China is an unbelievably satisfying area to teach, yet what are the 10 best cities to teach English in China? With such a unique and differed landscape, from the Himalayas to the Gobi Desert, from the Karst hills, to lively and busy cities, China has everything!
With 56 distinctive ethnic teams spread throughout this substantial landscape, the various societies to see are unrivaled to anywhere else.
Each area or city has its very own unique food. From duck in Beijing, to dark amount in Guangzhou, warm pot in Chengdu, or lamb in Xinjiang, China is a food lover’s paradise. Being a nation with a solid Buddhist impact indicates vegetarians are not let down either.
It’s obvious that China has actually been a giant when it comes to the TEFL/TESOL sectors, yet given that covid, points have actually been shocked considerably.
I have actually educated English in China for over 6 years both previously, throughout, and after the preliminary break out of covid. I initially educated in the city of Harbin, where I got my TESOL certification, prior to relocating to Luoyang. My last months in China were invested living in the city of Sanya, on exotic Hainan Island.
In this full overview, I will certainly inform you all you require to find out about picking the most effective city to teach English in China, what needs there are, and some useful expert suggestions.
Can Foreigners Still Teach English in China?
Yes, immigrants can most certainly still teach English in China, and in truth, in some methods, currently has actually never ever been a much better time to go. With lots of immigrants having actually left throughout the covid break out, there’s an extreme scarcity of educators, and incomes advantageously mirror this.
Unfortunately, the days of functioning couple of hours for high pay in training facilities more than, due to the federal government’s restriction on training English commercial. However, there are still lots of chances to teach in preschools, secondary schools, global institutions, and colleges.
There are brand-new chances for training English incorporated with sporting activities, so if you have experience in mentoring basketball, football, (football), or any type of various other sporting activity, after that there are great deals of settings readily available.
10 Best Cities to Teach English in China
Below you can discover 10 of the greatest cities in China to teach English. From the busy resources, to lower widely known, yet no much less captivating locations, you will certainly make sure to discover the best area to start your TEFL trip in China.
So, without more trouble, allow’s dive right in and find the most effective locations to teach English in China!
1. Beijing
Beijing is among the leading cities to teach English in China many thanks to its lively mix of old and brand-new customs, world-famous visitor websites, and outstanding night life.
There are lots of institutions and colleges throughout the resources offering training settings, and this is where lots of people start their training professions in China.
One of things you can delight in throughout your pause is to discover the hutongs, which are slim alleys where individuals have actually lived in close distance for centuries.
Beijing is loaded with social websites; from the Forbidden City and shore Summer Palace, to the Lama Temple and a lot more.
Beijing is among minority cities in China where you can discover foods from all over the world, so if you are trying to find range when eating in restaurants, Beijing is the area to be.
Beijing is among the simplest cities to discover training tasks, and you will certainly discover that preschools often tend to be the leading employers. Working in a preschool is a little much less extravagant than instructing at a secondary school or college, and indicates you will certainly additionally handle the function of “nanny”, which might not appeal to some looking to begin in the TEFL/TESOL area.
That being stated, as the resources, there are still lots of duties in center and college. Word-of-mouth and WeChat teams are several of the most effective methods to discover job in Beijing. If you can connect to educators currently in the city, after that your possibilities of searching for job will certainly be high.
Be skeptical of Chinese employment representatives and make sure to do your very own study, as some firms often tend to run in a grey location, and can over-promise without supplying.
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2. Luoyang
Luoyang was when the resources of China throughout the Sui and Tang empires, and maintains a lot of its royal beauty. It’s a tiny city by Chinese requirements, (with a populace of around 7 million), so you can anticipate a much more unwinded speed of life below in contrast to cities like Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen.
Luoyang is loaded with social and all-natural marvels like the amazing Longmen Grottoes; a collection of rock makings of the Buddha etched right into the hill, the White Horse Temple, and neighboring Shaolin Temple; the birth place of Kung-fu!
I lived in Luoyang for 5 years and located it a wonderful city to live and function in.
There’s definitely adequate to maintain educators inhabited throughout downtime, and its main area indicates seeing various other locations in China is really simple. Xi’an is simply 90 mins away by quick train, and Beijing around 4 hours.
