Teach English in Slovakia: Find TEFL Jobs & Teach in Slovak Republic

About Teaching English in Slovakia

To teach English in Slovakia, you will need a TEFL certificate. A 4-year college degree is not required. EU citizenship or a work visa and native English proficiency are expected to find a TEFL job. The average salary for an English teacher in Slovakia is about $500 - $800 USD per month.

Conveniently located in Central Europe, landlocked Slovakia is famous for its beautiful landscape full of mountains and rolling green hills. The Carpathian Mountain range (including the well-known High Tatras) spans the northern half of the country making most of Slovakia’s territory mountainous. In addition to being home to many mountains, Slovakia has the highest number of castles and chateaux’s per capita.

Slovakia has long been a country overlooked by tourism and in turn, English teachers. With many foreign English teachers heading elsewhere in the region such as Prague or Budapest, there is a need and demand for native English speaking teachers.

English teachers in Slovakia with ITA flag

English teachers should expect to interview and get hired locally however, some schools are open to interviews via video call while you are still in your home country. English teachers will also be responsible for their airfare, as well as housing. Most teachers share an apartment with other English teachers.

A solid hourly wage affords English teachers to live a very comfortable life. Schools typically offer around 20-25 hours per week of work, leaving you plenty of opportunities to travel and explore.

Major cities for English teaching jobs include Bratislava, Kosice, Nitra, Bystrica, Baksa, and Presov.

How to Teach English in Slovakia: Requirements

TEFL Certification for Slovakia

A TEFL certification is required to teach English in Slovakia. 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-person in Slovakia. 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 Slovakia, however, you will be expected to be fluent in English and speak at a native level to be considered for teaching jobs.

Degree Requirements

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

How to Find English Teaching Jobs in Slovak Republic

TEFL Jobs in Slovakia

The most common teaching jobs in Slovakia consist of:

Teaching adults in foreign language schools.
Teaching Business English to adults.
Private one-on-one tutoring.
Teaching English Online.

TEFL Slovakia: Hiring & Visa

Slovakia 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 Slovakia.

EU CITIZENS
If you are an EU Citizen. you can find work freely in Slovakia without any visa restrictions. English teachers in Slovakia can expect to find jobs during the peak hiring months of September and January with an expected downtime over summer and from Christmas through the second week of January. Most interviews are conducted face-to-face, meaning you will need to be in Slovakia to interview for your teaching job.
NON-EU CITIZENS
If you are a non-EU citizen and do not have the ability to work legally in the EU, some schools in Slovakia are willing to sponsor your work visa and assist with the paperwork but will not pay for it. The process to obtain a work visa can take up to 3 months and can be quite expensive. We highly suggest to not count on getting a legal work permit to teach in Slovakia if you are not an EU citizen unless you have the funds readily available to pay for your own work visa.

Being an English Teacher in Slovakia: Hours

Language schools in Slovakia 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 Slovakian Students

It is most common that your students will be adults or business professionals.

Teaching English in Slovakia Salary & Cost of Living

Start-up Costs

Start-up costs will range from $1,100 - $1,700 USD (this applies to teachers who do not need to pay for their own work visa). These are expenses you will incur from your arrival in Slovakia 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 Slovakia

How much can I earn teaching English in Slovakia?

A modest salary enables teachers the opportunity to live a comfortable lifestyle while in Slovakia. English teachers in Slovakia can expect to make $500 - $800 USD per month.

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.

Cost of Living & Savings

The average monthly cost of living ranges from around $500 - $800 USD per month.

English teachers in Slovakia 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.

About International TEFL Academy

Founded in 2010, International TEFL Academy (ITA) is a world leader in TEFL certification for teaching English abroad and teaching English online. ITA offers accredited TEFL certification classes online and in 20+ locations worldwide and has received multiple awards and widespread recognition as one of the best TEFL schools in the world. ITA provides all students and graduates with lifetime job search guidance and has certified more than 40,000 English teachers. Our graduates are currently teaching in 80 countries worldwide.

