Are public or private schools better for teaching English in South Korea?
In South Korea, foreign ESL teachers often face the choice between working in government-run public schools or private language academies (hagwons). While both types of institutions typically offer competitive salaries and additional benefits, there are notable differences:
- Work Environment: Public schools often have a more structured environment with regular working hours, whereas hagwons might require more flexible schedules, including evenings and weekends.
- Class Size: Public schools generally have larger class sizes compared to hagwons, where classes tend to be smaller and more focused.
- Curriculum and Teaching Style: Public schools may provide a more standardized curriculum, while hagwons offer a chance to be more innovative and interactive in teaching methods.
- Student Age Range: Hagwons cater to a wider range of ages, from young children to adults, whereas public schools focus on school-age children.
Table of Contents
What are the differences in the hiring process?
What are the differences in salary?
What extra benefits should I receive?
What are the differences in working hours?
What are the differences in vacation time?
What other differences should I expect?
What are the differences in the hiring process?
Both types of employers hire the majority of their teachers in advance from within their own country. Public school recruitment follows a set timetable that has two start dates each year. Applications for the start date in August/September need to be filed online beginning in April. The application process for the February/March start date begins in October. A large percentage of teachers who work in public schools are recruited via a government program known as EPIK (English Program in Korea). This is a well respected and popular program and numbers are limited, so you need to get your application in as early as possible. In contrast, private language centers do not follow a set academic calendar so jobs can be found at anytime of the year. However, as the process of applying, interviewing, and arranging a work visa can be a lengthy process of up to four months, you do need to plan ahead.
What are the differences in salary?
Whichever route you take into teaching English in South Korea you are likely to earn a very good salary, however, private language schools generally pay a little more than the public school system. The average monthly salary in public schools is 1.8 to 2.0 million KRW ($1,400 to $1,500) for first time teachers and 2.0 to 2.7 million KRW ($1,500 to $2,000) for teachers with experience. In private schools first time teachers can expect to earn around 2.0 to 2.1 million KRW ($1,500 to $1,600), while those with experience can earn 2.1 to 3.0 million KRW ($1,600 to $2,300).
What extra benefits should I receive?
In both types of school, if you are hired in advance from within your home country you can expect to receive a generous benefits package. This will normally include paid flights in and out of the country, free housing, and an extra month's pay at the end of the contract.
What are the differences in working hours?
On average, private schools require slightly longer working hours than public schools. Public schools operate a normal style timetable from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday. During the week you will spend around 24 hours actually in the classroom. Classes in private language schools can be scheduled for anytime of day so working hours can vary considerably. Some teachers might find their timetable is from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., while for others it might be from 1:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Weekend work is also common in private schools.
What are the differences in vacation time?
In general, teachers who work in public schools will receive more paid vacation time than private school teachers. Everyone is entitled to have national holidays off and these number between 13 and 15 each year. Public school teachers are also allowed 18 days of extra paid holiday, while this figure is around 7 to 10 days for private school teachers.
What other differences should I expect?
The size of classes is another area where you might find some differences. The average class in a public school is between 20 and 30 students, while private schools tend to limit numbers to no more than 15 students. The identity of your colleagues is also likely to be different depending on which type of school you are working in. In a public school, you are likely to be the only foreign teacher on the staff. In contrast, private schools can have anything up to 50 foreign teachers at any one time.
