How long has IFRE bee working in China ? Whom do you work with? Where are you located?

Our paid English teaching program in China has been ongoing, year round since 2004. IFRE works with many public and private schools, colleges, and universities which are located in different provinces of China . We have set up an office in Hangzhou , which is about 2 hour flight from Beijing .

IFRE's in-country coordinator is responsible for finding out about appropriate teaching projects as per the qualifications and skills of the applicant. IFRE's local coordinator has been keeping in close contact with various Chinese schools and institutions across the country, and places you directly into these positions. Before joining the teaching program, you will be required to sign a contract with the host school and will have to abide by the terms and conditions stipulated on your contract.

When should I apply? What happens once I submit my documents and application? How long does it take to process my application?

Teachers are suggested to apply at least 3 months in advance but if you want to expedite your application within less than three months time, please contact our office for more information. Once we receive your application, we carefully review and forward it to our China in-c ountry coordinator to finalize a placement . He will find a teaching placement for you that best matches your qualifications. He sends placement details to us in as little as 2 weeks. Once we receive your acceptance letter and placement information from China , this information will be sent to you immediately .

School holidays in China

Chinese schools, colleges, and universities will be closed for the following holidays so please consider this when you apply for the program:

School Holidays:

What documents do I need to submit with my application?

In addition to a complete Institute for Field Research Expeditions application ( http://www.ifrevolunteers.org/apply-now.php ), teachers are required to submit:

Visa Information (please read carefully)

All applicants are required to have a valid visa to teach English in China . The process will normally take about 1-2 weeks depending on method of application.

In case your visa expires while you are in China , it can be extended by the local Public Security Bureau (PSB) with the help of your local Chinese school. It is strongly advised that you are constantly aware of the expiration date on your visa. The fine for overstaying is very high - normally RMB500 Yuan/day.

A valid passport is required to enter China . China does not allow entrance if the holder's passport expires in less than six months; returning home with an expired passport is illegal, and may result in a fine as well.

It is a suggested that you have a photo-copy of your passport containing your photo, passport number, along-with your international travel insurance, air-tickets, and traveler's checks' serial numbers to help you recover lost or stolen information.

What kind of visa do I need to volunteer/paid teaching program in China ?

Type of visa depends on your length of stay in China . Normally, there are three types of visa that are applicable to suit your specific condition:

Long Term (6-12 months): Z visa (also known as resident visa):

If you are planning to teach for more than 6 months, please apply for Z visa. Our China coordinator will send you an official invitation letter and documents needed for Z visa.

When to submit for visa?

Once you get your official invitation letter and visa documents from our coordinator in China , Please submit your visa application form with the letter of invitation for F and Z visa to your nearest Chinese embassy. This visa will usually be valid for ONE month after issue. Once you are in China , do remember to submit your passport to the school authorities for the local residency certificate, which is mandatory for all foreigners.

IFRE DOES NOT guarantee your VISA. In some cases Chinese schools may ask teachers to come into China with a visitor's visa and then they will switch the visa status.

More about the Paid Teaching in China

What are the daily schedules? Where are the teaching projects located? How long can I teach English in China ? How do I prepare myself to teach English in China ?

Teaching schedules vary from one school to another in China, however, the average teaching assignments range from 16 to 22 hours per week (5 days a week), roughly 4 teaching periods (each last 40-50 minutes) on a daily basis. Sometimes, you can request to teach on weekends, with your weekdays off. The emphasis of teaching is basic, conversational English for most teachers. Many teachers may teach English composition, reading and American/English literature as well when placed into university positions. On special occasions, you may be asked to teach history or science courses in some international schools. Just like most Chinese teachers, you are expected to write lesson plans, take part in staff meetings, correct homework and even assist in school recruitment as well as promote activities when needed.

Where are the teaching projects located?

IFRE placements are located in most major cities in China as well as rural areas - from its capital city Beijing to the largest city Shanghai . We also arrange teaching programs from the northeast city of Suifenhe (in the Heilongjiang Province ) to Shunde, in the southern Guangdong ( Canton ) Province.

When the teaching projects are open?

Teaching placement is available all year. But teachers are encouraged to apply anytime at their convenience. There are two semesters in each academic year, the fall semester starts in September and the spring semester begins in February. For those who wish to teach more than five months, commencements are expected to match each semester.

How long can I teach English in China ?

You can teach and live in China as a short-term teacher from one month upward, or as a long-term teacher for 1 month to 1 year. When you arrive as a very short-term teacher, your teaching duty will be slightly different from long-term teachers, and your salary will be lower than the long-term teachers.

How do I prepare myself to teach English in China ?

Traditional English teaching in China focuses on grammar-based learning. The new trend favors more toward speaking and listening with less emphasis on grammar-based content. In primary or middle school, you will be asked to primarily teach the basis of oral English (with textbooks provided in most cases). In the college or university, you may be asked to teach extensive/intensive Reading , Composition, English/American literature, conversational English, Business English, etc.

Primary school students are normally age 6 to 12, junior-high school students, age 13 to 15, high school students age 16 to 18, and college students age 18 to 24. In most primary and middle (junior-high) schools, the class sizes are around 60 students, which may sound large, but this is a very special country, and class sizes of 80 students is common in many areas. Their spoken English levels vary from beginner to intermediate, and some are even very fluent!

Who will arrange my flight to China ? Which airport should I book my flight into? Will someone pick me from the airport? If yes, how do I know about the person?

