how to teach in an international school: Your Step by Step Guide

So you’re looking for international teaching jobs but you’re not sure where to start? I’ve been there! Twelve years ago I was teaching in Boston, feeling stuck and dreaming of getting a teaching job in Europe. Now I’ve been living and working in Europe for over a decade and I’m about to make my leap to a brand new international teaching job! From the best international teacher recruitment agencies to my step-by-step guide for landing job offers at multiple international schools, I’m finally sharing the secrets of how to teach in an international school!

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FAQ ABOUT how to teach IN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS

WHY TEACH IN AN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL?

A POSITIVE TEACHING ENVIRONMENT 

International teaching jobs can vary greatly but the best ones will offer opportunities for intercultural connection with diverse students, parents and colleagues from a variety of global backgrounds. They should also offer generous professional development, the ability to level up your teaching practice in a supportive environment, travel opportunities with students, greater work-life balance and more pleasant, well-resourced working environments than you’d find in the average US public school.

In my experience teaching in an international school, I went from battling burnout and toxic stress in an American public school to working in a calm, peaceful environment in rural Switzerland where cows and sheep greeted me on my way to school each morning, and school trips to Tuscany, the Swiss Alps and Stratford Upon Avon were regularly on my roster. 

ABILITY TO EXPERIENCE THE WORLD ON A TEACHER’S SALARY 

If the charms of Europe aren’t what blows your hair back, remember you can teach in international schools all over the planet! The strategies I teach you in this post are the same whether you’re going for the bright lights of Shanghai, the deserts of Africa, the buzz of Buenos Aires or the beaches of the Caribbean!

Lots of people who teach in international schools make it a point to take contracts in different regions every few years such as Asia, Africa, Europe, the Middle East, South America, etc. In this way, they are able to see the world on a teacher’s salary. Not too shabby!

HOW IS TEACHING IN AN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL DIFFERENT FROM TEACHING IN A REGULAR SCHOOL?

There are some key differences between teaching in an international school and teaching in an American public school, which I will break down for you in detail. Remember to do your research and ask questions during the interview process. Every school is different!

INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL QUICK FACTS

• International schools educate students from around the world. The main language of many international schools is English, but bilingual programs exist as well. In my opinion, a great international school has a variety of students, including locals who want to get an English language education and students from anglophone countries whose parents are working abroad.
• An international school is NOT the same as a language school! (More on that later.)
• International schools offer a broad variety of subjects that you’d expect at any primary or secondary school; humanities, math, sciences, arts, physical education, technology, languages, etc. They also hire learning support teachers, school psychologists, administrators, etc. 
•  Many international schools follow the International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum, although they can also follow the American, British, Canadian or Australian systems, or a combination of them!
• Any school can call itself an international school, however, the best ones are recognized by the IB or the Council of International Schools (CIS).  
• International schools can be for-profit or non-profit, religiously affiliated or non-denominational, boarding or day schools, co-educational or single-sex!

PERKS AND BENEFITS OF TEACHING IN AN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL 

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE

A good international school should offer you a relocation package that includes at a minimum: 

• Visa sponsorship and re-payment of visa costs 
• Full or partial reimbursement of moving expenses such as flights, shipping, etc for you and any spouse and/or dependents
• School-provided housing or assistance finding a flat, a loan for your flat deposit, assistance setting up banking, utilities, etc.
• Some schools also offer perks such as free language classes, reimbursements for yearly flights home, private health insurance, pension contributions, etc. 

TUITION BENEFITS 

• Many international schools offer free or reduced tuition for the children of staff

A HEALTHY BUDGET

• International schools should have generous professional development reimbursement and a more than adequate budget for teaching supplies. I’ve never spent money out of pocket for training or teaching supplies while at an international school.

THE DRAWBACKS OF TEACHING AT AN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

I wouldn’t be me if I wasn’t honest about the not-so-great stuff as well! 

CONTRACTS ARE DIFFICULT TO GET OUT OF

Good teachers are hard to find, so when you sign a contract with an international school, it’s usually pretty ironclad. The minimum contract period for most international schools is two years, and there may be financial penalties for terminating early or not giving your notice properly. 

