Teaching English in Chile
Frequently Asked Questions
Thank you for your interest, but our teach abroad program in Chile is closed until further notice. Please review the Reach To Teach Job Board for a list of open teach abroad programs and positions.
We have attempted to cover as much as possible in our Frequently Asked Questions on teaching English in Chile.
Salaries vary according to experience, qualifications and placement region. Your Reach To Teach advisor will speak with you directly about salary levels.
Yes, you are responsible for paying for your flights to and from Chile.
We have four-, eight-, and twelve-month contracts available.
- Be a native or near-native English speaker
- Be between 21 and 35 years of age
- Have a full university degree
- Have sufficient funds to cover any additional expenses that you might incur throughout the duration of your contract
- Be physically and mentally fit for teaching children
Yes, you must have a full university degree from an accredited university.
A TEFL certificate is not required, but we strongly encourage you to become TEFL certified, especially if you’ve never taught before. Teaching English as a Second Language is an immensely rewarding experience, but it is also extremely challenging. The better prepared you are for your adventure abroad, the happier you will be.
We recommend a number of excellent TEFL programs on our TEFL page. Check out this article on Why You Should Get a TEFL to Teach Abroad for more information.
We will consider joint applicants for the program, and we will do our best to ensure that you are placed within the same area.
It’s possible that you might be assigned to more than one school. It depends on where you are placed.
Volunteers teach classes from the 5th grade (10-11 years of age) and above. Some teachers may be required to teach all grade levels, depending on the size of the school.
Chilean classes can be quite large. You will have between 35 and 45 students in each class.
The number of hours you teach will vary from contract to contract. Most of our teachers are teaching between 20 and 25 hours a week.
Your school will provide in class training upon your arrival.
Your school will provide you with teaching supplies such as pencils, markers, tape, and glue, etc. However, photos, books, magazines, stamps, stickers, and other treats from home are great incentives for your students.
We have placements available all over Chile. Please do your research and put some thought into where you would like to be placed. Your location preferences will be taken into consideration; however, teachers will ultimately be placed where they are most needed. It’s important to remember that there aren’t generally a lot of opportunities available in popular areas such as Santiago and Viña del Mar.
An Internet connection is not a host family requirement, but many host families have Internet in their homes. You will also have access to the Internet at your school. Additionally, Internet cafes are quite common in Chile.
Chile is not an expensive country to live in. The general cost of living is between 25-40% cheaper than North America, but this really depends on your lifestyle and location.
The health care system in Chile is excellent. Health care facilities are on par with what you would receive in North America. Affordable medical services are available in major cities and towns.
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