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TEFL AUSTRIA /TESOL AUSTRIA
A guide to teaching English in Austria
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| At a Glance - teaching English in Austria |
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| Overview - TEFL in Austria |
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At the heart of Europe, Austria is a beautiful, mountainous country which was once the centre of power for the Austro-Hungarian Empire. However, the country lost most of its lands after defeat in World War I. It wasn’t until 1955, after the invasion by Nazi forces in 1938 and subsequent occupation by the Allies after the war, that Austria gained its neutrality. It joined the European Union in 1995 and the Euro monetary system in 1999.
If you are heading for Austria then you will find a well developed market economy and high standard of living is closely tied to other EU economies, especially that of Germany. Membership in the EU has drawn an influx of foreign investors attracted by Austria's access to the single European market. Although Austria has common borders with no fewer than eight other countries, 98% of the population is German-speaking.
There is a healthy demand for learning English, but you’ll find the EFL industry is strongly divided between either business English or teaching children. However, the competition for jobs is fairly hot. There is a large international community present in the country and to a great extent the demand is met by people from this already present population. There is also a network of qualified and experienced local teachers with an excellent command of English. Although learning from a native speaker is still quite highly prized, it is not as highly valued as it is elsewhere in the world. You will find that a good command of German will also aid your search for work considerably.
The standard of living is high, which is good, of course, but unless you can secure full time teaching hours, it can be difficult to keep up with the cost of living. Indeed, accommodation can amount to around a 1/3 of full time earnings in the big cities such as Vienna. You might wish to think about steering clear of the larger cities, such as Vienna, and heading for the smaller towns where competition for jobs and the cost of living is less.
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We rarely see advertisements for Austrian EFL positions in the UK or International press, as Austrian employers will normally want to see you before offering any form of contract. This obviously favours the teacher who is prepared to travel and apply for jobs on spec. Initially, for the reasons stated above, it is likely that you will have to survive on part time hours from a variety of schools. If applying to teach business English, be aware that employers generally favour commercial experience over academic credentials alone. Although you are unlikely to be teaching beginners, a knowledge of German will help your application, as will a driving licence and do make sure you highlight any business experience you have. At interview, ‘dress for business’ and ensure you have a professionally prepared and presented CV which highlights your contact with the commercial world. See one of our staffroom pages on finding work overseas for more general information and tips on your CV.
Work teaching English to children can be found in the numerous summer camps, which have a lively ‘study-holiday’ atmosphere. In this area of Austrian EFL, experience of working with children and a lively, enthusiastic personality may be more important than degrees and certificates. If arriving on spec, try the Yellow Pages in the big cities, the British Council offices and newspapers such as ‘Austria Today’. Outside of the private sector, you may want to try teaching at one of the adult education and community colleges (Volkshochschulen), although you may need to have some teaching experience in order to do this.
Many teachers do not have a contract that guarantees a fixed number of hours per week. Instead, they freelance for a variety of schools with the teaching day fitted in around business hours. For many this means teaching mornings and evening with big gaps in between. You can expect to be paid around €18 - €25 per hour (possibly more if you are able to work with business English students). If you are one of the lucky ones able to secure a full time contract, you can earn well but you’ll find deductions for tax and social security amounting to around 40%.
In EU countries, reciprocal medical benefits exist when you are paying contributions into the native scheme. However, it may be an idea to take out private medical insurance if you will be freelancing. Keep documentation relating to all deductions. Should you need to claim social security benefit in England after working abroad, for example, all documentation will need to be presented. As with Germany, the layers of bureaucracy are numerous and you’ll need a degree of patience mixed with persistence to get it all sorted.
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Global English tutor Denise Parker has worked in Austria and comments:
Vienna, especially, but Austria as a whole is an expensive place to live. Rent in the capital is very expensive, but there are lots of cheap and interesting ways to spend your time - concerts, operas, theatre tickets etc. can all be had for a song (!!) if you're prepared to wait in a queue for several hours. You can see the best musicians in the world in the most splendid settings for a couple of pounds.
You can also linger over a glass of wine in Heurigen (wine bars selling mainly the new wine) on the outskirts of the city and coffees in smart cafes in the centre of town and watch the world go by. There are basically only 2 seasons - an incredibly long winter, mostly grey with little actual snow in Vienna, and then a scorching summer.
Finding private students should not be a problem - look in the local papers or make yourself known to the British Council, who keep a list of teachers available. The advantage of doing private work is that you have access to some amazing houses around the city - really fascinating! Houses with private ballrooms! I also taught in a hospital, but that was unique, I guess.
You have to take the rough with the smooth when living abroad and overall it was a great experience, which I wouldn't have missed for anything. The biggest bonus is the culture - I went to more than 50 concerts, operas, plays - and you can travel around to lovely places at the weekends.
Have you taught in Austria? Could you share your experiences with others on this webpage? If so, please email us at info@global-english.com.
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British Council http://www.britishcouncil.org/
British Council in Austria: http://www.britishcouncil.org/de/austria.htm
Austrian Embassy UK: http://austria.embassyhomepage.com/
Austrian Embassy USA: http://www.austria.org/
Austrian National Tourist Office: www.austria-tourism.at
Need more info? Go here: Teaching English Abroad
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DISCLAIMER
These pages are for general information only and whilst every effort has been made to ensure information is correct, it is up to the individual to thoroughly investigate the conditions of entry to countries and the legal working regulations. If offered a job, please carefully vet all terms and conditions. Inclusion of potential employment opportunities does not in any way represent a guarantee of employment.
When travelling overseas, please refer to your government’s own advice on current conditions in each country. The British Foreign Office website is a good resource for travel advice. Please follow the link: http://www.fco.gov.uk/
If you find a broken link or if you have an experience you would like to share with others about working in a particular country, please email us.
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