12 Non-Chinese ESL Companies: Teach Students Around the World

If you are looking to teach students outside of China, your options might seem limited. However, there are lots of options out there! Teaching ESL online is a fantastic opportunity and you can find many smaller companies around the world offering online teaching opportunities.

With the recent crackdown on Chinese ESL companies, many online ESL teachers are looking for other options. Teaching ESL in China will not be possible as companies phase-out of hiring foreign teachers and selling classes to Chinese students.

China is certainly not the only country offering online English classes for students. There are lots of companies around the world. Some are very small and lesser-known but still offer great packages for teachers. Let’s start by looking at how to get hired successfully with non-Chinese ESL companies.

Online ESL Companies

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How to get hired successfully with Non-Chinese ESL Companies

1. Update your resume

Many non-Chinese ESL companies are going to want you to submit your resume or CV. If you have only been teaching ESL companies in China, you may not have had to do this.

Your resume should be geared towards online ESL teaching, so make sure that you focus your experience and education to things that would make you stand out as an online ESL teacher.

What skills have you acquired? What have you learned and how have you progressed? Did you get further certifications like this TESOL?

A full tutorial on how to make an online teaching resume is available in the bonus section of my teaching ESL online course.

2. Make an introductory video

Many non-Chinese companies will want an introductory video of some sort. You will want to spend some time and make a video that shows your personality, teaching style and discusses how you will be a great fit for their company.

To make your introductory video, you can use simple to use and free programs like:

Quicktime: for filming yourself
iMovie: for editing your video
Canva: for adding images and overlays to your video

3. Add certifiations to upskill (TEFL / TESOL / specific ESL qualifications)

If you haven’t already, consider investing in well-recognized TEFL and TESOL qualifications from a reputable company.

I recommend Bridge as a company that offers reasonably priced 120 hour and 150 hour TEFL course as well as specialization courses like:

• teaching Business English
• teaching English to young learners
• teaching English to adults
• teaching English grammar

…and many more.

List of 12 Non-Chinese ESL Companies

• Nil English (Korea)
• Cambly Kids (worldwide)
• Allright English School (Europe)
• Engoo (Japan)
• Starkid (Hong Kong)
• FluentBe (Poland)
• Open English (South America)
• Outschool (worldwide)
• Novakid (Europe)
• Protostar (HongKong)
• Flalingo (Middle East)
• LingoAce (Asian market)

Nil English Requirements

To work for Nil English, you must:

• Be from the US or Canada (can live anywhere)
• Hold a University degree in any field or be working towards one (with proof)
• Have a TESOL / TEFL certificate (This one is accepted and is only $19)
• Show some experience teaching children

Nil English Pay

Nil English will start you at a pay of $1.50 / 10 minutes of teaching. There is also a 10% bonus for showing up on time.

There are raises every few months and you can work up to $2.50 / 10 minutes which equates to $15 / hour of teaching.

Nil English Application Process

The hiring process is very straightforward. You will apply with this link or the button below and fill in the application.

Once you have filled in the application and you are chosen, you will be contacted for a very casual interview. There is no teaching demo, so don’t worry! You will be asked questions for Nil to get to know you as a teacher and help decide if you are a good fit for the company.

If you are accepted to be hired you will have additional training of the platform and how everything works.

My Review

Classes are in 10-minute increments and students can book you for as long as they want based on your availability. Lots of adults will book you for 1 hour long classes. You can be booked for a month all the way up to 6 months. On average, most students opt for a minimum of 20 minutes 2-5 times / week.

Nil English provides its own curriculum but you are welcome to bring in other elements to add to the lesson. Nil leaves things up to you as the professional teacher to make educational decisions that are best for the child.

Honestly, Nil English seems like one of the better options outside of China. They are small, flexible and supportive. I really like how much freedom they allow the teacher to have when teaching classes. Nil English might be for you if you are looking for something unique and different from the large online ESL companies in China.

Cambly Kids Requirements:

To work for Cambly Kids, you only need to be a Native English speaker over 18 years old. No degree or experience is required.

