Passport
Valid well beyond the contract length, with blank visa pages.
teach english in china · 2026 guide
Teach English in China (Bachelor’s Degree Required)
China has one of the biggest TEFL markets and some of the strongest saving potential. The catch: the legal route is strict, document-heavy and absolutely not a tourist-visa side quest.
BIG MARKET · STRICT VISA
Degree: required for normal routeTEFL: 120 hours+Pay: roughly ¥15k–¥25k/monthZ visa before working
the quick answer
Requirements at a glance
| Degree | No degree | TEFL | Pay | Hardest part |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's normally required for the standard foreign-teacher route | No normal legal Z-visa route for entry-level English teaching | 120-hour TEFL commonly used; Level 5 builds a stronger file | Roughly ¥15,000–¥25,000 monthly for many first roles | Authentication, background checks and verifying the sponsor |
how long it actually takes
Visa & paperwork timeline
- 12–8 weeks
Finish your TEFL
A recognised 120-hour course is the minimum; Level 5 helps when employers compare files.
- 21–4 weeks
Criminal record check
Home-country police certificate. Usually must be recent — many provinces want it issued within 6 months.
- 32–6 weeks
Authenticate degree, TEFL and police check
Apostille or foreign-ministry authentication, then Chinese embassy/consulate legalisation where the Apostille Convention route does not apply.
- 41–4 weeks
Job offer and contract
Video interviews plus a demo lesson. Check the school's licence to hire foreign teachers before signing.
- 52–6 weeks
Work permit notification
Employer applies on your behalf and sends the notification letter you need for the visa.
- 61–2 weeks
Z visa application
Applied for at a Chinese visa centre in your home country, with medical paperwork.
- 72–4 weeks
Residence permit after arrival
Medical check in China, work permit card, police registration and then the residence permit.
timings are typical, not promised — queues move.
pack the folder
Documents you need
Bachelor's degree certificate
Original plus authenticated copy — this is the document that stops most applications.
TEFL certificate
120-hour minimum from a credible provider; often authenticated alongside the degree.
Criminal record check
Home-country police certificate, authenticated the same way as your degree.
Medical examination
Form completed at home and/or repeated at a Chinese health centre after arrival.
Reference letters and CV
Two references are commonly requested, plus a photo CV and copies of any teaching experience.
TEFL requirements in China
The standard route usually asks for a bachelor's, a clean criminal record and either relevant experience or a recognised TEFL. Province and employer details vary, so get the exact checklist before paying for legalisation.
The degree rule is the big one — read can you teach in China without a degree?
For the full list, see the requirements to teach English in China.
- → Bachelor's certificate
- → 120-hour+ TEFL
- → Criminal record check
- → Authenticated paperwork
China teaching visa (any passport)
You normally secure a work permit notice, apply for a Z visa, enter China and complete the residence-permit process. Never start teaching on a tourist, student or business visa.
How much English teachers earn
Many public-school and language-centre roles advertise around ¥15,000–¥25,000 a month. City tier, school type, experience, housing, flights and office hours can shift the package massively.
Can you teach with no degree?
For a new UK teacher, treat the answer as no. Claims that a school can simply 'sort it later' put your visa status—not the recruiter's—at risk.
searched at 2am. answered.
People also ask
Can I teach English in China without a degree?
Not through the normal legal route for entry-level foreign English teachers. Be suspicious of anyone offering a tourist-visa workaround.
What TEFL do I need to teach in China?
A recognised 120-hour+ TEFL is commonly accepted and may help meet the experience condition. Requirements differ by location and sponsor.
What visa do UK citizens need to teach in China?
Usually a Z visa followed by a work-type residence permit, backed by a legitimate employer and work permit.
How much do English teachers earn in China?
Many first roles pay roughly ¥15,000–¥25,000 monthly, with housing or allowances common. Compare total package and workload.
Do I need two years of experience to teach in China?
Relevant experience is often requested, though a recognised TEFL may satisfy or support the route in some locations. Confirm locally.
Can I teach in China on a tourist visa?
No. A tourist visa does not authorise paid teaching, even if an employer says it is normal.
