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

I have had a great experience working as an ESL teacher in China through TFT. The support from the program made the application and transition very comfortable; communication was clear throughout with regular phone calls and easy access to relevant information, and I went through the placement process smoothly. The legalisation of documents was made very simple by TFT, and the bulk of the admin was taken care of by them, which was very helpful. Living and working as a teacher in China has been an amazing experience and I would highly recommend it, especially for those looking to learn or improve their language skills and those interested in teaching. The long winter holiday makes for a great travel opportunity too! A word to the wise — make sure you have a Chinese payment method such as Alipay set up before your arrival, as physical cards or Apple Pay (including international cards, Visa, Mastercard etc) may not be accepted.

This is an awesome opportunity! I wanted to teach English in China for the longest time, but didn’t know where to start. Jaemi and TFT helped me through the whole process! From pairing me with a school, visa and background check support and everything in between, I finally made it to China! I would not have been able to take on this process by myself without the help of The Fewer Things. I had countless questions throughout the process (moving abroad is a big step) but TFT was able to explain things to me and calm my fears about moving to China. I would definitely recommend this program!

I was a bit nervous about moving to China and starting my career teaching. However, after doing lots of research, I decided on The Fewer Things. From my first interview with Jaemi, I knew this was the program I wanted to go with. The support I received before I left was great! The staff in China replied quickly to my questions and concerns. All the paperwork on the China side of things was done rapidly and efficiently. I cannot thank the staff enough. I also had the option to do monthly/weekly phone call check ups just to ease some stress and see how the progress was going. Before I knew it, I was boarding the plane!

Once I got here, the friendliness of the staff never stopped. Diane, Nancy, Lucia, and everyone has gone ABOVE AND BEYOND once I got here. It really soothed my heart and mind. As you might know, moving abroad is a big step that can pose many challenges. They have done so much for me and my other colleagues who came abroad. They also found me the best school as well. I feel welcomed by the staff and I am excited to teach!

China is a great place to travel solo or with friends. If you know a good bit of the language, or none at all, it is an amazing country that will provide you with a fun and exciting experience! Traveling around the city is extremely efficient, and before you know it, you will no longer need maps to help you get around!! Also... YUMMY FOOD! :)

The fewer things China program is absolutely worth it. From the moment you apply through to arrival in China and beyond the support is fantastic, I wouldn't have been able to navigate the process without them. Having decided to choose China I completed my application. I received an initial phone call to discuss the ins and outs of everything which made me feel at ease with it all. From there, I received unparalleled support through the process of document legalization, visa application and in being set up with a school to teach in. In the weeks prior to going out to China, the fewer things director, Jaemi, is on hand via weekly call slots to help settle any nerves or apprehensions you may have, after all, moving abroad to teach is a big thing to do. Following moving to China, the fewer things are still there to help should I need any support, but I must say, living and teaching in Shanghai is amazing. So far, so good! A big thanks to the fewer things for helping to make a dream of mine a reality.

TFT offers a reliable, relatively easy way of teaching English in China, especially given the difficulties posed by the pandemic. Jaemi and the staff at CITPC (the state-owned organization that connects foreign teachers to Shenzhen public schools) are very helpful and provide guidance in every step of the way, both before and after you get to China. This makes the process as smooth and stress-free as it can be, given the situation. Possibly the biggest benefit is having peers going through this process alongside you, so you’re not alone.

When moving to another country — especially China — it is important to be proactive and ask as many questions as possible before you go, and collect answers from as many people as possible. Treat any undocumented reassurances or vague promises with a healthy dose of skepticism, and always press for specific answers. Find out as much about the actual teaching position as you can, and contact current teachers in China if possible. But be aware that many details here are naturally handled last-minute, so you’ll have to be willing to adapt. For example, CIPTC generally won’t tell you your schedule — or even which school or grades you will be assigned to — until you arrive in China. This may vary in other cities and companies.

If you are willing to put in the extra work, sacrifice having a support group of other peers, and take on some risk in the process, you may find positions with higher salaries or different work (other than teaching oral English to primary/middle school) at other schools, like private ones that TFT doesn’t work with. But for most people — especially those new to China, like I was — I’d recommend TFT.

Lastly, it’s helpful to know at least some elementary Chinese before you come. It’s technically not required, but it will make your life easier, so I’d recommend starting to study it as soon as you know you want to come. This also depends on the city and whether you live in an expat area.

Overall, I would say I am highly satisfied with the experience here in Shenzhen. But to write a proper review, I feel I need to break down the experience into it's 3 main parts - The Fewer Things (pre-departure and logistics prior to coming to China), CIPTC (Company on the ground, logistics in China), and the School you get assigned to.