Cambly Kids Pay

Cambly Kids pays $0.20 / minute or $12 / hour. They track your minutes on the platform and pay via Paypal every Monday.

Cambly Kids Application Process

It used to be that you could only apply to Cambly Kids once you were a regular Cambly tutor for adults. This has changed and you can now apply directly as a Cambly Kids tutor.

Step 1: Fill out their basic information application form.
Step 2: Complete an internet connection test (done on their platform)
Step 3: Create your tutor profile
Step 4: Select “I want to teach kids” on your tutor profile
Step 5: Record your short intro / demo video for Cambly kids

My Cambly Kids Review

While Cambly, in general, is not the highest paying company out there, they provide a way to fill in your schedule gaps and let you teach whenever you want. This is a great company for a VIPKid teacher or other Chinese company teacher to grab some daytime hours.

The flexibility and easy of opening classes and getting booked makes Cambly a great option for someone who wants to start making money quickly and without a lot of stressful demos and hiring process steps.

3. Allright English School (Europe)

Allright English Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree in Education (or similar)
• Fluent in English plus one other language (Polish, Italian, Spanish, German, French, Portuguese, Russian, Serbian, Greek, Hebrew, Arabic, Turkish, Hungarian, Czech, Slovak, and Romanian)
• Available to teach 15 hours per week during peak hours
  (Peak Hours: UTS+3 (4pm – 9pm, Monday to Friday. 11am.- 9pm Weekends)

Allright English Pay

Allright English School online pays up to $12 USD/hour, depending on the teachers experience and where they are located.

Allright English School Application Process

1. Fill in the application form here.

2. Submit a 10 minute self-recorded video interview

• Answer a few questions about experience and background
• Complete a 5 minute demo lesson (pretend you are teaching to a 7 year old beginner student). You will use your own materials and plan.

3. Complete a three-hour training course.

4. Complete a final on-boarding meeting

5. Complete teacher profile and start teaching.

Allright English Review

Allright English School (online) is US-based and serving over 30 European companies. They do not over-hire teachers and they ensure that teachers have a very high booking rate.

The important thing to note is that you will only be hired if you are also able to speak more than just English. They are looking for teachers who also can speak Russian, Spanish, German, Italian, etc…).

Allright English Teachers enjoy lots of training on the platform and a company that ensures you are successful as you get started.

They also hire non-native English-speaking teachers, as long as your proficiency level is at least at a C1 Level of proficiency.

They are hiring and if you fit their requirements, use the button below to apply!

Engoo Requirements

• Engoo hires native and near native speakers
• Engoo does not require a degree but it is preferred and will help you get hired

Engoo Pay

Native speakers get $5 / 25 minutes or $10 / 50 minutes. There is a different pay for near native speaking teachers (ie: Philippines). There is a bonus of $50 if you reach 160 classes in a given month.

Engoo Application Process

1. Fill in the application form
2. Attend a 3 hour zoom session consisting of:
   -Q&A / Information
   -15 minute Demo
   -if you fail the demo, you will be given a 2nd chance
3. Paperwork stage / contract / start teaching!

My Engoo Review

Engoo is very similar to a company like Cambly but seems to be rated higher because of their structure and flexibility.

Engoo has an excellent booking rate and looks like a fantastic option for teachers who are looking for something different. Yes, the pay is low but is quite standard for non-Chinese ESL companies.

With Engoo, you are paid for no shows and they are very well established! Engoo students get to pick their lessons and their focus is on the student directing the lesson.

Check out this LIVE video I recently did that shows Engoo and other non-Chinese companies hiring now. Do you research as some companies might be on hiring freezes when you read this post.

