To get a job at an international school, you usually need a bachelor’s degree, a recognised teaching qualification and some classroom experience, often about two years. Schools hire mostly between October and February for a start in August. You apply through the school’s own careers page, a recruitment agency or a recruitment fair. If you have no experience yet, there are still routes in: some schools take newly qualified teachers, interns and teaching assistants, and language schools hire TEFL teachers.
This guide explains what schools look for, how to start with little or no experience, the documents to prepare and where to find international school jobs. It uses the published rules of recruitment agencies and regulators, checked in October 2026.
What is an international school?
ISC Research, a company that tracks the sector, counts as international schools the private schools that teach a curriculum wholly or partly in English outside an English-speaking country. In July 2025 it counted 15,075 schools with 7.6 million students and 730,500 teaching staff, up from 10,408 schools in July 2015 (ISC Research).
International schools follow different curricula. On Teacher Jobs World on 16 October 2026, the most common subjects named in our 1,363 live ads were English (30%), the British curriculum (22%) and the International Baccalaureate (14%). The American curriculum appeared in 3% (October 2026 report).
What international schools look for
There is no single rule. Each school, and each country’s regulator, sets its own requirements. But the recruitment agencies that work with hundreds of schools publish what their member schools usually expect.
| Requirement | What Search Associates says |
|---|---|
| Degree | “All schools require a minimum of a bachelor’s degree, or equivalent, in your home country.” |
| Teaching qualification | Most schools want one, but Search Associates “doesn’t require a completed teaching certification or qualification to become a member”. |
| Experience | Its Australia and New Zealand office says “preferred candidates should have a minimum of a Bachelors degree and have been teaching for at least 2 years”. |
| New teachers | “Some schools will consider newly qualified teachers as well.” |
| References | At least four confidential references from leaders at assistant principal level or above who supervised your work. |
| Background check | Most schools require one. |
Sources: Search Associates FAQ, Search Associates ANZ FAQ.
ISS, another recruitment organisation, does not publish minimum requirements. It says your profile can include “teaching credentials, certifications, transcripts, and degree information” and that each job lists its own criteria (ISS).
The regulator can set a minimum too
Some countries set the rules for the school. In Dubai, the regulator KHDA publishes minimums for each role (KHDA technical guide):
- A primary teacher needs a bachelor’s in education, or a bachelor’s in any subject plus at least six months of close supervision by an experienced teacher.
- A subject teacher needs a bachelor’s degree relevant to the subject, for example a BSc in physics to teach physics.
- For experience, both need “at least one year of recent experience”, or, for a teacher new to the profession, “at least six months of teaching practice supervised by a qualified, experienced” teacher.
So a newly qualified teacher with supervised practice can meet the Dubai minimum, even if many schools prefer more. Other countries have their own rules. Our guides cover the UAE teaching licence, China’s work permit, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
How hard is it to get a job at an international school?
It depends mostly on three things:
- Your qualification and experience. A qualified teacher with two or more years in a well-known curriculum (the National Curriculum for England, the IB, or an American or Australian curriculum) has the widest choice.
- Your subject. Our live data shows where the demand is. On 16 October 2026, Teacher Jobs World listed 403 secondary teacher jobs, 136 primary teacher jobs, 70 early years jobs and 22 SEN teacher jobs (October 2026 report).
- Your family situation. Search Associates says the cost to a school rises “with the number of accompanying dependents”, although this “doesn’t rule you out” (Search Associates FAQ).
How flexible you are on location also matters. The Search Associates ANZ office says candidates are expected to consider several countries or regions (Search Associates ANZ FAQ).
International teaching jobs with no experience: routes in
If you are newly qualified, or not qualified yet, these are the realistic routes.
| Route | Who it suits | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Newly qualified teacher post | You have a teaching qualification but little experience | Some schools consider new teachers. Regulators may still ask for supervised practice. |
| Intern programme | Graduates who want to train in a school | Search Associates says interns do not need two years of experience and pay no membership fee. Most schools cannot take interns with a partner or dependants. |
| Teaching assistant | You want to work in a school while you train | 142 teaching assistant jobs on Teacher Jobs World on 16 October 2026. |
| TEFL or ESL teacher | You have a degree and a TEFL certificate | Language schools and programmes such as JET and EPIK. 358 TEFL/ESL jobs on the board on 16 October 2026. |
| Local hire | You already live in the country | Often a smaller package, but fewer barriers. |
| Train while you work | You work in a school abroad | An iPGCE or iQTS can add a qualification. |
Sources: Search Associates FAQ, teaching assistant jobs, TEFL/ESL teacher jobs.
For more detail, see our guides to TEFL, CELTA and DELTA, JET and EPIK, the PGCE, iPGCE and iQTS and QTS for teachers trained abroad.
Teach English at an international school
Many searches are for “English teacher international school” jobs. Two different jobs share that name:
- English as a subject (literature and language) at a curriculum school. This is a subject teacher post and usually needs a teaching qualification and a relevant degree.
- English as a foreign language at a language school or bilingual school. A TEFL certificate is often the minimum. This is the usual route with no classroom experience.
Read the job ad to see which one it is.
