Curious about the best online English teaching jobs for non-native speakers? This post has you covered! Teaching English online is an awesome way to make money online from the comfort of home or anywhere in the world.
Online English teaching jobs are appealing because they offer flexible schedules, competitive pay rates, and true location independence. And better yet, you don’t need to be a native English speaker to get started! In this post, we’ll cover the 8 best companies to teach English online as a non-native speaker.
- 26 best teaching English online jobs: Read here!
- 12 best online ESL teaching jobs where you can teach online without a degree: Read here!
- 8 best TEFL courses for teaching online: Read here!
- See all online teaching resources: Click here!
Are There ESL Online Teaching Jobs For Non-Native Speakers?
Yes, you can totally teach English online as a non-native speaker!
While many companies do look for native English speaking teachers, I’m happy to report that there are several reputable teaching companies that offer online ESL jobs for non-native speakers as well!
The platforms below do not require that you are a native English speaker to become a teacher. You just need an excellent command of the English language and advanced speaking abilities.
I’ve also included a few companies where you can teach other languages online if that’s something you’re interested in doing. I recently took Norwegian lessons from an amazing woman who taught Norwegian and English as a native-Norwegian speaker. I’ll include the platform she used to build her dual-language teaching career below.
So can non-native speakers teach English online? Absolutely! You just need to know which online ESL teaching jobs to look for.
What Do I Need To Teach English Online As A Non-Native Speaker?
To teach online, most platforms have a few basic things they look for. You’ll have an easier time teaching English online as a non-native speaker if you have some or all of these preferred requirements.
Age
To teach online, you must be 18 years of age or older.
Internet And Teaching Devices
You must have reliable access to high-speed internet. You’ll also need a device for teaching such as a laptop or tablet. Some platforms will require that you use services like Skype or Zoom, so make sure you’re familiar with these tools.
Degree Requirements
Some companies require that you have a university degree in any subject, but if you don’t have one, no worries! Check out this post about the best online ESL jobs where you can teach online without a degree.
TEFL Certification
A TEFL certification is preferred by many companies and required by some. Whether you’re a native English speaker or a non-native English speaker, having one can make your application more competitive and qualify you for more platforms. See this post for the best TEFL courses!
Teaching Experience
Some teaching experience is a plus! It doesn’t have to be traditional classroom teaching – tutoring, mentoring, homeschooling, coaching, and similar experiences also count.
Make sure to include any relevant experiences when applying to online teaching job opportunities for non-native English teachers.
8 Best Online English Teaching Jobs For Non-Native Speakers
| Company | About | Requirements | Pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Preply | Learning marketplace where you can teach English, another language, or another subject | Completed teacher profile, must be fluent in the language you wish to teach | $10-$30 USD per hour |
| iTalki | Language marketplace where you can teach English or any language in which you are C2 proficient | Professional Teacher: native or C2 proficient speaker, degree OR teaching credential, CV Community Tutor: native or C2 proficient speaker, completed teacher profile | $10-$30 USD per hour |
| AmazingTalker | Teach 25 or 50 min lessons to students around the world via Zoom. AmazingTalker helps match you to students and other teaching languages are available | Fluent English speakers who have a degree related to English, are ex-pats from an English speaking country, or are native English speakers | $15-$20 USD per 50 min |
| Engoo | Worldwide student base so English lessons available 24/7, one-on-one classes, 25-minutes each, lesson plans provided | Proficient in English, high-speed internet connection | $3-$10 USD per hour |
| CafeTalk | Teach languages or any topic you’re passionate about to students in Asia. Create your own lessons and marketing | Must teach from computer or tablet, must be fluent in the language you wish to teach, Korean, Japanese, and Chinese speakers preferred. | $20-$30 USD per hour |
| LearnLight | Business language lessons for adult students, multiple teaching languages available | High English proficiency, language teaching certification like a TEFL, 2 years of language teaching experience | 10-12 Euros per lesson |
| Lingoda | Teach languages to adults, small group classes, lessons provided, English, Spanish, French, German available | Must be a native English, Spanish, French, or German speaker, language teaching certification like a TEFL, 3 years teaching experience | $8-$12 USD per hour |
| Palfish Philippines | Teach English to students in China from your smartphone or tablet | Opportunity for Filipino teachers who are fluent English speakers, teaching certification or TEFL required | 180-268 PHP per hour |
Preply
About Preply
Preply is an awesome platform to teach English online for non-native speakers! On this popular online learning website, you can teach any subject you’re passionate about. This could be English, another language, or another subject entirely!