Starkid Requirements

• Bachelors Degree
• TESOL / TEFL Certificate (Grab this one for $19)
• Prior online teaching experience
• Native English (North American neutral accent)
• Hiring from US/Canada/UK (possibly others too)

Starkid Pay

• $10 / 30 minutes
• Bonus: Show up on time with no tech errors : $1 / class
• Bonus: Convert 5 trials: $0.50 / class.. Convert another 5 trials: $0.50 / class
• Convert 20 students: additional $0.50/ class.
• Max pay of $25 / hour

Starkid pays once per month via TransferWise. To get a free transfer with TransferWise, please click the image below:

Starkid Application Process

Starkid is a small company that hires teachers based on need and demand. This means that you might apply and have to wait sometime before you hear back. It is worth following up with them by email: [email protected]

Step 1: Apply with the application button below
Step 2: Email your resume (include all certifications, resume and put your short intro demo in the email
Step 3: 5 minute Demo (include this in your email) – use TPR, props, teaching skills and include a short introduction and then a few minutes of teaching.
Step 4: Live interview (very relaxed)
Step 5: Training of the platform
Step 6: Contract / Hired

Starkid Review

Starkid looks like a great company. Although their hours are quite similar to Chinese peak hours since they are in the same time zone, they are not bound to the same laws that prevent you from teaching for that last hour of the day that used to be available.

You can teach before and after Chinese peak hours and fill in the gaps with your regular Chinese company, if that is what you are looking for.

Bear in mind they are a small company, but if you are looking for something unique and different, definitely check them out via the link below!

Requirements:

• Bachelors Degree or higher
• TESOL teaching certificate
• 1 year of teaching experience
• Native English speakers or Polish Native Speakers
• Business English background is an advantage

FluentBe Pay:

They pay between $10 – $12 / hour but this seems to be slightly negotiable.

FluentBe Application Process

Step 1: Fill in the online application form via the button below.
*They do ask for a resume and a video application form if you have one*
Step 2: A follow up request for an interview

FluentBe Review

FluentBe is a top company for teaching ESL online coming out of Poland. They are very well-established with a focus on teaching students of all ages but mainly adults. They are looking for native English teachers and Polish English teachers with a neutral accent.

If you are wanting to teach adults in Poland in a 1:1 or group class format, FluentBe might be for you. The pay is comparable to other companies outside of China and the schedule is flexible with no minimum hours required each week.

Open English Requirements

Open English requires teachers to:

• be a native North American English speaker
• have a TEFL/TESOL certificate
• provide 10+ hours of availability per week
• demonstrate some teaching experience

While it is not required, conversational Spanish is preferred and will definitely help you get hired with Open English.

Open English Pay

The pay at Open English is not the highest in the ESL industry but if you are looking for day time hours, they might be a good option.

Open English claims to pay up to 15 USD per hour.

Most teachers say they can make between 10 and 13 USD an hour and you are paid via Paypal.

Open English Application Process

Step 1: Complete the online application.

During the online application, you will go through some information about the company and their requirements. You will be asked to provide personal information about yourself, including information on your American legal status. Finally you will need to provide information about your qualifications, skills and experience.

Step 2: There might be an online interview or video recording to do after your application. You will need to wait until a position opens to be contacted about the next steps.

Step 3: Onboarding & Training

Open English Review

If you are interested in teaching students in Latin America, Open English might be an option for you. Some teachers claim to be very happy with them while others found aspects of teaching for them frustrating. It is an option and you might just really love them!

They are mostly focused on adults but there is a program called Open English Junior that you can apply within the company to teach children.

Outschool Requirements

The Outschool requirements are fairly straightforward. While you can travel and teach for Outschool, you must begin and complete the application process in one of their 5 countries below due to the background check process.

• Be over 18 years old
• No degree or teaching experience required
• Must be from: U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, or the U.K.
• Have an area of expertise or interest that you can teach

Outschool Pay

Outschool does not pay you a set rate per class. Rather, you set your own price for a class and how many students you would like to enroll.

For example, an average Outschool class would cost around $10 / child. If you enroll 9 students, then you would make $90 for that class. Outschool does take 30% leaving you with $60 for the class.

The class might only be 30 minutes or 1 hour and that completely depends on you and how you set up the class. Your earning potential with Outschool is very high!

Outschool Application Process

Step 1: Learn how it works. Outschool is not like most online ESL platforms. You can teach a variety of different subjects.

