Are you brand new to online ESL teaching? Just got your TEFL certificate and not sure how to get your first paying online English teaching job?
Firstly, welcome and congratulations on making the jump to teaching online!
Why teach for an online ESL company?
Although Abridge Academy is generally a big supporter of independent teaching (that’s finding your own private students to teach online), for brand new online ESL teachers this is often too big a jump to make. Instead, most online teachers start their career by working for a company.
Online ESL companies will generally provide you with teaching materials, software and training, as well as dealing with all business aspects such as marketing, managing finances, customer support, etc. Teaching with one of these companies therefore gives you a more supported introduction to the online teaching industry, so you can focus on developing your teaching skills without worrying about the business side of things.
As an online teacher, you usually have the flexibility to set your own hours, work from home, and fit in teaching around family or other commitments. Many companies allow you to teach from anywhere in the world, making it a perfect online job for aspiring digital nomads or world travellers.
What are the requirements to teach English online?
Every company will have their own requirements, so you will need to check out each job listing for full details. However, these often include:
- Nationality or country of residence;
- English level (native speakers are often preferred);
- Degree;
- TEFL / TESOL certificate;
- Age;
- Tech tools and minimum internet speed.
In the job listings below, we have included companies who hire non-native speakers, teachers from South Africa or the Philippines, and teachers without a degree – there are jobs out there for you!
Don’t have a TEFL certificate yet? Check out this blog post with advice and recommendations.
What is the application process for teaching English online?
Just as with the requirements, the application process does vary between companies. However, usually it will involve:
- Some kind of application form.
- An English test or check of English proficiency qualifications.
- Verification of your degree, TEFL certificate, passport, etc.
- A recorded demo class (mock lesson you record yourself acting out teaching a student) or interview.
- Background check / police record check.
- Onboarding training.
Which online ESL companies are hiring right now?
Ok now we’ve got all that out the way… Which online ESL companies are hiring right now? Here are a selection of jobs perfect for new online ESL teachers:
Most flexible: Cambly
Cambly is one of the most flexible companies with low eligibility criteria – yes, they hire teachers from any country (including South Africa and the Philippines), and teachers without a TEFL certificate or degree. You can teach adults or kids, and they provide all the teaching materials – you just set your availability then turn up and teach.
| Cambly pay 💰 | $10.20 / hr (Cambly classic) / $12 / hr (Cambly kids) |
| Native speaker required? | ✅ (Any country, sometimes accept non-native speakers) |
| Degree required? | ❌ |
| TEFL required? | ❌ |
| Experience required? | ❌ |
Best for non-native speakers: Native Camp
Native Camp is a Japanese online ESL company primarily catering to business professionals, although they do also have some younger students too. They accept teachers from any country, including non-native English speakers, as well as hiring teachers without a degree or TEFL certificate.
| Native Camp pay 💰 | $8 / hr (standby classes) – $18 / hr (booked classes) |
| Native speaker required? | ❌ |
| Degree required? | ❌ |
| TEFL required? | ❌ |
| Experience required? | ❌ |
Best salary: LingoStar
A relatively new Singaporean company, LingoStar is one of the fastest growing online ESL schools to join right now – the perfect time to get on board while they are still rapidly expanding with new students! Although their requirements are a bit stricter than some other companies on this list, they do pay a significantly higher rate – so if you qualify, it’s definitely worth applying.
| LingoStar pay 💰 | $15 – $22 / hr |
| Native speaker required? | ✅ (USA, Canada or UK) |
| Degree required? | ✅ |
| TEFL required? | ✅ |
| Experience required? | ❌ (1 year experience preferred) |
Best for teaching from your phone: PalFish
Love teaching kids, but don’t have a laptop (or just want the flexibility to teach on the go)? PalFish could be a great online ESL company for you! Their hiring process is generally very smooth, with a low rejection rate – great for new online ESL teachers with no experience. Unlike most other companies, with PalFish you can teach from your phone, using their super interactive PalFish teachers app.
| PalFish pay 💰 | $10 – $13 / hr (native speaking countries) 112 – 268 PHP / hr (Philippines) |
| Native speaker required? | ✅ (USA, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Philippines) |
| Degree required? | ✅ |
| TEFL required? | ✅ |
| Experience required? | ❌ |
Which is the best online ESL company hiring right now?
Of course, this is just a very small selection of the many hundreds of online ESL companies out there – we focused on companies we have personal experience with, pay at least a reasonable rate, accept teachers without many years experience or specialist qualifications, and are actively hiring large numbers of teachers right now.
The best company for you will depend on your qualifications, country, etc as well as teaching preferences. For example, if you prefer teaching adults then Cambly or Native Camp are great options, whereas if salary is an important factor for you then LingoStar is a great company to join.