Native English Teacher — EPIK (English Program in Korea), Fall 2026 Intake

EPIK (English Program in Korea) is South Korea's national government program placing native English speakers as teachers in public schools across the country, run by the National Institute for International Education (NIIED). Fall 2026 intake applications are open now, with main intake arrival August 19, 2026 and secondary intakes in September and October 2026. Processing (application through orientation) typically takes 4-6 months, so early application is recommended.

Placement options include Seoul (SMOE), Gyeonggi Province (GEPIK), and other provincial offices of education (GOE). You will co-teach English lessons alongside Korean teachers in public elementary, middle, or high schools, plan lessons and activities, and often assist with after-school programs, camps, or teacher training.

Compensation varies by placement and qualifications: roughly ₩2,100,000-₩2,500,000/month in Gyeonggi Province, ₩2,100,000-₩3,000,000/month in other provinces, and ₩2,300,000-₩3,000,000/month in Seoul.

Benefits: a fully furnished single apartment provided by the school (teachers pay only utilities, roughly ₩80,000-150,000/month), a one-time ₩300,000 settlement allowance, an entrance allowance of ₩1.3-1.8M for first-contract teachers (usually paid once your Residence Card is issued), a completion bonus of ₩1.3-1.8M at the end of a first contract, a renewal bonus of ₩700,000-₩2,000,000 for a second consecutive year in the same province, roughly one month severance pay per year worked, 26 paid vacation days plus Korean national holidays and sick days, and 50%-employer-covered National Health Insurance and National Pension contributions (pension contributions are refundable on completion for citizens of the US, Canada, Australia, UK, and about 30 other countries with bilateral agreements).

Visa sponsorship: EPIK sponsors the E-2-2 teaching visa. Once placed, you apply for the E-2 visa at your nearest Korean consulate using your employment contract and official Notice of Appointment from NIIED/your placement office.

International applicants outside Korea apply through Korvia Consulting, EPIK's exclusive international recruiting partner, at the link below. Requirements not detailed on the application-timeline page (nationality/degree/TEFL certification requirements) are covered on Korvia's eligibility pages during the application process — check those carefully before applying, as EPIK eligibility is generally limited to citizens of a specific list of native English-speaking countries with a bachelor's degree.