Is it easy getting a foreign teaching certificate?

Post Reply
Phil
Posts: 31
Joined: Sat Jan 25, 2014 6:49 am

Is it easy getting a foreign teaching certificate?

Post by Phil »

Does anyone know of any country where I can apply for a teaching certificate in economics as a foreigner, without too much hassle/expenses?

I´m a certified Swedish teacher with a master of education and four years of work experience. I have 67.5 ECTS-credits in economics, and would like to teach the subject at an international high school. One of my problems is that I can´t get certified to teach that particular subject, as it is not offered in my home country. In the future I may or may not get a few more credits in the subject (possibly up to 90 ECTS-credits in total), but I don´t have any teaching experience in it yet. It seems like it would be a big advantage being certified, as ISS and some similar services uses certification as a search criteria, and I have heard that in some countries you need to be certified in the subject you are employed to teach to be able to get a visa. Getting a foreign certificate would allow me to get around this. It would preferably be a certificate that doesn´t expire.
shadowjack
Posts: 2140
Joined: Sat Oct 06, 2012 9:49 am

Re: Is it easy getting a foreign teaching certificate?

Post by shadowjack »

Phil,

you already have a Western teaching certificate. Use it.

Make personal contact. Make sure your English in your CV and cover letter are perfect.

Go for it.

Otherwise, you can also try New Jersey certification. They do offer a non-standard certification, but not sure if you have to have gone to a New Jersey college or university to get it.

Hope this helps,

shad

I have European (non-Brit) friends who are teaching on their home country certificates.
grdwdgrrrl
Posts: 79
Joined: Thu May 23, 2013 6:26 pm

Re: Is it easy getting a foreign teaching certificate?

Post by grdwdgrrrl »

You can look into a PGCEi which is a British teaching certificate you can obtain overseas. You will not be able to use it in Britain, but can use it in international schools. I'm on the University of Nottingham course. I have many former colleagues who have taken this course. Check it out.
sid
Posts: 1392
Joined: Sat Dec 02, 2006 11:44 am

Re: Is it easy getting a foreign teaching certificate?

Post by sid »

You cannot get a New Jersey teaching certificate, nor any US teaching certificate, unless you are a US citizen.
Rules vary considerably from country to country, but often you have to be either a citizen or a resident in order to earn a certificate.
You mention one concern in that you aren't certified in the subject you'd like to teach. This might be less of a worry than you think. Most countries aren't really fussy about this point. Turkey is, but most others I can think of require teaching certification in general, not in the specific subject. It then becomes up to the school to decide whether to let you teach a certain subject or age range.
You have a relevant qualification. I suggest you get registered with a recruiting agency, and/or start applying to schools. They will know the laws in their countries, and can quickly tell you whether you can be considered.
exnewyorker
Posts: 24
Joined: Mon Jan 27, 2014 3:46 pm

Re: Is it easy getting a foreign teaching certificate?

Post by exnewyorker »

I haven't read all the details here, but check this info from the Florida department of education. They mention how to get a certificate if you are foreign trained or a non-citizen. http://www.fldoe.org/edcert/foreigntrained.asp
Post Reply