| Country | Avg. monthly salary | Degree required | Start of term | Teaching experience | Housing & flights included | Suitable for non-native English speakers | Age restrictions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teach in Tanzania | £1,575-£2,048 GBP $2,000-$2,600 USD | January | Not usually | None |
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Teach English in Tanzania
Don’t limit yourself to the major cities of Tanzania; there’s amazing teaching work to be found across this fascinating country.
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If you’re an animal lover and a TEFL teacher, you’re unlikely to find a better destination than Tanzania. Tanzania is a wildlife enthusiast's paradise, home to a veritable menagerie of exotic creatures, including a variety of monkeys, elephants, impalas, giraffes, zebras, buffalos, and loads more.
It’s also a country with an interest in English teaching and has more teaching jobs than you might think. Adventurous TEFL teachers who want both an authentic African experience and teaching opportunities ought to find plenty to like in Tanzania. With close to 62 million inhabitants and the status of English as one of the country’s official languages (alongside Swahili), there’s a school system needing teachers, as well as plenty of interested adults who want to advance their careers.
So, where and how can ESL teachers find work in this African outpost? What are salaries like, and how does the cost of living contrast? Let’s find out more about how you can teach English in Tanzania.
Tanzania: An overview
Often, when we talk about countries and the teaching jobs therein, we focus on major metropolitan areas. It makes sense; the more people there are in an area, the more schools there are, and the more opportunities there are more broadly.
When it comes to teaching abroad, Tanzania is a little different. Though the biggest city, Dar Es Salaam, has a lot of teaching jobs, especially in January when the school year starts, a lot of TEFL work in Tanzania comes through agencies specifically geared towards boosting English language proficiency around the country.
The island of Zanzibar, for example, is a popular landing spot for TEFL teachers who find work through agencies, and other rural outposts tend to be where a lot of ESL teachers end up. That’s fantastic, because rural Tanzania happens to be where the exotic wildlife and outdoor activities are.
Requirements for teaching English in Tanzania
So, what do you need to teach English abroad in Tanzania? What are the qualifications needed to land teaching jobs, from the rural outposts to the big cities?
First and foremost, a degree is crucial for teaching positions in Tanzania. The majority of schools and organisations that employ English teachers will require a bachelor’s degree in any field. It might be possible to teach English abroad without a degree in Tanzania on a voluntary, short-term basis, but job openings in Tanzania tend to require a bachelor’s.
A teaching qualification, teaching license or TEFL certificate is essential for finding work as an English teacher in Tanzania. 120 hours of TEFL course study is the industry standard, and it's important to complete a TEFL certificate before heading out - employers will be wary of teachers who have yet to complete their course. You must also be able to demonstrate English fluency, so if you want to teach English as a non-native speaker in Tanzania, it’s important to hold either an IELTS certificate, a TOEFL certificate, or a bachelor’s degree from an English-speaking university.Previous teaching experience is always helpful, but if you’re looking to teach English abroad without experience in Tanzania, your best option is to go through agencies and charities. You’ll also, obviously, need a valid passport and pass a background check before being accepted for work teaching English in Tanzania.
Salary, Benefits and Cost of Living
The type of teach English abroad salary you can earn in Tanzania depends on the type of job you have, and where you’re based. When it comes to salaries, teaching jobs in Tanzania can really vary in terms of wages.
Salary
In Dar Es Salaam, for example, there are highly specialized TEFL jobs in private language schools and universities where you can earn above $2,000-$2,600/£1,575-£2,048 per month. For experienced teachers with at least a bachelor’s degree and demonstrable teaching experience, high school positions in Tanzania usually pay about $2,000/£1,575 per month.
However, starter teaching wages tend to be far lower. If you go through an agency to find teaching work in Tanzania, especially outside of major metropolitan areas, you can expect a salary closer to $150-$250/£118-£197 per month. Agencies can provide housing allowances; however, this isn’t always the case.
Benefits
Agencies can sometimes provide housing allowances, although this isn’t always guaranteed.Cost of Living
Tanzania, especially in comparison to the USA and UK, is extremely cheap to live in, with a very low cost of rent and everyday expenses. If you can secure full-time teaching work in Dar Es Salaam, you should expect to pay around $495/£390 for a one-bedroom city centre apartment, or $275/£215 outside the city centre.
Basic utilities typically cost around $54/£43 per month, while a three-course meal for two in a mid-priced restaurant costs about $20/£16. So, while entry-level salaries are low, there’s a low cost of living to go with these teaching wages, even in Tanzania’s largest city.
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English teaching jobs in Tanzania
While there are the usual types of ESL jobs available in Tanzania, it’s probably most prudent to point out the number of voluntary roles and programmes on offer. If you’re looking for an immersive teaching experience in rural Tanzania, particularly in the country’s east, there are several great volunteering opportunities on offer. Some programmes will offer volunteers the opportunity to not just teach English, but plan a range of activities, and help to support the teaching infrastructure in schools.
These programmes, like the ones found on Plan My Gap Year, Projects Abroad and IFRE Volunteers, usually last between 2-24 weeks. Generally, you’ll be part of a group with a specific goal in mind, whether it’s a summer English teaching camp, Women Empowerment Projects or teaching English in a variety of contexts, including music and drama. You have to pay for these programmes, of course, but they provide incredible experiences for budding TEFL teachers.
If you’re looking for employment opportunities in Tanzania, the best bet is to apply to schools before you head out. High schools tend to be the most frequent employers, and January is usually when new teachers start, so it’s prudent to apply for jobs between August and December. Tanzania has close to 50 universities, and while not all of them require English lecturers, there will still be opportunities for both English teachers and tutors who can provide lessons in English for Academic Purposes. Private language schools and international schools are less common, though they do exist - highly qualified and experienced teachers will find the best salaries in these types of institutions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. How much do English teachers make in Tanzania?
English teaching wages in Tanzania can vary wildly. For experienced, highly qualified teachers in major cities, high school wages of $2,000/£1,575 per month are typical. On the other end of the scale, it’s normal to hear of English teachers in rural areas earning around $150-$250/£118-£197 per month.
Q. Do they teach English in Tanzania?
Yes, English is taught in Tanzania. It’s the official language of Tanzania, alongside Swahili. Teaching in Tanzania is an excellent option for educators with a passion for teaching, teachers who want to help build community around English teaching, and use English in other teaching contexts like music and drama.
Q. How do I become a teacher in Tanzania?
The best route to becoming a teacher in Tanzania is to hold a bachelor’s degree and a TEFL certificate of at least 120 hours. These are the minimum qualifications in terms of full-time work teaching in Tanzania. Passing a background check and successfully applying for a visa will mean you can live and work in Tanzania as an English teacher.