Teaching in International Schools Abroad: A Guide for Qualified Irish Teachers

Qualified Irish primary and post-primary teachers are in demand at international schools around the world. This is particularly true in British-curriculum and International Baccalaureate schools in the Middle East, Asia and Europe. Most schools recruit between September and February for an August start. They ask for at least two years of post-qualification experience. They offer two-year contracts that often include housing or a housing allowance, flights and medical insurance. Permanent teachers in Ireland can usually take a career break of up to five years at a time under the Department of Education’s scheme. However, the time away does not count for pension purposes. Keeping your Teaching Council registration current is your responsibility. Find information about international schools for Irish teachers.

Key takeaways

• International schools are full-curriculum schools that teach in English, which is very different from TEFL language schools.
• Irish teachers most often work in British-curriculum (English National Curriculum, IGCSE and A Level) and International Baccalaureate schools.
• The main hiring season runs from September to February for jobs starting the following August.
• Packages commonly include housing or an allowance, an annual flight home, medical insurance and sometimes free tuition for your children.
• Under the career break scheme in Circular 0054/2019, a career break can last up to five years at a time and ten years over a career. It does not count for pension.
• Your Teaching Council registration must be renewed every year (currently €65) or you will have to reapply when you come home.

What is an international school?

An international school teaches a full academic curriculum in English, usually to a mix of expatriate children and local families who want an international education. Teachers deliver subjects such as maths, science, history and English literature, just as they would in Ireland, and classes are generally small and well resourced.

That makes international school teaching very different from TEFL. A TEFL teacher teaches the English language itself, usually in a language school, and does not need a state teaching qualification. An international school teacher is hired as a qualified subject or class teacher and is expected to hold a recognised teaching qualification and registration. If you are not a qualified teacher but want to teach abroad, our guide to taking a career break to teach English abroad covers the TEFL route.

Which curricula do international schools use?

Most international schools follow one of three broad models.

British curriculum schools follow the English National Curriculum, usually leading to IGCSE and A Level exams. They are the most common employers of Irish teachers, because the structure and subject content are familiar and Irish qualifications are widely recognised. Schools accredited by bodies such as the Council of British International Schools (COBIS) or inspected as British Schools Overseas (BSO) are generally a good sign of quality.

International Baccalaureate (IB) schools offer the Primary Years Programme, Middle Years Programme and Diploma Programme. IB schools value inquiry-based teaching and often provide training in the IB framework, so prior IB experience is helpful but not always essential.

American curriculum schools follow US standards and often offer Advanced Placement courses. They hire Irish teachers too, though some prefer teachers with US certification.

There are also bilingual and national-curriculum-plus schools that use English for some subjects. Quality and pay vary more in this group, so research individual schools carefully.

Where are the jobs?

Demand is strongest where expatriate communities and wealthy local families are concentrated. The Gulf states, particularly the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, have a very large international school sector and recruit heavily from Ireland and the UK. Our guide to what Dubai and Abu Dhabi international schools require covers that region in detail.

East and Southeast Asia is the other major region, with large numbers of schools in China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and Japan. Europe has international schools in most capital cities, though packages are usually less generous because the cost of living is higher and schools assume teachers can travel home cheaply. Africa and Latin America also have well-established international schools, often in capital cities.

What do international schools look for?

Most reputable international schools ask for:

• A recognised teaching qualification, such as a Professional Master of Education or a Bachelor of Education.
• Full registration with your home teaching regulator, in your case the Teaching Council.
• At least two years of post-qualification teaching experience. Some schools hire newly qualified teachers, but the best packages usually go to experienced staff.
• Experience with, or willingness to learn, the school’s curriculum.
• A clean police check, which schools increasingly treat as non-negotiable for safeguarding.
• Strong references, usually including your current principal.

Subjects in short supply, such as maths, physics, chemistry and computer science, are easier to place. Primary teachers are in demand across all regions. Teachers with experience in special educational needs or English as an Additional Language (EAL) are also highly sought after.

If you have not yet completed Droichead or another induction requirement, check with the Teaching Council before you leave, as conditions attached to your registration may have deadlines that are hard to meet while abroad.

What packages do international schools offer?

Packages vary enormously by country and school, so compare them in full rather than looking only at the salary. A typical package at an established international school might include:

• A tax-free or low-tax salary in some regions, such as the Gulf.
• Free accommodation or a housing allowance.
• An annual return flight home.
• Medical insurance, sometimes including dependants.
• Free or discounted tuition for teachers’ children.
• A settling-in allowance.
• An end-of-contract gratuity, which is common in the Gulf.
• Professional development funding.

