Teaching Private English Lessons in Busan

Hi - can anyone tell me what the market is currently like for teaching private English classes in Busan? I am a native English speaker, CELTA qualified What hourly rate can I charge (single students and small groups), and is there alot of students compared with teachers etc?

If anyone can advise it would be greatly appreciated. Except Lee Bum Suck whose comments about mail order whiteys I find extremely offensive!! 

Re: Teaching Private English Lessons in Busan

Personally I think there are a lot more students than demand but the problem is getting the students/parents in contact with prospective teachers.

For the majority of teachers here teaching privately is illegal (marriage visas, descendant visas etc have more leeway ) and while many do it and few are actually caught and punished for it, it is best to be discreet.  Thus teachers are not really free to advertise themselves and many parents who think it would be a good idea to have a foreign English tutor don't have any idea how to get in contact with the teacher.

Most private lessons are obtained through contacts, friends of Korean friends or co-workers, students parents or occasionally random approaches from brave Korean mothers.  I have heard that people have made good money here teaching illegally, especially if you are young, North American, female and attractive, but many others try it and don't really succeed.  I think to come here with no contacts at all and start from scratch would be difficult.

As for the money I think 40,000 an hour is reasonable although these days it's ok to ask for upwards of 50,000 and more if there is more than one student in the class.  If you want to teach part-time at a private institute (also illegal without the correct visa) then you should be asking for at least 30,000 an hour although many schools advertise on this site for less than that and you can read some pretty lively discussions on the subject in this forum.

Re: Teaching Private English Lessons in Busan

If there had been n'one hakwon in Korea, young students might've had a better English educations.  

I am more interested in adult private lessons, which is widely open; still a huge number of social/int'l issues are to be concerned prior to heading into private fair.

Re: Teaching Private English Lessons in Busan

@ Dogarse,

I can't believe you answered that question on a public forum.   Don't you understand this subject should only be discussed offline?  Please, end this thread right here.  Everyone should understand why.

Re: Teaching Private English Lessons in Busan

I would think most people wouldn't start out a thread as 'I'm an illegal teacher looking for private lessons''. jeeezzz

Do you have an F2,F4,F5 visa? No, I'm sure you don't. Someone with this visa wouldn't have to ask or post a thread like this.

Re: Teaching Private English Lessons in Busan

correct - I have never even been to Korea. I am merely asking about 1 to 1 tutoring in South Korea, what the availability is like and hourly rates. If you can help with my query, as some people kindly have, then please feel free to respond, otherwise please go and annoy people on another thread. Thanks in anticipation.

Re: Teaching Private English Lessons in Busan

 

I've given you an honest answer. You are in no legal position to be doing privates in the republic of Korea. There is no 'availability' for you. If this answer isn't to your liking than TFB. The truth hurts for a reason. People within this country who have valid E-visas are not even legal to teach outside of their place(s)of employment.  

My god, when did breaking the immigration laws of South Korea become so hip? I live within the laws and all ways have. I haven't liked them either but for christ sakes respect them. 

 

Re: Teaching Private English Lessons in Busan

roberto never said with what kind of visa he or she would be using to enter korea.  not everyone talks about their visa with every other post they make.  by the way, roberto, the other posts have pretty much nailed the answer to your question.  some people would rather tell you that you cannot have a hamburger when you aske where the best one can be found, rather than ignore or answer your question.  it is cool to break immigration laws, by the way

Re: Teaching Private English Lessons in Busan

Elmo, he said he's never been to Korea. Even if he entered on an E2 visa from back home it's still illegal to do privates. What do you not understand about this?

How could he have an F visa?  He's never been to Korea. oh..forgive me I didn't know Korean women now have the mail order whitey western men option.

good grief, chuckle chuckle.

Re: Teaching Private English Lessons in Busan

your understanding of immigration and visas seems to be limited to what you think you know, which has nothing to do with what roberto has asked.  on another note, are you not aware of matchmaking services being available to korean women with western men who are not white?  did you know that an e2 visa is not the only way for a westerner to enter korea and be a teacher?  it is possible to come to korea and start your own english business, you know?  some other possible reasons for this question:

graduate school research

esl research

government research wanting to know how to better english education

business inquiries

seeing what kind of pointless response certain people might offer to demonstrate their lack of understanding of simple numbers and concepts

english education costs around the world

the list goes on and on and on and on...

illegal?  who really cares?  prostitution is illegal, but there are plenty of government statistics on that.  for all we know, roberto could be from lonely planet or cnn, just gathering statistics.  he could be looking to invest in a new kind of hagwon.  he or she could be a crazed lunatic who is asking the same question on forums in esl communities all around asia, just so that he or she can write down numbers and make some kind of delicious pie graph.  i do not really care, but if someone asks a simple question i think it is a nice thing to help them.  some people apparently do not like to help people and that is their choice.  how about you stick to the topic instead of always repeating the same ole' mantra on nearly every topic .  'good grief  chuckle chuckle'  what is about 'mail order whitey western man' that makes you laugh?  apparently you have very little or no experience with mail order romance, either.

again, roberto, anywhere from 20 to sixty an hour as a rule of thumb for most everyone i know

Re: Teaching Private English Lessons in Busan

 I've never met in my 16years here anyone who fell into those catagories.  You grab 100 foreigners (white people) off the street and 99 of them are teachers.

