Teach English in South Korea
Home to EPIK, one of the few government-run English teaching programmes left standing — here’s what it actually pays, who’s eligible, and how it compares to the private hagwon market.
EPIK: Korea's government English programme
EPIK (English Program in Korea) is run by Korea's National Institute for International Education (NIIED) under the Ministry of Education, working with regional Offices of Education to place teachers in public schools. It's the main government-backed route left in Korea — the older TaLK programme was discontinued in July 2021 and hasn't been relaunched, and the regional GEPIK (Gyeonggi) and SMOE (Seoul) schemes now run largely through EPIK's own centralized application rather than as separate programmes.
EPIK has no fixed annual deadline: the Fall intake typically opens applications around February 1 for an August/September/October start, and the Spring intake opens around August 1 for a February/March start, closing once positions are filled. Placements come with a furnished apartment (or housing allowance), flights, health insurance and roughly 26 vacation days on top of the salary below.
- Bachelor's degree in any subject
- Citizenship of one of seven designated countries: Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, UK, or US
- English-medium schooling from around age 12 onward
- A TEFL/TESOL/CELTA certificate of at least 100 hours, unless you hold a teaching licence or your degree is in Education, Teaching or TESOL
- A clean national-level criminal background check
What you can expect to earn
Outside EPIK, the private hagwon (language academy) market is by far the largest employer of English teachers in Korea, alongside a smaller international-school and online-tutoring scene. Hagwon quality varies a lot more than EPIK's standardized placements, so it's worth reading a contract closely before signing. One genuine advantage Korea has over Japan or China: housing is almost always provided free by the employer, not just offered as an allowance, which is why savings potential tends to be strong relative to the salary itself.
| Employer type | Local currency | Approx. GBP |
|---|---|---|
| EPIK (public school) | ₩2.0–3.0M/mo | £1,150–£1,850 |
| Hagwon, Seoul | ₩2.3–3.0M/mo | £1,330–£1,850 |
| Hagwon, other cities | ₩2.1–2.6M/mo | £1,215–£1,500 |
Where to find real openings
Which TEFL Global course fits?
If you're aiming for EPIK and don't hold a teaching licence or a degree in Education, Teaching or TESOL, you'll need a certificate of at least 100 hours. Our Level 3, 120-Hour TEFL/TESOL Course (£169.50) clears that bar with room to spare.
Researched July 2026 from official program pages and named recruiters where cited above. Government programs, visa rules and salary bands change — always confirm current details on the official site before applying.
FAQs about teaching in South Korea
No — TaLK was discontinued by Korea’s Ministry of Education in July 2021 and hasn’t been relaunched. EPIK is the main government-backed route now, alongside private hagwon employment.
Only if you do not hold a teaching licence or a degree in Education, Teaching or TESOL. In that case EPIK requires a TEFL, TESOL or CELTA certificate of at least 100 hours.
Yes. EPIK is restricted to citizens of Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, the UK, and the US, with English-medium schooling from around age 12.