Which Chinese cities pay English teachers most?
Major cities often post higher salaries, but rent and competition rise too. Smaller-city packages can leave more money after costs.
What documents are needed for a China teaching visa?
Expect passport, degree, criminal record check, contract and work-permit documents, with authentication steps set by the current process.
How do I get a TEFL certificate in the UK before teaching in China?
Take an accredited online TEFL course UK employers recognise — a 120-hour certificate is the standard entry level and a Level 5 reads stronger. The same accredited online courses are open worldwide, including the US, Canada, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Most people finish inside 60 days, then apply for China roles.
the course call
Level 5 is the safer bet.
China is degree-required, so Level 5 is the safer recommendation; 120 hours is the starter route. Verify the recruiter, school licence and exact visa process before spending or travelling.
Want the lighter start? A credible 120-hour course is still the entry route. Level 5 simply gives your application more weight.
the full directory
Every guide in this cluster
Can you teach English in China with a British passport? →Yes — British nationals are commonly hired to teach English in China, provided you meet the standard requirements: a bachelor's degree, a clean criminal record check, and usually an accredited TEFL certificate of 120+ hours.Can Nigerians teach English in China? →It's very difficult under China's standard Z visa process for foreign English teachers.Does an ordinary UK BA qualify you to teach English in China? →Yes, in most cases.How do you apostille a degree for a China teaching visa? →China's Z visa process typically requires your bachelor's degree — and often your criminal background check — to be authenticated, either via apostille (for Hague Convention countries) or full embassy/consular legalisation where an apostille isn't recognised locally.How much do English teachers earn in China? →Language-training-centre pay in China typically runs ¥15,000-¥25,000 a month, often with a flight allowance and an end-of-contract completion bonus layered on top of the base salary.What does it cost to live in China as an English teacher? →Living costs in China split sharply by city tier: a teacher in Shanghai or Beijing typically spends far more on rent than one in a tier-2 city like Chengdu or Xi'an, even on similar ¥15k-¥25k language-school pay.What visa do you need to teach English in China? →Legal English teaching in China generally requires a Z visa converted into a residence permit, backed by a work permit your employer applies for on your behalf.Can you teach English in China with no experience? →Yes, many Chinese training centres are specifically set up to hire first-time teachers, using local teaching assistants to handle discipline and parent communication while you focus on delivery.Which TEFL course is best for teaching in China? →China's Z-visa process checks TEFL hours and accreditation more strictly than most Southeast Asian markets, so a 120-hour accredited course is the realistic minimum and a Level 5 course reduces the risk of document pushback.Is a 120-hour TEFL enough for China? →A 120-hour accredited TEFL is usually enough to get hired by a Chinese training centre or bilingual school, but the tighter constraint is the Z-visa document review, which can be inconsistent between provinces about how it treats purely online, unassessed certificates.What qualifications do you need to teach English in China? →China's Z work visa legally requires a bachelor's degree, a TEFL or teaching qualification, a clean criminal background check (authenticated and apostilled), and usually being from a recognised native-English-speaking country for language-teaching roles.Can you teach English in China without a degree? →No — China's Z work visa legally requires a bachelor's degree, and there's no accredited, legal route around it for foreign English teachers.How do you teach English in Shanghai? →Shanghai's training centres, international schools and bilingual kindergartens require a bachelor's degree and an apostilled background check for Z-visa sponsorship, with an accredited TEFL certificate expected on top of that by most reputable employers.How do you teach English in Beijing? →Beijing's training centres and international schools hire degree-holders on a Z-visa, with document authentication (apostilled degree and background check) as strict a requirement here as anywhere in China.Can Irish citizens teach English in China? →Yes, Ireland is recognised as a native-English-speaking country for China's Z work visa, so Irish citizens with a bachelor's degree can qualify for a teaching job the same way Americans, Brits or Canadians do.Can non-native English speakers teach in China? →For the standard foreign-teacher Z visa, mostly no — Chinese authorities and provincial foreign affairs offices typically only issue teaching work permits to citizens of a short list of majority native-English-speaking countries (commonly the US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and South Africa).