Teacher will be responsible for travel arrangement. Long term teacher who receive airfare reimbursement from the school will receive the monies into their account towards the cost of return airfare. Most teachers arrive into Beijing but please confirm with our offices, as the placements and points of arrival differ. A representative from your school or our office will meet you at the airport, carrying a sign that clearly states your name or purpose.

Which airport should I book my flight into?

Arrival destination depends on placement (or school). Normally, there are two international airports you can fly into, namely, Beijing and Shanghai International airport. We will notify you about your travel destination in your placement sheet.

Will someone pick me up from the airport? If yes, how do I know about the person?

Yes, please take care to forward your travel itinerary to our China in-country Coordinator and US office before your departure for China . You will be picked up by a staff member from your host school. They will hold a piece of paper with your name written on it, awaiting your arrival at the appropriate gate at your destination airport. In case no one is there, you can call our in-country coordinator, who can help with the picking-up or arrange the accommodations immediately.

What should I do if my flight is delayed?

How can I get into the hotel from the airport?

We normally don't recommend participants travel by them selves to the hotel. We arrange someone from the host school waiting in the airport. In case your arrival time is changed and thus you have to stay overnight in the hotel, please call a taxi at the airport and remember to ask for a receipt from the driver. Make sure that you call the in-country coordinator before boarding the taxi. Please call our China in-country Coordinator the next day and let him know your whereabouts, if possible.

What do I need prior to departure from my home country?

If I want to arrive earlier than the program start s, where do I stay and who will organize the accommodation?

In most cases, you will have to cover all expenses incurred by early arrival, but our China in-country Coordinator can make recommendations about booking hotel rooms and domestic traveling at a good price.

Will IFRE make a reservation at the hotel?

Yes, we do, and in most major cities in China , we do have good connections with reputable hotels at good prices. The prices range from USD $10-120 /night.

If I need to ride a bus, where do I get the information from?

The majority of volunteers are transported to the school by one a representative of the school. Bus riding from the airport to host school is very rare, but it does happen. For example: in the event that you need to take a bus ride from Hong Kong International Airport to your placement in Guangdong, please check with our China in-country Coordinator once your placement is confirmed.

How many days before I need to depart from China ?

Participants can depart from China anytime. But make sure that you will not over-stay on your visa. Fines are extremely high in China (sometimes, those who overstay their visa's allowable time are detained).

Who will drop me off at the airport?

The host school will send someone to drop you off at the airport upon your request after completion of your teaching assignment.

Can I store my luggage if I arrive earlier than my program starts?

Yes, and the fee charged by the airport storage sector is calculated by the hour. So, do not leave your luggage too long with them.

Who will arrange my accommodation and w hat are they? Are singles rooms available? If I arrive with my friend or girlfriend/boyfriend can we stay together? Will there be other foreign volunteers/teachers at my placement? What are the local cuisines?

Your accommodations will be arranged by the host school in China . Housing varies from school-to-school, but your accommodations, will primarily be on campus. Sometimes, you may need to share apartment with another teacher.

The apartment is Chinese-styled. All accommodations are fully furnished, including tables, chairs, beds (with linen and blankets), office desk, clothes cabinet, TV, refrigerator, and washing machine. Bathroom, kitchen, bedroom, and living room are all compact inside one apartment.

* Exact information of room/food will be given in the final placement sheet.

Are singles rooms available?

Yes and each teacher will have his/her own private bedroom even in roommate situations.

If I arrive with my friend or girlfriend/boyfriend can we stay together?

Yes, but you need to inform our China in-country Coordinator of this so that he can help prepare accommodations with the school. If you friend/boyfriend/girlfriend just accompanies you, s/he has to pay 50-80 RMB per day to our in-country coordinator.

Will there be other foreign volunteers/teachers at my placement?

This depends on the exact placement and your preference in this issue. Normally you will be placed together with another foreign teacher.

What are the laundry arrangements?

A laundry is rare in most small or even medium size cities, so an automatic/mechanical washing machine is often supplied by the school and located in either the bathroom or kitchen of your apartment. You will be responsible for your laundry.

Can I use appliances if I bring them from my home country?

Yes, you can. However, please notice that in China a 220 volt power supply is used for standard domestic and business purposes. Most h otels generally provide wall sockets in every bathroom for razors and hair dryers, accommodating both straight, two-pin plugs and triangular 3-pin plugs.

What are the local cuisines?

Chinese food is much more diverse than the Chinese restaurants in America . Chinese food includes the dim sum of Canton , dumplings and noodles of North China, spicy food from Szechuan and Hunan , along with many other regional cuisines. Single dish meals at the cafeteria on campus costs as little as RMB 4 (USD $0.50), but in common Chinese restaurants surrounding the schools, meals cost RMB 10 - 20 ($1.25 - $3.00 USD) on a daily basis. Western restaurants are not uncommon in many cities, and will cost between RMB 50 - 100 (USD $6-12) per meal. If you want to prepare your food, groceries are very cheap in China .

Can you supply special diets?

Our partner schools in China provide both vegetarian and non-vegetarian meals but if you require a special diet, you are responsible for your meals.

Is the running tap water safe for drink?

NO. It is suggested you either buy bottled water in the local shop or grocery. Tap water can only be drinkable after boiling.

Will bottle water be provided?

No, but in some cases, schools may provide large jars of water with an electronic water heating/cooling machine. In most cases, you will have to buy this for yourself.

Can I stay with the Chinese host family?

Yes/no. As the traditional Chinese apartments are not very spacious (normally only two bedrooms in most areas) and will be very difficult to accommodate an extra person. However, we will try our best to arrange a short term, home-stay (about one week) upon your initial application.