Location
  • South Korea
    • Seoul
    • Busan
    • Gwangju
Length
52+ weeks
Classroom Audience
Early Childhood Middle School High School
General grants/scholarships
Health & Safety

Program Details

Qualifications
  • Citizen of the U.S., Canada, UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, or South Africa
  • 60 years of age or younger
  • NO criminal record including underage drinking charges, DUIs, misdemeanors, etc.
  • See our website for additional eligibility requirements
Classroom Audience
Early Childhood Middle School High School
Housing
Apartment
Weekly Classroom Hours
40
Age Min.
20
Age Max
60

Pricing

Price Details
What’s Included:
- 3 weeks of intensive TEFL training in Incheon (if chosen) which includes 120 hours of classwork and 16 hours of student teaching
- 1-week cultural orientation upon arrival
- 1 month accommodation during the course (shared housing)
- 3 months international medical and accident insurance
- Airport pickup and transfer
- Job, visa and housing assistance

Note: Pricing varies based on type of placement (Placement only or +TESOL certification course)
What's Included
Some Accommodation Airport Transfers Travel Insurance
What's Included (Extra)

*Teachers will receive a flight reimbursement from their school

Jan 09, 2024
Dec 15, 2022
70 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

High salaries, extensive group orientation, and job/visa/housing assistance are just a few of the many perks of teaching English in South Korea.
Get to know the amazing culture of South Korea while becoming TEFL certified in Incheon. We offer free housing and orientation during the TEFL program.
After graduation, we’ll assist you with finding a hagwon (private school) job so you can stay in South Korea and teach English.
Deadline to apply: 4 months before you'd like to leave

Program at a Glance:
12-month contracts
Guaranteed paid English teaching positions
Average salary $1,600 to $1,750/month
Cultural orientation
Year-round start dates
Two months of comprehensive medical travel insurance
Pre-departure and in-country support
Visa document support

Video and Photos

Diversity & Inclusion

BIPOC Support

We appreciate that everyone has a unique worldview and value everyone regardless of age, race, ethnicity, gender or gender identity, ability, military status, religion, sexual orientation or political view. We are committed to building relationships and ensuring everyone we encounter feels welcomed, respected, and accepted. Greenheart is committed to helping anyone find the best program fit and will go the extra mile to make sure our participants feel safe and supported wherever they end up.

LGBTQIA+ Support

Greenheart Travel welcomes travelers identifying as LGTBQ+, and is committed to helping you find the best program for you. We can provide information on the cultural norms of our destination countries and are prepared to advise you on the best programs based on your needs and interests.
While most of our programs could be a good fit, we also know that certain cultures and countries are more accepting of and prepared to host LGBTQ+ people than others. We are committed to working with LGBTQ+ people to determine which experiences may be the right fit for them. Please reach out if you want to discuss which of our programs might fit you best ahead of applying at travelabroad@greenheart.org or set up a phone call with us here.

Neurodivergent Support

Greenheart works with partners who have varying levels of what is considered "good mental health". While we cannot change their eligibility conditions, we will work with participants to the best of our abilities in order to get them the program placement they want. We encourage you to discuss your specific situation with us directly, before securing these documents.

Accessibility Support

Greenheart Travel welcomes students of varying ability to explore their study abroad options! While resources and support differ from country to country, Greenheart Travel staff work with individual students as needed to find program options that will set students up for success.

Impact

Sustainability

We believe in supporting our travelers to make a positive impact in their communities. The Greenheart Club provides Greenheart Grant funding to alumni projects all over the world.
As the leading eco-friendly exchange organization, we are passionate about helping travelers explore the globe while respecting the environment and cultural heritage of the destinations they explore.

Ethical Impact

Greenheart Travel is a branch of Greenheart International, a Chicago-based organization that connects people and planet to create global leaders through personal development, volunteer service, environmentalism, fair trade, and cultural exchange. We provide resources, grants, and experiences to those who want to immerse themselves in another culture and leave it better than when they arrived. Through volunteering, creating relationships and more.

