Teach English online to adults around the world

Help adults worldwide improve their English for career and personal growth. Make a global impact—teach remotely or at one of our centers.

Learners taught:

24

Million

Private classes per year:

2

Million

Expert experience:

60

Years

Learners rate teachers after every class:

Teachers

Teaching languages online made easy

Whether it’s English, French, German, or Spanish, EF transforms complexity into innovation—making online teaching truly effortless.

“Teacher First” | Our advanced scheduling platform

Hyperclass | Immersive classroom feels like real life

Private and Group Lessons

We offer adult students two lesson types—one for personalized attention and another for group interaction. You bring your expertise to the online classroom, while our Academics team supports you with optional, ready-to-use resources to enrich your lesson plans.

	Group Lesson (GL)	Private Lesson (PL)
Class Length	45-minutes	40-minutes
Class Rundown	Online conversation classes focused on speaking practice, with level-based topics.	Focus on speaking practice. Teachers provide feedback, correct errors, & introduce new language with a course-based task.
Class Size	Small classes (6–8 students) ensure everyone participates.	One-on-one personalized session between a teacher and a student.
Topics	GLs offer daily topics across business, travel, and general interest themes.	Lessons complement self-study, review new material or cover challenging topics.
Materials Available	Includes optional materials and lesson plans.	Includes optional materials and lesson plans.
Access	Students can join lessons on any device—phone, tablet, or computer.	Students can join lessons on any device—phone, tablet, or computer.

Group Lesson (GL)

Class Length

45-minutes

Class Rundown

Online conversation class focused on speaking practice, with topics tailored to different levels.

Class size

Small class sizes (6–8 students) ensure that everyone has a chance to participate.

Topics

GLs offer daily topics across business, travel, and general interest themes.

Materials Available

Optional materials and teaching plans are included.

Access

Students can join via smartphone, tablet, or computer.

Private Lesson (PL)

Class Length

40-minutes

Class Rundown

Each session typically begins with a task based on the course content, allowing students to practice speaking. Teachers provide feedback, help correct errors, and introduce new languages. Students then repeat the task to improve.

Class size

One-on-one session between a teacher and a student, designed for personalized instruction.

Topics

Lessons complement self-study, helping preview new material or reinforce challenging topics.

Materials Available

Optional materials and teaching plans are included.

Access

Students can join via smartphone, tablet, or computer.

Teach online on your terms

Take control of your schedule with flexible, year-round options. Teach mornings, evenings, weekends—even holidays. Our 24/7 platform connects you with motivated students around the globe.

Requirements

We’re looking for the best teachers to join us in our mission to open the world through education.
Successful candidates meet the following minimum requirements:

Teach English

Right to work

You must have legal work rights in the location you plan to teach from.

Fluency

Fluent English speaker (C2 level)

Degree

Bachelor’s degree (any field; not limited to teaching or the language taught).

Certification

Accredited TEFL Certificate

TEFL stands for “Teaching English as a Foreign Language,” a standard certification for English teachers.
Minimum requirement: 40-hour accredited TEFL certificate.
You can start certification while applying, but it must be completed before teaching on EF Teach Online.
Need help finding a course? Our team can guide you.

Teach French, German or Spanish

Right to work

You must have legal work rights in the location you plan to teach from.

Fluency

C2 fluency in the language you intend to teach online, plus B2/C1 English proficiency.

Degree

Bachelor’s degree (any field; not limited to teaching or the language taught).

Certification

Accredited Language Teaching Certification

Accredited language teaching certification (minimum 120 hours).
You can start certification while applying, but it must be completed before teaching on EF Teach Online.
Need help finding a course? Our team can guide you.

	Teach English	Teach French, German or Spanish
Right to work	You must have legal work rights in the location you plan to teach from.	You must have legal work rights in the location you plan to teach from.
Fluency	Fluent English speaker (C2 level)	C2 fluency in the language you intend to teach online, plus B2/C1 English proficiency.
Degree	Bachelor’s degree (any field; not limited to teaching or the language taught).	Bachelor’s degree (any field; not limited to teaching or the language taught).
Certification	Accredited TEFL Certificate TEFL stands for “Teaching English as a Foreign Language,” a standard certification for English teachers. Minimum requirement: 40-hour accredited TEFL certificate. You can start certification while applying, but it must be completed before teaching on EF Teach Online. Need help finding a course? Our team can guide you.	Accredited Language Teaching Certification Accredited language teaching certification (minimum 120 hours). You can start certification while applying, but it must be completed before teaching on EF Teach Online. Need help finding a course? Our team can guide you.

Your computer setup

Remote Teachers Requirements: Use a laptop or desktop with a webcam and Google Chrome to access our platform. You’ll also need:

All categories are required but any of the following options would be compatible with the platform.

