Q What are the requirements to be an eligible applicant?

A Essential

• Age – 19 years minimum preferred by Chinese schools. Mature 18 year old considered.
• Completed high school with sound grades (post secondary school preferred)
• Good English grades at school*
• Appropriate personal qualities (maturity, flexibility, ability to cope with challenges, good communication skills)
• Travel experience
• A range of hobbies and interests
• Provide copies of academic qualifications
• Good health
• No police record
• Demonstrated cultural sensitivity

Preferable

• Some work experience- either paid or voluntary.
• Experience of working with children, such as babysitting
• Held a position of responsibility at school
• Independent travel experience or travel to developing countries is a plus)

*A high level of written and spoken English is an expectation and all candidates will be interviewed and complete a written application to demonstrate the skills required. Applicants are required to take an English test on application.

There are minimum standards of dress and behavior expected. Body piercing and visible tattoos are not acceptable for the role of Teacher Intern in China.

Candidates should have the capacity to be independent; able to adjust to a new environment that is very different to their current experience; demonstrate responsibility and commitment and have the capacity to be flexible and meet challenges.

Q What is the language requirement?

A You need to have either of the following:
- A native speaker of English or
- Sound English levels, especially in oral and spoken English.

All applicants have a written test and are interviewed to assess their level of English to ensure it is at a level that is required for the program.

Q What is the application procedure?

A There are several stages to the application process:

• Complete either an on-line application or submit a written application through your Agent
• Language Assessment
• Interview, either face to face or via telephone.
• TCC assesses the application, and will be ablke to advise you within 10 working days of success after we have received your application in our Head Office

Q What is included in the Program?

• A four week Training & Orientation Package which consists of English language teaching methodology; orientation to China and Mandarin lessons. Accommodation and meals are included in the Training Package.
• Access to support and emergency services on a 24 hour basis.
• The ELC Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL). This is a certificate that is provided by English Language Company, a registered English training school in Sydney Australia.
• Orientation to China, detailing customs, laws and other essential 'survival' information.
• Lessons in basic Mandarin - conversational level Mandarin for everyday usage.
• Placement in schools for work as a Teacher Intern.
• Ongoing academic support & access to teaching ideas and resources
• Accommodation and meals whilst employed at schools. This is generally shared apartments and school canteen meals.
• An allowance of 2000RMB per month when in a school. This is an allowance that will assist the candidate in their stay in China, but will not allow for saving.
• A completion bonus of RMB2500 per semester once the Teacher Intern Placement is completed.
• Internal travel, when moving between schools, will be paid.
• Time to travel other areas of China during school breaks and after your time at school.
• The program is endorsed by Chinese government authorities.

Q. What is not included?

A The key things not included in the Program, other than daily expenses are:

• Return Air Ticket - note however, that the Completion Bonus paid can contribute to the air fare or be used to travel China once the formal commitments are completed.
• Visa fees
• Travel Insurance - participants are required to obtain adequate travel insurance - Please ask your TTC Representative for advice
• Travel during holidays and after the formal program is completed.

Q. What are the ages of people on the Program?

A The age of the participants does vary, with people from 18 through to 62 joining the program. However, the majority of participants are between 21 and 30 years old.

Q. What kind of visa is needed?

A The visa will be organized for Teach & Travel participants, at the participant's expense. As Teach & Travel is a cultural exchange program based on the Teacher Intern role, you will enter China with an 'F' visa.

Q How to apply for a "F" visa?

A To apply for the "F" visa, you must be able to do the following. As visa requirements can vary between countries, please ensure that you understand all the requirements for this visa from your country.

1. TTC will supply a 'Letter of Invitation' from China for you to apply for the visa.
2. Take your passport (valid for a minimum of 6 months after you will leave China), 2 passport photographs; visa application form and 'Letter of Invitation to the local China Embassy.
3. You will leave the information at the Embassy and be able to collect the Visa within 3 - 7 working days.
4. You will be responsible for the cost of the visa.
5. There are two steps to the visa process: First, you apply for a F-visa in the home country will be valid for 3 month with 60 days of duration of stay. It will be extended to a six months F-visa with multiple entry once you are in China.
6. In some countries a third party can lodge and collect the visa for you.

Q When will I know where my Teacher Intern placement is?

A You will be advised of your placement region, North or South China prior to departure. Participants applying together can be placed in the same school.

Applications that are received towards the end of the application process may not know of their placement until after arrival.

It is the Schools that determine the placements through selection from your applications.

You will have the opportunity to nominate a region of China you would prefer - North-east; North; Central East and South, although these cannot be guaranteed.

The majority of placements will be in the south of China.

The North-East includes Inner Mongolia, Jilin and Liaoning. The North includes Beijing, Tianjin, Shanxi and Shaanxi. Central East includes Shanghai, Nanjing, Hangzhou and Jiangsu Province. The south includes the provinces of Guangdong, Guangxi, Hunan, Sichuan, Yunan and Fujian. Within these there are cities and provinces not listed, but a check of a China map will give an idea of the nature of the locations.

Q How long before the start date do they need to apply?

A You will need to have submitted your application by:

Q What kind of Teacher Intern positions are available?

A Generally, there are three categories of teacher assistant placement:
1. kindergarten
2. primary
3. high school

You will be asked to nominate your preference of placement, but these are not guaranteed.

Q What kind of school will I be placed in?

A Schools in China will vary greatly as they do in all education systems. Schools are usually large, with between 2,000 and 5,000 students.

The schools are a mixture of private schools and government schools. They can be primary only; secondary only or K-12 schools (Kindergarten to Year 12).

Many of the schools have foreign teachers and programs, but there schools in China that are new to having foreign teachers in the schools.

Teach & Travel participants are placed with at least one other TT member, and usually in a city where there are other members of the program which assists greatly with the support and friendships developed.