TEFL jobs in South Korea

Yes — Irish citizens are one of only seven nationalities EPIK, South Korea’s government teaching programme, will hire. You need a degree, and a 100-hour TEFL certificate unless your degree is in education. EPIK caps instructional hours at 22 a week, and your Office of Education leases your apartment for you.

What Irish teachers should know first

EPIK — the English Program in Korea, run by the National Institute for International Education under Korea’s Ministry of Education — names Ireland directly. Its eligibility page lists the seven citizenships it accepts: Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States and South Africa. You must also have been schooled in one of those countries from seventh year through university, so an Irish passport plus an Irish education is exactly the profile the programme is built around.

The qualification rule is specific. EPIK requires a bachelor’s degree, and where that degree is not in education, teaching, TESOL or second language studies, a TEFL, TESOL or CELTA certificate of at least 100 hours from an accredited provider. EPIK allows you to apply before the certificate is finished, provided it is completed no later than six weeks before your expected arrival date in Korea (EPIK eligibility page, 2026).

Hours are contractual, not informal. EPIK’s Duties and Contract page states that teachers work eight hours a day, five days a week, excluding weekends and Korean national holidays, and that total instructional hours will not exceed 22 per week unless the Office of Education or the school requests more, in which case the contract’s overtime clause applies.

On pay, be careful what you believe. EPIK’s own salary page, updated 4 May 2026 for the Fall 2026 intake, publishes the monthly pay table as an image and states plainly that the scale is set by the individual Offices of Education, not by EPIK, and is subject to change between intakes. The only monthly figures EPIK states in writing are the outliers: Chungbuk operates two higher levels at 2.9 and 3.0 million KRW, and Gyeonggi one at 2.6 million KRW. We are not going to print a single national starting salary, because EPIK does not publish one in a form we can verify — ask for the exact provincial scale in writing before you sign. What EPIK does confirm is that Offices of Education are not currently hiring at Level 3, so every applicant must qualify for at least Level 2 before signing the final contract, which in practice means the degree plus the 100-hour certificate.

The benefits are published in plain text and are worth more than they first look. EPIK states a one-off settlement allowance of 300,000 KRW in the first month of your first contract; a leased house, apartment or studio provided by your Office of Education, with utilities and maintenance at your own cost; an entrance allowance of 1,800,000 KRW at the end of your first contract month, issued as a loan repayable if you leave inside six months; a contract completion bonus of 1,300,000 KRW at the end of each contract term; severance of roughly one month’s salary on completion; and national health insurance at about 5.89% of salary, half of which your Office of Education pays.

There is one Irish-specific trap. Ireland and Korea have operated a Working Holiday Programme since 9 March 2010, and since 29 March 2023 each country issues up to 800 places a year to nationals aged 18 to 34 inclusive, according to the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Ireland. It is not a teaching route. The Embassy states that the Working Holiday H-1 visa is not appropriate for those entering Korea for full-time employment, and that anyone who wishes to work as an English instructor must change their visa status to an E-2. Treat the working holiday as a way to see the country, and the E-2 as the visa you actually teach on.

Is South Korea a good place to live as well as work?

Would you like to teach English in South Korea? Although it is renowned as the Land of Morning Calm, teaching English in South Korea will quickly show you that it is far from boring! With a population of over 50 million people and one of the world’s densest capitals, South Korea provides a fast-paced combination of modern cities, centuries-old traditions, enthralling culture, and gorgeous countryside.

What English teaching jobs are available in South Korea?

There are numerous possibilities for TEFL in South Korea, whether you’re seeking your first teaching job or want to advance your teaching career. English teachers are in high demand across the country, from private schools and colleges to government-sponsored teaching programmes and language academies.

If you want to teach English in South Korea but don’t know where to begin, read on to learn everything you need to know with our comprehensive guide to teaching English in South Korea.

Still deciding between the region’s two biggest markets? Our guide to teaching English in Japan sets out the JET Programme pay scale, the two visa categories and the Ireland to Japan working holiday route, so you can compare the two side by side.

Read next: our pillar guide to teaching English abroad jobs, and the neighbouring markets Irish teachers ask about most — teaching English in Vietnam and teaching English in Taiwan. If you still need the certificate EPIK asks for, start with our TEFL courses in Ireland.

Talk to a real person

No obligation and no sales pitch. Tell us what you want out of the year and we will tell you honestly whether South Korea fits.

Salaries in South Korea differ depending on the type of educational school. Hagwons, on average, pay the most for first-time English teachers in South Korea, around €1900. On the other hand, public schools pay a lesser starting wage of around €1,200-€1,900. When you consider the limited number of actual working hours, the remuneration in public schools tends to be higher. Public and private schools will provide housing for English teachers in South Korea. It’s usually a self-contained studio ranging in size from medium to tiny. Seoul flats are often the smallest; however, there is so much to do in Seoul that real time spent in the apartment is limited.

In general, South Korea’s cost of living is reasonable. Keep in mind that the cost may be more if you live in a larger city, the cost may be more. However, because most English teaching jobs cover your rent and all you have to pay is your utilities and mobile phone bill, it’s reasonable to suggest that you can spend up to 80% of your earnings on living or travelling expenses. The most appealing part of the deal is when you complete your English teaching contract, as most contracts include an extra month’s pay as an incentive.

Cost of living prices are taken from Numbeo.com, the world’s largest comparison website.