What are the benefits of teaching English in Beijing?

Beijing is home to some of China’s most reputable and prestigious schools, training centers, and universities. These offer the highest salaries and the greatest number of perks for English-speaking foreign teachers.

Coupled with a low cost but high standard of living, and the fact that foreign teachers enjoy a privileged standing in Chinese society, all that makes English teaching in Beijing an excellent personal and professional choice.

Here’s what else Beijing offers:

• An abundance of attractions and activities in the city
• Even more fun things to see and do in the countryside
• Exciting living in one of China’s most cosmopolitan and modern cities
• Much less pronounced culture shock for Western teachers
• The highest concentration of Western-style restaurants, chain shops, and luxuries
• The largest ex-pat social networks in all of China
• Amazing flight connections to the rest of the world
• Buzzy vibe of a city that never sleeps
• Outstanding safety – much like Shanghai, this is perhaps the safest megacity in the world

We’ve compiled a list of the most often-asked questions from potential foreign teachers wishing to head to Beijing to offer the most valuable info to help you decide if this is, indeed, the right Teaching Destination for you.

What’s it like living in Beijing?

Beijing has a welcoming, X-large ex-pat scene this makes the initial moving-in period much easier for foreign teachers.  Your teaching colleagues will undoubtedly be your first port of call when it comes to creating new friendships but don’t be surprised if your social circles grow rapidly. With so many social groups organizing weekly gatherings and excursions, it’s very easy to meet people as long as you are pro-active

The strong foreign presence in Beijing has created a hive of activities, be it picnics, music festivals, parties, art exhibitions, yoga classes, and ‘traditional Sunday roast’ get-togethers. This can make even the timidest of newcomers feel right at home. Well, almost.

What’s the cost of living like in Beijing?

One of the prime reasons many chose to teach English in Beijing, particularly, is that the city boasts very high wages. Many foreign teachers can live comfortably (eating out and traveling often) whilst still saving a bundle every month.

What Beijing offers, more than anything else is a mind-boggling array of affordable choices when it comes to accommodation, food, and much more. Many ex-pats here report enjoying a much better quality of life, overall, than they did (or ever could) back home.