Program Reviews

I'm really enjoying the new city I'm living in. Honestly, moving somewhere new can be pretty overwhelming, but this place has made it easy to settle in and feel comfortable. It's very accessible, especially for my needs, since I have a dog. Having a dog changes a lot about how you live your day-to-day life, and thankfully, this city is super accommodating. Everything I need is close by—parks, grocery stores, dog-friendly cafes, and even pet shops. I don't have to go out of my way for anything, which takes a lot of stress off my shoulders.

One of the things I appreciate most is how dog-friendly the city is. There are so many parks and walking paths, and it’s completely normal to see dogs everywhere. It's not just that dogs are allowed — it's that they're welcomed. Lots of restaurants have patios where dogs can sit with their owners, and there are even little water bowls set out in front of shops. It's such a nice feeling to be able to include my dog in so many parts of my daily life without any hassle. Seeing him happy and excited during our walks has made me feel even more connected to this new place.

The people here are also incredibly kind. I didn’t realize how much of a difference that would make until I experienced it myself. Whether it’s neighbors saying hello during walks, strangers smiling at me on the street, or someone offering a helping hand when I look lost, it all adds up. Small acts of kindness happen so often here that they don’t even feel surprising anymore—they feel normal. That kind of environment really helps balance out the stressful parts of life, especially because, honestly, teaching can be really stressful sometimes.

Teaching is rewarding, but it definitely has its hard days. There are moments when everything feels overwhelming, and it can be exhausting trying to stay patient, positive, and energetic all the time. It’s not an easy job, but even on the worst days, I still enjoy it. There's something really meaningful about being part of someone’s learning journey, even when it's tough. And being surrounded by kind, supportive people outside of work makes it a lot easier to recharge and keep going.

I'm also really grateful I got the chance to go through this program. It opened the door for me to move here, experience a new culture, meet wonderful people, and build a life that feels like it fits me. If I hadn’t taken this leap, I would have missed out on so many good things, even the small everyday moments that make life better.

Overall, even with the stress and challenges, I'm genuinely happy here. Between the dog-friendly spaces, the accessible city layout, the kind people, and the opportunity to do something meaningful through teaching, I feel like I ended up exactly where I’m supposed to be.

TEIK was so helpful in the process of jumpstarting my teaching journey. Definitely recommend if you want to work with people who are straightforward and do their best to meet your needs. I’ve really enjoyed my time in Korea. I feel so lucky to have such a great support system. There have been a lot of struggles I’ve had to overcome, but I’m glad that I’ve had people who I can trust by my side. It’s been so nice having people who can help guide me to become the best teacher that I can be. I wouldn’t trade it for the world!

Hello, my name is Enrique, and I am from California. I've only been here for two weeks, but working with Brad has been easy and very helpful. He responds quickly and is always able to send very helpful information and links to help with anything from visas to living in Korea. I would recommend working with Brad since most other recruiters are Korean, and it is harder to communicate. They care mostly about placing you and getting their commission rather than you. Don't be scared of coming just for it!

With the help and guidance the process was seamless from start to finish. I’m so thankful for this company and the assistance. They take the time to listen and help you find what you’re looking for. I’ve been awarded opportunities that people hope for. My short time here has been amazing. The food here has been so good. If you are adventurous there are so many different things to try. There is also always something to do from the karaoke rooms to the bbq restaurants. One of the pros is the free housing and easy and affordable healthcare system.

I have visited Seoul a couple times as a student, and loved it so much that I had my heart set on moving to Seoul after graduation. I made sure to read plenty of others' experiences online, and learned that visiting Seoul is a lot different from working and living in Seoul. I wanted to make sure that I would be working somewhere that lets me enjoy my time in Seoul. I didn't just want a recruiter that would help me move to Korea. That is simply their responsibility. I wanted a recruiter who would get me a work environment that meets my needs. Somebody who not only responds to the anxieties, frustrations, and roadblocks I bring up, but truly understands these experiences to the point where they would anticipate them. That's why I chose TEIK, because it is run by people who have experienced more than two decades of working in Korea as English teachers, and helped others come to Korea to teach English. Not only have they gained much knowledge and connections over the years, but also experienced our side themselves. I love that they help us settle in by hosting mixers, as many of us are coming here alone and need to expand our support system as soon as possible. I highly recommend TEIK!

