I'm not kidding when I say teaching English in Taiwan is one of the best decisions I've ever made. And while I've made a career shift since, the impact of teaching in Taiwan on me lasts to this day. I often visit Taiwan, have many friends there, can speak some Mandarin, and am just in love with the country.
And that's why if you're looking to teach English abroad and you're considering Taiwan, I'm here to convince you.
Ultimately, teaching abroad involves making some major decisions. Before I chose Taiwan, I considered South Korea, Japan, Vietnam, and Thailand.
So why Taiwan? Weighing it against the other countries, Taiwan offers a decent salary, doesn't get too cold in the winter (hello, tropical weather!), and has a more relaxed teaching culture, especially compared to Japan or South Korea.
The Taiwan education system has lots to offer for both new and experienced teachers, so keep on reading if you're keen to find out what English teaching jobs await you in Taiwan!
Short on time? Here’s the cheat sheet
🏫Taiwan is one of the best countries to teach English abroad.
💼You’ll need to choose if you want to work at a public school, private school, or cram school.
👩🏫The main requirements differ between the places to work but in general, you’ll need:
- To be a native English speaker
- To have a bachelor’s degree
- To have a clean background check from the last 6 months
- To have a Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) certificate
☂️Mandarin is difficult to learn and not all jobs offer good perks but,
☀️There are a lot of job opportunities around the country and the general work vibe here is more relaxed than other Asian countries.
Requirements to Teach English in Taiwan
There are a variety of teaching jobs in Taiwan, and the requirements for teaching vary. In this article, I will cover the main ESL jobs that most foreign teachers in Taiwan take, including cram schools (buxiban), public schools, and private schools.
Buxiban/Cram School (after-school English center)
- Bachelor's degree
- Hold a passport from an native English-speaking country (such as the United States, South Africa, the UK, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand)
- Clean criminal background check from home country (within past 6 months)
- Usually a TESEOL or TEFL certificate
Public Schools (TFETP or Taiwan Foreign English Teacher Program)
- Bachelor's degree
- Be from an English-speaking nation (includes countries like the Philippines)
- Have a teaching license/certificate OR 1-year min. previous teaching experience + an education-related degree or TEFL certificate (in-depth requirements here)
- Clean criminal background check from home country (within the past 6 months)
Private Schools (Requirements may vary by school)
- Bachelor's degree (preferably in Education or related field) or Associate's degree with TEFL or TESOL
- Hold a passport from a native English-speaking country (such as the United States, South Africa, the UK, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand)
- Teaching experience preferred
- Clean criminal background check from home country (within the past 6 months)
Different Types of Schools for Teaching English in Taiwan
We briefly touched on the teaching qualifications required for different kinds of schools in Taiwan, but what are the actual differences between them?
Buxiban/Cram Schools
Buxibans are among the easiest places to find teaching opportunities in Taiwan, but they typically offer less pay and fewer benefits compared to private or public schools. It's also the easiest type of English teaching job for most teachers.
Working hours at cram schools are after-school (usually around 4 PM - 9 PM) and weekends (such as Saturday mornings). For some people (like me), this is actually better!
The pay is hourly, usually ranging from $600 NTD to $750 NTD ($20 - $25 USD), depending on prior teaching experience. If you want to negotiate a higher salary, you'll have more wiggle room at independently owned schools compared to chains.
The hours also vary, but the minimum requirement is 14 hours a week to be eligible for a work permit, which is a legal requirement for teaching English in Taiwan.
When I came to teach English in Taiwan, I worked at a buxiban, which was preferable for me because I didn't like waking up early. I had the day to myself and then worked the evening. I worked about 15-20 hours a week at $650 NTD/an hour and earned around 40,000 NTD (~$1,300 USD) a month.
Public School (through Taiwan Foreign English Teacher Program)
Public schools are the government-funded schools in Taiwan. Teachers in public schools work during regular school hours (approximately 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM), but typically teach only about 20 hours a week.
English teachers in public schools have several significant benefits, including summers off, flight reimbursements, housing stipends, and performance bonuses.
There are two positions available in Taiwan through the TFETP program:
- English teacher
- foreign English teaching assistant
If you don't qualify to be a teacher but still hold a bachelor's degree, you should be eligible to apply as a teaching assistant.
Both have different requirements and offer varying pay ranges; these are the official pay rates and benefits. Overall, the salary for public school teachers in Taiwan is significantly higher than that of those working at buxibans.
Private Schools
Private schools in Taiwan operate similarly to public ones, with full-time on-site hours and approximately 20 teaching hours per week. The pay isn't as high as in public schools (depending on your experience), but the class sizes will be smaller.
