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English Teaching Jobs in
Colombia
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Though Colombia has its challenges, it’s still a vibrant, beautiful country for English teaching, and one brimming with opportunities.
If you’re an English teacher searching for adventure, Colombia can only spoil for choice. How about the Amazon rainforest, with its incredible wildlife, unbelievable ecology and once-in-a-lifetime views? Or, there’s the scarcely believable Tatacoa Desert, a vast collection of dizzying rock formations and surreal landscapes. That’s before we even get into the likes of Chicamocha Canyon or even scratch the surface of Colombia’s vibrant cities like Bogota, a transformed Medellin or the Old Town of Cartagena.
With the sound of Salsa, Cumbia or Vallenato ringing in your ears, Colombia can be your next amazing TEFL destination. With significant demand for English teaching, long-term aims of bilingualism and a desire to be a real player in global economics, Colombia may have its problems. Still, it’s striving for a brighter future.
Colombia might not be the most lucrative market for English teacher jobs. Still, the cost of living is comparatively low, the people are extremely friendly, and teaching jobs are aplenty. So, how does a teacher set up to teach English in Colombia? What are the requirements for an ESL teaching career in Colombia, what are salaries like, and how quickly can you get freshly brewed coffee?
Teaching English in Colombia: an overview
Unquestionably, Colombia is an exciting, challenging and gratifying place to teach English as a foreign language. That said, its linguistic landscape comes with immense challenges. Though Spanish is the national language, there are a range of indigenous languages in Colombia, and the linguistic map of the country is highly varied. English is taught in schools, and you might hear the language spoken fluently in some tourist hotspots.
Colombia’s Ministry of Education has tried to raise English proficiency levels, bringing in established institutions from English-speaking countries to help. However, there are swathes of Colombia where poverty rates are sky-high and accessibility to English lessons is practically nonexistent. There is also an ongoing combat situation in Colombia, which has seen millions displaced.
All of this is to say that you can point to Colombia’s ranking in the EF English Proficiency Index - 75th out of 113 countries - and draw a quick conclusion. The standard of English proficiency is far from the best, but not quite the worst. To an extent, that’s true, but it’s essential to consider the vast differences in proficiency levels between rural and urban areas. These differences reflect the variances in standards of education in Colombia more broadly.As a TEFL teacher in Colombia, you’ll have a choice: do you look for jobs in rural outposts with little infrastructure for teaching English? Or, will you head to where the demand is in Colombia’s most prominent cities? Both are entirely valid choices; both can be supremely rewarding, and either way, you get to live and work in a deeply fascinating country.
Quick Facts about Colombia
- Capital: Bogota
- Official Language: Spanish
- Population: 52 million
- Currency: Peso (COL$)
Key facts
Requirements
What requirements do you need to meet to teach English abroad in Colombia?
First, it’s important to note that getting a visa to work as a teacher in Colombia depends on receiving a firm job offer. There are no specific academic requirements for gaining a visa to teach English in Colombia, so when we talk about requirements, they’re based on what most employers demand.
Employers in Colombia will require a TEFL certificate (with at least 120 hours of training). Some may also need a bachelor’s degree, especially in state schools, private schools, and universities.
In the bigger cities, especially where Colombia’s biggest companies are, an advanced TEFL certificate in Business English will be extremely helpful. This is especially true if you’re looking to tutor students individually, for corporate work, or to find a job in a language school. Equally, a qualification in English for Academic Purposes will help if you’d like to work in and around Colombia’s universities or with high school students who want to move to English-speaking countries.
Like other countries in South America, Colombia is an excellent place to find teaching jobs abroad without experience. Similar to Chile and Ecuador, enthusiasm and qualifications go a long way. It is more challenging, however, to find work teaching English as a non-native speaker. A lot of Colombian TEFL job adverts ask for native English speakers. However, that doesn’t mean it’s a closed shop to teach English as a non-native English speaker. You should be able to find work if you have an IELTS or TOEFL certificate or a degree from an English-speaking university.
Salary and benefits
What kind of salary can you earn teaching abroad in Colombia? Typically, full-time English teaching salaries range between COL$2.1 million and COL$6.3 million (£383-£1,150/$500-$1,500).
