Teaching English in Indonesia

Teaching English in Indonesia 101

Indonesia is the fourth most populous country in the world comprising 17,508 islands housing nearly 250 million people. It is also one of the fast-growing foreign English teaching markets. Those keen on making a career out of English teaching in the country will be greeted by an entrancing combination of thousands of years of culture and history set amidst a landscape of beautiful beaches and volcanoes. Home to predominantly Muslim population, the warm hospitality of the locals is another enticing feature of the country. This may come as a surprise to many but in fact Indonesia is the world’s largest Muslim nation.

Year-round teaching jobs are available to those looking for an English teaching opportunity in the country. While most schools look to conduct advance interviews via email or over the phone, preference for in-person interview is also given in some cases. The responsibility of airfares and housing expenses are typically borne by the teachers though schools tend to provide some assistance in this regard. Teachers usually prefer living in recently vacated apartments of their previous colleagues or look to share accommodation with other English teachers.

Salaries are generous enough to enable a comfortable lifestyle for the teachers. A typical workweek is 20 to 25 hours that leaves plenty of time for exploring the vibrancy and exquisite beauty of the country. Not having a bachelor’s degree can limit the number of teaching opportunities with a four-year degree usually being the preference. A TEFL certification is also important. The major cities of Surabaya, Bandung, Yogyakarta, and Jakarta are where jobs can be found. The island of Bali also has some opportunities though the immense popularity of the place gives rise to an intensely competitive job market.