Teach English online to Chinese students

When it comes to teaching English online, China is still far and away the biggest force in the world. A country full of English language learners, online English teaching companies, online learning platforms and opportunities for TEFL teachers, China still very much owns the largest market share of any country.

There are an estimated 400 million English learners in China, and the online teaching market is worth several billions of US dollars. With China being such a major economic player this century, and English being the lingua franca of business, it’s hardly a huge surprise. Add to that the British influence in China, from the Opium Wars through to the handing over of Hong Kong in 1997, and it’s easy to see why English language learning is such a major industry.

With huge international businesses and young learners alike trying to master the English language, the opportunities are certainly there. Though there’s a ban on tutoring for school-age Chinese kids, there are still countless jobs for online English teachers who want to teach English online to Chinese students. If you don't limit yourself to teaching children, you'll find endless roles to get you teaching English online in no time!

We’re going to take a look at some of the biggest names in the Chinese online teaching sphere, going over their history, job requirements, salary and reviews, so you can get a clearer picture of the teaching online landscape in China.

What are the requirements to teach English online to Chinese students? 

So now, we know all about the different companies which teach English online to Chinese students, both in terms of teaching adults and teaching Chinese children. Suffice to say, there are certainly trends in terms of what’s required of teachers, and nobody should be in doubt in terms of what they need to land an online English teaching job.

So, let’s have a look at some general trends in terms of teaching online to Chinese students, and you can figure out where you fit into the picture.

Bachelor's degree 

In most cases, online English teaching companies who work with Chinese students will want you to hold a bachelor’s degree, preferably in English, Education or a related field. This is either explicitly demanded of applicants, or it’s more opaque. In the latter case, a company can sometimes ask for an experienced English teacher with classroom experience, and more often than not, having that kind of experience requires a bachelor's degree in the first instance.

Platforms, meanwhile, do not demand a college degree. That said, you are likely to attract more clients if you have impressive credentials, including a bachelor's degree - or even a master's degree - in English, Education, English Literature or a related field. The simple fact is that some students will feel more confident opting for a teacher with a degree than one without.

So yes, you can teach English online without a degree to Chinese learners in some instances, generally on platforms as opposed to with teaching companies or with a self-styled online language school.

TEFL certification 

Technically speaking, you can start teaching English online to Chinese students without a TEFL certificate. Would we ever, ever recommend it? No.

A TEFL certificate from a reliable, reputable and accredited TEFL course provider is worth its weight in gold. The industry standard for a TEFL qualification is 120 hours of study, which will provide you with an excellent foundational knowledge of English teaching methodology, how to design teaching materials, and so much more. If you’re looking to get a job teaching English, then a TEFL certificate goes a very long way indeed.

While 120 hours is the standard, here’s some specific advice for those without degrees or experience, and especially if you’re not a native English speaker; a Level 5 Diploma is a fantastic option. These courses give you even more theoretical understanding of English teaching methodologies, and you can even pick elective modules, including Teaching English Online.

Advanced TEFL qualifications are also a great way to get yourself noticed on the online English teaching scene. There are excellent advanced TEFL courses that will give you a serious edge over your competition, for example, Business English, Teaching Young Learners and Teaching English Online. 

For both the classroom teacher and online English teachers, TEFL qualifications are a significantly important and invigorating experience.

Native/non-native 

If you’re not a native English speaker but you want to teach English online to Chinese kids, teach adults or simply teach as many classes as you can, there are opportunities.

Strictly speaking, it’s the choice of an individual remote teaching company or platform whether they take on non-native English speakers to teach online. If you can demonstrate fluent English through a language test like the IELTS or TOEFL, the online ESL world ought to be open to you. There are a lot of non-native speakers of English teaching online, and there are even places like 51Talk who specifically hired Filipino teachers, for example. So, you don't have to be a native English speaker to teach Chinese students, depending on the employer or platform.