TEACH ENGLISH IN HUNGARY

About Teaching English in Hungary

To teach English in Hungary, you will need a TEFL certificate and a 4-year college degree in any field. Native English proficiency is expected to find a TEFL job. The average salary for an English teacher in Hungary is about $650 - $950 per month.

Offering exquisite history, culture & architecture, Hungary represents a growing market for teaching English in the heart of Europe. As a dynamic nation in the heart of Europe that has risen to economic and political prominence since the end of the Cold War, Hungary boasts a very strong demand for English language instruction. ESL Teachers in Hungary typically find work towards the beginning of September or October, and then again in January. Most contracts end in late June.  

Americans can interview for some public school positions in advance. Most other English teachers will be expected to interview in person once they arrive in Hungary, and they will also be responsible for their airfare, as well as housing.  

Many Americans who teach English in Hungary do so through the CETP Program, which requires a payment fee, but the positions pay well by local standards and offer good salaries and benefits, including housing, health insurance & paid vacations.

A decent hourly wage enables foreign English teachers in Hungary to live comfortably.  Schools typically offer around 20-25 hours per week of work, leaving plenty of time to travel and explore. Many foreign English teachers in Hungary also teach English online and/or take on private students to earn additional income.

Major cities for English teaching jobs in Hungary are Budapest, Debrecen, Miskolc, Szolnok, and Szeged.

How to Teach English in Hungary: Requirements

TEFL Certification for Hungary

A TEFL certification is required to teach English in Hungary. You do not need professional teaching experience but earning your TEFL certification will provide you with the training and qualification you do need to get hired. 

Teachers typically interview for jobs in advance from their home country. Therefore it is most common for students to take one of our TEFL course options listed below.

Native English-Speaking Proficiency

You do not need to be a native English speaker to teach English in Hungary, however, you will be expected to be fluent in English and speak at a native level to be considered for teaching jobs.  

Degree Requirements for TEFL Hungary

A bachelor's degree is required to teach English in Hungary. Please note, your bachelor's degree does not need to be in education, it can be in any field.

Read more: What are the requirements to teach English in Hungary?

How to Find TEFL Jobs in Hungary

TEFL Jobs Hungary

The most common teaching jobs in Hungary consist of:

• Teaching adults in private language schools.
• Teaching Business English to adults.
• Private one-on-one tutoring.
• Teaching children in public schools as part of the CETP Program.
• Teaching English Online.

TEFL Hungary: Hiring & Visa

Hungary represents a more challenging job market for any teacher who does not already have citizenship from a qualified European Union (EU) nation or working rights in Hungary.

• EU CITIZENS
  Hungarian work permits are available for people who are already EU citizens. EU citizens can expect to find jobs during the peak hiring months of September and January with an expected downtime in August and from Christmas through the second week of January.

• US, CANADIAN, & UK CITIZENS
  Teachers holding citizenship from the US, Canada, and the UK can apply for the Central European Teaching Program(CETP) to teach English to children in public schools throughout Hungary. Teachers working with CETP will receive a work visa after they arrive in Hungary and CETP will provide all of the necessary documentation. The visa is usually processed about two weeks after the application.

Working as an English Teacher in Hungary: Hours

Language schools in Hungary offer approximately 20 to 30 hours of classroom work per week plus additional hours for prep time. This allows for plenty of time to travel and explore. 

Teaching Hungarian Students

It is most common that your students will be adult business professionals, or school-aged children if you are participating in the CETP Program.

TEFL Hungary Salary & Cost of Living

Start-up Costs

Start-up costs will range from $1,050 - $1,450 USD (265,450 – 366,600 HUF). These are expenses you will incur from your arrival in Hungary until you receive your first paycheck and may include things like rent, apartment supplies, transport, groceries, getting your new local cell phone number set up, etc. 

English teacher Salary in Hungary

A modest salary enables teachers the opportunity to live a comfortable lifestyle while in Hungary. Teachers can expect to make $650 - $950 USD per month.

Read more: Salaries for Hungary

For those teaching at private language schools, there are no flight or housing benefits/stipends provided so you will need to remember to account for accommodation or temporary housing for your first few weeks in your start-up costs until you find an apartment to rent.

For those teaching as part of the CETP Program, all participants receive their own private apartments, usually within a convenient walk or commute to the school. 

Cost of Living & Savings

The average monthly cost of living ranges from around $600 - $900 USD per month.

English teachers in Hungary can expect to break-even month over month. This means you can cover your rent and bills, support yourself, live comfortably, and enjoy your life abroad to the fullest, but you should not expect to save money at the end of the month. If you are hustling and taking on private tutoring lessons and/or teaching English online in addition to your regular teaching schedule, you may increase your ability to save.