Paid Application Process
If you are curious as to the likelihood of your application being accepted, please fill out a preliminary application form. You will be contacted within three business days with a recommendation in regards to your application information.
Process
Please submit the following items as part of your application to teach in China:
- Preliminary Application Form. Please submit the above form first. Upon receiving confirmation from a China Horizons representative to continue the application process, proceed to items 2-10. You will be notified of your acceptance to teach within two weeks after items 2-10 are received. Your acceptance letter will also contain additional instructions regarding airfare and visas. Specific location information will be provided to applicants within one month of departure.
- Cover Letter. Describe your interest in living in China, and the skills and traits you possess that qualify you for the position. Direct the letter to “To Whom It May Concern.” Sign, scan, and e-mail the letter to China Horizons.
- Current Resume. Your resume should contain two current references. In preparing your resume, please phrase any reference to religion, church, or missionary work in a secular format. E-mail your resume in a Microsoft Word file format.
- Two Letters of Recommendation. Past employers, teachers, or professors are all acceptable references. These letters should NOT be written by a relative or clergy (church) contact. Make sure the letter is typed, printed on professional letterhead, and signed. The signed letters must be scanned and e-mailed to China Horizons. Either the writer or the applicant may e-mail these to China Horizons.
- Copy of Signed Valid U.S. Passport (picture page only). The passport should contain at least six months’ validity from the time you return from China to the U.S. The passport you submit must be the exact passport you will use for China. For example, if you are married or engaged and plan on applying for a new passport with your new last name, you will need to submit your new passport with your application, not your current passport. View the Passport and Visa page for more information. Scan and e-mail the copy of your passport.
- Passport/Visa Photograph and Drivers License. This must be a professional 2″ x 2″ passport/visa style photo. It does not need to match the photo on your passport. A convenient place to have this taken is at a Walgreens Photo Lab. We also need a scan of the front of your Drivers License. Please scan and e-mail the photo and license.
- Copies of College Degrees and/or Teaching Certificates. This item should be scanned and e-mailed. Graduation dates for a BA/BS degree must be at least two years prior to the start if teaching in China.
- Signed Terms and Conditions Agreement Form. Print, sign, scan, and e-mail this form back to China Horizons.
- Signed Teacher Code of Conduct Agreement form. This form is signed digitally and does NOT need to be printed, signed, scanned, or e-mailed back.
- Initial Application Fee. The application deposit must be submitted with the above materials. The deposit is deducted from the program cost and is NOT an additional fee. If you are not accepted or placed, ALL fees (including the deposit) are 100% refunded. However, if you choose to withdraw your application, the deposit is not refunded. The application deposit may be mailed to the P.O. Box listed below. You can also use the PayPal option below.
How to Submit Application Materials
E-mail all scanned materials together in one email to: Applications@ChinaHorizons.org and retain all original hard copies for future reference.
Please Follow These Guidelines
- All documents should be attached to your e-mail in the form of a Microsoft Word document (.DOC), PDF file, or J-PEG file. Your application will be sent to China online, so please prepare all documents in an appropriate file size. Each attachment should not exceed 2MB.
- Please name the file using this format: “last name_application item.” For example, if you are attaching your passport as a PDF file and your last name is Rogers, the file would be named Rogers_ Passport. Any spaces should be replaced with an underscore. Application items may be abbreviated when naming the file. For example, “Terms and Conditions” may be named simply “Terms” or “T&C.”
*If you do not have access to a scanner or e-mail, please contact China Horizons to make arrangements for submitting your application.
Pre-application Considerations for Teaching in China
Particpants should understand that placement through China Horizons constitutes a highly independent experience. This is not a 4-month tour where you will be living, eating, and socializing with 20 other American teachers. You will not have a “head” teacher who oversees your work and daily life. Instead, the school will have a foreign director who acts as a liaison between you and the school officials. Ultimately, you are an employee of the school and subject to their administrative decisions. However, you are on the top of their priority list; they treat all foreign teachers with great respect and admiration for coming to teach at their school. You need to understand that the contract you sign will not be with China Horizons, as you will not be working directly for China Horizons but rather through the China Horizons program.
Your decision to teach in China is a serious commitment. Please weigh all the factors and issues surrounding your decision to be certain this is right for you. Outline a plan for the next year, detailing how a China experience will affect your future. We are here to answer all your questions and concerns to assist in this important decision.
For the Chinese school, obtaining a foreign teacher is an expensive process, requiring various costly government documents to allow you to apply for a visa and resident card. This is to ensure that your stay will be legal and secure. Your apartment will most likely be the nicest in the school, since the schools spend considerable time and money to make sure that the accommodations are suitable for a foreign teacher. Additionally, your salary will be equivalent to the school principal, if not more. Foreign teachers make approximately four times the amount of a native Chinese teacher. Thus, you are a critical investment and asset to the school.
Frequently asked application questions
- Do I need a degree to teach?
- A Bachelors degree is required for paid positions. No degree is required for the volunteer program.
- What are my chances of being accepted as a teacher?
- Available positions vary each semester. As long as you have a strong application and submit it before the deadline, your chances of acceptance will be very good.
- Are there any age restrictions?
- All applicants must be 18 at the time of application. Some schools do require that participants be at least 20 years old while other schools are flexible.
- How soon after applying will I know that I am accepted?
- You will be notified within 2 weeks of completing the application process whether you are accepted or not. However, your exact teaching location may not be known until one month prior to your departure.
- Can I request to be placed with my friends if they apply?
- Absolutely! The volunteer program can often accommodate up to 6 teachers in the same school. The paid position group sizes tend to be smaller with no more than 2-4 teachers in the same school.
- Will I receive a refund if I am not accepted?
- If you are not accepted as a teacher, you will receive a 100% refund of all fees paid up to that point. Refunds are not available for teachers who withdraw their applications for any reason. Fees can, however, be deferred to a future semester of teaching.