Re: Teaching Private English Lessons in Busan

in 16 years you have never met anyone that falls into any of those categories?  whether that is a reason or an excuse for your limited worldview is up to you, but thanks for letting the rest of us know a little bit more information.  yes, 99 out of 100 people you grab off the street maybe teachers, but perhaps you should not spend so much time on the same street

Re: Teaching Private English Lessons in Busan

''yes, 99 out of 100 people you grab off the street maybe teachers, but perhaps you should not spend so much time on the same street ''

So you agree with me? thanks.  None of those people you mentioned  in that 1% can teach privates legally anyway Elmo. That's the truth of the matter and this thread's topic. 

I don't live in the world Elmo, I live in Korea, it's a remote planet. Your other comments about world view of whatever are just childish...

 

Re: Teaching Private English Lessons in Busan

yes, i agreed with you that your street is where you get your statistics.  the topic of this thread is not the legal state of privates.  the topic was the price and the number of teachers and students.  korea is a globabl society, not a remote planet, unless you were speaking in metaphor.  either way, thanks

Re: Teaching Private English Lessons in Busan

Not that it  is any of your business lee BUM SUK but I will not be breaking any laws whatsoever and I do not wish to explain to you why. Who on earth do you think you are ? You have made pretty serious allegations here when you know nothing of my personal situation.

Site admin - I have requested this user not to post unless he / her is answering my original query yet he persists in throwing unfounded accusations in my direction. Can you please block the user from this thread as he has zero value to add.


Thank you.

Self-moderated Forum Topics

It's often a challenging line to draw - when a tangential comment is too 'off-topic' or when a blunt critical response turns into just being rude.

So, for now, I think we'll turn that job over to original posters and see how it goes.  I've added forum posts to the types of content that users can moderate themselves. More info at:
http://koreabridge.net/faq/how-can-i-moderate-comments-my-own-post

This only applies to those who have been granted unmoderated permissions (for more info, see the fourth section of our policies).  New registrants and those who are still moderated, won't see the approve or delete options. 

 

Re: Teaching Private English Lessons in Busan

Let me know how far you got! I am also looking..

and to whoever started going on about crimes, i agree but you have absolutely no ide wether or not this person has an F2 (I do) and I also have a lot of experience teaching. SO you better be quiet or rephrase your accusatory messages.

Have a great day all!


Re: Teaching Private English Lessons in Busan

The bottom line about privates is they are hard to find. Put aside that they are illegal to do-even if you have a F2 visa, they are hard to find because most kids here alreay have a foreign teacher so how do you get them to become your private student?

 Most privates start from being lucky or from the school you work at. Just finding privates without either of the these two conditions happening or present will be difficult. Some post on here looking but that is not smart as immigration does come on here and look for people to bust so you must be careful. Posting flyers in apartment buildings is tough because the security guard will just take them down and putting things up on light polls and so on is risky as you have no idea who is reading them.

 There is no way to get them-they just happen.  And as for your qualifications-so many people have as much or more. This is not a slight on you-just reality. So if you planned on coming here to make money teaching privates, I would say think again. A few years ago coming here to teach may have been okay-like before the IMF problems or just after but now not really. 

Could you come and just do part time jobs and live-yes you could.  There are enough jobs; but privates, I do not think so. There are already so many teachers here that finding them would be hard. Good luck, though.

 

As an aside for those who think this sould be talked about in private-no pun intended, you are right; but immigration and so on know people do them so talking about them is not so bad. Actively looking for them on here is another story, mind you. Be careful and good luck.

Re: Teaching Private English Lessons in Busan

The market depends on the teacher and the students.

If the teacher is very good (reputation, personality, looks) and the students have cash then you can charge as much as you like. I charge 60,000/hr and teach 1.5 hours-2 hours per meeting. The parents have been referred from other parents so they think I'm a good teacher. As long as the students like studying with me, the parents will keep paying.

If the parents don't have that much money, then charging even 30,000/hr may be difficult and it won't last long.


If the family is poor, I'll teach them for free. I'll even buy the books. The parents usually buy gifts and make a lot of food. It's my time so what I do with it is my business. Certain kids will never have a chance to learn English from a foreigner unless help is provided as their parents, if they even have them,  are unable to pay for lessons.


So forget about what anyone says and ask for what you feel is right. If after the class, you feel bad at all because you think you should have more money then don't do it anymore. However, if after the class, you feel good then who care what others may think.


Re: Teaching Private English Lessons in Busan

You inquire about teaching illegally and you want me, a law abiding foreign resident to be banned for telling/explaining the legal ramifications?

I'm going to tell you this again; if you can't handle the truth, don't run to mommy(admin.) they know me, they know I'm a straight shooter, I tell it like it is and the legal foreign residents of Korea are sick and tired of illegal foreigners.  These people add fuel to the fire.

Come here,  but come legally please.

Re: Teaching Private English Lessons in Busan

Wow! This person really did run to admin? Come on! If you want to come here and set up a biz or if you want to come and work illegally that is your choice to but neither condition should require people here to post what you want to hear. Everyone is free to speak their mind or in this case I think, share information. When people post on here that they are looking for privates it is easy to assume they want to do them illegally as that is what people do here. If you were going to do things legally you should have presented your plan in order to direct the conversation in a more helpful direction. Take some responsibilty here. You asked about privates and you got some answers. That is life on here but I agree, do not run to the admin people just because you do not like some posts. Roberto man, whether you come here or not is up to you but realize, on this site all people have to go on is the information posted so if one answer does not suit your needs, move on. It is that simple.

 Good luck to all!

Re: Teaching Private English Lessons in Busan

You better get the ok from Lee-Bum-Suk first! Or maybe not. He knows not of what he speaks. Some foreigners have visas which allow them to legally provide private lessons.