Teach English in South Korea with CIEE | Includes TEFL Certification & Rent Free Housing

I first started to work with CIEE when I study abroad during university, so choosing them for my teacher abroad experience was pretty simple. But, I have been amazed at how much CIEE has been a valuable resource for me since I first came to Korea in 2018. I have made many great friends through CIEE orientations and End of the Year parties. CIEE is a great community that encourages all its teachers to stay connected throughout Korea after their initial orientations. My experience would not be the same without having gone through CIEE because of their overall commitment to the wellbeing of its teachers abroad. I have been able to travel to different cities, festivals, and countries with friends that I've met at CIEE orientations. It can be overwhelming coming to a complete new country without knowing anyone at all and CIEE does an excellent job of supporting the teachers here.

One day I got tired of working my regular 9-5 job. My job had good benefits with great pay but I needed a change. I had got in touch with CIEE and spoke with some amazing staff. They answered all my questions. After speaking to them I knew teaching abroad was a risk I was willing to take.They have been very helpful and kind. I was able to meet new life time friends through training and gathering that CIEE held. CIEE provided staff in and out of country that are available to help whenever needed. Korea is a beautiful country that is full. I came with a plan to do only one year. I been here 15 months and counting. I was lucky to have a chance to work at a public and private school. I absolutely love South Korea. I am so happy that I chose Korea. I am truly grateful for the staff of CIEE.

I have just finished my third month in the middle of South Korea. I am actually in the center of Korea. I am in a small countryside town and while not many people speak English and there are very few foreigners here, I have already made both foreigner and Korean friends. Everyone is very kind and welcoming. It was just my birthday and I thought I would spend it alone, but my school and the people I have met here have made it very special.
As for the CIEE program, the program has helped make sure that I feel safe and supported. The in-country support has been extremely kind and helpful. They have a lot of knowledge and I really enjoyed the in-country orientation. Also, it is nice to know that there is a group of people who are supporting you even when you are far from home.
Even though I came to Korea alone without any knowledge of the language or country, I no longer feel lonely.

I'm four months into my teach abroad experience in Dongtan, South Korea. It's been an amazing experience so far, and I believe that CIEE'S program helped me to feel prepared for the challenges that come when moving countries for the first time such as culture shock and home sickness. I absolutely love the school I was placed with (a hagwon) and have loved getting to know and teaching my class. I feel that the in country support had been very strong, my only regret is not attending more events to connect with more CIEE participants. My favorite memory so far was a weekend trip to the beach with my coworkers. Coming from the US Midwest, the ability to hop on a bus for two hours and arrive at the ocean was a thrill. I'm learning so much about myself and about this beautiful culture and I wouldn't change anything about how I ended up here. I would recommend teaching abroad to anyone, especially through CIEE.

Overall, I think this was a great organization to go through to complete my year of teaching abroad. You could constantly reach out to someone for support, and everything was well-structured and well-organized so that you always knew what to expect and what you needed to do in preparation for your departure. The TEFL course itself, through CIEE, was an added benefit. For everything, in terms of cost, it was well worth the money. On site, the teacher orientation was both fun and informative, and it was great to be able to connect with other teachers in the program. Additionally, I appreciated that our on-site contact person was very friendly, open, and always available - be it through call or chat - to answer any questions we may have throughout the year. From the resources to the support, I can safely recommend this program to other people considering teaching in South Korea.

I'm about 3 months in to my job at a private school and so far I'm loving it! In general, private schools put a lot of pressure on both student and teacher performance because the parents are investing a lot of money in the school. But for me the job so far has been very low stress and a lot of fun. Korea is insanely safe, and I have never once felt uncomfortable walking alone. There's a lot to explore, and every weekend I've been able to see a new part of Seoul or take trips to different areas of Korea. I think if you ever get bored here, you're doing something wrong.
One thing I have really appreciated about CIEE is their constant and quick communication. I always felt supported and knew that I could trust them to help me move halfway across the world.

I chose CIEE for the various programs it offered. You can only apply to one program at a time. If you are do not get into the program you want, you can choose another one. I like that CIEE gives you various options and allows you to transfer your application to another program, if you do not get it. I also liked that you could choose to work at a private or public school (EPIK). I chose the EPIK option. The application thru EPIK does take time and can be nerve-racking to hear back the results. CIEE also provides a TEFL course (if you need it), a preparation course, and iNext insurance (supplemental insurance).
With EPIK you can request a location, I chose to be flexible on the location. I like the area I am in. It's a quiet town but it is close to other cities in the Jeonnam providence, that I can go to the cities on weekends.

I have been in Korea for just over 2 months now and I love it. I am glad I chose CIEE. This program has helped me a lot. Before coming here they helped me with all the questions I had and if I would be able to even come. Even after coming here they are always here for me when I have trouble with work. At first my job was not going so good but now it is. I am glad that we have support here and we are not alone. I enjoy the location that I am at. I am in a small city and I can walk everywhere. It is not huge like Seoul. I feel like I am helping a lot here cause there are not many people that speak English fluently here.

Through this program I have made awesome friends. Even though we do not live by each other we are always supporting each other. We even planned trips to travel around the country together. It is nice to have other English speaking friends in a foreign place. I will cherish the friendships I made through this program.