a ESL job without a degree??
if you have any ideas or useful info please contact me.
wayne_james@live.co.uk
Thankyou very much.
I was in china for a year teaching and i loved it. I want to go to college as a mature student and get a degree.
will any degree suffice? I want to do a BA in English, is this ok or will i need a degree in teaching instead?
Ill be staying in China for the long term.
Yes any degree is alright for securing a work visa in China.
Thanks for the reply, Now i am looking into doing a 4 year BA in English and history online so i can keep my current job to pay for it.
Will China, and other countries, accept a degree done online?
Yes, provided it is an accredited degree through a reputable university. For the visa you need to show the BA certificate.
Hi Jim,
I did a TEFL degree 140 hours is that ok?
Thanks
Hi John – most schools in China these days require a Bachelor’s degree in any subject as well as a TEFL certificate in order to apply for the work visa. For major cities like Shanghai and Beijing they often also look for some teaching experience. Most other cities can hire teachers without any previous teaching experience though. I would like to invite you to submit an application here and we will do our best to assist you – https://goldstarteachers.com/teachers/apply-now/
But to answer your question, yes a 140 hour TEFL is OK.
If I don’t have a 4 year degree, although I was only 12 credit hours short but I do have a 250 hour / Diploma of Educational Management Studies in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (250 hrs.). Is that suitable for getting a work visa? Also, I did work and teach in Shanghai for 3.5 years at many schools. I am contemplating going back and while I didn’t do it on a work visa last time, would prefer to do it on a work visa this time
Hi Paul – for most areas in China they require a Bachelor’s degree for the work visa and anything less than that is not accepted. There are some areas in China that can issue a work visa without a degree (taking teaching experience for example, instead) although unfortunately there is no clear information on which areas and when as we have found it can often change over time.
Teaching without a degree in China is illegal and has been for the last couple of years. I wish people would keep up with the laws. In 2013/14 alone 1600 expats were fined and deported with entry bans between 3-5 years for not having a degree or proper work visa.
Yes schools and recruiters will lie and tell you all kinds of stuff but the qualifications are easily found out with five minutes searching on the internet. If all else fails a quick call to the nearest Chinese consulate will provide any necessary information. First you need to be a native English speaker…yes there are people teaching illegally in China who aren’t but this is about legally teaching. Secondly you need to have a degree. And if you want to work in Beijing or a few other similar places…you need at least 2 years working experience. That’s it
Some places ask for a TESOL cert. but that is not absolutely necessary to be legal.
There are NO areas that can issue a TEACHING Z visa without a degree. That is BS. And if you are caught working illegally you can look forwards to fines, imprisonment, deportations and an re-entry ban from entering China again for a number of years. Even if not caught you are subject to poor treatments, lower wages, higher hours, and being generally ripped off by your employer…sure you may get lucky but that is unlikely. Not only that but you lower wages for the legal teachers, and give us all a bad name if caught.
Given all the potential disadvantages why on earth would anyone teach illegally here (or anywhere else for that matter) unless they are completely unemployable anywhere else? You’d have to be the stereotypical quintessential loser to do that.
Can i get a teaching job in China without a degree? If so, how long does it take for one to be hired as an English teacher?