Contracts are usually for two years, renewable. In high-cost cities, a seemingly generous salary can leave less than expected once rent and schooling are covered, while in lower-cost countries with housing included, teachers can often save significantly more than they would at home. Always ask what the package includes, and talk to current teachers if you can.

How to find an international school job

Recruitment for international schools is highly seasonal. Most schools advertise from September to February for jobs starting the following August, and the best posts are often filled before Christmas. Starting your search in early autumn gives you the widest choice.

There are several main routes into international school jobs. Specialist recruitment agencies such as Search Associates, Schrole and International Schools Services run databases and recruitment fairs, and some charge teachers a registration fee. Job boards such as Tes advertise thousands of international posts each year. Many schools also recruit directly through their own websites. Recruitment fairs, held in person and online, let you interview with several schools in a short time, and offers can come within days.

International school interviews often happen over video call and may include a sample lesson, a safeguarding interview and conversations with several senior leaders. Be ready to talk about how you differentiate for mixed-ability and multilingual classes, as international classrooms often include students with a wide range of English levels.

Your Irish teaching post: the career break scheme

If you hold a permanent post in Ireland, the career break scheme lets you go abroad without resigning. The rules are set out in Chapter 7 of Department of Education Circular 0054/2019, and in practice they work as follows:

• A career break must last at least one school year, and can be extended annually up to a maximum of five years at any one time.
• The overall maximum is ten years of career break absence over a career.
• You apply to your employer: the Board of Management, or the ETB for ETB schools. Applications are approved locally, and the employer notifies the Department.
• You keep the right to return to a permanent post when the career break ends.
• The unpaid period does not count for pension purposes, though you may be able to buy back notional service, depending on your pension scheme.
• Teachers returning after more than two school years must be assessed by Occupational Health and certified fit before resuming duty.

Your school may have its own application deadlines and policy, so talk to your principal early, ideally before you start applying abroad. Your union, whether the INTO, TUI or ASTI, has detailed guidance and can answer questions about your specific situation. If you do not hold a permanent post, you will usually need to resign or let a fixed-term contract end, so weigh up the job market at home before you go.

Keeping your Teaching Council registration

Teaching Council registration lasts 12 months and must be renewed each year to stay on the register; the renewal fee is currently €65. If you let it lapse while abroad, you will need to complete the full registration process again, including vetting, before you can work in a state-funded post at home. Most international teachers simply keep renewing online, which also keeps you eligible for subbing during visits home where your career break terms allow it. Keep evidence of your teaching service abroad, such as contracts and letters from principals, in case you need it for incremental credit or registration purposes later.

Is teaching in an international school right for you?

International school teaching can be one of the most rewarding moves a teacher makes. Classes are smaller, resources are often excellent, students are motivated, and the combination of travel, professional development and savings can be hard to match at home. Many teachers come back with new ideas, leadership experience and a broader view of education.

It also has trade-offs. Being far from family is harder than many expect, particularly for teachers with young children or ageing parents. Some schools are run as businesses, and parental expectations can be intense. Contracts are less secure than a permanent Irish post, and the pension gap can matter over a long career. Thinking honestly about why you want to go, and for how long, helps you choose the right school and the right package.

Adding EAL or TEFL skills

Almost every international school has students who are still learning English, and many have dedicated English as an Additional Language departments. Teachers who can support these learners in mainstream classes, or teach EAL directly, are more employable and better prepared for multilingual classrooms. A TEFL qualification gives qualified teachers the language-teaching techniques that most initial teacher education does not cover in depth, and it can open EAL roles that mainstream teaching alone might not. Our Level 5 TEFL diploma is designed to sit at the same level as other professional language-teaching qualifications.

Frequently asked questions

See the frequently asked questions section on this page for answers to common questions about teaching in international schools.

Related reading

For a broader look at the region with the most international school jobs, see teaching in the UAE. If you are thinking about Asia, our guide to teaching in Asia compares the main countries, and the Paperwork Desk explains police certificates and apostilles for Irish teachers.

Ready to start?

Qualified teachers who add language-teaching skills stand out in international school recruitment, particularly for EAL support. Our Level 5 TEFL diploma and accredited 120-hour TEFL course are both studied online. You can complete them alongside your current teaching job. Thanks for reading about international schools for Irish teachers!