Program Highlights

  • We'll make sure you don't waste time and money preparing and submitting incorrect documents
  • Save money or pay off student loans
  • Receive in-depth pre-departure support includes cultural and logistical training to prepare you for life in South Korea
  • Be connected to a community of Greenheart Travel alumni teachers before, during and after your teaching contract

Current Teaching Jobs

View the latest teaching job postings by Greenheart.

Program Reviews

4.77 Rating
based on 39 reviews
  • 5 rating 84.62%
  • 4 rating 12.82%
  • 3 rating 0%
  • 2 rating 0%
  • 1 rating 2.56%
  • Benefits 4.8
  • Support 4.8
  • Fun 4.7
  • Facilities 4.7
  • Safety 4.6
Showing 9 - 16 of 39 reviews
Tiffany
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Great support from Greenheart Travel

I used Greenheart Travel to go to South Korea through the EPIK program. Kara was so helpful and was available to help me every step of the way! She answered/returned every call and email very promptly. She also updated me as often as she could with any new information she had about my particular application. The information Greenheart provided about what my life may be like in South Korea was also very helpful and the webinars were full of information. I would highly recommend this program!

What would you improve about this program?
A few other recruiters offered their participants free 30 day sim cards. I thought this might be a good perk.
111 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Brittany
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Great experience, provided the support I needed to get started!

At the beginning of last summer, I made the decision to change my life around a bit and decided that I wanted to move to South Korea to teach English. I have a degree in Theatre and while I love the field, I wanted to be able to do something that would combine my love of teaching with my love of travelling and cultures. I did some research online and found many different programs that would help me get to South Korea. I got in touch with a few of them, but it wasn't until I came upon Greenheart and Kara that I found the program I was the most comfortable with. Most people decide that they want to go abroad and give themselves plenty of time, but I was determined to be hired by EPIK and leave the US for the Spring 2018 intake in February. This meant that everything needed to happen very quickly for my goals to be met.

I was able to schedule my first interview with Greenheart the next day. I was working at a summer camp and was not off of work yet, so I was anxious because I was in summer clothing chilling in the storage cupboard at work during my interview. Kara was so wonderful and easy to talk to however, and I felt very comfortable from the very beginning. Kara helped me decide which route would be the easiest for me to take and talked to me about getting my TEFL from the International TEFL Academy. I was signed up for the August in-person TEFL class in Chicago by the very next week!

When it came time for the EPIK application process it was very comforting to know that I had Kara to look over my application and help me make it as strong as possible. I have never done anything like this before and that support was very appreciated. She looked over my application and letters of recommendation and walked me through each step of the process. After our third chat, I felt much more comfortable with the application process and knew exactly what I needed to complete to have a winning application.

EPIK is a wonderful program, but applying to EPIK was the most stressful 6 months of my life. I was constantly wondering whether I would get an interview, would I would be prepared when I did get an interview, had I passed my interview, did my documents arrive in Korea safely, WHERE will I be placed, when can I buy my airplane ticket, and when exactly will I need to be in Korea. The materials that Greenheart provides really helped calm me down during these months of waiting (and to be honest I read some of the packets WAY to many times). It was also comforting to know that I could turn to Kara with any concerns and she would respond in a timely manner. Now that I am in Korea, she still keeps in touch and follows my adventures on Facebook, and I can feel that she is genuinely interested in what happens to the people that she helps place abroad.

Overall, my experience with Greenheart was wonderful. Kara dealt with all of my panicked e-mails and helped me every step of the way. I would work with them again in a heartbeat. They truly made the stress of changing your entire life and moving halfway around the world much more bearable!

Thank you, Kara and Greenheart for everything.

