 Can I choose where I teach English abroad? Yes, one of the many attractions of teaching English abroad is that you are free to choose the country or City where you would prefer to live and work as Demand for English language teachers is so high in many parts of the world. There is undoubtedly somewhere that is perfect for everyone Whether you dream of living in Barcelona Bangkok or Bogota with an internationally accredited TEFL or TESOL certification the world is your oyster However the requirements for foreign teachers do very greatly from one country to the next and they may limit the options that are open to you Before making any final plans. It is highly recommended that you research the requirements for your country of choice The following are some of the most common issues you might find Citizenship in some cases language schools are restricted to only hiring teachers who hold a citizenship of a native English speaking country These are generally considered to be the USA, Canada, UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa University degree in Some countries it is a legal requirement that foreign teachers hold a four-year degree age There are limitations on hiring teachers over a certain age in some countries typically around 55 Gender Across the Middle East region in particular many jobs are restricted to men only or women only Depending on the gender of the students Men only positions are typically more numerous Contract length The length of contract you are required to sign can vary from six months in some countries to 12 months in others In Europe they might run for nine or ten months as summers are often taken off