There are many reasons why you may decide to teach English in China, such as the desire to learn the Chinese language, an interest in the Chinese culture or to earn money.

Teaching in China is not generally a way to make a lot of money but you will earn a salary that allows you to live a very comfortable lifestyle and even save some money as well. If you want to save a reasonable amount of money, you will probably need to work overtime. A standard full-time contract in China is usually a maximum of 25 hours a week, so this is definitely possible. In the major cities, there is a huge potential to work overtime if desired as there are so many people wanting to learn English.

The Chinese schools prefer native speakers from a select few countries, namely the US, UK, South Africa, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Discriminatory as this may be, it also means that the Chinese are leaving out a sizeable chunk of capable English-speakers who were unfortunate enough not be born in the above countries.

The location of your school is important. There is more to China than just Beijing and Shanghai. A fair number of cities are quite well developed and can certainly provide you with a wonderful peek into the heart of China.

Decide on the city you wish to teach in. Narrow down your search to a specific region or city in which to start job-hunting. Your decision may be influenced by factors such as weather, money-earning potential, or personal preference, and a little bit of in-depth research into the area will serve you well. Weather may seem like a minor factor, but when you consider the temperatures in northern China often dip as low as minus 30 degrees Celsius, such factors suddenly become a bit more important!

Although most schools in China would not negotiate, there is no reason why you should settle for anything less than RMB 4000. A school or university which offers you less than this is really trying to cut corners and should be avoided. Dont be persuaded by claims that the average salary of the Chinese teacher is only half of yours. Maybe true, but then the average Chinese teacher has not left his country.

Before leaving, make sure you have arranged all the correct vaccinations, visas, insurance, documentation, and certificates for your employer. A good idea is to scan copies of your passport, visas, and certificates into a computer at home and store a copy in your email account, so that you always have a copy if you lose the originals. Emailing a copy to a friend or relative before departure is useful too.

Teaching English in China is a great adventure and for many teaching English abroad will become a profession with great opportunities around Asia and around the world.