TEACH ENGLISH IN AUSTRIA

About Teaching English in Austria

To get hired to teach English in Austria, you will need a 4-year college degree and a TEFL certificate. Native English proficiency is also expected to find an ESL teaching job. The average salary for an English teacher in Austria is about $1,800-$2,500 per month.

A bastion of unrivaled culture and history, Austria is not a large job market for teaching English but there are still opportunities. Austria’s ESL market can be a tough one for non-EU citizens to break into unless teachers participate through the Fulbright assistantship program for Americans (aka the USTA Program) or the SWAP Austria program for International Exchange program for Canadians. There are also some opportunities for non-EU and EU citizens to teach children in summer camps or short-term programs for a couple of months throughout Austria. 

For those who are able to legally work in Austria, face to face interviews with private language schools are essential during the peak hiring months of September and January. Working freelance for multiple schools to fill your schedule is also not uncommon, as the cost of living in Austria (especially in the bigger cities of Vienna or Salzburg) is quite high. Schools in Austria tend to have similar requirements to Germany; many are looking for teachers with some business background to effectively teach business professionals. A four-year degree is almost always needed, as well as TEFL certification, and often times prior teaching experience is highly preferred.

How to Teach English in Austria: Requirements

TEFL Certification for Austria

A TEFL certification is required to teach English in Austria. You do not need professional teaching experience but earning your TEFL certification will provide you with the training and qualification you do need to get hired. 

Teachers typically interview for jobs in-person in Austria. Therefore, it is most common for students to take one of our TEFL course options listed below.

Native English-Speaking Proficiency

You do not need to be a native English speaker to teach English in Austria, however, you will be expected to be fluent in English and speak at a native level to be considered for teaching jobs.  

Degree Requirements

English teachers need a bachelor's degree to teach English in Austria. Please note, your bachelor's degree does not need to be in education, it can be in any field.

How to Find English Teaching Jobs in Austria

TEFL Jobs Austria

The most common teaching jobs in Austria consist of:

• Teaching adults in foreign language schools.
• Teaching school children as part of the USTA Government Program.
• Teaching Business English to adults.
• Private one-on-one tutoring.
• Summer Camps (limited opportunities).
• Teaching English Online.

TEFL Jobs in Austria: Hiring & Visa

Austria represents a more challenging job market for any teacher who does not already have citizenship from a qualified European Union (EU) nation or working rights in Austria.  We highly suggest to not count on getting a legal work permit to teach in Austria if you are not an EU citizen. 

• EU CITIZENS
  English teachers in Austria can expect to find jobs during the peak hiring months of September and January with an expected downtime in August and from Christmas through the second week of January. Interviews are conducted face-to-face, meaning you will need to be in Austria to interview for your teaching job.
  
  
• AMERICAN CITIZENS
  Americans can gain visa sponsorship through the USTA Government Program (US Teaching Assistantships at Austrian Secondary Schools). Interviews for this program are conducted in advance from your home country.

English Teacher Jobs Austria: Hours

Schools in Austria offer approximately 20 to 30 hours of classroom work per week plus additional hours for prep time. This allows for plenty of time to travel and explore. 

Teaching Austrian Students

It is most common that your students will be adult business professionals or high school-aged children if you are part of the USTA Government Program.  

TEFL Austria Salary & Cost of Living

Start-up Costs

Start-up costs will range from $2,550 - $3,800 USD (2,300 – 3,400 Euro). These are expenses you will incur from your arrival in Austria until you receive your first paycheck and may include things like rent, apartment supplies, transport, groceries, getting your new local cell phone number set up, etc. 

English Teacher Salary in Austria

A solid salary enables teachers the opportunity to live a comfortable lifestyle while in Austria. English teachers in Austria can expect to make $1,800 - $2,500 USD per month (1,600 - 2,200 Euro).

There are no flight or housing benefits/stipends provided so you will need to remember to account for accommodation or temporary housing for your first few weeks in your start-up costs until you find an apartment to rent.

Cost of Living & Savings

How much does it cost to live in Austria?

The average monthly cost of living ranges from around $1,700 - $2,500 USD per month (1,500 - 2,200 Euro).

English teachers in Austria can expect to break even month over month. This means you can cover your rent and bills, support yourself, live comfortably, and enjoy your life abroad to the fullest, but you should not expect to save money at the end of the month. If you are hustling and taking on private tutoring lessons and/or teaching English online in addition to your regular teaching schedule, you may increase your ability to save.