This list shares the best companies to teach English online to Korean students, whether you’re looking to replace an old teaching gig or start a new one.
Teaching English online has become one of the best remote job opportunities for TEFL-certified English teachers. And in the past few years, it’s rapidly grown in popularity in places like China, Japan, and South Korea. However, after a new law affecting employment for foreign teachers in China, those aspiring to teach online are shifting focus to teaching English to students in Korea and beyond.
While I don’t have experience teaching English online to Korean students, I had the opportunity to be a part of the EPIK program and lived in South Korea for two glorious years. Not only are the students generally polite, but they are also highly motivated (usually, they are children after all!), and learning about the culture is a joy.
Let’s dive into everything you need to know to tutor Korean students online.
*This list is meant to be a helpful resource sharing the various online teaching jobs out there. Be sure to do your own due diligence and properly vet each company to ensure it’s a good fit for you.
Read More: Pros and Cons of Teaching English Online
This post may contain affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost to you, if you click my links and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission. Learn more on my disclosure page. Thank you for your support!
Job Requirements for Teaching English Online to Korean Students
Before you can start teaching English to Korean students online, it’s essential to make sure you meet the requirements! You’ll need to verify with the company, but these are the general qualifications EFL teachers need to teach online.
1. Be a Native English Speaker
Online English teachers need to speak English, and many companies only hire people from native English-speaking countries like the U.S., U.K, Canada, Ireland, Australia, or New Zealand.
South Africans are also usually eligible for online English teaching jobs, but not always.
If you’re a non-native English speaker but speak English at a native level, some companies may hire you with proof of high ability. Still, I recommend contacting them to verify before investing in a TEFL certificate or the application process.
2. Have a TEFL Certificate
Next up, you’ll need to have a CELTA or TEFL certificate if you don’t have a teaching license. Most jobs want to see at least a TEFL of 120-hours or more. The number of hours may not be important for some jobs, but 120 is typically the industry baseline.
If you’re currently thinking – what is a TEFL certification?, it’s a qualification aspiring teachers earn after taking a training course online or in-person that can last anywhere between 3-4+ weeks.
Read More: 10 Best TEFL Certifications Online
3. Have a Bachelor’s Degree (most of the time)
Many companies require their teachers to have a Bachelor’s degree. It usually doesn’t matter what your major was, just so long as you graduated college.
If you’re a licensed teacher, even better! You probably don’t need to invest in a TEFL certificate in that case.
Read More: How to Teach English Online Without a Degree
4. Have Teaching Experience (sometimes)
Some platforms only hire teachers with previous teaching experience, but it’s not that common. If they do require experience, it’s typically at least a year, sometimes two, and sometimes even just six months. If you happen to have any volunteer or child-related experiences, it can help make your application more competitive.
What are the Peak Hours for Teaching English Online in Korea?
Peak teaching hours in Korea are early weekday mornings and evenings Korea time, as well as weekend days. Essentially, peak hours are when Korean students don’t have school and/or work if they are adults or college students.
Peak teaching hours in Korea can cause a scheduling challenge if you’re based outside of Korea or Asia. Seoul is 8 hours ahead of London, 14 hours ahead of Chicago, and 16 hours ahead of Los Angeles.
That means Korea’s weekday peak teaching hours are in the early morning between 5am to 8am in the U.S., or 12pm to 3pm in Europe.
11 Companies Hiring to Teach English Online to Korean Students
1. Nil English
2. Engliphone
3. Skybel
4. Tutoring Go
5. Bok Tutors
6. CafeTalk
7. EnglishHunt
8. NolzaTalk
9. GMNY
10. Global VCC
11. Carrot Global
1. Nil English – Teach a Wide Range of Ages
Who can teach: U.S. and Canadian citizens
Job requirements: Bachelor or Associate’s, TEFL certificate preferred
Pay: $10 – $15/hour, probationary rate paid per 10 minutes
Nil English is known for being a laid-back company that connects Korean students with American and Canadian teachers. Their classes range from 10, 20, 30, to 60 minutes long and are taught one-on-one on Skype, Zoom, or phone video chat, depending on the student’s preference.