Step 2: Apply with the link below. you will need to tell them about yourself and record a short, introductory video.  Be sure to give them detailed information about your teaching experience, your expertise in the topics you would like to teach, and what you will bring to the platform!

Step 3: Identity verification & background check

Step 4: Training and publish your classes!

9. Novakid (Global)

• Global non-Chinese company
• students in Russia, Poland, Turkey, Germany, Spain, etc..
• Focus on giving teachers regular and consistent classes
• Priority hours from 10:30 – 14:00 EST
• Hiring native and “near native” speakers

Novakid Requirements

• Native English speakers from the USA, the UK, Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Near-Native speakers from other countries with BA degree or higher.
• An international teaching certificate (ie: CELTA, TESOL or TEFL).
• Minimum one-year teaching experience with children.
• Online teaching experience is an advantage
• Minimum 20 hours per week.

Novakid Pay

Novakid pays $8 base pay for a 25 minute class, or $16 / 50 minutes of teaching.

They also have good bonuses that you can achieve with trial conversions and positive parent feedback.

Also keep in mind that they require a 20 hours / week commitment.

Novakid Review

Novakid might be a great option for teachers who want to work with students from multiple countries. They can be slow to hire and the onboarding can take a few weeks to a few months depending on their hiring needs at the time of applying.

10. Protostar (Hong Kong)

Protostar Education is based in Hong Kong and offers ESL classes to students in Hong Kong, Taiwan and other Asian countries. They are focused on the non-Chinese market so you could have students around the world!

Protostar Requirements

• Bachelors Degree
• Brick & Morter teaching experience (classroom teaching)
• TESOL / TEFL Certificate
• Native English speaker (USA, Canada, UK, Ireland, New Zealand and Australia)
• Online teaching experience preferred

It is important to note that Protostar requires teachers to be available for a minimum number of classes per week (nine as of last year – spread out over several days).

Protostar Pay

Protostar pays quite well for the non-Chinese market.

Teachers can earn up to $22 per lesson (40 min lessons). With all the bonuses, it is possible, at the highest end to receive $33 / hour!

This consists of $16 base pay plus $6 bonus pay based on attendance and performance.

Everyone starts with $16 base rate. If you count the number of minutes of teaching, it equates to $24 / 60 minutes of teaching. Remember that there are 10-minute breaks between classes so you will not actually teach 60 minutes in a row.

Protostar Review

Protostar matches the students to you and they are focused on long-term relationships with a consistent weekly schedule.

Learn more about Protostar Education here.

11. Flalingo

• Easy hiring process
• Students from Middle East / Turkey
• Teach through Zoom
• Similar to Cambly or Engoo

Flalingo Requirements

• Must be least 18 years old.
• Prior English teaching experience is preferred
• Proficient in English
• Skilled at social interaction and communication with diverse learners.

Flalingo Pay

Flalingo pays $5 / 25 minute class or $10 / 50 minutes of teaching for Native speakers.

Flalingo Review

All in all, Flalingo looks like a worthwhile company to check out. Some teachers say that it may take 1-2 weeks to get booked. You do get full pay for no shows or cancellations within 12 hours which is a nice added benefit.

12. LingoAce (Global)

• Global platform
• Flexible schedule / no minimum hours required
• Students are from Japan, Hong Kong & Thailand

LingoAce Requirements

• At least two years of experience in teaching, tutoring, coaching, or mentoring. (include ALL experience on the google form, the parents will see the total years of experience.)
• 4-year degree from a university.
• Prefer applicants who are English-Speaker from US, Canada, UK, Australia, and New Zealand,
• A teaching certificate like TESOL/TEFL or a valid teaching license.

LingoAce Pay

Pay is up to $20 USD/hour

Regular 25 min Class: 7$ base pay/class+3$/homework revise

25 min Trial Class: 7$ base pay/class + 3$/enrolled student

Online ESL Companies

Stay in the know with companies to apply to!

Email *

Firstname

Stay In The Know!

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