|
Special China Project
FAQs - Beijing Project
General Questions
1. What does the administration fee for the program include?
The non-refundable administration fee of US$ 350 includes:
- PELT TESOL Certificate course
- Immersion Putonghua Chinese lessons
- 3 months housing in Beijing
- RT airfare to Beijing (Maximum $750)
- Guaranteed job in China
2. How do I apply for the Business F visa, do I get any invitation
letter from TEFL International?
Yes, we will issue the invitation letters to students for the program.
We will
issue the letters once the applicants have paid for their administration
fee.
3. Can I still reimburse my air ticket even if I get it from other
travel agents?
Yes, we’ll reimburse the air ticket up to US$ 750 even if you get it
from another source provided you submit the original receipt and air
tickets for our records.
4. When can I get the airfare reimbursement?
You may get your airfare reimbursement upon completion of the project,
on the final day; teachers will have a choice of a bank transfer to
their foreign account or RMB in cash in China. RMB can be exchanged in
the airport.
5. Is this a paid opportunity or is it more for the experience?
It is for the experience, but we cover the housing, flights, Chinese
classes and Certificate costs.
6. What currency should I bring? Can I use my credit cards?
We suggest you bring your major credit cards, traveler's check and a
small amount of cash. Foreign ATM cards and credit cards are widely
accepted in Beijing but not as widely accepted in other parts of China;
therefore, do not depend on cards for access to cash outside of Beijing.
Wire or bank transfers are costly and can take up to 3 months to
process. Traveler’s Checks are traceable, can be cashed in any Bank of
China branch and therefore are the recommended method of carrying money.
During the three month program you should have access to about US$ 600 –
US$ 1000 to cover general living expenses such as food and
transportation. Plan on limiting the amount of money you convert to
local RMB, as it cannot be converted back to foreign currencies.
7. How much money should we budget to spend?
A good budget would be about $600 to $1000 for the entire project.
The costs will be for water, electricity, deposit, food and some very
small traveling expenses around Beijing such as bus tickets and subway
tickets. The subway costs 37 cents and a bus is 10 to 37 cents.
8. How long will the Chinese lessons run?
Immersion Putonghua or Chinese classes will be held 3 times per week,
each class lasting 2 hours for the duration of the project.
9. How long will the PELT TESOL training run?
The first week of the project, trainees will go through a PELT TESOL
training program. It is mandatory to attend all classes. This will last
for 5 days. Upon completion of the program, the last day of the program,
teachers will be awarded their certificates.
Class time is generally 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, with mid morning and
afternoon breaks and a lunch break. In the morning the student will
learn methodology and teaching techniques. In the afternoon there will
be teacher practice sessions.
10. What happens if I miss a class or got sick?
If a trainee misses a class they must present a doctors note for being
sick. If they miss a class without a Doctors note a 200RMB fine will be
deducted from their reimbursement for each hour of the class. An
additional 300RMB will be deducted for a first class missed. (First
class means the start of a new class)
11. How many students on average are in the program each month?
The maximum class size in the Beijing course is 32, however it is split
up into two groups. Normally we've been having somewhere around twenty
trainees, with ten per group. Most of the participants are American,
British, Canadian or Australian, although we do accept non-native
speakers of English who have a high proficiency in the language.
12. What are the teaching practice students and classes like?
We invite local Chinese students for the trainees’ teaching practice.
Chinese students are very keen and enthusiastic and because we don’t
charge them to attend, all students come to classes purely because they
want to learn and participate in the activities.
13. What are the accommodations like? Where are they located?
For the Special Beijing Project, teacher trainees will be provided free
accommodation. Housing will be arranged before arrival. Trainees will
share a room in a 2 or 3 bedroom apartment. The bed styles may be bunk
beds or twin beds. The housing will be around 30 - 40 minutes by subway
to the course location. Apartments will meet the local standards and
have a kitchen, living room, refrigerator, stove and washing machine.
Showers and bathrooms will be wet showers.
Accommodations that are arranged by the company will be provided free
of charge throughout the teaching contract. Teachers accepting arranged
accommodations must agree to remain in arranged accommodations or may be
liable for the costs of lost security deposits.
Most arranged accommodations will be apartments with en suite
bathrooms.
All accommodations will include A/C or fan, bed, fridge, TV, Table,
kitchen
Accommodations may include closet, dresser and or clothes rack
Accommodations do not include for sanitary reasons basic amenities
such as pillow, sheets, blanket and cooking utensils.
14. When will the accommodations be available?
All Accommodations will be available at 3pm on August 18th, Saturday,
before the start of the course. Students must move out by 12 noon on
November 21st at the end of the course.
If you are planning on arriving early we recommend staying at the Peking
Uni International Hostel. It is close to the school, clean and
comfortable.