If you want to find teaching jobs in Taiwan during typical school hours, but don't have the qualification to be a teacher through TFETP, take a look at private schools.
How to Find a Job Teaching English in Taiwan
Depending on the type of school you'd like to work for, there are different ways of seeking a job. I'll outline the different schools below and the best ways to find a job there:
Buxiban/Cram Schools
You can search for job opportunities at buxibans online before you arrive in Taiwan, but I would never suggest signing a contract before coming. Do your research beforehand, and then when you arrive in Taiwan, you can start applying to jobs and even visit schools before committing to any teaching contract.
As buxibans vary (from massive chains like Shane/HESS to being independently owned), you'll find they each offer different pay rates and benefits.
I was on the way to being hired by an independent buxiban in the center of Taipei City, but changed my mind and decided to work with Shane, a chain of English schools in Taiwan.
If you work for a buxiban chain, they'll typically provide training using their curriculum and may even help place you in a school.
You can check job boards for teaching jobs in Taiwan on websites like these:
- https://www.tealit.com/
- https://www.1111.com.tw/
- Facebook groups
Public School in Taiwan
To work in Taiwan public schools, you'll need to go through the TFETP (Taiwan Foreign English Teacher Program).
Applications for the upcoming school year open on January 1st, so if you apply for the 2026-2027 school year, applications will be available January 1st, 2026.
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis and close once the positions have been filled, so the earlier you apply, the better!
Private Schools in Taiwan
If you want a job at an actual school but don't meet the requirements to work in public school, then you'll want to look into teaching English at private schools. There are loads of jobs listed on websites like these:
For more options when it comes to teaching jobs at private schools, try to apply for the fall semester as that's the beginning of the school year. You may also find opportunities for the spring semester. For either, be searching a few months ahead of time!
Work Permit for Taiwan
In Taiwan, you don't actually get a work visa, but a work permit, which enables you to apply for your Alien Resident Certificate (ARC) and healthcare. Oh, and the ability to work legally.
Your employer is the one who needs to obtain your work permit, and the process varies depending on the school. For buxibans and private schools, you can arrive in Taiwan on whatever your passport allows and obtain a work permit after signing a contract with an employer.
For public schools, your work permit may be processed before or after you arrive in Taiwan, depending on when you get the offer, sign your contract, and take your flight to Taiwan.
Where to Teach in Taiwan
Where you teach in Taiwan depends on which type of school you decide to teach in. Regardless, you'll probably find yourself near beautiful mountains (and maybe even beaches!). There are a lot of really great places to live in Taiwan.
Here are some quick tips when deciding where to start applying:
- You can walk into buxibans in Taipei and ask for a job teaching English, while the TFETP offers fewer choices here.
- Taipei is one of the most sought-after places to teach in so expect a bit of competition. If you still want to be close to the big city, consider New Taipei City, with plenty of transit that connects to Taipei.
- Another city that's popular with plenty of teaching opportunities is Taichung.
- If you want to skip the colder winters, check out Tainan or Kaohsiung. Finding jobs here is not as easy as in the north, but having lived in Kaohsiung for a year, it's worth the effort.
- If you're willing to step out of your comfort zone (and likely learn some Mandarin), consider taking on jobs in smaller cities or villages. I did this and lived on Kinmen Island. I really got to know my students along with the families and have a deeper understanding of the culture versus being in a huge city.
Pros and Cons of Teaching English in Taiwan
From my few years of teaching English in Taiwan, these were the most pressing pros and cons.
Pros:
- All types of jobs provide an ARC, health insurance, and you can open a bank account
- ARC allows you to get a scooter license
- Convenient and cheap public transportation
- Beautiful beaches and mountains
- High standard of living
- More relaxed teaching culture versus Japan or South Korea
- English is widely spoken in major cities, especially in Taipei among younger people
- Job opportunities, even if you only have an associate's degree and TEFL certification (in some private schools)
Cons:
- Extremely hot and humid summers
- Countries like South Korea offer some better perks
- Rent may be expensive depending on location
- Mandarin is DIFFICULT to learn
- Winter in Taipei is still quite chilly (and there isn't much heating)
Where Will Teaching English in Taiwan Take You?
Taiwan is the type of country that many people fall in love with! With friendly people, nature, great food, and interesting culture...it's hard not to honestly.
By now, I hope you've been able to envision yourself in one of these English teaching jobs in Taiwan, because from there, amazing and life-changing opportunities await you.
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