A good international teacher CV is two pages long, lists every job with exact dates, explains any gaps, and makes clear which curricula, age groups and exam courses you have taught. International schools read it with safer recruitment in mind: they check your history, call your referees and look for gaps. Send a short cover letter with it that answers the job ad point by point and states your commitment to safeguarding.
This guide gives you a CV template, a cover letter template, and the rules schools follow when they read them. It draws on the safer recruitment guidance that British and many other international schools use, checked in October 2026.
How schools read your teaching CV
Many international schools follow, or borrow from, England’s statutory guidance Keeping children safe in education 2026 (KCSIE), in force from 1 September 2026 (GOV.UK). It says schools should ask applicants for (KCSIE 2026, paragraph 294):
- personal details and former names,
- current or last employment and the reason for leaving,
- a “full employment history” since leaving school, “including reasons for any gaps in employment”,
- qualifications, the awarding body and the date of award,
- referees, and
- a statement of how you meet the person specification.
It also says schools “should only accept copies of a curriculum vitae alongside an application form”, because “a curriculum vitae on its own will not provide adequate information” (paragraph 295). So expect an application form as well as your CV. Shortlisters “look for gaps in employment and reasons given for them”, and schools “should consider carrying out a search (via an online search engine)” on shortlisted candidates (paragraphs 300 and 301).
Outside England, the rules for British schools overseas say schools must adhere to the host country’s safer recruitment laws, and must get an International Child Protection Certificate from anyone who has worked in the UK (BSO standards). In Dubai, KHDA describes the school’s due diligence as “background checks, references, criminal record clearance, social media reviews, attestation of qualifications, and structured panel interviews” (KHDA).
What this means for your CV:
- Exact dates (month and year) for every job and course.
- No unexplained gaps. One line is enough: “Jan to Aug 2023: travel and volunteering in Peru”.
- Facts that match your references and your public online profiles.
How long should an international teacher CV be?
Two pages. Search Associates asks for a “2-page Resume/CV” when you register (Search Associates). A school recruiter often reads dozens of CVs for one post, so put the most useful facts on page one.
International teacher CV template
Use this structure. The headings are in the order a recruiter looks for them.
| Section | What to write |
|---|---|
| Name and contact | Full name, email, phone with country code, city and country where you live now, LinkedIn if you have one |
| Profile (3 to 4 lines) | Subject and phase, years of experience, curricula, and what you are looking for |
| Qualifications | Degree, teaching qualification (PGCE, B.Ed, state licence, QTS), awarding body, year |
| Teaching experience | Each school: name, city, country, curriculum, dates, role, age groups, exam courses, two or three results |
| Other roles | Head of year, coordinator, clubs, trips, boarding duties |
| Professional development | Safeguarding training (with date), IB workshops, exam board training |
| Languages | Level of each language |
| Referees | At least two, ideally your current head and line manager |
Personal details: what international schools need
The UK National Careers Service says a UK CV should not include “your age, your date of birth, whether you’re married or your nationality” (National Careers Service). Schools abroad often need some of this, because the school applies for your work permit and pays for your family’s flights and housing:
- Nationality and passport. Work permits depend on it. Some countries also have age limits; China’s work permit rules, for example, set an age limit of 60 for most foreign teachers (see our China guide).
- Accompanying family. Search Associates says a school’s costs “tend to rise with the number of accompanying dependents” (Search Associates FAQ). Say whether you travel alone, as a teaching couple or with children.
You can put these in one line under your contact details, or give them on the application form if the school asks. A photo is optional; include one only if the school asks.
Describe your experience the international way
International recruiters want to know the system you taught in, not only the job title. For each post, write:
- Curriculum: National Curriculum for England, IB PYP, MYP or DP, IGCSE, A level, AP, Common Core, Australian Curriculum.
- Age groups and year groups: “Years 7 to 13” or “Grades 6 to 12”.
- Exam courses: “IGCSE Physics, A level Physics, IB DP Physics HL and SL”.
- Results, briefly and honestly, for example: “IGCSE Physics 2025: 78% grades 9 to 7 against a school average of 61%.”
These terms matter. On Teacher Jobs World on 16 October 2026, 22% of our 1,363 live ads named the British curriculum and 14% the International Baccalaureate (October 2026 report).
Example CV entry
Teacher of Mathematics, [School name], Leeds, UK (National Curriculum for England), September 2022 to present
- Years 7 to 13; GCSE and A level Mathematics.
