Being a native English speaker is like winning a lottery. It gives you a unique opportunity to take advantage of the language teaching programs many countries have launched to increase their English proficiency.
Whether you’re taking a gap year, or wanting to relocate long-term, teaching English is a great way to legally move to Europe even if you’re without an EU passport.
1. France
Teaching Assistant Program in France
http://www.ciep.fr/en/assistantetr/
The Job
Work 12 hours/week as a teaching assistant in a French school. The job goes from October 1 – April 30.
Requirements
- Be a resident of the USA, Canada, United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, South Africa, The Bahamas, Barbadose, India, Ireland, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Egypt, Jordan, Palestine, Syria, Yemen, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, El Salvador, Ecuador, Spain, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela, Brazil, Portugal, China, Israel, Italy, Norway, Netherlands, Poland, Czech Republic, Russia, Taiwan, or Turkey
- Be age 20-30
- Have completed at least two years of university
- Have a basic level of French
Benefits
- €794/month (net after taxes)
- Reduced cost medical care
Application Period
1 October – beginning of January or end of February
2. Italy
SITE Program (Study, intercultural training, and experience)
http://siteprogram.pacioli.net/
The Job
Work 12 hours/week in the classroom as an assistant to local teachers in Lombardy. Spend an additional 13 hours/week on independent study, projects, and teaching. Positions can last from 3 months to a full academic year, which is from October 1 – May 31. It is possible to renew for a second year.
Requirements
- 3.25 GPA
- Be a university student or a recent graduate
- Be a resident of the USA
- Italian proficiency
Benefits
- €700/month
Application Period
Application due 15 March
3. Spain
Auxiliares de conversación (Language and Culture Assistant)
http://www.mecd.gob.es/eeuu/convocatorias-programas/convocatorias-eeuu/auxiliares-conversacion-eeuu.html
https://sede.educacion.gob.es/catalogo-tramites/profesores/convocatorias/extranjeros/auxiliares-conversacion-extranjeros-espana.html
The Job
Work 12 hours per week (16 in Madrid) as assistants to local teachers. The program lasts from October 1 – May 31, with the possibility to renew up to 3 times.
Requirements
- Be a native speaker of English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, or Chinese
- Be a resident of the US, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, China, or the EU
- Be in your last year of university, or already have completed a degree
- Complete a medical evaluation
- No criminal record
- Have a basic level of Spanish
Benefits
- €700/month (€1000/month in Madrid)
- Medical coverage
Application Period
9 January – 1 April
4. Switzerland
Language Assistant Program (LAP)
http://www.ch-go.ch/programme/sap/sap-in-der-schweiz
The Job
Work 12 hours/week (may vary by school) as an assistant to local teachers. Program usually runs from September 1 – June 30.
Requirements
- Be a native speaker of English, German Spanish, French, or Italian
- Be a resident of the USA, Canada, Great Britain, Ireland, Austria, France, Italy, or Spain
- Have sound knowledge of the language of the region you’re place in (German, French, or Italian)
- Be a university student or university graduate
- Age 21-30
Benefits
- Minimum monthly salary of CHF 2,550 net after taxes (About €2065 or $2825), which varies by school
Application Period
Application due 17 April
5. Georgia
Teach and Learn with Georgia (TLG)
http://www.tlg.gov.ge/
The Job
Work up to 30 hours/week as an assistant to local teachers. If you live with a host family, you must provide the family with 3 hours of English lessons a week.
Requirements
- Native English speaker
- Two years of post-secondary education
- Clean criminal record
- Medical clearance
Benefits
- Round-trip ticket to and from Georgia
- Round-trip vacation ticket to and from Georgia between semesters
- Medical insurance
- Housing with a host family (You must pay 200GEL rent per month)
- Mobile phone
- Monthly stipend of 600 GEL (about $340 or €250) if you live with a host family, 500 GEL (about $285 or €210) if you do not (amounts after taxes)
Application Period
Application open until the end of June
6. Czech Republic
Teachers of English
http://www.mzv.cz/washington/en/culture_events/education/information_for_teachers_of_english/index.html
The Job
Work 24 hours per week from September 1 to June 30.
Requirements
- Be an English speaker
- Have a university degree
Benefits
- Monthly salary of 13,000-18,000 Czech Crowns (about €475-650 or $650-900) before taxes
- Accommodations arranged by the school that will be “reasonable priced or free”
Application Period
(Not specified)
7. Hungary
Central European Teaching Program
http://www.cetp.info/
The Job
Work 22 – 26 hours per week as an English teacher (not assistant). Job lasts roughly 10 months, usually September – June. There is an enrollment fee of at least $750.
Requirements
- Be a native English speaker
- Be a citizen of the USA, Canada, or the EU
- Be at least 21 years old
- Have at least a bachelor’s degree
- Complete a TESL or education course
- Get at least 20 hours of classroom teaching experience
Benefits
- Monthly salary of unstated (seemingly around $500) amount
- Medical coverage
- Free housing
Application Period
Open year-round
Photo: Europe 1936 by uair01 (CC BY 2.0)
Thanks for writing this up, Kate! I’ll be teaching in Spanish next year through the auxiliar program, but will have to keep these in mind if I ever decided that I want to teach somewhere in Europe other then Spain.