As a Preply teacher, you’ll make a profile that includes your availability, class offerings, and pay rate. Students can browse through teacher profiles and enroll in classes that appeal to them.
They book a time slot with you and classes are taught on the Preply platform. Because you can teach any subject you want, there are no lesson plans provided. You’ll need to create your own classes and market them to attract students.
Preply Non-Native Online English Teacher Jobs
Since you can teach a variety of topics on Preply, there are no language requirements to join. You can teach English or your native language – all you need to do is make a strong profile that highlights your expertise to attract students.
Preply Requirements
To become a Preply tutor, you need to be passionate and knowledgable about the subject you wish to teach. The only Preply teacher requirement is that you create a teacher profile following the directions on the website. Your profile must be filled out completely to their recommendations to be approved.
After your Preply teacher account is approved, you’ll need to make sure your profile stands out from the crowd. This is where any experience, certifications, or additional qualifications will come into play. The more experience you have, the easier it will be to find new clients.
Preply Pay
Teachers on Preply set their own pay rates. The average starting rate according to online teacher reviews is $10 – $15 USD per hour. After gaining experience on the platform and positive student reviews, some teachers raise their rates to the $20-$30 USD per hour range.
Preply keeps 100% of your lesson fee for the first lesson you teach with each new student. This is their commission for letting you use the platform for free.
After that, Preply keeps between 33% and 18% of your lesson fee for each class you teach. That percentage drops the more you teach. When setting your price, make sure to account for this.
Want to learn more about teaching online with Preply? Check out my full Preply Review!
Italki
About iTalki
iTalki is an online language marketplace where you can learn and teach hundreds of languages from tutors around the world. I used iTalki to learn Norwegian and I was extremely impressed with the student-facing experience. I also noticed that many tutors (including my own) offered lessons in multiple languages.
On iTalki, being a multi-lingual teacher can have huge advantages for attracting clients.
To become an iTalki teacher, you’ll apply on their website. Once you’re approved, you will create a teacher profile highlighting what languages you teach and different course bundles you offer. Students can browse through tutor listings and book your classes.
Similar to Preply, you’ll need to do your own lesson planning and marketing. The upside is that you get to set your own pay rate and you have full control over your teaching hours.
iTalki Online English Teaching Jobs Non-Native Speakers
Since you can teach any language you’re proficient in on iTalki, this is a great option for teaching English online as a non-native speaker. You can also teach your native language or any additional languages you speak with near-native fluency.
You’ll need to upload an introductory video of yourself speaking the language you wish to teach. iTalki will evaluate this as well as any language certifications or qualifications. iTalki recommends that English teachers take the Oxford Online Placement Test (available on the iTalki website) and display their results as further verification of their language level.
iTalki defines high-proficiency as either:
- Native Proficiency
- C2 level on the CERF scale
You can read specifics about the iTalki language requirements on this page. Remember this applies to all languages, not just English, so even if you’re English isn’t at the C2 proficiency level, you could teach potentially teach your native language instead.
iTalki Requirements
There are two types of teaching positions available on iTalki: Professional Teacher and Community Tutor.
To become a Professional Teacher, you’ll need the following teacher requirements:
- 18+ years of age
- Native or C2 Level speaker in the language you wish to teach
- University degree in any subject OR a teaching qualification like a teaching license, TEFL certification, or CELTA
- Teacher introduction video
- CV and References
To become a Community Tutor, you’ll need the following iTalki tutor requirements :
- 18+ years of age
- Native or C2 Level speaker in the language you wish to teach
- Teacher introduction video
iTalki Pay
On iTalki, teachers set their own pay rates. Many teachers choose to offer trial lessons and lesson bundles for a slightly discounted rate. You can also offer services like proofreading, interview practice, and resume editing in the language you teach. For any class you offer, you choose the rate.