The deportee scene in Luoyang is tiny, and you won’t discover lots of various other foods besides Chinese, yet if you’re eager to obtain a feeling for the genuine China, after that Luoyang is a wonderful alternative!
Teachers trying to find job below can use to Luoyang Normal University, which has an international training division. Maple Leaf is one more leading company in the city, and there are lots of secondary schools regularly trying to find educators.
As with Beijing, and a lot of cities in China, word-of-mouth often tends to be a wonderful means of locating settings. If you can reach educators in the city, after that you stand a wonderful opportunity of locating work.
3. Hangzhou
Hangzhou is among China’s most stunning cities, and among the most effective locations for training English in China.
The city is renowned for West Lake, a big body of water bordered by hillsides and hills. It’s in these hillsides that the world-famous Dragon Well Tea has actually been grown given that the moments of the emperors.
Hangzhou additionally has a contemporary town hall with all the home entertainment, eating alternatives and night life to maintain you captivated throughout your pause.
The city is just 175km from Shanghai, and also better to several of China’s popular water communities such as Wuzhen and Xitang. The city hosts lots of occasions throughout the year, consisting of performances and events, yoga exercise workshops, and extra.
As among one of the most stunning cities in China, Hangzhou is extremely preferred with international educators, and it’s very easy to discover job in the city. Zhejiang University is a wonderful alternative for those considering training in college, and there are several secondary schools and preschools constantly trying to find international educators, so inspect the neighborhood Wechat teams for task posts.
4. Sanya
Sanya is China’s beachside heaven on Hainan Island; the most southern district of China and better to Hanoi in Vietnam, than Beijing. Teachers below can anticipate year-round cozy climate and lots of beachside tasks, from snorkeling and diving, to browsing and watercraft journeys.
Sanya has some outstanding dining establishments. I can directly suggest Casa Mia, the most effective Italian dining establishment in China, and the Dolphin Bar and Grill, which is a trendy hangout for the city’s deportee scene that amuses with real-time songs most evenings.
One of one of the most enjoyable points to do about Sanya is to discover the lavish forest and hills bordering the city. There are lots of national forests within very easy reach where you can find the neighborhood wild animals, and if you’re fortunate, find a leopard or Chinese cobra!
Having lived in the city for 6 months, I can suggest Sanya as one of the most effective cities to teach English in China. Perfect coastlines, lavish forest, wonderful bars and dining establishments, and a growing deportee scene make this my primary option!
It’s obvious that lots of educators desire to head to Sanya to job and live, yet in spite of this rate of interest, there are typically openings readily available throughout the year.
As with Beijing, there are great deals of preschools in Sanya constantly trying to find educators. Check out That’s Sanya on WeChat for task posts.
5. Chengdu
Chengdu is one more preferred city for immigrants training English in China. The city is renowned as the home of the large panda, and you can check out these charming animals at the Chengdu Breeding Center. It’s incredible to see the panda cubs fooling around!
Chengdu is a contemporary city with huge shopping center, dining establishments, lots of home entertainment, society, and a big deportee scene.
There are great deals of fascinating websites close by, such as the Leshan Giant Buddha. Chengdu additionally makes an outstanding base for checking out the Tibetan Autonomous Region, which doesn’t call for an unique authorization to browse through.
It’s very easy to discover training job in Chengdu provided the dimension of the city and the lots of institutions and colleges there. Chengdu University is a great alternative, and you can typically discover posts in the city on Dave’s ESL Cafe.
As a rate 1 city, you can anticipate a high wage, comparable to Beijing and Shenzhen.
6. Guangzhou
Charming Guangzhou is absolutely among the most effective cities to teach English in China, many thanks to its abundant society, yummy Cantonese food, (the most effective dim amount in China is located below!), and distance to the coastline.
Guangzhou gain from year-round cozy climate many thanks to its south area, so you can anticipate pleasant nights in brief sleeves, also in wintertime.
The ultra-modern facility is controlled by the Pearl River and the 600-meter Canton Tower. But if you desire to experience nature far from the city, Baiyun Mountain Park is simply a 30-minute bus trip away.
Guangzhou is one more rate 1 Chinese city with lots of high-paying ESL tasks, making it among the most effective cities to teach English in China. Lots of chances exist for preschool, secondary school and global institutions such as ISA Liwen.
