Teaching English in Taiwan: Salaries

Average English teacher salary in Taiwan

So, what kind of salary can an English teacher earn while teaching abroad in Taiwan? A full-time ESL teacher's basic salary is likely around NT$72,436 (£1,725 / $2,220) per month. As we’ll explore, this contrasts very well with the cost of living in Taiwan, especially compared to neighbouring Asian countries like Hong Kong, Japan and South Korea.

Private tutoring is a lucrative market in Taiwan, especially in the capital city of Taipei City. Any English teacher hoping to boost their monthly salaries with extra private lessons can charge around NT$700 - NT$1,000 per hour (£19 – £27 / $24 – $34). Factors like prior teaching experience, degrees and TEFL certification will help you command higher tutoring fees.

Country	Avg. monthly salary	Degree required	Start of term	Teaching experience	Housing & flights included	Suitable for non-native English speakers	Age restrictions
Teach in Taiwan	£1,335 - £1,735 GBP ($1,700 - $2,220 USD)		September		Sometimes		Under 65

Types of jobs, salary and benefits in Taiwan

Public schools
Private language schools
International schools
Universities
Tutoring

Public schools

With the likes of the TFET programme putting English teachers into Taiwan public schools, there’s plenty of opportunity to build teaching experience in the public sector. You’ll find enthusiastic English learners from kindergarten onwards and average salaries of around NT$62,686 - $83,581 (£1,000 - £2,000 / $1,300 - $2,600) in public school jobs.

You’ll need a degree, a teaching licence, and a TEFL certificate to be eligible for state school jobs in Taiwan. You don't need to be a native English speaker, but you'll need to demonstrate fluency in the English language through proficiency exams or your bachelor's degree. Expect large classes while teaching in Taiwan's public school system, but also anticipate being treated well. It’s normal to receive benefits like performance bonuses, medical insurance and Mandarin classes.

Private language schools

What about teaching English in private language schools? Are these types of businesses providing lucrative teaching jobs for TEFL-certified teachers? Typically, teaching jobs in private language schools in Taiwan pay around NT$50,000 – NT$70,000 (£1,120 – £1,675 / $1,460 – $2,185) per month. Teaching salaries at “cram schools”, or buxibans, can vary more given that they’re private businesses, and the demand for lessons more readily dictates salaries.

If you teach English abroad at a private language school in Taiwan, expect to work evenings and weekends, with schedules consisting of about 16-25 hours per week. Private language schools in Taiwan will employ newly TEFL-certified teachers. If you also have a bachelor’s degree, private language schools in Taiwan offer really good teaching opportunities.

Don’t expect a lot in terms of benefits. You might be offered Mandarin lessons since you’re already in an educational environment, and in some cases, you might be provided shared accommodation and help with your visa.

International schools

It’s no exaggeration to say that Taiwan is full of international schools. This ought to be no surprise, and it’s not just in Taiwan’s economic centre, Taipei City, where the schools are - try Kaohsiung, Taichung and Hsinchu for plenty of British, American and International Baccalaureate international schools.

These schools pay English teachers very well, with salaries ranging from NT$75,223 - $105,000 (£1,800 - £2,500/$2,345 - $3,260). That’s before we get to benefits, which include housing allowance, free meals, healthcare and opportunities for career advancement.

Of course, the requirements to teach in international schools in Taiwan are considerable: you’ll need TEFL certification, at least a master’s degree, a teaching licence and vast teaching experience to be considered.

Universities

If teaching English in Taiwan at the university level sounds up your street, you’ll love how many courses are delivered in English across the country’s universities. There are countless English-taught degree courses in Taipei alone, and that’s just one city!

Of course, salaries and teaching jobs can vary greatly at the university level. You might be in an administrative position, helping to translate documents, or you could be a professor. If you are the latter, you can earn a monthly salary of around NT$100,000 - $150,000 (£2,340 - £3,590 / $3,050 - $4,681).

That’s before we get to benefits, including flights, housing allowance, health insurance and administrative fees. These are some of the best English teaching jobs in Asia in terms of salary and benefits. Still, you’ll need at least a master’s degree (an education degree, ideally), completion of at least one TEFL course and considerable teaching experience. History in academia is also highly desirable.

