Teach in China! Pay, Free Flights & Housing with The Fewer Things

If you're anything like me, you might think that moving country is a thing that other people do. As appealing as it sounds, it couldn't possibly be me, right? This doesn't have to be the case! On a whim, I applied through TFT, in hopes of experiencing a whole new way of life in China. Needless to say, TFT made the process happen. Was it all sunshine and rainbows? Not necessarily. But was it absolutely achievable? YES!
So here I am in China, with no plans to move back to the UK. Take that risk!

TFT has been amazing with their support of finding credible jobs and helping to navigate a system that can be really intimidating for first timers in China.
I got placed with CIPTC in Shenzhen and although I hadn't considered Shenzhen to start with, I'm really glad I ended up here because of the large group of fellow TFT travellers that have made it easy to meet new people and start to build a good social life out here.
Jamie sent loads of information and info on everything from the visa process to interview tips and helped place me with a company that has an amazing support system. The pay is a little lower than you might get if you did everything yourself rather than going through an agency, but the stability and job protection is more than worth it.
If you're looking to start teaching in China and want someone to help do all the tricky bits up front, this is for sure the way go go.

In my last year of university I made the exciting decision to move from Canada to China to become an English teacher! I first heard about TFT through a fellow Canadian friend who had moved to China the year before. She connected me with Jaemi, and the rest is history!

From the very beginning, Jaemi was incredibly supportive and helpful. Moving across the world can feel overwhelming, but TFT made the experience feel so much easier.

These past few months have been filled with some of the most incredible and memorable experiences of my life. The transition to living in China has been very smooth, from finding an apartment and getting my visa sorted to settling into my new school.

Since arriving, I've had the opportunity to teach English to some wonderful kindergarten students, try incredible new foods, explore different places, visit Hong Kong, and make friendships that I know I'll cherish for years to come.

Moving to China has pushed me outside my comfort zone in the best possible way. I’m so excited to see where the rest of this year takes me.

What started off as a 10 month journey is now going to be over 3 years. I started off in Guangzhou in 2023 in a private school, which really fast tracked my experience in general, as I was fairly new to teaching, the school was quite high standard. I got plenty of training so was well prepared in that sense, but it was definitely pretty full on to begin with. Once you get into it, it gets easier and you can start to get out and explore a bit more. I have loved China, and it's been getting better ever year I've been here. I moved to into another school this year, mainly to get more pay since I am quite experienced now. TFT still reaches out to me now even after all these years and I could not have started this whole thing without them. They have everything laid out for you in the run up to moving to China and it was nice to be part of a group, some of which I am still friends with now

It is a tough move coming to China, but if you power through the first couple of months, you'll have an amazing time

With lots of help from my Chinese agency, the teaching has been lots of fun. I think the biggest challenge has been the weather (specifically the humidity) and just getting used to how things work in China, which isn't too hard. Traveling is very easy, especially within China. Everything is affordable for everyone, not just foreigners. There's a really nice atmosphere pretty much everywhere because restaurants, shopping centers (which there are a lot of) are always busy. I've also never paid more than 70p for the metro and it's very easy to navigate.

Very good program. Settled in China with ease. Really enjoying myself. The school i’m working at is full of friendly people helping you out along the way. I’ve met some good friends. There’s a lot of opportunities to save money. Good work life balance. I had a lot of nerves coming into this job and moving abroad but ultimately it’s been well worth it and i’d do it all over again. Jaemi is a very good lad who will make sure you are fine and if you have any issues he’s readily available to talk to.

Whether you’re a first time TEFL teacher or already have experience, I can’t recommend this enough, clicking that link on Instagram was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. From helping with my visa to supporting me throughout my placement, TFT have been amazing every step of the way, always there when you need them and genuinely having your back. I’ve been with TFT for two TEFL placements, one in Thailand and now in China, both are amazing, but if you can do China I do recommend it. If you’re thinking about it, just say yes, you won’t regret it.

Many of my peers thought I was strange for teaching in China rather than Japan or Korea, which are more popular. Now that I've done it, though, I think China was the right choice. Chinese schools have a higher demand and lower supply of foreign teachers, so they tend to pay premiums even for light workloads. China is extremely affordable, but it's also convenient. Major cities have all of the same comforts that expats enjoy at home. I truly don't think any country offers so many benefits for teaching abroad.

The Fewer Things is one of the best programs because it sets up its customers with jobs in good cities, many of which cover housing and travel costs. I'm grateful that I chose them to help me find my position here.