Program Reviews

I started working for EF in 2007. Without any experience in teaching ESL, I was given an opportunity to work for them. At first, I was a little nervous teaching children while living in a new country but the team is amazing! They made me feel welcomed and supported.

The team provides continuous professional development sessions that help me become a better teacher. It's one of the best decisions I made in my life- to fly to China, experience the rich culture, work for EF and teach children. I would definitely recommend this experience to anyone.

The only reason I'm giving EF two stars and not one is because I do really like my students and have come to form nice teacher-student relationships with them. They are the only good thing about EF.
EF itself is a nightmare. Their platform is CONSTANTLY having technical issues, which prevent the teacher from entering the classroom in a timely manner (which we are penalized for) or for being able to effectively teach a lesson when the classroom needs to be reloaded non-stop.
The scheduling is also frustrating. They advertise March and April as being extremely busy, fruitful months, and in the end, teachers are rushing to claim substituted classes, because you can never get enough hours with them.
If a student no-shows a class, you are only paid a small percentage of the time you have to wait for them, even though the hour of your schedule is blocked out still. For example, if a 40-minute lesson no-shows, that one hour of your time that you aren't paid for and that you aren't able to teach. I am certain that the student is still paying for that class, when they no-show, and EF is just pocketing the money instead of paying teachers for their time. It's so disrespectful. And students no-show A LOT, and it seems there are no negative consequences for it.
Another bone to pick is that EF's contract is really vague, but then they use these manipulation and intimidation tactics with teachers. I accidentally forgot to submit a report within 24 hours of a class, and EF started sending me emails to remind me, stating "This could end in the termination of your contract, but we would really like to avoid this." How manipulative and passive aggressive! Then, when you try to reach out to them to find out if your contract is being ended, they don't respond or tell you anything! I've been in limbo for days now wondering if I still have work.
They absolutely have no regard for teachers, but they try to brand themselves as caring about teachers and wanting to be a good place to work. If they can shell out millions to support a cycling team for the Tour de France, they can pay their teachers more and pay us for the full lesson when a student no-shows.
Also, their customer support for teachers is ridiculous. I was being spoken to inappropriately by a student ( a one-off situation that rarely happens), and it made me really uncomfortable. I wrote to EF and told them I didn't want this student to be able to book lessons with me, because he was making inappropriate comments about me. I'm unable to block students or remove them from my schedule without being penalized. EF wrote me back and said that they would block him from booking lessons with me, but that I should "be aware that this is an exception and we don't usually do this." Oh, so you don't usually prevent your teachers from being sexually harassed by students? How nice, EF. Wonderful support you provide there.
Everything about EF has felt like it's been portrayed in one way, and it turns out the opposite. You can make more money on other platforms and not deal with the garbage that EF puts you through. Run, don't walk, away!

I've subscribed for three months as a trial, assuming that once the trial finished they will inform me and ask me if I want to continue, but I was surprised when they deduct 99 USD from me without any prior notice.

When I complained and ask for a refund, they told me that I've approved the terms and conditions (Who in earth read terms and conditions)

This is the terms but I didn't read it:
"For some Trials, we’ll require you to provide your payment details to start the Trial. By providing such details you agree that we may automatically begin charging you for the Subscription on the first day following the end of the Trial on a recurring monthly basis or another interval that we disclose to you in advance. IF YOU DO NOT WANT THIS CHARGE, YOU MUST CANCEL THE APPLICABLE SUBSCRIPTION BEFORE THE END OF THE TRIAL."

So be careful because your payment card will be used without your permission.

Before moving to China with EF I had very little experience in ESL. I was impressed by the support I received in learning to teach ESL as well as make a transition overseas in general. They gave full financial support in areas of TEFL certification, visa costs, training, and travel to my new home. I was able to feel confident in both the position and making a move to somewhere I had never been and knew very little about. EF was a great place to begin my career in International Education!