Before you take a job teaching at an international school, make sure you’re bought into the lifestyle, at least for a few years. 

LACK OF FLEXIBILITY

I cannot stress this enough: teaching at an international school is NOT a career path for someone who is looking to see the world with a little bit of teaching on the side. These jobs are full-on with long hours. Schools will expect your full buy-in to the community, even sometimes on evenings and weekends!

Additionally, teaching at an international school does NOT offer flexible days or hours. You will be locked into travelling during your school holidays. 

If you are looking for a teaching job with location freedom and flexible hours, I advise you to pursue online tutoring or teaching English online instead! 

WHAT CREDENTIALS DO YOU NEED TO TEACH IN AN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL?

Most international schools require teachers who apply to have at a minimum:

• A degree in education
• A US, Canadian or British teaching certificate
• At least two years of prior experience teaching in your home country.

Positions at international schools are extremely competitive, and you’ll most likely have to exceed the minimum requirements to score a good role. Having a Master’s of Education, certifications in more than one subject, experience with IB curriculum and more than two years of teaching experience will increase your odds of landing a good role. More and more European schools are requiring international experience to apply, so location flexibility will also help you get your foot in the door.

Although some international schools offer intern positions, international teaching jobs are NOT positions for inexperienced people with no credentials who think they’d like to give teaching a try in exchange for the experience of living abroad.

The reasons for this are:

1.  International schools are private, tuition-based institutions that have high expectations about the quality of education provided.
2. In order to hire you, your school must ensure that you qualify for a highly skilled worker visa. This requires them to prove to their government that your degrees and credentials align with the job, and they need to hire you over a local. 

DO YOU NEED A TEFL TO TEACH AT AN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL?

No. Although a TEFL can’t hurt you, you only need one if you will be teaching English as an Additional Language (EAL).

Another thing I can’t stress enough: Teaching in an international school is NOT the same as teaching English as a foreign language at a language school! 

THE BEST INTERNATIONAL TEACHER RECRUITMENT AGENCIES

If it is your first time applying to teach in an international school, I strongly suggest you work with a recruiting agency. The reason for this is that the best international teacher recruitment agencies don’t just vet you, the teaching candidate, they vet the schools as well. This is the best way to ensure you end up in a legitimate educational institution.

MY TOP PICK FOR INTERNATIONAL TEACHER RECRUITMENT AGENCIES

SEARCH ASSOCIATES

Search Associates is the largest, oldest and most well-respected international teaching recruitment agency in the world. I have personally worked with them several times and hold them in high regard.

To be a candidate with Search, you must apply, be pre-vetted and be accepted. If you make it through that process, you’ll be considered among an elite group of global educators! Search requires full background checks and secure references from administrators and parents, which will make you a highly desirable candidate.

Once you are accepted by Search, you will have access to all of the international teaching job listings on the planet, plus school profiles. Schools will be able to see your profile as well.

A nice thing about working with Search is that you’ll be assigned an associate to guide you through the process and answer any questions you may have. In this way, it feels a lot more personal than your average recruitment agency. 

You’ll also be eligible to attend Search’s in-person recruitment fairs, which take place all over the globe. These job fairs are invite-only and have very high success rates, so they’re a great way to get an international teaching job.

Bonus: you’ll get to meet other teachers from all over the world at the recruitment fair!

OTHER TRUSTED INTERNATIONAL TEACHER RECRUITMENT AGENCIES

You’ll also want to make a profile on Schrole, another well-respected international teacher recruitment platform. This one works a little bit more like a traditional job listing website, although they do also have a vetting function. 

Another platform that international teachers love (which I have not personally used) is Teacher Horizons.

Why not make a profile on all three? 

MY STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO GETTING A JOB AT AN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

It’s important to note that the hiring process for teaching in international schools starts much earlier than the hiring process at most American schools. This is because notice periods at most international schools are much longer. 

If you want an international teaching job, you need to get started in the autumn of the school year BEFORE you want to leave your current job. For example, if you want a new job for the 2026-2027 school year, you need to get started in the autumn of 2025!

