Teach English in Weihai
ESL Jobs in Weihai
Coming to this beautiful city in Shandong province is one of those decisions, you will never regret. It’s not only geographically attractive, thanks to its beaches and natural riches, but you can also get jobs in Weihai with very good conditions and pay.
Both professional teachers, enthusiastic natives or students will find TEFL jobs in Weihai with fair rates and convenient schedules, part-time jobs or full-time positions with lots of bonuses and extra pay.
As of today, there are over 160 various schools, including international ones and public middle/high schools.
There are also 6 reputed language centers, constantly offering ESL teaching jobs in Weihai, so you can choose from different offers, depending on your schedule preferences and favorite type/age of students.
What Makes Weihai Unique?
- Population: over 3 million
- Language: Mandarin + local dialect
- Public Transport: international airport, intercity train station, bus system, taxi
- Climate: humid continental with mild winters and warm summers
Somehow, it tends to be a difficult task for HR managers to find English speakers for local schools because the Weihai city is not one of the top populated cultural centers of China.
But whoever comes here is likely to stay for long, since the work conditions, attitude and situation of this place are extremely agreeable.
Wonder why? Check out our list of the advantages of teaching English in Weihai!
Cost of living
It’s ridiculously low, even compared to Chinese megalopolises! A meal at an ordinary restaurant will cost about $2.97 only!
A pint of domestic beer is $1, a monthly bus pass will not exceed $15, and 1 minute of a prepaid mobile tariff is $0.03.
Monthly bills for a 3-bedroom apartment are likely to be around $57, the rent being as low as $296. Don’t forget, that teaching jobs for foreigners in Weihai usually cover these, so you won’t have to count these expenses.
Clean air
Browsing through numerous big cities in China, you’ve probably noticed, that most of them have serious environmental problems, especially with air pollution.
Well, this is not the case with Weihai, China’s most health-friendly place: here air quality rarely goes unhealthy or dangerous, being good or moderate most of the time.
Good snacks all around
You’ll find plenty of dishes of Shandong cuisine, which is one of the 4 great culinary traditions in the country.
Local food is fresh, rich in taste and copious. Main ingredients are seafood (as it’s a coastal area), peanuts, chewy maize, vegetables, and meat broths. We recommend trying braised prawns and sea cucumbers, fried carp with sweet and sour sauce.
Living in Weihai, many foreigners discover such exotic dishes as lungs in milk soup, pork kidneys or braised intestines in brown sauce, which are actually pretty tasty!
Outings
In fact, someone who teaches English in Weihai has plenty of things to do in the evening and on weekends!
The city is pretty cultural: you can enjoy performances and exhibitions for free, or take a stroll around the old quarters.
Liugong island and the fabulous Castle beach are just 20 minutes away from the center and a one-way ticket costs less than $4.5, so these are great destinations for days off.
Foreigners are welcome!
It’s fairly easy to find good jobs in Weihai for English speakers, that’s why many newcomers stay with the employer for a few years or even decide to settle down and buy some property here.
Promotion and bonuses are almost a guarantee, if you are hard-working and creative, which are among the most valued qualities here.
Pleasant temperatures
The Weihai climate is ideal for those, who enjoy all 4 seasons but are afraid of frost and harsh winters. Here it rarely gets too cold or snowy, thanks to the Yellow Sea and the fact, that winters are the dry season.
Another perk of the Weihai weather is that summers never get too hot. However, it’s often windy here.
Kind people
As the city is relatively small, there are not so many foreigners in the street, so you are likely to be the white star.
Don’t feel uneasy or embarrassed – local people love tourists and workers from abroad and are always very nice to them. In fact, teaching in Weihai, you’ll get a lot of Mandarin-speaking practice if you wish!
Lots of traveling
Weihai teaching jobs offer you many travel opportunities because the city is well situated and you can access major Chinese cities, South Korea and Japan in 1 or 4 hours maximum by plane.
The cost is also very reasonable (a couple of hundred dollars per ticket), that’s why teachers tend to fly away on weekends and holidays to explore Asia!
Types of ESL Teaching Jobs in Weihai
- Kindergartens
- Public/private schools
- Language centers
- University
Weihai English teaching jobs are diverse and offer you a handful of possibilities to choose from. Both state institutions and international schools are present in the city, but one of the best things about Weihai is that classes tend to be smaller in both cases because the city is not overpopulated.
Foreigners can select one of the language centers and apply for a full-time position there, but many of them work at a few places at the same time, which can boost your salary and give you some valuable experience.