- Second in department since 2024.
- Led the move to a new KS3 scheme of work. Run the Year 10 maths club.
Teaching CV for a first international job or no experience
If you are newly qualified, put qualifications first, then your teaching placements with the school, dates, age groups and what you taught. Add work with children outside school (camps, coaching, tutoring) with dates. Name the person who supervised your placements as a referee. Our guide on how to get your first international school job explains which jobs suit new teachers.
Referees: who to name
Schools want referees who supervised you. Search Associates asks for at least four confidential references from leaders “at assistant principal level or above” who directly supervised your work (Search Associates FAQ). KCSIE says schools should not accept open references (“to whom it may concern”), should not rely on you to obtain your reference, and want one from your current employer, confirmed by the head teacher (paragraph 303).
So:
- Name your current head teacher or principal first.
- Add your line manager (head of department or phase leader).
- Tell your referees in advance. Schools may call them before the interview.
International teacher cover letter
Some schools ask for a cover letter; others ask for a “supporting statement” on the form. On Tes, for example, the Quick Apply form usually asks for personal details, a supporting statement and a CV (Tes help). The rules are the same:
- One page, written for this school.
- Answer the job ad. Take the main points of the person specification and give one example for each.
- Show you know the school: its curriculum, its students, why its setting suits you.
- State your commitment to safeguarding in one clear sentence.
- Say when you can start and who travels with you.
Teacher cover letter template
Dear [Name of principal or recruiter],
I am applying for the post of [job title], starting in August 2027. I am a [subject and phase] teacher with [number] years’ experience of [curriculum], currently at [school, city].
Your advert asks for [first requirement]. At [school], I [one specific example with a result]. You also want [second requirement]: [second example].
I am drawn to [school name] because [one concrete reason: its IB programme, its community, its city]. I would also be glad to support [a club, activity or team the school runs].
I am committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, and I completed [safeguarding training] in [month and year].
I am available from [date] and would travel [alone / with my partner, also a teacher / with my partner and two children]. My CV and referees’ details are attached.
Yours sincerely, [Name]
Cover letter with no experience
If you are new to teaching, use your placements and work with children as your examples, and say what support you would value, such as a mentor in your first year. Keep it honest: schools check.
Common mistakes on international teaching applications
| Mistake | Why it hurts | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Unexplained gaps | Safer recruitment guidance asks schools to probe gaps | Add a line for every gap |
| Dates in years only | Hard to check against references | Use month and year |
| “Taught English” with no detail | The school cannot see your curriculum or level | Name curriculum, ages and exam courses |
| A generic letter | It does not answer the person specification | Write one per school |
| Three pages or more | Recruiters skim | Cut to two pages |
| Referees who were not your managers | Schools want supervisors | Name your head and line manager |
| Public social media you would not show a parent | Schools may search online | Check your public profiles |
Before you press send
- The CV is two pages, saved as a PDF named “Firstname-Lastname-CV”.
- Every date is month and year, with no gaps left unexplained.
- The cover letter names the school and the job.
- Your referees know a school may call them.
- You have read the school’s safeguarding policy, which many schools link from the job ad.
Then apply. Browse secondary teacher jobs, primary teacher jobs or jobs open to applicants abroad. For the next step, see our guide to international school interview questions. For when to send applications, see the international school hiring season.
Safer recruitment rules differ by country and change over time; KCSIE is updated most years. Check the school’s own requirements. This guide is general information.
Frequently asked questions
How long should an international teacher CV be?
Two pages. Search Associates asks for a two-page CV when you register. Put your profile, qualifications and current post on page one, and give every job with month and year dates.
What should a teacher CV include?
Contact details, a short profile, qualifications with the awarding body and year, every teaching post with curriculum, age groups and exam courses, other responsibilities, safeguarding and other training, languages and referees. International schools also need your nationality and whether family will travel with you.
Should I put a photo on my international teacher CV?
Only if the school asks. The UK National Careers Service does not list a photo among the sections of a CV. If a school wants one, it will say so in the job ad or on its application form.
How do I explain gaps in my teaching CV?
Add one line for each gap with the dates and the reason, such as travel, study, caring for family or illness. Safer recruitment guidance in England tells schools to look for gaps and ask about them, so a clear line saves time and shows you are open.
What should a teacher cover letter say?
Write one page for each school. Say which job you want and when you can start, answer the main points of the job ad with one example each, explain why this school suits you, state your commitment to safeguarding, and say who would travel with you.