Typically, only jobs in private education come with additional benefits. These benefits can include paid holidays and health insurance. Sometimes, accommodation may be offered at a discount or entirely for free, though the latter is rare.
Living and working in Colombia
How comfortably can you live on an English teacher’s salary in Colombia? What’s the cost of living somewhere like Colombia’s capital city, Bogota? Let’s look at “La Atenas Suramericana” - the South American Athens - and see how much it costs to live and teach abroad there.
If you want to rent an apartment in Bogota’s city centre, you’ll likely spend around £333/$435 per month. This lowers to £248/$324 if you’re willing to live a little outside of Bogota’s lively central hub. What about utilities? Usually, you can expect to pay about £65/$84, while internet access is another £19/$25 per month on top.
If you want to try dishes like Bandeja paisa and Ajiaco, then good news - dining out in Bogota doesn’t have to be expensive. A solo meal in a typical cafe costs the equivalent of £4/$5, while a three-course meal for two in a mid-priced restaurant costs about £22/$29.
Types of English teaching jobs in Colombia
Public schools
Generally speaking, teaching jobs in Colombia’s public sector are primarily available through teaching programmes (as we’ll explore later). With the Colombian government making a real effort to improve levels of English education throughout the country, there are a lot of opportunities for ESL teachers to teach English in Colombia through the public education system. Salaries aren’t outstanding, but with a low cost of living, you’ll be able to make a living.
To teach in Colombia’s state education system, you’ll need to be TEFL certified and, in some cases, have a degree.
Jobs boards
If you want to teach English in Colombia, check out the The TEFL Org Jobs Centre for teaching jobs there, online and across the world!
Berlitz has a range of opportunities for TEFL teachers seeking work in Colombia.
Darlington English prefers English teaching candidates who are already in Colombia and have TEFL experience. Contracts are for two years at one of their five branches, teaching English immersion to adults or Business English.
Minga Teachers features a variety of teaching jobs in Colombia, with salaries ranging from 3 to 5 million pesos per month.
To teach English in Colombia through the Universidad Del Norte, you need to be a native speaker with a Master’s degree in Linguistics, Education, English, or other related areas, a TEFL certificate, and experience gained outside the USA.
Teaching programmes in Colombia
The YMCA runs a “COLead3rs” programme for teaching and travel across Colombia. You need to be between 21 and 39, have graduated from a technical school, college, or university, have C1-level English, and have some experience teaching teens.
The British Council, with their partner organisation ICETEX, sends TEFL teachers into Colombian schools as Language Teaching Assistants (LTAs). Apply now!
The Nuluka Programme helps connect teachers with rural schools around Colombia.
International Volunteer HQ is one of Colombia's most popular volunteer teaching programmes. Programmes start at $355, with accommodation and meals provided.
The English Teaching Fellowship Programme was founded by the Colombian National Ministry of Education. Applicants must be 21-55 years old, fluent English speakers, degree holders, and holders of TEFL certification.
Related articles for teaching English in Colombia
Teach English in Colombia
Colombia used to be branded as a no-go area for TEFL teachers due to the dangers involved with travelling and living there. However, since a peace agreement in 2016, Colombia has started to shake off its previous reputation, and those wanting to teach English abroad have been flocking there in ever greater numbers.
Unfortunately we don't currently have any jobs available in colombia. We update our job centre daily so check back soon!
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Are English teachers in demand in Colombia?
Yes, English teachers are in extremely high demand across Colombia. Colombia has ambitions to be a bilingual nation, but the country's levels of English proficiency are low.
Q. How much do you make teaching English in Colombia?
English teachers in Colombia can earn salaries between COL$2.1 million and COL$6.3 million (£383-£1,150/$500-$1,500).
Q. Which country has the highest demand for English teachers?
China has the highest number of English learners in the world and, therefore, the highest demand for English teachers. However, Latin America, South America, and much of Asia also have an enormous demand for English teachers.
Q. How much do international school teachers make in Colombia?
International school teachers can make excellent salaries in Colombia, usually around £1,000- £1,145/£1,308-$1,500 per month. With a low cost of living, these salaries are high by Colombian standards.