Based on teacher reviews around the internet, it looks like most English teachers charge anywhere from $10-$30 USD per hour depending on how long they’ve been with the platform and the type of lesson.
iTalki keeps 15% commission on all lessons as their fee. This is because they let teachers use the platform for free and they manage interactions between students and tutors.
Want to learn more about teaching online with iTalki? Check out my full italki Review!
AmazingTalker
Apply to teach with AmazingTalker
About AmazingTalker
AmazingTalker offers online TEFL jobs for non-native speakers and speakers of other languages. On AmazingTalker, you can teach English or other languages online to students around the world. There are no minimum or maximum teaching hours and tutors are entirely in charge of their own schedules.
Classes are 25 minutes or 50 minutes long. Teachers prepare their own lessons depending on the needs of each student. Lessons are one-on-one and taught via Zoom.
One awesome feature of AmazingTalker is that they will help match you with students. They also provide training materials to help you feel more confident when you teach your first class.
AmazingTalker Non-Native English Teacher Jobs
AmazingTalker is currently hiring fluent, native, and non-native speakers. According to their website, this includes people who:
- Have a degree related to English
- Are expats from an English speaking country
- OR are native English speakers
You can also teach languages other than English on the AmazingTalker platform.
AmazingTalker Requirements
To become an AmazingTalker teacher, you’ll need to be a fluent English teacher with English teaching experience. You’ll also need a reliable internet connection, laptop or desktop computer, headset, and webcam.
AmazingTalker Pay
On AmazingTalker, teachers set their own pay rates. On average, most tutors earn about $15 – $20 USD per 50-minute private lesson and $6 – $10 USD per 25-minute trial lesson. Remember, you can always increase your rates as you get more experience and reviews on the platform.
AmazingTalker takes up to 15% of your lesson fee as their commission for letting you use the platform. This percentage decreases the more classes you teach.
Engoo
Teach English online with Engoo
About Engoo
Formerly known as Bibo Global Opportunity, Engoo offers ESL teaching jobs for non-native speakers who want to work from home. You can choose your own hours and work as much or as little as you want. Engoo also provides lesson plans for teachers.
Students can be kids or adults from all ability levels. Classes are one-on-one and last 25 minutes. Teachers like how there is no lesson prep and there are classes available 24/7 due to the global student base.
To apply, you’ll make a teacher account on the Engoo tutor page. Then you’ll do an internet test and English proficiency test. If approved, you’ll receive an email with training materials and resources. You’ll complete a training session and demo teaching lesson with the Engoo team, then you’ll be ready to begin teaching!
Engoo Non-Native ESL Teacher Jobs
The Engoo website hires non-native teachers as long as they are proficient in English and can pass an automated English exam during the application.
Engoo Requirements
To teach with Engoo, you must be 18 years of age or older and proficient in English. You’ll also need a computer, headset, webcam, and reliable high-speed internet connection.
Apply to be an Engoo tutor now.
Engoo Pay
I wasn’t able to find the Engoo pay rate on their website. According to teacher reviews online, it looks like pay ranges from $3 – $10 USD per hour depending on where you are located and your proficiency level.
Honestly, this is on the low end of the pay spectrum for teaching online jobs. However, some teacher reviews mentioned that it could be a good way to get teaching experience and build up your resume if you’re new to the field.
CafeTalk
About CafeTalk
CafeTalk is another legitimate website to find English teaching jobs for non-native speakers online.
On CafeTalk, you can teach any subject you’re an expert in (including English!) to students from Asia. CafeTalk lets you set your own lesson and choose your pay rate for your classes. You can offer a wide range of classes at different lengths covering different topics.
For example, you might offer 25-minute lessons for kids, 30-minute video analysis classes, and 50-minute business English classes.
You can also teach other languages and topics like music, dance, art, and history.