117 people found this review helpful.
Audrey
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Teaching in Daegu, South Korea

I have been teaching English in South Korea for almost 2 months now. The experience so far with the program has been great. I started by applying to EPIK through Kara at Greenheart Travel. She made the process easy and smooth, and always kept me in the loop. I would highly recommend working with Kara if applying to go to South Korea! Once I got to Korea, it was nice to have someone take me to the orientation sight as I was overwhelmed as soon as I landed. The EPIK orientation was a week of very long days, most of what I learned was very insightful. However, a lot did not actually apply to me once starting this job. I did however, make friends with other English teachers in Daegu, this was the most important aspect I took away from orientation. My experience is unique because I experienced culture shock in a much different way than the "norm". When I arrived I immediately regretted my decision, when I moved to my city I wished that I had chosen somewhere else, or a different country all together. Since then, I am starting to see the beauty of the culture, people, and country of Korea. I enjoy exploring and being here. What I would want future EPIK teachers to know is the reality of Korea. There is a lot of pollution, trash, and fine dust. I had this very romantic view of Korea and although its great here, it's not what I expected. That in mind, I'm glad I have the opportunity to be here and have already made lifelong friends and memories.

What would you improve about this program?
Realistic expectations training
104 people found this review helpful.
Erin
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Teaching in South Korea

Kara Menini at Greenheart Travel helped me through the entire application process for teaching English in South Korea. There was an enormous amount of paperwork, so I'm glad I had the help. She was available to answer any of my questions (I had lots) and did so in a timely manner. I am so happy I came to Korea and hope to spend more than one year here. I'm finally settled in my new home, it took a couple of months to truly adjust. Don't be afraid. You can do it! My biggest tip is to learn as much Korean as you possibly can.

What would you improve about this program?
The price is a bit high, but it's worth the help. I never had any issues with paperwork or deadlines.
99 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Anna
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Greenheart

I have only been here two months but teaching in Korea has already been an amazing experience. I am developing my teaching skills, experiencing an entire new culture, and making amazing connections with Korean co-workers and other teachers in the area.

I found the program through Greenheart travel and they were extremely positive and supportive through the process. The staff clearly care about their applicants and work hard to help them be successful getting into the program.

What would you improve about this program?
There could be more clarity about the possibility of not getting into the program during the semester that you apply, and information about placements could be revealed sooner to help better prepare you for the experience.

*It is not in the control of Greenheart travel to reveal placements sooner.
74 people found this review helpful.
Photo of Chase Chisholm
Chase
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Can't Imagine Applying to Teach in Korea Without Greenheart Travel's Help!

Chances are if you're interested in applying to teach English in South Korea through the English Program in Korea (EPIK), you already know how extensive and daunting the application process is. Looking back on my experience, I can't imagine applying without Greenheart Travel's help!

I learned about Greenheart Travel about six year ago. When I first reached out about applying to teach in Korea, I had already missed the deadline. So, I waited a few months before attempting to apply again. I was so impressed that Greenheart Travel staff remembered my initial correspondence! From that point on, Greenheart Travel staff members were always so attentive and personable, all the while professional and efficient.

Greenheart Travel helped me successfully complete and submit all of the necessary documents needed on time in order to be offered a English teaching position in South Korea. I ended up staying in Korea for two years and absolutely LOVED my life there. And even after I had arrived in country, staff members from Greenheart Travel continually checked in on me, as well as encouraged the work I was doing!

What would you improve about this program?
In my opinion there are no improvements necessary in regards to services provided by Greenheart Travel. Greenheart Travel has found a way to make a hefty and lengthy application process much less stressful and actually somewhat fun!
62 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Gina
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Great program!

Kara and the team were extremely helpful during the EPIK application process. They were always available to answer questions via email and call, and made my life so much easier going through this process. I have nothing but amazing things to say about Greenheart!

62 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Kristin
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Helpful Program

It's helpful to have a company guide you through the intense application process. My Green Heart recruiter provided many detailed instructions on how to apply for certain documents and reminded me of the due dates for everything along the way.

What would you improve about this program?
Some of the companies that were recommended by Green Heart to use for authenticating documents were not the most affordable.
Some of the directions given to me via PDF were not completely up-to-date.
56 people found this review helpful.

Questions & Answers

Hi Yovanny. All positions in South Korea require a Bachelor's Degree. If you do not have one, please check out our Teach in Myanmar program: https://greenhearttravel.org/program/adult/teach/teach-in-m…

Hi there. The program requires that you must have studied in one of these seven citizenship countries since the 7th grade (no later): U.S., Canada, UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, or South Africa (no exceptions).