SEPTEMBER- NOVEMBER

• Start gathering your teaching credentials, diplomas and transcripts, you’ll need these to be pre-vetted by Search and Schrole. 
• Ask for references from your current admins, parents, etc. This is crucial, you cannot skip this step. If it feels awkward, remember the rest of your life and career are out there waiting for you!
• Set up profiles on Search and Schrole and submit your application for checking. Do this well in advance because it takes time to be pre-vetted and they may ask you for additional information, references, etc.
• Brush up and optimize your teaching portfolio website, Linkedin, etc. Remember, when you can’t interview in person, a website is your calling card. I strongly suggest having an online teaching portfolio. It doesn’t have to be fancy. It just has to exist!

TOP TIP:

I advise that you do your soul-searching during this time too. Figure out what your non-negotiables are. Talk to your partner or a trusted friend about moving abroad. What will this mean for your life? Are you ready for it? 

Remember that the international teaching hiring season can move very fast and you don’t want to have an existential crisis thinking about these things while you’re deciding between two job offers!

Keep this in mind: friends and family can offer advice, but in the end, this is YOUR decision. Trust your gut! 

DECEMBER

December is when the international teaching hiring season really starts to heat up! Hopefully, your vetting process Search is complete by now because new job listings will be popping up daily!

THINGS TO DO:

• Look at the dates and locations of Search fairs and submit a request to attend one to your associate
• Request time off from your job and book flights/accommodation if needed
• Start applying to schools! Follow the directions on the job listing. Some schools want you to apply directly through their website, others don’t mind if you apply via Search.

WHAT IF I CAN’T ATTEND AN INTERNATIONAL TEACHING JOB FAIR IN PERSON? 

Don’t worry! More and more schools are taking their hiring process online these days. Attendance at a fair can be an advantage for a first-time candidate because it shows schools you’re serious and it offers you the chance to network with seasoned international teachers who can offer advice. However, not attending one is NOT a deal breaker! 

JANUARY- FEBRUARY

It’s time to start interviewing! Interviews for international teaching jobs can be a little different than interviewing for regular teaching jobs. They’ll ask you a lot of the same questions you’d expect about your teaching experience. However, they may also ask you some questions that feel a little more personal too. This is normal. 

Be ready to discuss why you want to teach abroad, your hobbies and passions and what kind of extracurricular activities you’d like to offer. 

Don’t be surprised if they ask if you have a partner, kids or even pets! These things are not deal breakers for them, in fact, some schools like hiring people with partners and kids because they perceive those people as more settled and likely to stay longer than single folks. However, being single can also be an advantage because you don’t need to factor your family into decisions. 

Remember this is a two-way street. You also get to ask a lot of questions, not just about the job, but about the country, the other staff, what’s fun to do around the city, and much more! 

QUESTIONS TO ASK AT AN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL INTERVIEW

International teaching jobs are not just about the job itself, they’re also about the lifestyle and culture fit of the school and the country you’re moving to. You should feel free to ask lots of questions. A good school is interested in your happiness as a potential staff member, so they should be pleased to discuss these things with you. 

• What curriculum do you offer? IB? AP, US, British, or a mix?
• What is your school’s philosophy of teaching and learning?
• Where do your staff and student body come from? Are most of them local or from other countries as well? Which ones? 
• In addition to teaching, what will my other responsibilities be?
• What types of field trips and extracurricular activities do you offer? 
• What kind of accommodation do teachers live in and how do they get to school?
• Tell me more about your benefits and relocation package
• What is the average tenure of your staff? 

For a list of the 15 most important questions to ask at an international school job interview plus a handy organizer for your job search, download my free Ace Your International Job Search Checklist.

international school GREEN FLAGS

In general, a school should be relaxed, personable, interested in you as both an educator and a human, and enthusiastic about discussing their school culture. 

