Tefl.NET Forums

Hey guys, just wondering if anyone could help me with what i have in my mind in my future plans; i am 22 years old WITHOUT a University Degree but with A-Levels and a 2YR B-Tec diploma in Sound Engineering, after much research i have realised that i would need to obtain a University Degree to have any longevity in teaching English abroad.
My plan is to start next September(2010) and take a University course revolved around the Travel And Tourism industry. Until then i would like to save some money up and look into the i-to-to placement courses to first of all obtain a teaching certificate and to also see if teaching is the right path for me to go down.
Has anyone got any advice on how to tackle this field and/ or if anyone has taken the placements before (i would like to hopefully get a placement in Japan or China or even America).
Any advice will be welcomed greatly :)
thanks alot
Tom

The subject of not having a degree comes up a lot on TEFL forums. Generally speaking it is not a requirement for teaching, but for obtaining a work visa for the country you want teach in. That being said, there are still some countries you can obtain a visa for without a degree. I don't have a list handy, but a net search will turn them up.

I know from personal experience that a degree is not always necessary to teach in China for instance. I do have a degree, but have taught in China alongside many people who didn't, and were working on a tourist visa. You will hear many, many warnings about the perils of working on a tourist visa in China, but you will hear almost no stories about anyone who has actually come to grief while doing so.

So look around. There are jobs and opportunities out there. Good luck and have fun.

tjtomjo wrote:Hey guys, just wondering if anyone could help me with what i have in my mind in my future plans; i am 22 years old WITHOUT a University Degree ...

Hi Cincinnati13,
Hi tjtomjo,
You may wish to read some of the other threads for more information, as this is probably the most hotly discussed topic on this board.