The documents to prepare
Prepare these before the season starts. Some take weeks.
- CV. Search Associates asks for a “2-page Resume/CV” (Search Associates Canada).
- Degree and teaching certificate. Copies first. Many countries later ask for attested originals. In Dubai, qualifications must be “fully attested and accredited” and meet UAE equivalency rules (KHDA).
- References. Ask your head teacher and line managers now. Search Associates wants at least four confidential references from supervisors.
- Police certificates. Dubai asks for a UAE police clearance certificate, one from each country you lived in during the previous five years, and one from your home country if you lived there in the previous ten years (KHDA). Other countries have similar rules. If you have ever worked in the UK, British schools overseas must ask you for an International Child Protection Certificate (ICPC) from ACRO, the UK criminal records office (BSO standards).
- Passport. Check that it is valid for the whole contract.
Our international teacher CV and cover letter guide shows how to write the CV.
Where to find international school jobs
You have three main channels. Most teachers use more than one.
1. The school’s own careers page
Many schools and school groups advertise on their own websites and hire through their own forms. Every job on Teacher Jobs World comes from a school’s own careers site, and the apply button takes you there. On 16 October 2026 the board listed 1,361 jobs at 45 schools and school groups, including 23 jobs open to applicants abroad and 20 jobs that mention visa sponsorship.
2. Recruitment agencies
Agencies such as Search Associates, ISS, Schrole, Tes and Teacher Horizons keep a database of candidates and jobs. Some charge teachers a membership fee. Search Associates charges new members US$100 for a year, with no fee for UK-based candidates or interns. ISS has a free account and a premium membership at US$75 a year (Search Associates FAQ, ISS). Our comparison of Search Associates, Schrole, Tes, ISS and Teacher Horizons explains the differences.
3. Recruitment fairs
At a fair, schools interview and sometimes make offers on the spot. Search Associates fairs are by invitation for its members. Its ANZ office says fairs account for about 35% of its placements, and “over 60% of our teachers find great positions without attending a fair” (Search Associates ANZ FAQ). See our list of international school recruitment fairs for 2026-27.
Where are the jobs? A look by country
These are the jobs on Teacher Jobs World on 16 October 2026 for the countries teachers search for most. They are only the schools on our board, not the whole market.
| Country | Jobs on the board |
|---|---|
| Spain | 287 (many at English language schools) |
| United Arab Emirates | 211 |
| Malaysia | 59 |
| Singapore | 41 |
| Hong Kong | 30 |
| China | 28 |
| Thailand | 23 |
| Japan | 13 |
| Vietnam | 12 |
Each country has its own visa rules. Your school applies for the work permit in most cases. Never pay a recruiter for a job: our guide to teacher recruitment scams explains the warning signs.
A step-by-step plan for your first international school job
- Now (October): finish your CV, ask your referees, and order police certificates and degree copies.
- Decide on two or three regions and check each regulator’s minimum qualification and experience.
- Register with one or two agencies if you want their job lists and fairs. Read the terms first.
- Apply as jobs appear. Many schools post from August and the busiest months are January and February. Our guide to the international school hiring season has the timeline.
- Prepare for interviews, including safeguarding questions. See our international school interview questions.
- Compare offers carefully. Ask for the full package in writing. Our guide to international school salary and benefits lists what to ask.
- Only accept when you are sure. Search Associates says that once you accept, “both you and the school are expected to honor it”. Teacher Horizons’ terms treat an accepted offer, verbal or written, as binding and allow a withdrawal fee of up to US$1,000 for a teaching post if you pull out before starting or within 12 weeks (Teacher Horizons terms for teachers).
Rules on qualifications, police checks and visas change. Check the regulator’s and the school’s own pages before you apply. This guide is general information, not legal advice.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get a teaching job at an international school?
Get a bachelor’s degree and a recognised teaching qualification, build some classroom experience, and prepare your CV, references and police certificates. Then apply from October to February through school careers pages, a recruitment agency or a fair. Many schools prefer about two years of experience, but some hire newly qualified teachers.
Can I get an international teaching job with no experience?
Yes, but your choice is smaller. Some schools take newly qualified teachers, and some run intern programmes. Teaching assistant posts, TEFL jobs at language schools and programmes such as JET and EPIK are other routes. Regulators may still ask for supervised practice: Dubai asks new teachers for at least six months.
Do I need a teaching qualification to work at an international school?
Most curriculum schools want one, and some regulators require it or a related degree. Search Associates does not require a completed teaching qualification to join, but it says all schools want at least a bachelor’s degree. Language schools often accept a degree plus a TEFL certificate.
How hard is it to get a job at an international school?
It is easier with a teaching qualification, two or more years of experience in a known curriculum, a subject in demand and flexibility about location. It is harder with several dependants or a non-teaching partner, because the package costs the school more. Search Associates says dependants do not rule you out.
Do I need to pay to get an international school job?
You should never pay a school or recruiter for a job offer. Some agencies charge a membership fee to join their database, such as US$100 a year at Search Associates or US$75 a year for ISS premium membership. Search Associates says the hiring school pays any recruitment fee when you accept a job.