Furthermore, China was a wonderful place to work and explore and I'm so happy I had the opportunity to call this place home through EF's teaching position abroad. The cost of living and opportunities for exploration made quality of life for an expat in this country hard to beat. Some cities and rural spaces are tough to travel through as there aren't as many English speakers, but it provides for a great opportunity to learn the local language!

EF is a great company to teach in China, especially for new teachers and people moving abroad for the first time. Their staff was really helpful throughout the visa process and made me feel welcome upon arriving in China. Their assistance was great and helped me feel settled in China right away. At work, I had professional training and guidance that helped me feel comfortable as a teacher. I worked in a diverse center with teachers and staff from all over the world and was given the opportunity to be myself inside and outside the classroom. EF is also a massive company with frequent opportunities to develop as both a teacher and professional.

Overall, I would recommend teaching with EF to anyone who wants to experience something new and exciting in a safe and supportive environment.

I joined EF right out of University because I wanted to live abroad and travel in Asia. The recruitment team was super helpful in the Visa process and we were given proper training when we arrived which was perfect because I hadn't taught before. I got to visit several places in China and three other countries including Cambodia, the Philippines, and Japan in my first year which was what I was looking for. I've made friends from around the world and I was able to travel with them as well. The students were adorable and respectful and I will miss them dearly when I finish teaching. Overall I've enjoyed my time with EF and I'm happy I decided to make the move after I graduated. I planned on staying 1 year but am into my 2nd with no plans on leaving any time soon!

EF made it very easy to come over and teach. The visa process was very easy and I always had help to renew my contract. it was very straight forward. I came over and had a great experience with my recruiter who works for EF. After getting all my documents together I was able to get my Work Visa and came to China and started teaching. There were always fun activities and trips that the company planned for us, they weren't mandatory so we were able to choose which ones to go to. the weekend was pretty free so I was able to organize my own trips. the international community at the school was also very big, and I had friends that came from different places in the world. I have south African, American, Canadian and British colleagues I was able to socialize with during work and after. EF is a fun place to work but also a great place to develop yourself as a teacher and as an international professional.

In past few months, I've attended many TRT events, which were wonderful and well-organized. Normally, I will receive the TRT information every month and sign up for it and I will receive more detailed information from organizer. The most impressive one for me is Sip and Paint event, I had a great time of painting, as well as my colleagues from other schools. Before that, I always try to look for the similar workshops to practice my painting skill. Moreover, the environment and the vibe were so relaxing. After taking part in those TRT events, I think I got the chance to meet more friends from other schools and had a great time to communicate with them. Besides, I got more chances to spend my spare time and experience more new stuff. Thanks for TRT events, I always have the chances to achieve my life goals.

I've really enjoyed my time with EF. They've helped me at each step of the way, whether it was with getting my visa documents together or with my professional development. The days are often fast-paced, but my Managers really seem to care and offer support whenever possible.

EF has provided me with different opportunities to travel, which is something that I've valued. There have also been a lot of local events to attend, some just for fun and others for career building. It means that there's always something to do. It's been a great transition to life in China, and it's helpful knowing that there's a large network of people to connect with whether it's for travel or help.

I'm a career changer and was unsure of what life would be like in the Teaching sector, but it's really been an amazing adventure and I'm glad I took the leap! It's awesome knowing that the work I do is making a difference in hundreds of lives each year.

Coming out of university I didn't know what to do. Thankfully I found English First and was given the opportunity to teach in China. I have been able to grow so much during my time, learning how to live in another country and teach has been an incredible experience.

The onboarding process was second to none and the visa team ensured that everything is done to the highest of standards. I was also given time to learn how to become a teacher, first observing, then co-teaching and finally having more experience teachers observe me and give me developmental points to improve.

After half a year I was moved into a more senior role due to my work ethic, which was another amazing developmental experience. Learning how to mentor new teachers and run trainings for staff is something I can take forward into other areas of my career.