Overseas American Schools and Overseas British Schools

Overseas American schools and overseas British schools are usually international schools that run American or British curriculae but are hosted in a foreign country.

International teachers applying to international schools can work in either British or American international schools without having trained in those countries. If you have experience in these curriculae it can be easier to get hired abroad, but it is not usually a requirement.

One thing that teachers should check before submitting their resume to an international school is how the school has labelled the year levels. A school following the American system will be K-12. This means that a British teacher will need to 'translate' their experience from year levels to grade levels - and vice versa.

The general rule is that British schools run from Reception through to Year 13 and American schools run from Kindergarten through to Grade 12.

British teachers subtract '1' and call it a 'grade'.

American teachers add '1' and call it a 'year'.

Non-Teaching Partner/Spouse

Teaching abroad can be a great experience for you if you're the one teaching, but it can be a bit less fantastic if you are a non-teaching spouse or partner unable to find a job in your new location.

Sometimes it is possible for an international school to employ a partner or spouse with no teaching qualifications when the host country's employment laws allow this. However, some countries require teachers to have a teaching qualification as well as a degree, and other countries require all foreign employees at an international school be teachers. The rules change from country to country.

It is also possible for non-teaching partners and spouses to secure employment outside the international school. If you and your partner/spouse are considering this option, it is important to confirm how the working visa situation works in your new host country... before you enter that country! If you end up on a non-working dependent visa it can be very difficult to convert it to a working visa later.

Teaching Abroad with a non-Teaching Partner/Spouse