To teach English in Colombia many individuals have concerns about the job prospects, countries and living in Colombia. In this Q&A, you will discover answers to all your questions or concerns before considering starting to teach English in Bogota Colombia.

What is it like to teach English in Bogota, Colombia?

Bogota is a thriving and lively city with a variety of things to see and do. The high altitude capital city is located high in the Andes mountain range, with a population of over 9 million people. To teach English in Colombia, teachers will travel all over the city or to a given institution, the city, allowing the teacher to visit a number of locations and neighbourhoods around the city.

Teachers will get the opportunity to teach a large number of students and meet new people all with unique and wonderful stories. Bogota is an exciting city to live in with a large number of opportunities and is continually expanding.

What are the working hours for teaching English in Colombia?

This depends on the type of teacher role an individual has within the city. At an English institution an individual would teach English in Bogota, Colombia between the hours of 7am – 9am, 12pm – 2pm and 5pm – 7pm, in a variety of offices around the city. At a public or private school in Bogota, the hours would vary between 7am and 4pm Monday to Friday. In a University times would vary depending on the class schedule.

What do you need to teach English in Colombia?

To teach English in Colombia, either a TEFL, CELTA or TESOL qualification is required. Each institution, school or University, has their own specific requirements and experience. English institutions and public schools predominantly require either a TEFL, CELTA or TESOL qualification at minimum. Universities and private school often require a higher education or master degree in teaching and experience.

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Why should I chose Bogota over another city in Colombia?

There is a high demand for individuals to teach English in Bogota, Colombia, with lots of Colombians wanting to learn and improve their English skills. Bogota has seen a large influx of multi-national companies establish their headquarters within the city, bringing with it a demand for English speaking Colombian to work within them. Bogota is Colombia’s biggest city which in turn provides the most opportunities for jobs. Colombian cities such as Cartagena, Medellin and Cali all have a demand for teachers but not as much as Bogota.

What are the classes like?

Classes vary on levels and environments. English institutions follow specific programmes to them, they provide all the required material for teachers to follow. Schools and Universities follow their desired curriculum and give teachers the require material and information to follow and expand on.

What is it like to live in Bogota, Colombia?

Bogota is a very large city with a large population. Living in Bogota can be challenging and rewarding, like any other city it has good and bad points. Bogota is lively with lots of restaurants, shopping malls, bars, parks and events. Bogota’s public transportation system is not of the scale of other large cities around the world. The cities bus system is often crowded and delayed, often making it difficult to move around the city. Just outside of Bogota the countryside is filled with unique and quant towns to explore.

If you want to know how to be prepared and what to expect from life in Colombia, we recommend reading What it’s like to live and begin working in Bogota, Colombia as well as our Ultimate Guide to Teaching English in Colombia. 

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Is Colombia safe?

Colombia and Bogota have a past reputation which proceeds itself, 20 years ago Colombia was the centre of the world’s media for the wrong reasons. But now the city and country has dramatically turned itself around. In 2016 the countries President negotiated a peace deal with the countries biggest guerrilla group. This marks the end of a long civil war within the country, but long before this agreement was signed, Colombia was already safer than it was 15 years ago.

Increased security and policing impugn a whole range of other thing had made the country safer. Bogota is as safe as any other big city around eh world. obviously there is danger and places to avoid but it’s no more dangerous than cities such as New York, New Orleans, Mexico City or London.  

We also recommend that you read this article that is going to tell you 3 experiences of people who like you were encouraged to live this experience, 3 stories about what living in Colombia is like.

How can you find a job to teach English in Colombia?

Finding a job to teach English in Bogota, Colombia requires research. Job sites such as indeed.com.co often have large numbers of teacher advertisements, along with specific school or Universities webpages. Another way to find a job to teach English in Bogota, Colombia is through Facebook. There are a number of Facebook groups for teachers in Bogota where many companies often advertise for teachers.

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Smiling teacher stretch hand greeting meeting with new BBE teacher!

Should I apply through a programme?

Applying to teach English in Bogota, Colombia through a programme has good and bad points. There are a large number of companies who offer teaching qualifications and job searching, but these companies make their money for changing high fees for the privilege of organising and finding a job. While for some people this is an easy option, it is definitely worth avoiding, any company which requires an individual to pay to get a job should be avoided. These companies often place individuals in schools in remote locations and don’t pay them fairly.

If you want to know how to be fully prepared for this teaching adventure in Colombia, we recommend reading The Ultimate Guide to Teaching English in Colombia.

WORK WITH US! Do you want teach English in Bogota today? Get in contact now.

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9c4d5369f8a93b5e4a0abb3c97c203f3?s=90&d=mm&r=gWe are BBE Languages, leaders in intercultural communication specialized in business languages. We are here to build a better future for all of us in Latin America, an empowered professional at a time and an evolving society.

Published On: August 31, 2017Categories: Teach English in Colombia

Admin

9c4d5369f8a93b5e4a0abb3c97c203f3?s=90&d=mm&r=gWe are BBE Languages, leaders in intercultural communication specialized in business languages. We are here to build a better future for all of us in Latin America, an empowered professional at a time and an evolving society.