Teachers are expected to fill out a daily report after each class, and you have the flexibility to choose your hours. The company also wants teachers to have at least 10 hours of availability each week, two hours a day. Teachers are paid per 10 minutes of class at a base rate of $1.50/ten minutes, which increases to $2.00 after three months, and $2.50 after six.
How to Apply to Nil English
The application process appears quite simple and is a Google form that asks for your personal information, education level, contact info, and computer equipment. There’s also a section that asks for your availability. Nil English hires teachers with American and Canadian citizenship only.
Any questions or comments, you can contact Nil English via their email: [email protected]
Apply to Nil English here.
2. Engliphone – Teach English to Korean Adults and Business Professionals
Who can teach: U.S. and Canadian citizens
Job requirements: Bachelor’s Degree, TEFL certificate, Windows PC
Pay: $13.50, $17-$20/hour
Engliphone is a well-reviewed teaching platform that hires teachers without a college degree or a TEFL certificate. They also require teachers to be available for a minimum of 15 hours a week, broken up into four-hour shifts or more. You’ll also need to have a PC as their software is incompatible with Mac and the iOS operating system. The students are primarily business professionals and adults.
How to Apply to Engliphone
To apply, you need to email them with your resume, a professional photo, and any applicable information about you. You can also reach out with any specific questions regarding the position. Their website is only in Korean and pretty tricky to navigate.
They only hire American or Canadian teachers with a neutral accent and prefer applicants with at least one year of teaching experience.
To apply, email them at [email protected]
3. Skybel – Help Korean Students Prepare for the IELTS
Who can teach: Teachers from the U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and Philippines
Job requirements: Bachelor’s degree, IELTS experience preferred (3 years required for Filipino applicants)
Pay: $16-$20/hour via direct deposit for Filipino teachers, PayPal for everyone else
Skybel is a company based in the Philippines that specializes specifically in helping Korean students study for their IELTS, or International English Language Testing System. They are unique in that they don’t require teachers to have a minimum or maximum number of work hours, except that teachers be available for at least one class a month. Lessons at Skybel are held only during the week between 6:00am – 12:00am Korean time.
Another pro of Skybel is that they provide all necessary teaching materials, which means no lesson planning. Teachers work with students over Skype in one-on-one lessons. They have limited positions so they may not always be hiring. Be sure to check back frequently.
How to Apply to Skybel
Skybel hires teachers from the Philippines who have a Bachelor’s degree, at least three years of teaching experience, and a neutral English accent. They also hire native English speakers from the US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa who have a Bachelor’s degree and they prefer previous teaching experience.
The first step in the application includes sending an email to [email protected] with their completed application form (you can find it on their website), a professional photo, your resume, and a one-minute video introducing yourself attached. If you pass their initial screening, they’ll ask for a Skype interview and then a demo class to showcase your teaching approach, personality, and correction methods.
Read more about how to apply to Skybel.
4. Tutoring Go – Teach English to Both Korean Adults and Kids
Who can teach: Teachers from the Philippines, U.S., U.K., Canada, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand
Job requirements: Bachelor’s degree, TEFL certificate, teaching experience, Windows PC
Pay: $10-$14/hour via PayPal, paid at min threshold $200
Sometimes referred to as Tutoring, Tutoring Go offers audio and video lessons for students of all ages. Their teaching requirements are pretty strict, and they require teachers to have a TEFL certification, college degree, and at least two years of teaching experience.
Tutoring Go stands out from other platforms in that they offer thousands of different topics to make learning English more fun, convenient, and helpful. Classes are offered 24/7, which means there are plenty of hours available for teachers who want them. Their website also states that they provide monthly training videos to teachers.
How to Apply to Tutoring Go
On Tutoring Go’s application page, they list their current openings as well as the exact job requirements and application form.
The application form asks for your basic information, professional resume with a cover letter, a three-minute self-intro video, your education, and TEFL certificates, as well as information about your internet connection.
Read more about how to apply to Tutoring Go.
5. Bok Tutors – Teach English to Korean Students on Skype
Who can teach: Native-English speakers, primarily Americans
Job requirements: Bachelor’s degree, one year teaching experience, TEFL certificate preferred
Pay: $13-$18/hour
Bok Tutors offers students one-on-one language instruction on Skype with native English speakers. They work with students of various ages from elementary up through university and for business adults too.