Disclaimer: I did not actually end up teaching overseas, hence, the lower ratings for 'Safety' and 'Facilities', but I will be able to advise that my initial experience with Bradley (Brennan) was very professional, thoughtful, and honest. He knows so much about how to get in with the right schools, and what works best for each individual, that I'd highly recommend him to anyone looking to teach in beautiful South Korea! From my very first Skype call with Bradley, to subsequent emails, he was always there to provide a response within 24 hours! He has been there, done that, so definitely give him a try!

Hi Dr. B!

This APT and school are the BEST INSTITUTION IN KOREA! Many thanks to you, I appreciate it, it was worth the wait! Good coworkers, and my APT is like a castle as I saw last year. Still waiting for my TV and phone which are in the shipping process, but since I’ve just had my physical, I think I have almost finished everything. I have my computer and internet so it is all sorted. I have a couple of favorite Korean restaurants already, and I learned that I’m a fan of hot cuisine! Chimek, chicken, and beer, I can’t get enough of it and already the nice place in front of my APT is my local place every week. Indeed, I cannot thank you and Yumi enough for helping me out with such a good situation. It’s a little difficult trying to keep up with the curriculum for all the classes and the number of classes, but I believe my AC, and VD are helping me a lot so I will be fine once I gain more experience

Max Liu

Hey Brad,

I don’t know if you remember me, but I am one of the people whom you managed to help to secure a job at Osan. 😊 Things are wonderful here, and it’s really amazing!!! Thank you very much for everything and thank you once again for such ease on the part of visa processing and for placing me in such an excellent school.

Tyson Condict, Osan, S. Korea

The first thing that crossed my mind while writing this review was Oh, I just do it for the peace of mind. Because I had professionals who, step-by-step guided me through pre-arrival procedures, was a tremendous advantage. Doing it without any guidance or only assistance from one or two people, seems unbearable to me.

This was the case because TEIK and their staff helped to make all the processes much more manageable than they would have been otherwise. I mean just looking for foreign vacancies and then searching for and sending all the necessary documents for the job is hard. But with their assistance and very informative manuals, I found it to be a task I can handle without difficulty.

However, it did not stop when I reached Korea. The in country networing dinner/orientation turned out to be invaluable for countess reasons. The networking dinner was a nice way to begin the stay in this country as it relieved many of my fears and self consciousness associated with relocating to a different country and meeting other new teachers. Not only this, but the dinner also provided me opportunities of discussing lesson planning as well as teaching with other new teachers. The greatest thing however, were other people and activities which I had after meeting them at the networking dinner hosted by TEIK. It felt great to be around such a large group of people with similar interests and to learn about them. I even now stay in contact with the majority of them and make a point to visit them when possible.

Finally, I loved that I could keep in contact with Brad and get invited to a 2nd networing dinner in the Spring of next year. It made me feel safe having a number of professional contacts that I could independently contact in case the need arose. The program from TEIK is like you get placed with someone who will be your contact whenever you need and the great news is, they have to reply and they always do.

If you are targeting any teaching abroad program, this program is definitely worth the expense, and will put you at ease regarding any concerns you have about your prospective new place and any challenges you might have.

Mary Heart

Hello Brad,

As for me, look my situation is just great. I am only a ten minute walk from my place of work to the city center. School is fun for me and everyone in the world should be told that my Director has been so nice to me. The coworkers are nice especially the Korean co-teachers as they totally help out the new teacher a lot and they are indeed helpful when I have to approach them for lessons, curriculums and other things. There’s one Korean workmate who has been really accommodating, taking me around, showing me the sights, introducing me to wonderful Korean food and taking me for hikes during some weekends. I’m happy that I have decided to come to Korea and having this experience which is far from home in the States. Don’t worry these things will make me a better teacher and I am looking forward to travel around the SE Asia region after the end of my contract. I think I would love to come back after a year and thus definitely will book you again. You were fantastic in case of the visa documents processing, getting them apostille notarized, job searching and afterwards keeping contact with me after I became acclimatized in Korea.

I will definitely refer your agency to other expatriates in search of a nice school.

Scott H.