Teaching English in China – What documents do you need?

Teaching English in China is a dream for many South Africans looking to teach English to non-English speaking students. If you have your hopes set on teaching English, just having a TEFL certificate won’t cut it. You will need to obtain a valid Z-Visa and have your documents apostilled as well. But exactly what is required for TEFL apostille, and which processes will you have to follow in order to get your document ducks in a row? How can you simplify the whole process? All this is answered below and also on our apostille page.

Who can legally teach English in China?

In order to get a Z-Visa, there are certain criteria that must be met. This ranges from your nationality to your qualifications. There are also various exceptions to the entry requirements for TEFL in China.

Here is a look at the primary requirements to obtain a Z-Visa:

1. Nationality

Chinese authorities only accept English teachers from one of seven countries. These countries are the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. You must also be a native English speaker to apply for a Z-Visa.

 

2. A Bachelor’s Degree

Anyone applying for a TEFL position in China must hold a valid bachelor’s degree. There is, however, no requirement as to which subject your degree is based on. As long as you hold a degree in any field of study, you may be eligible to teach English in China.

 

3. Accredited TEFL Certification

One of the fundamental requirements to teach English in China is a TEFL certificate. There are many online agencies that offer top-tier courses to help you teach English as a foreign language anywhere in the world. It is essential to gain this certification before applying for teaching jobs in China.

 

4. A Police Clearance Certificate

In order to obtain a Z-Visa, you must have a clear criminal record, indicated on an apostilled Police Clearance Certificate. Read this article to find out how you can obtain your South African Police Clearance Certificate and have it apostilled for official use in China.

 

5. Your PU Letter

A PU Letter is a letter of invitation from your prospective employer. In essence, it is your quick ticket to the Z-Visa. You must apply for a teaching job in China to obtain this letter. After your initial interview, your prospective employer will send you the PU letter so it can be added to your document pack in order to apply for your Z-Visa.

 

Why do TEFL certificates and other documents need apostilles?

 

When working in China, South Africans (or any nationality for that matter) have a number of documents that are requested of them to prove and verify their identity, qualifications, clear criminal record, and so on. These documents are usually issued by a South African institution, meaning that another country may not “trust” their validity immediately.

If you plan to teach English in China, you will need a variety of personal, professional, and academic documents to apply for a job, as mentioned above. While some documentation can only be done once you reach your destination country, there are a few important documents you will need to have ready before you depart from your home country.

 

Although there will always be variations, here’s a brief rundown of the type of documents to teach English abroad:

• A passport (valid for the correct time period)
• A work visa/s (valid for the correct time period)
• An International CV or Résumé (which might need to be translated into the local language of the country where you plan to teach)
• Your TEFL/TESOL/CELTA/DELTA Certification (which might have to be notarised, and apostilled)
• A SAPS Police Clearance Certificate (which might have to be apostilled)
• Verified academic qualification certificates such as degrees or diplomas
• Apostilled health certificates
• Reference letters from various institutions

We can assist with a “TEFL Apostille Pack” for those wanting to teach English in China!

 

The term “TEFL Apostille Pack” is a term we use to describe a bundled service we offer to those who have the “standard 3 documents” for TEFL teachers. The Chinese authorities will usually need the following:

 

• An original, apostilled SAPS Police Clearance certificate (we can obtain this for you)
• An original, apostilled TEFL certificate (either from South Africa or abroad)
• An apostilled degree from a university – we can assist if it is from a South African educational institution

 

The above may not refer to all the documents you will need in order to apply for an English teaching job in China. It is simply the most common grouping of documents – a police clearance, TEFL certificate, and degree. Apostil.co.za can prepare all these documents for you in a very short space for a fair cost. See our pricing and get in touch.