☞ SEE ADDITIONALLY: Teaching English in Guangzhou – An Interview With an ESL Teacher
7. Xi’an
Xi’an is one more of China’s old fundings and was the initial city on the old Silk Road that led the west right into Europe. The city has a genuine eastern fulfills west feeling to it, and this is most evident along “Muslim Street” where you can example meals from China’s much west Xinjiang area.
Xi’an is rupturing with society and is understood all over the world many thanks to the 1974 exploration of the Terracotta Army of Warriors and Horses.
The facility of the city is controlled by the old protective wall surfaces, which create a course extending 14km around the city, and is best for biking.
Xi’an sits on the main levels of China implying it has wonderful links to the remainder of China, with Chengdu simply 4 hours away by quick train. Xi’an has a growing bar scene with some wonderful faucet homes to experiment with. Be certain to browse through Near Wall Bar where you can see the brewery behind bench!
The city is preferred with immigrants trying to find the most effective cities to teach English in China; there’s a big deportee neighborhood, and lots of duties from public institutions, to colleges, are readily available.
8. Qingdao
Laid-back Qingdao is a seaside community on the eastern coastline of the nation, and one more preferred city for training English in.
Qingdao has a lengthy stretch of gold, sandy coastline best for cooling down in summertime. The city is additionally home to the Tsing Tao Brewery, among China’s most preferred beers which is exported all over the world.
The city was when inhabited by the Germans, and maintains style from this duration such as St Michael’s Cathedral. There are lots of parks around the city; from Zhongshan Park, to the stunning Laoshan Scenic Area which neglects the Yellow Sea.
Qingdao has a sizable international educator neighborhood with great deals of chances. Salaries may be a little less than the top-tier cities, yet the standard of life is high, and apartment or condo services are more affordable than in Beijing and Shanghai.
9. Shanghai
Shanghai is China’s economic center and uses a really high requirement of living for those wanting to real-time and job in the city. This does come with an expense however, and you can anticipate to pay substantially extra for a home in Shanghai than in several of the much less widely known cities.
There are lots of chances for training in Shanghai; from preschool and public institutions, to colleges. Wages are typically greater to mirror the high expense of living, yet you will definitely discover your cash doesn’t go as much below.
For those trying to find a little glamour and prestige, Shanghai is absolutely a wonderful alternative for training English in China. You will certainly discover lots of various other immigrants in the city, so you can anticipate a much better social life below than you’d discover in smaller sized locations.
There’s lots to maintain you inhabited in Shanghai. From walking around the Bund, to rising high-rises for a bird’s eye sight of the city. Shanghai additionally has several of the most effective dining establishments in China, so the city is a wonderful alternative for food enthusiasts!
10. Shenzhen
Shenzhen is one more busy metropolitan area, and China’s innovation facility. As such, there are great deals of chances below for immigrants desiring to teach English. The city is in a wonderful area, with Hong Kong quickly obtainable by means of MTR, bus and watercraft.
As with Beijing and Shanghai, you can anticipate to discover a great choice of consuming alternatives supplying a great deal of option. On weekend breaks, you can head to the neighboring coastlines such as at Huidong. Guangzhou is a brief train trip away and additionally produces wonderful field trip from the city.
Shenzhen is a widely preferred area to teach English many thanks to the high incomes and huge international educator neighborhood.
How to Find Jobs Teaching in China
One of the most effective sources for searching for English training tasks in China is Dave’s ESL Cafe. They have an entire task board devoted to China, and it was below that I located my task in Luoyang which lasted for 5 years!
You can additionally attempt looking for institutions online, yet unless you talk Mandarin, or understand they have a Foreign Teachers’ Manager, after that speaking to institutions straight might not be the most effective alternative.
Another wonderful means of searching for job is with WeChat teams. WeChat is China’s solution to WhatsApp or Facebook; a messaging and social media sites system that will certainly make your life a lot simpler in China.
Join teams for the city you are thinking about relocating to, and you will certainly discover great deals of tasks promoted.
TEFL firms such as MyTEFL and English First are one more wonderful means to discover task chances throughout China. Be skeptical of Chinese companies as lots of run unlawfully. Always inspect your agreement extensively, and watch out for warnings such as desiring to maintain your key, (which is prohibited!).
Pros and Cons of Teaching English in China
As with any type of task, there are both advantages and disadvantages to training English in China, nevertheless, the positives much exceed the downsides.
