I did not set out to become someone who taught English online from different countries. I simply wanted a job that would give me more freedom than my old routine ever could.
At the time, my days felt predictable in the least exciting way. I was working, saving what I could, scrolling through travel videos at night, and telling myself that I would finally see more of the world “one day.” The problem was that every version of travel I imagined involved quitting my job, using up my savings, and eventually coming home to start from scratch.
Then I started looking into teaching English online.
It was not an overnight transformation or a shortcut to permanent holidays. It was a practical decision: get qualified, learn how online teaching works, apply for suitable roles, and build a routine I could take with me. Over time, teaching English online gave me the flexibility to earn remotely while experiencing places I had only ever saved on travel boards.
For anyone wondering how to teach English online, how much online English teachers can earn, or whether it can support a more flexible lifestyle, this is what I learned along the way.
Why teaching English online appealed to me
Remote work is no longer limited to tech, design or corporate jobs. More people are building careers around skills they can use from almost anywhere with reliable internet, and teaching English is one of the most accessible routes into that world.
Teaching English online means helping learners develop practical language skills through video lessons. Depending on the company or students you work with, you might teach children, university students, professionals, exam learners, or adults who want to become more confident speaking English for work or travel.
The job appealed to me because it offered three things I wanted:
There is also room to shape the work around your strengths. Some online teachers work for established language platforms, while others find private students through referrals, tutoring sites, social media or professional networks. Many begin with a platform to gain experience and later decide whether they want to build a more independent schedule.
How I started teaching English online
My first step was researching what employers actually look for. The answer was clear: reputable employers expect teachers to have completed recognised TEFL training and to understand lesson planning, grammar, student needs and online classroom skills.
TEFL stands for Teaching English as a Foreign Language. A TEFL qualification shows that you have trained to teach learners whose first language is not English, rather than simply being a fluent English speaker yourself.
A 120-hour TEFL course is often regarded as the baseline by employers. However, I quickly realised that course quality matters just as much as the number of hours. I wanted training with credible accreditation, genuine assessment, tutor access and practical modules that would help me teach real students.
I focused on a Level 5 course because I wanted a qualification that could support both teaching English online and future teaching opportunities abroad. A higher-level course gave me greater confidence in applications, particularly when employers asked about my training, lesson-planning ability and experience with different learner types.
Once I started studying, the process felt more manageable than I expected. I worked through the course around my existing commitments and began to understand how effective lessons are built: identify what a learner needs, set a clear objective, explain the language simply, practise together and give useful feedback.
That foundation made applying for online English teaching jobs far less intimidating.
What online English teachers actually do
There is a misconception that online English teaching is simply having casual conversations on video calls. Conversation can absolutely be part of the job, but good teaching requires preparation, structure and the ability to adapt to the learner in front of you.
A typical lesson could involve:
Some employers provide lesson materials, while others expect teachers to create or adapt activities. This is another reason TEFL training matters: it helps you understand how to plan lessons instead of depending only on instinct.
The strongest lessons do not feel like lectures. They are focused, encouraging and connected to the learner’s real goals. Someone preparing for hospitality work in Spain needs different English from a professional joining meetings with colleagues around the world.
How much can you earn teaching English online?
Online English teaching income varies, so it is important to approach it realistically. Your pay can depend on your TEFL qualification, teaching experience, location, niche, student reviews, availability and whether you work through a platform or independently.
When I started, I treated teaching as a flexible income stream rather than expecting it to replace a full-time salary overnight. That reduced the pressure and gave me room to learn what worked.
Teachers working through platforms may be paid by the hour or per completed lesson. Private teachers can usually set their own rates, but they also need to manage their marketing, scheduling, payments and student retention. Over time, teachers who specialise in business English, exam preparation, interview coaching or English for a particular industry can often charge more because they offer students a more specific outcome.
The most useful approach is not to rely on dramatic income claims. Instead, work out what you need to earn each month, consider local living costs, allow for tax and platform fees, and build your schedule gradually.
For me, the biggest shift came from realising that a flexible income can stretch much further when you choose where you live carefully.
Popular European bases for remote teachers
Once I had a consistent timetable of students, I started thinking about travel differently. Instead of planning short, expensive holidays around annual leave, I could consider staying in a city for a month or longer while continuing to teach online.
The most appealing destinations were not always the cheapest ones. I wanted reliable internet, a comfortable place to work, a social atmosphere, good transport and enough to do outside of lesson hours. These popular European cities can offer that mix for remote teachers building a TEFL remote career.
Every city has trade-offs. Before booking somewhere for longer than a week or two, I checked Wi-Fi reviews, availability of a proper desk, noise levels, time-zone compatibility with my students and the realistic monthly cost of accommodation.
Remote-work visas and longer stays
One important lesson I learned is that working remotely while travelling is not the same as automatically having the legal right to work from another country. Visa, residency and tax rules depend on your nationality, how long you plan to stay, how your income is earned and where your employer or clients are based.
For non-EU citizens, countries including Portugal, Spain, Greece and Croatia have routes aimed at eligible remote workers and digital nomads. These can be useful for people who earn income from outside the country and want to stay longer than a typical visitor allowance permits.