For example, you find a vacancy for teaching English in primary schools in Weihai and get a Z visa. Upon arrival, you understand, that with the number of hours you have, you can actually take a part-time job at an international school or elsewhere, without being overwhelmed.
This will let you put some money by, travel more or send a few hundred dollars back home to your family. Although it’s a popular practice, not all employees from abroad do it, so don’t consider it obligatory.
Is it possible to teach adults in Weihai?
With the number of vacancies for teaching young children, it may seem that there is no place for adult learners on the Chinese market. However, it’s not true! Many language centers hire qualified teachers to work with grown-ups, as the demand for increasing every year.
General requirements
Whatever type of school you choose, you can come to teach English in Weihai with no degree or Z visa and apply for one later. You can get hired with no experience or certificate, but you get to have at least a Bachelor’s degree, otherwise, chances are, your candidacy won’t be approved.
In other aspects of English teaching jobs in Weihai are easier to get for an inexperienced professional or a student because requirements tend to be lower than in most other provinces.
How much can you earn in Weihai?
Another particular feature of this region is that the pay is slightly lower too, the average being around 8,500 RMB ($1,260).
However, don’t forget that if you teach English in China salary may not be what it seems at first, because of the cost of living, which is even cheaper in Weihai, than in bigger cities. This means, that if you work in Weihai as an English teacher, despite getting less cash at the end of the month, you’ll still manage to eat out, travel and buy nice things.
On the other hand, if you plan to save a significant amount of dollars or regularly send money to pay bills abroad, this might not do.
What to expect from your role as an English teacher in Weihai
- Teach 5 days a week
- Up to 20 teaching and around 10 office hours
- Maximum 20 people in the class, if you teach at a school in Weihai
- Lesson planning
- Placement tests and interviewing new students
- Check homework and tests
- Use modern approaches and audio/video materials
- Provide feedback, attend parent-teacher meetings
- Create demos, conversation classes, presentations
- Attend seminars and social events
Compensation and salary
The important part of teaching English as a foreign language in China is that you can get fairly good pay and extra benefits for hard work and subsequent contracts with the school.
Both international and public school jobs in Weihai tend to be generous towards foreign teachers.
- Basic salary: 8,000 – 16,000 RMB depending on your qualifications
- Free accommodation/allowance
- Help with visa and documentation
- 12+15 paid days of vacation per contract
- Flight ticket reimbursement after 9 months (the amount should not exceed 3000 RMB)
- 7000 RMB contract completion bonus
- Visa fee reimbursement after 9 months of the contract
- Airport pickup
- Welcome pack (monthly transport ticket, SIM card, health assurance etc.)
- Guided tour around Weihai + tip about where to go in your district
- Loyalty bonus for each subsequent contract with the school
- Referral bonuses per person (if a new teacher is hired through your recommendation)
- Help with everything related to bureaucracy or medicine
- Help with a bank account, taxes, paying bills (if needed)
- Training, support, and class observation
- TEFL certificate (if needed)
- Extra money for your previous experience with young learners (+ around 200 RMB per month)
- Monthly performance bonuses (up to 1,000 RMB)
- Health insurance covered by the school
Accommodation
One of the biggest pros of living here is that jobs for foreigners in Weihai usually provide free housing or a good allowance, which means, that you won’t have to pay the rent.
The worst scenario is that you’d have to pay $100 or $150 per month out of your salary, but in this case, you can always get a flatmate, split the bills and manage to put some money by.
Anyway, with our agency you get:
- Well situated Western-style apartment with necessary equipment and furniture;
- Not far from the school and tourist spots;
- Possibility to choose your own place with the help of a local estate agent;
- Get 100% or at least 60% coverage of your rent, teaching English at a Chinese school;
- Help with paperwork and signing the contract.
Qualifications & Skills
Basic requirements to teach English in China may seem very low, but don’t forget, that extra experience and diplomas will get you better-paid positions (degree in education, Master).
- Bachelor’s degree
- TEFL/TESOL (you can do certification upon school’s request while already teaching in China)
- No teaching experience is required
- Preferably a native speaker, or non-native with fluent English
- Ready to commit to a 12-month contract at least
- Open-minded, creative, patient and professional
Apply Now to Teach English in Weihai
If you feel like this city might be the right place, send us this information, so that we could get back to you with a suitable offer:
- Cover letter
- CV
- Recent photo
- Preferences (young students/adults, schedule)
- Your availability
Apply today at [email protected] (clickable email to write us right away) or fill out the form below.
Get ready with your application today and teach English in Weihai with one of the best schools in the area.