Teaching English in Turkey
Teaching English in Turkey
Requirements
Bachelor’s Degree: Required
Monthly Salary: $600 to 1,500 USD
Peak Hiring: All year round
Visa Information: Work visa
Housing: Not compensated
Airfare: Not reimbursed. Possibly subsidized.
Student Types: Business English
At a Glance
Teaching English in Turkey has become a very popular way to make money while traveling. While there are many different ways to teach English in Turkey, it’s important to do your research before deciding on a teaching program. There are many different ways to teach English in Turkey, and each program will have its own costs, benefits, and requirements. Let’s explore this in more detail.
Overview
In Turkey, foreign teachers mostly enjoy Turkish food, culture, music, language, affordability, internal transportation, patchwork nightlife, ease of finding work, and a relatively high standard of living.
You can make anywhere from $600 to $1,500 USD range (due to the falling lira currency). The minimum requirements for teaching English in Turkey are a university degree and a TEFL or CELTA certificate.
The pay for teaching English in Turkey is better than in Latin America. It’s more fun than the Middle East. You don’t experience as much culture shock as in Southeast Asia. Plus, it’s more accessible to Europe than other countries for teaching English.
English Language Schools in Turkey
Most English teaching jobs are in Istanbul and Ankara, the capital of Turkey. Istanbul is a great combination of modern services and traditional culture. Ankara is not as popular. It’s fairly mountainous, more conservative, and located in the middle of the country.
There are opportunities to work in universities, private tutoring, and language schools. Language schools mostly focus on keeping the students engaged in English language learning. You’re expected to dress professionally and put some effort into your lessons.
Students can pick up on inexperience. This is why it’s recommended to take a TEFL certificate to prepare you to teach English as a foreign language. A TEFL course with a practicum will give you the proper training to develop lesson plans and put them into action.
Salary
You can make anywhere in the range of $600 to $1,500 USD in Turkey. The exchange rate has gotten worse over the years for the Turkish currency so your take-home pay is less when converting to US dollars.
The starting wage for a TEFL or CELTA qualified English teacher is around 30-40 TL (lira) an hour. If you can work 30+ hours a week, then you can probably pull in 4000 TL (lira) a month
Turkey is relatively inexpensive so it’s possible to save money and not worry about day-to-day expenses. Try to find teaching jobs with subsidized rent because some schools are willing to pay part of the cost.
| Monthly Salary | Total |
|---|---|
| US Dollars (USD) | 600 to 1,500 USD |
| Turkish Lira (TRY) | 9,000 to 24,000 TRY |
Certification
Teaching English in Turkey provides a unique cultural experience. TEFL certificate holders can take advantage of this opportunity by obtaining a teaching position within one of the many language schools located in major cities, such as Istanbul and Ankara.
While teaching English in Turkey can be a difficult job, it can also be very rewarding. A TEFL certificate can make you more competitive when applying for these jobs. Here are some of the best TEFL certification options available today.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can make anywhere from $600 to $1,500 USD range. The exchange rate has been steadily getting worse with the falling Turkish Lira currency. But it’s still possible to save relative to the cost of living.
The minimum requirements for teaching English in Turkey are a university degree and a TEFL/CELTA certificate.
Some foreign teachers do not enjoy the male-dominated society, politics, Turkish temperament, military, and noise in the city at night like honking.
The internal transportation system to get around Turkey is fairly efficient and cheap, so getting out and around isn’t difficult.
The tourist attractions, proximity to Europe, ease of finding employment, Turkish food, historical landmarks, and affordability are advantages of choosing Turkey to teach English.