Requirements vary by country and can change, but applications commonly ask for:
If you are an EU or EEA citizen, moving between EU countries can be simpler, but longer stays may still involve registration, tax-residency considerations and local administrative requirements. It is always worth checking official immigration and tax guidance before arranging a long-term rental, setting a fixed teaching schedule or committing to a particular destination.
For short stays, I kept my approach simple: choose accommodation with a verified workspace, avoid teaching on travel days, keep a backup internet option and ensure my students knew the time zone I was teaching from.
Choosing a TEFL provider carefully
The TEFL provider you choose can influence how prepared you feel, how confidently you apply and the quality of support available after you qualify. It is worth looking beyond the cheapest course or a vague promise of a quick certificate.
A credible provider should be transparent about course accreditation, assessment, course level, tutor support and career guidance. It should also help you understand what employers expect and prepare you to teach in real online classrooms.
The following providers are widely recognised options for prospective online and overseas teachers. Before enrolling, always check the exact course details, current accreditation information and requirements of the employers or countries you are targeting.
The TEFL Institute
The TEFL Institute offers recognised Level 5 TEFL training for people planning to teach online or abroad. Its 180-hour Level 5 TEFL Diploma is a strong option for learners who want substantial training, practical teaching knowledge and a qualification that can support a global job search.
The programme is flexible, with online and hybrid learning options available, making it easier to study around work, family or travel plans. Once qualified, graduates have a TEFL certificate that does not expire, so it can remain part of a long-term career plan.
What stands out is the level of student support. The TEFL Institute offers guidance that extends beyond course content, including tutor support, job coaching seminars, weekly tutor Zoom meetings and employment-focused resources. For new teachers, this can make a real difference when you are moving from training into applications and interviews.
The TEFL Institute of Ireland
The TEFL Institute of Ireland,is a sister provider with a strong reputation among learners in Ireland, the UK and across Europe. It offers recognised and accredited TEFL qualifications designed to prepare students for teaching English online or abroad.
The provider’s Level 5 TEFL Diploma offers a similar standard of training and recognition, alongside flexible online learning. Students can develop the skills needed to plan lessons, manage learners at different levels and begin applying for online English teaching jobs with confidence.
Support is also a key part of the experience. Students can access tutor guidance, career resources, job coaching, CV and interview advice, and lifetime access to a jobs board. For anyone who wants to turn TEFL training into an active job search, those resources can be just as valuable as the qualification itself.
Premier TEFL
Premier TEFL has a large international student and graduate community, including a particularly strong base of learners in the United States. It offers accredited TEFL training for people hoping to teach English online, travel abroad or create a flexible long-term career.
Premier TEFL’s courses include tutor support and job-focused guidance, helping learners build confidence before they begin applying. Its international reach can be particularly useful for those who are still deciding whether they want to teach online, move abroad or combine both routes over time.
The provider also offers student support that includes career advice and access to teaching opportunities. For someone who wants to enter the online teaching world with a recognised qualification and ongoing guidance, Premier TEFL is worth including in the research process.
After comparing the three providers, I decided to enrol on a Level 5 TEFL course with Premier TEFL. The course structure, international student community and career-focused support felt like the right match for the direction I wanted to take. That said, all three options appeared genuinely strong in terms of recognised training, student support and job guidance. In the end, it came down to my personal preference and the type of TEFL journey I wanted to create.
The choice is personal, but accreditation, employer recognition, alumni feedback, tutor access and job assistance should always be central to your decision. Be cautious of extremely cheap courses that cannot clearly explain their accreditation or make unrealistic promises about instant work and high earnings.
Finding your first online teaching role
After qualifying, I treated the job search as a project. I did not wait until I felt perfectly ready, because confidence usually follows action rather than arriving before it.
I prepared a clear CV that included my TEFL qualification, education, communication skills, professional experience and availability. I also wrote a short introduction explaining why I wanted to teach, which learners I wanted to work with and what I could offer in lessons.
Then I started applying consistently.
Some applications did not lead anywhere, and some took longer than expected. But every application helped me understand what employers looked for. I improved my profile, practised interview questions and became more specific about the students I wanted to teach.
A few practical steps helped me get started:
I also found it useful to research teaching destinations alongside online roles. Tools such as tefl.ai can help prospective teachers explore countries based on their experience, qualifications and personal expectations before deciding where to focus their longer-term job search.
The freedom is built, not handed to you
Teaching English online did not turn every weekday into a travel montage. Some days involved early lessons, preparation, occasional cancellations and finding a quiet corner with reliable Wi-Fi.
But it gave me something more useful than a fantasy version of remote work: options.
I could earn while staying somewhere longer. I could choose cities based on what I wanted to experience rather than only where I could find a local job. I could make travel part of my normal life instead of something squeezed into annual leave.
Most importantly, I stopped waiting for the perfect moment to build a more flexible future. I got qualified, applied, improved and kept going until teaching English online became a real part of my working life.
If you could teach English online from anywhere, which European city would you choose as your first remote-work base?