Private tutoring

Private tutoring, whether one-to-one or in small groups, is a popular option for those who teach English in Taiwan. In the business world, where English is the lingua franca, many corporate clients are looking for English teachers to help build proficiency in their workforce so they can interact with English-speaking customers and find more B2B opportunities worldwide.

It’s also important to factor in young people. English is taught in Taiwanese public schools from an early age, and schools are incredibly competitive. You can imagine the scope of demand for people who can teach English at a high level.

For an English teacher hoping to earn through private tutoring, here is some good news: at a base rate, you can charge about NT$700 - NT$1,000 per hour (£19 – £27 / $24 – $34) to private students. As for corporate clients? Like any freelance job teaching English, you can dictate your fees, but it’s essential to research the going rate and network with other teachers to find out what’s commonly charged.

Cost of living

Given the salaries offered to English teachers, there's some excellent news for anyone teaching English in Taiwan: the comparatively low cost of living.

Rent is usually the most considerable expense for international school teachers working out in Taiwan. However, this can be mitigated by housing allowance or accommodation offers from teaching jobs. Alternatively, you can opt to live outside city centres, as these are the most expensive places in Taiwan.

If you still need to cover your rent while teaching English in Taiwan, you must look for affordable apartments. So, what is the average monthly rent cost in Taipei City, the capital of Taiwan? Usually, a one-bedroom city centre apartment costs around £487/$635 per month, which falls to £359/$469 outside the city centre.

Essential utilities cost about £68/$89, while internet access is around £19/$24 - great news if you want to teach English online! Meanwhile, if you're going to zip around on public transport, you can get a monthly travel pass for NT$1,200, equivalent to £28/$36.

One of the best parts of teaching English abroad is trying food from around the world. How about experiencing Taiwanese cuisine? A meal for two at a mid-priced restaurant costs around £24/$31, while a quick bite alone costs around £5/$6.

To legally start teaching English in Taiwan and gain a visa, you’ll need to have:

a bachelor's degree (in any subject)
evidence of English fluency (be a native speaker or prove native-level fluency)
a passport from an English-speaking country, such as the UK, USA, Canada, Republic of Ireland, South Africa, Australia or New Zealand
a clean criminal background (notarised by police)

You’ll also need to have completed a TEFL course with a reputable provider. The industry standard TEFL course for anyone teaching English abroad is 120 hours of study. Your TEFL certificate must come from a reputable, accredited provider to be taken seriously by employers.

Classroom experience will be essential for some teaching positions in Taiwan, especially in public and private schools, though language schools will more readily accept new English teachers. Having teaching experience means you can more quickly get a job teaching English with a higher salary and other benefits.

If you are only planning on a short-term stay teaching in Taiwan, and if you’re aged 18-35, you can teach English in Taiwan while on a working holiday visa. These visas allow citizens of certain countries to live and teach English in Taiwan for as long as 12 months.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. How much can I earn teaching English in Taiwan?

The typical salary for ESL jobs in Taiwan is around NT$72,436 (£1,725 / $2,220) per month. If you teach English in Taiwan in the long term, you can expect a healthy salary rise over time, especially if you work in private schools.

Q. Do teachers get paid well in Taiwan?

Yes, teaching English in Taiwan is a pathway to an excellent salary, and you can often earn other benefits, including health insurance, accommodation and opportunities for professional development.

Q. What qualifications do I need to teach English in Taiwan?

If teaching English in Taiwan appeals to you, you’ll need a TEFL certificate with at least 120 hours of study and a bachelor’s degree in any subject.

Q. Are English teachers in demand in Taiwan?

Teaching English in Taiwan is an excellent opportunity. You can explore a truly stunning part of the world, live in an exciting city like Taipei and live the teaching abroad experience you’ve dreamt of - mainly because of the significant demand for English teachers across the island!

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Teaching English in Taiwan: Salaries

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Average English teacher salary in Taiwan

Types of jobs, salary and benefits in Taiwan