Teaching English in Slovakia FAQs

How do I become an English teacher in Slovakia?

To teach English in Slovakia, make sure you understand what is and is not required:

Required:

A TEFL certification.
EU Citizenship - Slovakia 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 Slovakia. We highly suggest to not count on getting a legal work permit to teach in Slovakia if you are not an EU citizen unless you have the funds readily available to pay for your own work visa.
Understanding of the types of English teaching jobs that are available.
Savings for start-up costs.

Not Required:

A four-year bachelor's degree is preferred but not required.
You do not need to be a native English speaker, but you will be expected to be fluent in English and speak at a native level to be considered for teaching jobs.

How much do English teachers earn in Slovakia?

English teachers in Slovakia can expect to make $500 - $800 USD (450 - 800 Euro) per month.

What are my job opportunities for teaching English in Slovakia?

The most common job types in Slovakia consist of:

Teaching adults in foreign language schools.
Teaching Business English to adults.
Private one-on-one tutoring.
Teaching English Online.

English teachers can expect to find jobs during the peak hiring months of September and January and will need to be present in Slovakia for face-to-face interviews.

What type of visa do I need to teach English in Slovakia?

Slovakia 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 Slovakia.

EU CITIZENS
If you are an EU Citizen. you can find work freely in Slovakia without any visa restrictions. English teachers in Slovakia can expect to find jobs during the peak hiring months of September and January with an expected downtime over summer and from Christmas through the second week of January. Most interviews are conducted face-to-face, meaning you will need to be in Slovakia to interview for your teaching job.
NON-EU CITIZENS
If you are a non-EU citizen and do not have the ability to work legally in the EU, some schools in Slovakia are willing to sponsor your work visa and assist with the paperwork but will not pay for it. The process to obtain a work visa can take up to 3 months and can be quite expensive. We highly suggest to not count on getting a legal work permit to teach in Slovakia if you are not an EU citizen unless you have the funds readily available to pay for your own work visa.

Recommended TEFL Courses for
Teaching English in Slovakia

Part-Time Online TEFL Course

What's included 👇

170-Hour Online Certification
11 Weeks Part-Time
OFQUAL Level 5 Accreditation from TQUK
Live Office Hours with Your Instructor & Peer-Participation with Classmates
Lifetime Job Search Guidance
20-Hours Live Practice Teaching

Find out more

Intensive Online TEFL Course

What's included 👇

4 Weeks Full-Time (40+ hours per week) - required class time typically 6-8 hours daily
OFQUAL Level 5 Accreditation from TQUK
Live Office Hours with Your Instructor & Peer-Participation with Classmates
Lifetime Job Search Guidance
10-Hours Live Practice Teaching (Virtual) built into the course

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Reviews From ITA Students Who Now Experience TEFL in Slovakia & Europe

I chose ITA because of the support they offer alumni with the job search process. I liked the online TEFL course and found it very informative. My instructor was very knowledgeable and also approachable. It helped me to approach my position with confidence. Even though it was my first 'official' teaching position, I felt that I'd already gained enough experience that I wasn't a complete novice.

ITA's support staff was the best at answering my questions and keeping me calm throughout the process of deciding to sign up. When I made the decision, I found that they weren't lying about the amount of support they provide throughout the whole process. My ITA advisor was amazing and got back to me very quickly with answers and solutions to any problems I had. I chose to teach English in Portugal in the city of Braga. I'm also a student at the university here! Teaching here pays you so much more than money can ever buy you, and you will forever be changed.

I took ITA's Online TEFL Course. The instructor was super helpful and very quick to respond to questions. She gave great feedback. I chose to teach English in Belgium in the city of Brussels because my husband and I had already planned to move to Brussels. The food here is amazing! There are markets everywhere with every possible kind of food that is pretty affordable compared to the restaurants which can get pricey fast.

TEACH ENGLISH IN SLOVAKIA

About Teaching English in Slovakia