A good school:

• Patiently answers any questions you have and gives you the opportunity to ask more
• Freely offers you opportunities to speak with current staff members. International teachers are generally friendly, open and keen to talk to new staff!
• Is fully transparent about salary, benefits and contracts
• Offers you a concrete job offer, in writing
• Does not pressure you to immediately accept a job offer. International schools understand you’re interviewing for many jobs and may have multiple offers. A good school will give you time to consider. 48 hours is the industry standard, but I’ve had schools give up to 5 days!
• Remember, the best schools do not need to pressure teachers to sign contracts. 

international school YELLOW FLAGS

Proceed with caution if:

• The school seems rushed
• They answer you with vague, partial answers, are hesitant, or don’t seem to know the answers
• They are reluctant to put you in contact with current staff members 
• They put you in contact with current staff members, but those people are guarded with how they reply to you. If a staff member is overly cautious, this may mean that staff morale is low or they don’t feel comfortable speaking their mind. 
• The position you’re applying for has high turnover, and they cannot provide a good explanation or any concrete ways they’re improving the situation, or they blame past employees. 

International school RED FLAGS

Do not proceed if:

• The school tries to pressure you into saying yes to a job that they have not technically offered you yet. This is a dirty move because when you work with a recruitment agency, a verbal yes can be binding. They know you won’t be able to say yes to another school in this situation, so they have you at a disadvantage.
• The school offers you a job, but they don’t want to talk numbers or show you a contract
• They blow off your questions or answer them inadequately
• They make you feel small or uncomfortable in some way. Remember, this is more than just a job. When you take a position teaching at an international school, you are intertwining your life with your employer. If it doesn’t feel right, walk away. 

IF YOU GET AN INTERNATIONAL TEACHING JOB OFFER

Go you! I knew you could do it!

If you’re 100% satisfied with the offer, you can accept on the spot. If you are not 100% satisfied, ask for more time to consider! Remember, a verbal yes can be binding. 

Important: If you’re working with a recruitment agency, saying yes and then changing your mind later may count as reneging on a contract. This can have financial penalties or the possibility of being banned from the platform for life!

If you need more time to consider, instead of YES, try saying, ‘I’m excited about this job, but I need…’

• 24-48 hours to think it over
• A copy of my contract and pay scale, etc.
• A chat with another teacher at the school who is in a similar situation to mine.

ANY reasonable school should be happy to grant you this.

And remember to CELEBRATE!

what if i get multiple offers?

Well done! This is not an unusual situation, I’ve gotten multiple job offers every hiring season I’ve been on the market! Schools understand this is a possibility. If they’ve made you an offer they’re enthusiastic enough about you to give you some time to consider. Use the script provided above to buy yourself some time. Make a pro-con list for each school, get those last little questions answered and then go with your gut!

Important: Don’t leave either school hanging. When you accept an offer, make sure you decline the other offer promptly. Ghosting or unnecessarily drawing the process out is considered bad form, because you heasitating could cause the school to lose out on their second choice candidate. Remember, international schools are actually a very small world and poor behavior could reflect badly on you and spoil your chances the next time you’re on the hiring market!

WHAT TO DO IF YOU DON’T GET AN OFFER RIGHT AWAY?

Don’t despair. Although the majority of international teaching jobs are filled in February, schools continue to have openings pop up through the spring. Keep your profile active and perhaps ask your Associate to go over your profile with you to identify any areas where you could strengthen it.

tough love

Are you missing out on good jobs because you’re not being open-minded enough about location? It’s OK to have preferences, but remember that everybody wants to work in hot locations like Paris, London and Rome so the application process for schools in those cities will be fiercely competitive. The more flexible you are about where you end up, the more likely you are to find a good role. Try considering school culture and personality fit over location. Some of the loveliest schools in the world are in unassuming places and some of the most toxic ones are in coveted locations.

WHAT NEXT?

Get ready for your life to change baby! If you’ve scored an international teaching job you’re about to hop on a wild roller coaster ride. Here are some things you can do to make it easier:

learn more about my teach abroad story:

Download my FREE Checklist: Acing Your International Teaching Job Search

Check out my post: How to Prepare for an International Move

Download my Checklist: Fully Customizable Move Abroad Checklist

Follow my daily life as a solo female immigrant @alyssowrites 

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How to Make Friends Living Abroad as a Solo Female

How to Deal With Culture Shock as a Solo Woman Abroad

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