CPU

Intel Processor: i5 or higher, 10th generation or higher

AMD Ryzen Processor: Ryzen 5 3000 or higher, Nvidia 1050 GPU or higher

Mac (M Chip): M1 or higher

Mac (Intel Processor): i5 or higher, 10th gen or higher, 2020+

Operating System

Windows: Windows 10 or higher

Mac: macOS 10.13 or higher

Memory

8 GB or higher

Browser

Google Chrome 102 or higher

Screen Resolution

1366 x 768 or higher

Network

Uncapped Internet:

Download: 1 Mbps (2 Mbps recommended) 

Upload: 1.5Mbps (3 Mbps recommended)

Peripherals

Green Screen (Required) 

Noise-Cancelling Headphones (Required) 

Webcam: (Recommended) 1080P (Logitech C920 recommended) 

Ring Light (Recommended)

All categories are required but any of the following options would be compatible with the platform.
CPU	Intel Processor: i5 or higher, 10th generation or higher	AMD Ryzen Processor: Ryzen 5 3000 or higher, Nvidia 1050 GPU or higher	Mac (M Chip): M1 or higher	Mac (Intel Processor): i5 or higher, 10th gen or higher, 2020+
Operating System	Windows: Windows 10 or higher		Mac: macOS 10.13 or higher
Memory	8 GB or higher
Browser	Google Chrome 102 or higher
Memory	8 GB or higher
Screen Resolution	1366 x 768 or higher
Network	Uncapped Internet: Download: 1 Mbps (2 Mbps recommended)  Upload: 1.5Mbps (3 Mbps recommended)
Peripherals	Green Screen (Required)  Noise-Cancelling Headphones (Required)  Webcam: (Recommended) 1080P (Logitech C920 recommended)  Ring Light (Recommended)

Teach @ Home | Maximize income and flexibility

Whether you want flexibility or full-time stability, we’ve got the right fit for you.

Maximize Your Earnings
- Teach during peak hours when demand is highest
- Peak Hours (EST): 
  Mon–Fri: 7 AM – 11 AM 
  Sat & Sun: All day
- Choose one-on-one or group classes.
  Set your own hours and workload.
  Competitive pay based on skills and market demand
- Contract options discussed during onboarding
- More classes = more income

Extra Income Opportunities
- Bonuses for excellent student feedback
- Extra pay for bilingual beginner lessons
  (Portuguese, Arabic, French, Italian, Spanish, German)
- Premium rates for VIP and demo classes

Reliable Monthly Payments
- Submit invoices by the 5th
- Payments authorized by the 22nd

Teach @ Our Center | Centers in South Africa - fully equipped

Prefer a full-time role? Apply for a permanent position at one of our South Africa teaching centers for a stable salary and structured work environment.
Join our team in Johannesburg (Bryanston, Sandton) or Cape Town (CBD) and enjoy:

Professional development opportunities
Medical aid benefits
Career growth in an international company

Full-time teachers get in-centre WiFi, computers, and on-site support from our management team.

Cape Town center

Working Hours: Full-time teachers work a fixed 40-hour schedule across five 8-hour days (Monday to Friday), with opportunities to boost earnings through discretionary in-center incentives.

Qualification
- Right to work in South Africa
- Fluent English (C2 level)
- Bachelor’s degree
- Accredited TEFL certificate (EF sponsors TEFL for new full-time hires)

Compensation
- Starting salary: R7,627/month
- Transportation allowance
- Medical aid after successful probation

Johannesburg center

Working Hours
Full-time teachers work a fixed 40-hour schedule across four 10-hour days, with opportunities to boost earnings through discretionary in-center incentives.

Qualification
- Right to work in South Africa
- Fluent English (C2 level)
- Bachelor’s degree
- Accredited TEFL certificate (EF sponsors TEFL for new full-time hires)

Compensation
- Starting salary: R8,008/month
- Transportation allowance
- Medical aid after successful probation

Development | Expand your horizons

Grow Your Skills and Advance Your Teaching

We believe in supporting your professional journey.

Flexible Self-Study Courses

Access a wide range of modules designed to strengthen classroom skills—from building rapport to advanced teaching strategies. Complete courses at your own pace and earn certificates you can share on LinkedIn.

Interactive Academic Workshops

Join live sessions led by experienced teams and fellow instructors. These workshops foster skill-building and knowledge sharing, with topics ranging from AI in teaching to practical classroom techniques.

Recognition & Development

Every completed course or workshop comes with a certificate to showcase your growth. Plus, your feedback helps us keep improving our offerings.

Recognition & Development

Education has the power to change the lives of both students and teachers. In Nepal, we're supporting a remote community that began with rebuilding a school and has grown into an incredible cultural exchange program that teachers with EF can experience.
Read more 10 years on: Bringing global connection to a community in rural Nepal

Flexible Self-Study Courses

Access a wide range of modules designed to strengthen classroom skills—from building rapport to advanced teaching strategies. Complete courses at your own pace and earn certificates you can share on LinkedIn.