15. Can I have things shipped or mailed to me at the school?
Yes! Our postal address is:
TEFL International-Beijing
Left Bank Community
Beishihuan Rd.
Haidian District
Beijing, China
Chinese address: 北京市海淀区北四环西路68号左岸工社15B层D室
16. Can I bring my laptop?
Yes, we have available wireless internet connection. Beijing is filled
with internet cafes and Starbucks has a wireless connection that is only
five minutes walk form the school.
We have 4 computers with internet access for lesson planning and doing
assignments, for the trainees free of charge.
The job market and teaching in China: Paperwork and documentation
1. What is the TEFL job market in China like? Will I have trouble
getting a job?
The TEFL job market in China is excellent at the moment. Finding
employment is only difficult if you wait until the last day of the
course to begin looking. With just a little patience, you will certainly
locate work in no time, usually in the area of your choice.
2. When do I need to start looking for work in China? Where do I
start?
We suggest you begin setting up interviews and sending resumes by late
September or early October.
3. What will TEFL International do to help me secure employment?
We can give you a list of schools in China and help you with resume and
interview preparation. We guarantee job placement assistance, but please
note that TEFL International doesn’t ‘guarantee’ its graduates
employment in China as such. This job placement assistance program is an
integral part of the course and is available for as long as you may
require it.
4. What is the average salary like?
The average salary’s in China range greatly depending on the city and
how much you want to work. The average salary in Beijing is about
8-10,000RMB per month. How ever we have had graduates make as much a
20,000RMB. This varies depending on what type of school or company you
work for and whether you work full or part-time.
5. Do most schools provide accommodations for their teachers?
No, but there are schools that do this. For example, some schools may
provide a room for you, either shared or single, probably in an
apartment with other teachers and it may or may not be on the school’s
premises.
6. How many of the TEFL graduates actually find work in China?
Most of our course graduates who have wanted to work in China have been
able to secure teaching positions.
7. What documents do I need to bring?
Please bring your original diploma and transcripts from College,
Technical School or High School, police clearance (verification of
having no criminal record) and birth certificate.
All visitors to China are required to carry a passport valid for at
least six months after arrival date.
Under recent legislation, you need to apply for an F visa (business
visa) to attend the course, as if you were attending a business seminar.
This process takes about 2 weeks. Once your place has been confirmed, we
will give you all the information you need to process the visa
application.
Please note that currently, American passport holders are unable to
obtain visas at the Chinese border and airports.
*As this information is subject to change at any time, we advise
everyone to contact your local consulate for current travel regulations
prior to planning your trip.
8. Do schools provide health insurance?
Generally,no. Under some circumstances it may be provided.
9. Do schools provide work permits?
Your school can help you secure a work permit. However the majority of
teachers work in Beijing on tourist visas.
10. What is a typical teaching position like?
Of course, it varies from school to school, but you may be expected to
teach a variety of courses, ranging from children to business
professionals at all levels, in groups or in private sessions.
11. Can I return to my own country and teach with my certificate?
Yes, it’s possible though the requirements for working in ESL or TEFL in
many western countries are different and sometimes need graduate
education in ESL or TEFL.
Questions about Beijing: Living in China
1. How much does it cost to live in Beijing?
The cost of living in Beijing ranges. For entertainment, food,
transportation and daily activities it is very low. Housing in Beijing
as in all major cities varies based on how close you live to the city
center. The average person in Beijing makes around RMB2000 (US$250)
while English teachers make around RMB12000 (US$1500). On average a good
lifestyle will cost about 4,000RMB to 5,000RMB per month depending on
what your interests are.
2. What if I get sick in Beijing? Are there western-standard medical
facilities?
If you find yourself requiring medical attention, Beijing has numerous
hospitals. There are two types Chinese hospitals and foreign hospitals.
Chinese hospitals are clean and affordable but can be very crowded. The
foreign hospitals have an entirely foreign staff are extremely clean and
efficient.
3. What’s the public transportation system like?
Beijing is a typical international city. Buses and subways are the main
means of transportation. Subways are 40-60 cents depending on where you
want to go. There are numerous bus routes all over the city.
4.What’s the climate like? What kind of clothing will I need to
bring?
The climate is similar to New York City. The autumn is the best season
and is called the golden season by the locals. Clothes are very
inexpensive in China, so you may want to travel fairly light. Many
visitors to China like to take advantage of the numerous markets and
stores in Beijing. Beijing is truly a shopper’s paradise.
Please send your Resume and Scanned Picture to
admin@bestteflcourse.com
mentioning “Special China Project” and Choice of Start Date and Location
or APPLY HERE |
It is a very compact experience. Extensive learning but
fun. A great experience with TEFL International and very
helpful to find placement