Their website is a little vague and doesn’t include too much info, so I recommend shooting them an email to see if they’re hiring. Their website also only shows a small number of teaching instructors, which means this company is a bit competitive. For the sake of options, I’ve included it on this list!
Email [email protected] to apply and learn more.
6. CafeTalk – Teach Exciting Topics to Japanese and Korean Students
Who can teach: Native English speakers from the U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, non-native speakers with a “neutral” accent
Job requirements: Bachelor’s degree, TEFL certificate preferred, Skype on laptop or tablet
Pay: averages $10 – $20+/hour, set by tutor paid via PayPal, Payoneer or direct deposit
CafeTalk is a Japan-based platform where students can learn English and a wide variety of subjects like music, fitness, beauty, business, and more. Because the topics are so wide and diverse, that also means they hire people from many different countries and backgrounds, making CafeTalk one of the more flexible options for teaching Japanese, Korean, and Chinese students online.
Lessons can range from 10 – 120 minutes, depending on how you structure your lessons and what students are looking for. Teachers set their own fees for a lesson based on their experience and how in-depth the material is. CafeTalk then takes a percentage of that fee for using their platform. CafeTalk takes an initial cut of 40%, which can change and lower to as little as 15% based on teacher sales and success.
How to Apply to CafeTalk
The first step in applying to CafeTalk is signing up for a free account on their platform where you’ll need to confirm your email address. You’ll also have to provide info like your preferred teaching topics, your Skype ID, and personal info such as teaching qualifications, a professional photo, and a demo idea for a lesson.
If CafeTalk likes your profile or you fit an open position, they’ll ask you for an interview before you can start teaching.
Read more about how to become a tutor at CafeTalk.
7. EnglishHunt – American Teachers Tutoring Korean Students Online
Who can teach: U.S. citizens
Job requirements: Bachelor’s degree, TEFL certificate required for video lessons and preferred for audio, 4 years of experience or substitute teacher license can replace Bachelor’s degree, Windows operating system
Pay: starts at $14/hour via direct deposit to U.S. bank accounts only
EnglishHunt is unique to other online platforms in that they hire teachers during specific periods and for the entire school year, so this is for serious teachers looking for a more traditional teaching role than the flexible online positions that have grown in popularity.
There is no lesson planning needed and although they only hire Americans, you can live wherever you want so long as you’re available during peak teaching hours which are usually in the afternoons in Korea.
How to Apply to EnglishHunt
EnglishHunt opens their applications during set periods, usually before the start of the school year in July and August.
Classes are held August-December and March-July with a winter break in December and January.
Read more about how to apply to EnglishHunt.
8. NolzaTalk – Tutor Korean Adults Without Previous Experience Needed
Who can teach: U.S. Citizens
Job requirements: Bachelor’s degree, English or Education degree preferred
Pay: $8 – $10/hour
Nolza Talk is based in Seoul and hires Americans to conduct one-on-one English lessons over Skype. Lessons typically run for 30 or 40 minutes. Their requirements are weirdly specific in that they prefer to hire “housewives/stay-at-home mothers that have plenty of time”, an indicator they want someone with an open schedule to devote to teaching.
How to Apply to NolzaTalk
Their website is all in Korean and is difficult to navigate. Even when using Google Translate’s Chrome extension to translate the page, I was unable to find info about how to apply. Email the address below for more information.
Email [email protected] for more information.
9. GMNY – Teach English Online to Korean Adults
Who can teach: U.S. citizens
Job requirements: Native speaker, Bachelor’s degree, Education or English major preferred, teaching experience preferred
Pay: $9.90/hour to start, $1.50/10 minutes + 10% bonus
GMNY, or Global Mate New York, is a global educational call center based in the United States that connects American English tutors with students in both Korea and China. To teach, you must have a hardwired internet connection, and the company provides free training before you can start your position. All teachers that pass the training are expected to sign a six-month contract that is renewable if both sides wish to continue the professional relationship.
The majority of students at GMNY are between the ages of 19-50 years old, with the remaining being younger students.