The Fewer Things: Overall, quite satisfied with Jaemi and the team. Very genuine and friendly dude, very knowledgeable and attentive to any questions you may have. Programs a little pricey but I have no complaints in other aspects of the experience. Get's you to China as promised.

CIPTC: Basically the company on the ground (in Shenzhen) that serves as a bridge between you and the school that you will work at. Personally, I think they do a pretty good job of taking care of you and fulfilling their end of the contract, and have no major complaints. I think they could improve on their communication and reduce the hours of mandatory training some, and give a bit more time for people to settle in before throwing them into their schools. But my group and I did arrive a little later than anticipated (early October for me), so that may be the reasoning for the rush. But definitely expected to hit the ground running, which can be pretty overwhelming/stressful if it's your first time in China. I would advise a healthy level of skepticism when dealing with them, but personally I haven't experienced anything to warrant distrust or paranoia.

School: Basically unique to each person, as most teachers will only have 1 or no fellow CIPTC teachers at their school. So everyone experience differs. Personally, my experience with my school has been pretty good. It's a great location, great work environment, and the students are loads of fun to work with, especially the younglings if you get the chance.

In my experience, this is where most problems can arise. You're basically thrown into the deep end and expected to figure everything out, which can be pretty overwhelming and stressful at first. I would say I've definitely have had problems with lack of communication and oversight/mentorship, and you might feel pretty under supported at this stage.
I was pretty anxious and hesitant to reach out for a while, and it can feel like they don't really care about you and your classes, but I do think a lot of this is the result of language barrier and just cultural differences. And it does take 2 to tango. So I would advise being proactive and reaching out to your contact teacher from the get go and befriending other teachers as well. Once I finally did, it was clear they do care and want to help. So try not to take things personally and make the effort to communicate if you're struggling!

In general, I have really enjoyed my time living here in China. The work is fulfilling and enjoyable. I've made great friends, tried so so much great food, and have seen plenty of awesome sights in the city. Excited to explore the country more broadly this Winter!

In summary, if you're laid back, adaptable, and willing to roll with the punches, then you can definitely thrive in this program. I do think it requires a good amount of open-mindedness, understanding, and perspective, but you'll be sure to grow from the experiences here if you so choose to embark! Hope this helps! :)

My time in Shenzhen and my experience with The Fewer Things has been fantastic so far. I moved to Shenzhen in October to teach for a year, but I'm already considering staying longer.

I came to China during a difficult time to travel, and as a result, the US visa process was very complicated. It is important to do a lot of research on your own during this process, so that you are aware of exactly what you need to do! That being said, Jaemi from TFT has been incredibly helpful with everything from day 1 until now. He has the experience helping send many people to China in the past few years, so his insight and expertise were invaluable. He has continued to be a pillar of support and communication since my arrival in China.

Additionally, all of us from TFT quickly became friends once we were all in China together, which was so nice to have a group of friends right from the get-go. I'm so glad that I met them, and I feel like we are going to be lifelong friends! I'm excited for the rest of the year to come :)

Hello! I'm so, so happy I applied to go to China with TFT!! When they promise nearly 24/7 support, they really mean it! Due to COVID-19 restrictions, my documents and legalization process took forever, but Jaemi was there for me at every step of the process and consistently assured me that it was okay. I never once felt abandoned or lost at any point during the long journey to China (both metaphorically and physically). I flew through South Korea to get here, and Jaemi consistently checked in on how I was feeling and even connected me to a member of my China cohort that was in Korea at the same time as me.

Over the summer before I left for China, TFT hooked me up with an incredible 120 hour TEFL course that I could break down and take at my own pace. As a result, I felt so prepared when I stepped into the classroom for the first time. As far as teaching materials, Jaemi sent out a ton of tips, videos, and Powerpoint game templates that have saved my life in the classroom.

Additionally, TFT has amazing connections to education placement/training companies in China! I am working in Shenzhen with an amazing company that placed me with the best school in Shenzhen (I'm totally not biased or anything...). My daily life as a teacher with this school is amazing! The kids are eager to learn and my Chinese coworkers love to chat with me during breaks and lunch. I feel supported and encouraged every time I go to work. Accessing teaching materials can be tough if you don't have a reliable internet connection. But everyone I've met through TFT has been more than happy to share their resources with me, which takes the stress out of building your stockpile of teacher materials.

Through TFT I've met so many amazing people and lifelong friends (including my current roommate!!) and I'm so glad TFT brought us all together. It makes moving across the world seem a lot less scary when you have a group of people waiting for you on the other side.

So, in summation, if you want adventure but feel a little nervous (and even if you don't!), then I could not recommend a program better than TFT China! I'm enjoying the adventure of a lifetime and it's all thanks to them!!