Pros of Teaching English in China
- Salary – you can anticipate to be paid in between $2,200 – $4,000 each month with totally free or subsidized lodging
- Standard of living – you can delight in a much greater standard of life in China, and your cash will go a great deal additionally
- Rewarding occupation – training English in China can be extremely satisfying and you will discover the pupils typically quite possibly acted
- Great functioning hours – You will typically have totally free weekend breaks to discover China’s interesting society
- Travel chances – China is loaded with fascinating cities, national forests, coastlines, hills and even more
- Food – among the benefits of living in China is being able to attempt the various foods available
- Learning a language – ever before desired to find out one more language? Living someplace is a fail-safe means to master one more ability
- Culture – from the people of Hainan Island, to individuals of the north, you can anticipate to experience some amazing societies
Cons of Teaching English in China
- Zero covid plan – lockdowns, quarantine, and limited traveling and so on are most likely to last for the near future
- Being looked at – if it misbehaved prior to covid, it’s a great deal even worse currently, as Chinese individuals often tend to think every immigrant has it
- Shady company techniques – attempt and discover an institution with a Foreign Teachers’ Manager that can link the space in between you and Chinese monitoring
- Noise and contamination – China is loud, and relying on which city you teach English in, can be really contaminated in wintertime
Teaching English in China Requirements
Here are several of the major needs to teach ESL in China. The initially 3 are one of the most essential.
- A notarized level certification
- A tidy rap sheet (from your home nation and the last area you lived)
- English as an indigenous language
- A Chinese visa (that will certainly after that be terminated and changed with a “Z” job visa and local’s authorization).
- A TEFL or TESOL certification (MyTEFL is a legit, budget-friendly alternative, usage discount code GOATS50 for a 50% price cut)
- Teaching experience
It might or might not shock you that the majority of the above can be avoided for the appropriate rate, (rap sheet check and visa regardless of for evident factors).
I would certainly not recommend any person job in China unlawfully as you will certainly be totally by yourself if the authorities overtake you. At the greatest, you can anticipate to hang out in a Chinese prison prior to being deported; please make certain that needs are appreciated.
Frequently Asked Questions About TEFL in China
Here are some responses to typically asked inquiries concerning TEFL in China.
Is there a Demand for English Teachers in China?
There’s a substantial need for English educators in China. The need is so high in truth that lots of firms run unlawfully to please Chinese moms and dads’ need for educators. Be cautious concerning that you authorize an agreement with, and make certain the institution is over board by requesting a duplicate of their permit.
Which City is the Best to Work in China?
This is totally subjective relying on the kind of individual you are, and what you’re trying to find. I’m prejudiced, yet I can claim without a darkness of a question that the most effective city to live in, in China, is Sanya.
Year-rounded heat, stunning coastlines, flourishing night life, hills, ethnic people, and fresh fish and shellfish. I can take place throughout the day… If you desire glamour and prestige after that head to Shanghai, yet don’t anticipate to discover real China there.
Beijing is a great all-rounder and uses a respectable quantity of genuine Chinese society with a much more global scene. And naturally, Luoyang, my home for 5 years, is additionally a wonderful area to live.
Can I Teach English in China with No Experience?
Yes, it’s absolutely feasible to teach English without any experience. Many institutions offer on-the-job training, and continuous efficiency evaluations to aid you boost as an educator. The extra experience you acquire as you teach English in China, the greater your wage will certainly end up being.
Are English Teachers Paid Well in China?
English educators in China are paid extremely well. Due to the inexpensive of living, (beyond huge cities like Shanghai and Shenzhen), you’ll discover your cash goes a lengthy means. The typical wage for an English educator in China is $2,200 USD, plus a home that is spent for, or typically an aid to cover living setups.
Due to the existing scarcity of educators in China, it’s also feasible to make up to $4,000 each month in several of the bigger cities such as Shanghai and Shenzhen.
Conclusion
I wish you have actually located this overview to the 10 best cities to teach English in China helpful. Whether you are trying to find society, night life, food or destinations, each of these cities uses lots for international educators making the relocation to China.
Whichever city you select, you are ensured the experience of a life time with a fulfilling and enjoyable task, and the possibility to truly experience the nation’s abundant society and background.