How to Apply to GMNY
The application for GMNY can be found on their website. It is a simple form that requests personal information and educational background. They will contact you for an interview if you pass their initial screening.
Submit the online application for GMNY here.
10. Global VCC – Teach Young Korean Students English Online
Who can teach: U.S. and Canadian citizens
Job requirements: Bachelor’s degree, TEFL certificate, 1 year teaching experience, PC with Internet Explorer,
Pay: $15-$17/hour
Global VCC requires teachers to have both a college degree and a reputable TEFL certificate. Teachers should also have at least 10 hours per week of availability for this position. Global VCC’s peak teaching hours are between 7:00am – 1:00pm Korea Time.
If you pass the interview, Global VCC will ask you to sign a six-month contract.
How to Apply to Global VCC
Their website is completely in Korean; however, when translated, it states that the application process has five steps: document screening, initial interview, second interview, demo lesson, and a class visit.
It appears it’s also possible to apply by emailing your resume, Skype ID, and professional headshot to [email protected].
Read more about how to apply to Global VCC.
11. Carrot Global – Teach English to Korean Adults
Who can teach: Native speakers or native accents
Job requirements: Bachelor’s degree, TEFL certification preferred
Pay: $13 – $17/hour
Carrot Global is another online teaching platform for Korean students. They require their teachers to commit to at least five days per week for a total of 15 hours and must have a hardwired internet connection.
Carrot Global provides all teaching materials. Check out this YouTube video for more information about Carrot Global.
How to Apply to Carrot Global
The application appears pretty similar to others and requires filling out an online application form for initial screening and then conducting a series of interviews.
Read more about how to apply to Carrot Global and see their current job openings both online and in Korea.
Tips For Teaching English Online to Korean Students
Equipment Needed to Teach English to Korean Students Online
When applying to teach English online with a Korean company, there are some quirky things to keep in mind. Teachers will generally need:
- Fast and reliable internet with a hardwired connection
- Windows operating system and sometimes even Internet Explorer
- Computer with a webcam
- Headphones with a microphone
- Fun background and teaching props
- A quiet area with a nice teaching background
After living and teaching English in Korea for two years, I quickly learned that as technologically advanced Korea is, in some ways they are still quite behind – case in point: many schools and companies have unsophisticated websites and platforms that only work on Windows operating systems and/or the outdated Internet Explorer.
This isn’t always the case, but you’ll find it is quite common. This is a quirk relevant to Korean companies specifically and doesn’t really relate to other teaching English online positions around the world.
Things to Know When Applying for English Teaching Jobs Online
Some companies may pause accepting applications depending on their current student-to-teacher ratio. But that doesn’t mean they’ll never hire again! If the company of your dreams has closed applications, be sure to check back every couple of months.
Korean websites can be difficult to navigate because they are usually completely in Korean. I recommend using Chrome and the Google Translate feature to help navigate some pages.
The most competitive applications are from teachers with 120-hour or higher TEFL certificates from reputable companies, a Bachelor’s degree, and teaching or experience working with children.
Payments are typically sent out once a month and usually paid out using Paypal, Payoneer, or direct deposit.
Where to Find an Affordable TEFL Certificate
Choosing where to get TEFL certified can be a challenge! There are so many companies and courses that are crazy expensive if you don’t know where to look.
While there are a few free TEFL certifications out there, your best bet is to opt for a reputable cheap online TEFL certificate if you don’t meet the various requirements for the free ones.
I usually recommend to readers iTTT TEFL or PremierTEFL for their affordability and convenient online courses.
For those who plan to make a career out of teaching English as a foreign language, I recommend a CELTA or a more in-depth TEFL from someone like the International TEFL Academy or an accredited university.
I have the pleasure of offering readers a 20% discount on iTTT courses or $200 off CIEE’s 150-Hour TEFL via my unique links!
More Ways to Teach English Online
There are way more companies out there that cater to a broader range of students than just those living in Korea! Many online English teaching platforms connect native English teachers with Japanese students, Chinese students, and adults worldwide!
Some other online English teaching jobs to consider:
- Lingoda is a popular company that offers foreign language instruction online in multiple languages.
- Consider teaching English online to Japanese students via these best platforms.
- Cambly is another excellent platform to teach English online to students from around the world.