Teaching English In Colombia

Teaching English in Colombia 101

With the nation's fast-growing economy,TEFL Certified teachers are in high demand in Colombia. With over 45 million inhabitants, Colombia has the second largest population in South America. It is also home to the fourth-largest number of Spanish speakers in the world after Mexico, the United States, and Spain, which means it provides for a great opportunity to perfect your Spanish while teaching English in Colombia. 

Twenty years ago, Colombia was a virtual no-go zone, but in recent decades the nation has become one of the most dynamic countries in Latin America and it has become much safer as well, as evidenced by a huge growth in tourism.

English teaching jobs in Colombia typically start in January - March, and July - August time periods. Most positions are for teaching English in private language schools, primarily to adults (business types, university students, tourism, etc.). In recent years Colombia has also launched a program to recruit native English speaking teachers to teach English to children in public schools. To learn more about the opportunities, please read: Teaching English in Colombia: Public School Opportunities.

Many English teachers work as private tutors either full-time or part-time. 

The English teaching job market in Colombia is very strong in Bogota, Medellin, and other larger cities. Colombia is a break-even market, which allows teachers to live comfortably while teaching 20-30 hours per week. Many teachers supplement their income by giving private lessons and/or teaching English online. 

Please note, that while a Bachelor's degree is not required to secure a job in this country (unless you are participating in the Ministry of Education Program), it still can be strongly preferred by employers.  If you do not have a degree, you should be prepared for a more competitive job search.

Earning a TEFL certification is key to gain employment teaching English in Colombia.