Teach English in Korea: EPIK, Hagwons and How to Get Hired in 2026

Every year, thousands of North American graduates land in Korea with a one-year teaching contract, a furnished apartment and a monthly pay cheque that goes a long way. The hard part is not getting there. It is choosing the right type of school and getting your paperwork right before anyone will hire you.

This guide covers the three main routes, what they pay, how the E-2 visa works, and how to prepare if you are a US or Canadian student or recent graduate. All pay figures are approximate and based on 2026 listings; always confirm current terms with the program or recruiter before you commit. Conversions use roughly 1,380 won to the US dollar.

The three ways to teach English in Korea

EPIK: public schools

EPIK (English Program in Korea) places foreign teachers in public elementary, middle and high schools across the country. It is the most structured option and the one most first-timers pick.

• Pay: roughly 2.0 to 2.7 million won a month (about US$1,450 to $1,950), depending on your qualifications and where you are placed.
• Housing: free furnished housing or a housing allowance. Utilities are usually your own.
• Hours: a maximum of about 22 teaching hours a week, inside a standard weekday school day.
• Extras: an entrance allowance for your flight (about 1.3 million won, or roughly $940), a completion payment, severance, health insurance and pension, and paid vacation.
• Intakes: two a year. Spring placements start around February and March, fall placements around August and September.
• Contract: one year, renewable.

Rural placements are shrinking as student numbers fall, so many new teachers end up in smaller cities and towns. If you want Seoul specifically, expect competition.

Hagwons: private academies

Hagwons are after-school academies. They hire all year, so they suit you if you miss the EPIK window or need to start quickly.

• Pay: roughly 2.3 to 2.5 million won a month for first-timers (about $1,670 to $1,810).
• Housing: usually a furnished apartment or a monthly housing allowance.
• Hours: typically 25 to 30 teaching hours a week, afternoons into the evening, sometimes finishing at 9 pm or later.

Hagwon quality varies widely. Ask to speak to a current foreign teacher, read the contract line by line, and confirm that housing, severance and flights are written in. A good hagwon can be a great first job. A bad one can be a long year.

University posts

University jobs pay more (roughly 2.5 to 4.0 million won) and teach far fewer hours, about 10 to 16 a week. They are also the hardest to land: most want a master's degree, and some want a PhD. For a student or new graduate, this is a goal for later, not a first move.

What you need before you apply

Whichever route you choose, the E-2 visa rules are the same.

1. Citizenship: the US, Canada, the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand or South Africa.
2. A four-year bachelor's degree in any subject, from an accredited university. The degree must be apostilled.
3. A national criminal background check, apostilled and recent, generally issued within six months of your visa application.
4. A sponsoring employer. You cannot self-sponsor. The visa is tied to your school, so changing jobs means a new application.
5. A health check in Korea after you arrive, including an HIV and drug screening arranged through your employer.

For EPIK you also need a TEFL of at least 100 hours if you do not have a teaching license or an education degree. Many recruiters ask for 120. Hagwons rarely demand a certificate, but the best offers go to candidates who have one.

From offer to Korea: how the visa works

Once you sign a contract, your employer files for a Certificate of Visa Issuance, which takes roughly 7 to 10 business days. You then apply at a Korean consulate with that number and your documents, which takes about another 5 to 10 business days. After you land, you register for an Alien Registration Card within 90 days. The E-2 is normally issued for one year and renewed annually.

The slow part is documents, not the visa itself. Apostilles and the background check can take weeks, and in Canada the process differs by province and agency. Start at least three to four months before your intended start date. For a wider look at work visas, see our guide to working in Korea as a foreigner.

Get your TEFL first

A TEFL certificate is the cheapest way to improve your odds and your first-month confidence. Asia Pathway offers two online courses built for Korea, both run by The TEFL Org and regulated by Ofqual in the UK:

• The 120-Hour Premier Online TEFL Course for South Korea (about $549) meets the usual certificate requirement for public-school applications and gets you classroom-ready.
• The 250-Hour Online Level 5 TEFL Course for South Korea (about $849) is a Level 5 diploma, a stronger credential if you want to stand out for competitive placements.

Neither course includes a scholarship, and neither guarantees a job, but both are online, so you can complete them while you finish your degree or work. For how TEFL works across the region, read The Complete Guide to TEFL and our country-by-country guide to teaching English in Asia.

EPIK or hagwon: how to choose

Pick EPIK if you want shorter days, a predictable contract and built-in support, and you can plan around the spring or fall intake. Pick a hagwon if you need to start soon, want a city placement, or have found a school with good reviews from current teachers.

Whichever you choose, read the contract carefully, confirm housing and severance in writing, and avoid any school that asks you to pay a fee to be hired.

Not ready to teach yet?

If you are still a student, there are other ways to spend time in Korea first. Our gap year in Asia guide and the South Korea student visa guide cover language study and degree routes that can later lead to work.

Questions about which route fits your plans? Book a free consultation and we will help you map it out.