Interactive Academic Workshops

Join live sessions led by experienced teams and fellow instructors. These workshops foster skill-building and knowledge sharing, with topics ranging from AI in teaching to practical classroom techniques.

Recognition & Development

Every completed course or workshop comes with a certificate to showcase your growth. Plus, your feedback helps us keep improving our offerings.

Volunteer: EF Namaste Nepal

Education has the power to change the lives of both students and teachers. In Nepal, we're supporting a remote community that began with rebuilding a school and has grown into an incredible cultural exchange program that teachers with EF can experience.
Read more 10 years on: Bringing global connection to a community in rural Nepal

Thought Leadership

Passionate about teaching. Serious about research.

We publish academic research about language learning, which is used by Cambridge University, University of Tokyo, and Harvard Graduate School of Education, to name a few.

The free online standard English test EF SET, which we created to accurately figure out your level of English, is internationally recognized and used by over 2 million students every year (that is 5,479 tests taken a day).

We have 132 researchers and academics on our team who make sure our teaching methods are innovative and effective.

"Research shows that people who speak English earn up to 30% more than those who do not."

Why Teach Online on our platform?

Teachers change our students lives. Here they share their stories.

Celebrating every student’s uniqueness

“My journey with EF has been incredible. EF fosters professionalism and mutual respect. It has been a pleasure working with a variety of students from different cultures. Each student is a snowflake, uniquely beautiful, and the lessons are designed to allow teachers to be flexible and comfortable as we meet the needs of each students.”

Monique - Teacher

The best way to learn English online

“My journey with EF has been incredible. EF fosters professionalism and mutual respect. It has been a pleasure working with a variety of students from different cultures. Each student is a snowflake, uniquely beautiful, and the lessons are designed to allow teachers to be flexible and comfortable as we meet the needs of each students.”

Christina - Student

Connecting with students worldwide

“I have loved teaching for EF so far – it’s a great platform and great materials. Also, I really love how in such short space of time I have met students from literally all over the world!
Furthermore, I really appreciate the thought that has gone into the platform introduction and how quick everyone is to get back to me whenever I reach out about anything! Thank you for a great couple of months.”

Ruth - Teacher

A powerful tool to progress in English

“I've been experiencing EF English Live for 3 months and I was able to measure my progress, with real help from worldwide teachers. This is really what i was looking for: people from everywhere, with very different accents and cultures to improve my listening skills.”

Amélie - Student

Teaching from home, reaching the world

“As a freelance teacher for EF Teach Online, I have reaped the benefits of getting to work from home during times that best suited me. It has also helped me supplement my finances that the pandemic outbreak impacted. I am very grateful to EF for helping me reach self- actualization as a teacher and for providing me with a platform that allows me to reach all corners of the world from the comfort of my chair.”

Cyril - Teacher

Teachers and students from all over the world

“There are some excellent teachers with high facilitations skills. I particularly enjoy meeting teachers and students from all over the world.”

Aki - Student

Learning, growing, and connecting through every lesson.

“Since joining EF, I have realized that all the tools to success are already in place. I discovered very quickly that being a teacher doesn’t mean one has finished learning. It’s a privilege for me to have the opportunity to interact with individuals from all walks of life, to be trusted by the students and to be invited into their lives. I’ve learnt never to take that for granted.”

Irene - Teacher

We know what it takes to teach

EF Teach Online is a division of Education First (EF), a world leader in international education with a mission to open the world through education. EF has been pioneering experiential language learning since 1965. Combining 60 years of teaching experience, we have distilled everything we have learned about what it takes to be a great educator into our online teaching platform.
Be empowered to develop your teaching skills, grow your income, and build your business.

Frequently Asked Questions

What type of qualifications do I need?

I have years of teaching experience in a second language but no degree-why can’t I apply?

Can I teach English online with zero teaching experience?

Can I teach using my iPad or my cell phone?

What are the technical requirements for laptops and desktop computers?

I'm not very good with technology - is the online classroom easy to use?

What happens if I have questions after I start teaching?

To teach English to adults- do I need to spend a lot of time preparing teaching materials?

Not at all! Our Academic team creates optional materials for all languages which can be uploaded into the classroom in advance. They are provided as an additional optional resource tool for you. This means you don’t need to spend hours planning lessons or preparing activities. Alternatively, you can always use your own materials and teaching aids if you wish.

Sometimes in private lessons, a student may request a lesson on a specific topic which our materials don’t include - you have the option to create materials relevant to the request.

When are lessons available?

How long are the lessons?

Can I set my own schedule and teach when I want?

What type of contract will I receive?

You can join us as an independent work from home contractor from almost anywhere in the world. Most contracts are offered for a six-month term, with the possibility of being offered a new contract thereafter. Contractors are responsible for their own taxes, as no withholding is taken from payments.

If located in South Africa, you can take on a full-time employee contract to work form one of our offices.

Who will I be teaching?