Teach English* in Ukraine: Facts and Opportunities
* Also in demand are teachers of German, French, Italian, and Spanish, some central European languages, and also the major Asian languages
How can I earn a living in Ukraine?
If this question is on your mind and you have plans to live for a considerable period of time in Ukraine, maybe you should consider teaching English or another foreign language here as a native speaker. This is a realistic way to earn a living and work as much as you choose to. If you are interested in starting up as an English teacher or a native teacher of any other popular language (German, French, Italian, Spanish, maybe others) or if you simply need to add several more hours of work a week to supplement your income, we can help you.
Rick DeLong (TryUkraine.com author and English teacher) and Gela Turabelidze (language teacher and poliglot) have extensive contacts at language schools in Kiev and other major Ukrainian cities. Many language schools desperately need qualified native teachers but do not know where to look for them. Our service helps connect language schools with native language teachers in a way that is considerably more effective than separate teachers trying to hunt language schools down themselves and get them interested.
What kind of teaching opportunities are out there?
Here are the kinds of institutions in Ukraine that are in need of native teachers of English and other languages.
| TYPE OF INSTITUTION |
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS |
TEACHING SCHEDULE |
PAY |
state schools and institutes of higher education
(these are generally beyond private teachers' reach) |
affiliation with registered volunteer organization or foreign academic institution; "stray teachers" rarely accepted |
several hours daily in a classroom, usually in the daytime |
virtually nonexistent (free rent at best), unless your sending organization is paying you; private tutoring available on the side to supplement income |
| private elementary or high schools, language centers |
teaching credentials (usually) |
several hours daily in a classroom, usually in the daytime; reliable schedule and benefits |
generally decent (enough to live modestly on) |
| private language firms |
depends on the company: some require teaching credentials while others require none |
by the hour, often several evenings a week in an office classroom; corporate lessons are during the day |
good pay by the hour, but teaching schedules are sometimes undependable and subject to frequent change since schools work with private clients |
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When is it easiest to get teaching jobs?
Jobs are available year round. That being said, August-September and January-February are great months for finding employment because most schools start new terms in September and February. Many schools will hire in the middle of a semester, too. Many language teaching firms have courses of many different durations, some year-round, though semester courses are the most popular. Be aware that summer is the down season. Some schools hold summer classes, though, and there are occasional summer outdoor language camps in scenic locations that need teachers.
Because of the unpredictable nature of the teaching market in Ukraine, private language schools often do not know they will need additional native teachers until suddenly the need comes up and they frantically begin looking. This is why our service is effective — when the language schools in our database suddenly have a need for a teacher, they know where to find one — posted on the Russian version of TryUkraine.com. We tell them about new teachers in our periodic e-mail reminders. They can browse from among the language teachers posted at our website and establish contact with whomever they choose.
Can I make a living doing this?
Yes. No problem. This isn't yet Taiwan or Korea, where you can go teach English and practically get rich. But Ukraine may eventually get there. The practice of bringing over foreigners to teach foreign languages just hasn't been institutionalized yet. Starting pay at private language schools and firms is generally around $10-13 USD per hour in Kiev and slightly less in other large cities. Over time pay may increase to as much as $13-20 per hour, and specialized courses such as TOEFL that require special qualifications may pay quite a bit more. With Ukraine's lower cost of living this money can go a long way.
Pay is by the classroom hour and does not include preparation time or transportation costs. Teaching 40 hours a week is quite difficult in the beginning because of necessary preparation time. However, if you teach the same classes a second semester, your preparation time will quickly decrease and 30-40 hours becomes more realistic. Even if you're teaching only 20 hours a week, you can enjoy a nice lifestyle by Ukrainian standards. Often serious language teachers teach at several differents language schools and have private students as well.
A common bonus of teaching English is that some schools will offer you free Russian or Ukrainian lessons in return for you teaching for them.
Who will my students be and what will the curriculum be like?
Most positions will have you teaching students who have signed up for a particular course. In other words, they are paying for your instruction. Ages vary, but the largest demographic group seems to be women between 18 and 40 years of age. If this is an issue, be aware that dating students is often discouraged and at some places can get you fired. Other rules vary as well, such as required dress and classroom behavior. Some schools are very relaxed, while others are quite strict.
Methodology also varies. Many language schools need natives to lead conversation-type classes for intermediate and advanced students. Others have their a special methodology or use book-based courses. Occasionally schools look for teachers who have their own teaching methodology. Business English and TOEFL classes have more demanding teaching methodologies that require more preparation outside of class.
Historical overview
Ukraine's foreign language market is still in a state of infancy as Ukraine gradually opens up to the outside world. The demand for native teachers of foreign languages is increasing. Generations of students were and are still taught foreign languages by teachers who had never been out of the USSR or spoken with native speakers before. Soviet language teaching methodology, it seems, intentionally ignored listening comprehension and learning to communicate with natives, since contact with foreigners was systematically punished anyway.
Then along come perestroika, glasnost, foreign visitors, foreign businesses, and, finally, a market economy. Suddenly everyone realized that knowing English and/or another foreign language can double or triple their earning power. Now everyone is stressing about learning foreign languages, and it seems like everyone is studying English. Yet overall language mastery remains poor and teaching ineffective. Why?
So many people are so used to traditional Soviet-style language teaching—which continues in most schools—with its endless grammatical exercises and memorization of archaic British expressions, that they have little idea of what effective language instruction looks like. The idea is starting to catch on that it has something to do with verbal skills development and learning to understand native speakers. In fact, even the Ukrainian government has thought about this.
What is my tax and legal status?
Supposedly there is Verkhovna Rada (i.e. Parliament) resolution that encourages foreigners to teach their native languages in Ukraine and enjoy a tax-free status. The idea is that teachers have a "volunteer" status and have their living expenses paid for by the school they work for. What qualifies as living expenses is very broad and essentially includes any pay you receive from language teaching. What your school is supposed to do according to this resolution is sign a work contract with you and write a letter stating basically that you are teaching at their school are your living needs are being taken care of.
This letter is necessary if the government ever asks them about your legal status. However, to our knowledge, no one is ever been asked. The government pretty much ignores foreigners working in Ukraine unless they work in state institutions. We do recommend that you come on a business visa. If you are in Ukraine on a private visa and begin teaching English, just remember to get a business visa when your current visa expires. Earnings unrelated to teaching foreign languages are taxable.
Another option is to register as a private entrepreneur and pay a fixed monthly tax on all your earnings. Also, some language schools may offer to obtain work permits for foreigners to gain full-time work status.
 Continue on to our service that helps language teachers find work in Ukraine
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