TeachAway: How to Find International Teaching Gigs

What is TeachAway?

TeachAway serves as a matchmaker between prospective international teachers and the schools and online platforms that are willing to hire them.

How it works

Teachers fill out an application that includes their name, age, educational experience and the type of teaching job that they’re seeking.

The application also asks whether you want to be directly contacted by schools and whether you’re looking to take a certification course in Teaching English as a Foreign  (or Second) Language [TEFL and TESL]. That application serves as the basis of applying to most of the jobs available here. (It also alerts TeachAway that you might be a candidate for their affiliated TEFL programs.)

That said, tere is no cost for teachers to sign up. TeachAway charges recruiters instead.

Jobs listed when we checked in January of 2025, included multiple positions in Japan, China, the UAE and throughout Africa.

Teachaway review

The site represents both international schools and online platforms. Most jobs require a college degree. Some also require teaching experience or a Teaching English as a Second Language (or Foreign Language) certificate.

Not surprisingly, the pay varies widely based on both the position and the country that it is located in. Online jobs pay less; in-person jobs in countries with a high cost of living usually pay more.

Some jobs also come with housing.

We found a lot to like in TeachAway’s terms and conditions, which require employers to help workers get bank accounts, work permits, visas and, if they provide housing, a safe place to live.

Marketplace not an employer

That said, TeachAway is an employment marketplace, not an employer.

So the job opportunities it presents vary dramatically, depending on the sites advertising for help in any given year.

When we tested the site in January of 2025, we found one job claiming “very competitive wages” that actually paid somewhere between $10 and $15 per hour in Japan, which is not known as a low-cost place to live.

Anyone who is thinking about teaching abroad needs to do considerable research on the cost of living in your target country and currency exchange rates. That should help you understand whether the job you’re considering will pay your bills.

Then, too, the site was recently advertising online jobs through a site called Preply. Preply is an online tutoring platform that we panned because it requires tutors to provide numerous lessons for free. You can read all about Preply and why we don’t recommend it here.

Another caution

TeachAway also appears to profit when site visitors want to earn a teaching certificate, by sending everyone to affiliated programs. While it may make sense to get a TEFL or TESL certificate if you want to teach English abroad, you’d be wise to investigate the best and most affordable programs for your circumstances.

Many community colleges offer TEFL and TESL certificates at more affordable prices. And the bulk of the community college programs are offered online, just like the more expensive TeachAway courses.

Recommendations

The previous caveats notwithstanding, we think this site is a good place to start your search when you want to teach abroad. But be sure to do your due diligence about any job you find here. You can find TeachAway here.

If teaching online is more your style, also check out tutoring jobs with Wyzant.

What their teachers say: (from GoOverseas.com)

My experience in South Korea was amazing. I felt very supported by my recruiting agency, Teach Away. From the initial contact through the application process to my over the phone interview, reviewing and signing the contract as well as physically traveling to join us in orientation in South Korea – Teach Away was there for me every step of the way!

Teaching in China was one of the best experiences of my life. I made so many friends with people from around the world and built lasting friendships that have withstood the test of time. Seeing the genuine smiles on my kids (yes, I call them mine) faces when they saw me each morning was something I will always cherish. I would recommend teaching in China and going through a recruiter made me feel more prepared, as opposed to going to a foreign country and finding a job after the fact.