CafeTalk Online English Teaching Jobs For Non-Natives
You can teach English as a non-native speaker on CafeTalk as long as you’re an excellent speaker. You can also teach other languages you’re fluent in.
A big part of CafeTalk is marketing your lessons effectively, so it’s important to highlight your qualifications and experience on your teacher profile.
CafeTalk is particularly interested in tutors who are multi-lingual and speak Japanese, Korean, or Chinese!
CafeTalk Requirements
Teachers must offer lessons on a computer or tablet using the Skype platform. You’ll need to create a teacher account and fill out a detailed teacher profile. You’ll interview with the CafeTalk staff so they can get to know you and if you’re approved, you’ll be able to start listing classes.
CafeTalk Pay
You set your own pay rate with CafeTalk. When you first start out, CafeTalk keeps 40% of your lesson fee. The more you teach, the lower this percentage goes. Experienced tutors only have a 15% CafeTalk fee.
I browsed through some CafeTalk English tutor profiles to get a sense of what people were charging. On average, experienced tutors charge between $20 – $30 USD per hour-long lesson.
LearnLight
About LearnLight
On LearnLight, you can find ESL jobs for non-native English teachers and teachers of other languages! LearnLight offers one-on-one lessons in English, Spanish, French, Italian, German, Portuguese, Mandarin, Japanese, and Russian. Students come from all over the world and are usually business-oriented adults.
LearnLight is a bit different from the other companies on this list because they want teachers who can commit to a set schedule for one year. They look for a minimum of 10 hours per week during their high demand times. While this format is less flexible than some of the other options on this list, it might be a good fit for someone who wants more consistency.
LearnLight Online Non-Native English Teacher Jobs
The LearnLight website says you must be proficient in the language you wish to teach. If you’re a native speaker in another language offered by the platform, you can teach that language too.
LearnLight also prefers teachers who are advanced speakers of multiple languages.
LearnLight Requirements
To teach with LearnLight, you must have a foreign language teaching qualification. For English teachers, this can be a TEFL Certification, CELTA, TESOL, or similar credential. You’ll also need two years of language teaching experience.
All teachers will need a high-speed internet connection, laptop or desktop computer, headset, and webcam. Teachers must also be willing to commit to a fixed teaching schedule for one year with a minimum of 10 teaching hours per week.
LearnLight Pay
There wasn’t any information about LearnLight pay rates on their website, but other online teacher reviews said they pay 10 Euros for individual classes and 12 Euros for group classes. I was unable to find information about the length of these classes.
Lingoda
About Lingoda
Lingoda is an online learning platform offering adult group lessons in multiple languages. All lesson plans are provided and you can teach as much or as little as you want. Because students live all over the world, you can hop on and teach any time it suits your schedule.
To become a Lingoda teacher, all you need to do is apply online, pass an interview, and complete the onboarding process to start teaching.
Lingoda Online Teaching For Non-Native Speakers
If you are native or C2 proficient in English, Spanish, French, or German, you can teach that language with Lingoda!
Lingoda Requirements
Lingoda teachers must be either native speakers OR C2 proficient in the language they wish to teach (which can be English, German, Spanish, or French).
Teachers also must have a language teaching certification of some kind. For English teachers, this could be a TEFL certification. Teachers also need 3 years of teaching experience.
You’ll need a Zoom account, headset, and high-speed internet connection to teach online with Lingoda.
Lingoda Pay
Lingoda pay rates are not listed on their official website. Unofficial teacher forums report that you can make $8 – $12 USD per hour, depending on the language taught and experience level.
Special Mention: Palfish Philippines
About the Palfish Philippines Course
Palfish is an online teaching app where you can teach English from your smartphone or tablet. They have three programs: Palfish Freetalk, Palfish Official Kids Course, and Palfish Philippines Course. The first two courses require you to be a native English speaker, but the Palfish Philippines Course is a bit different.
In this program, fluent English speakers from the Philippines can teach on the platform as long as they have a teaching certification (a teaching license or a TEFL Course will work).
Read more about Palfish in this post.
Palfish Philippines For Non-Native Teachers
The Palfish Philippines course is specifically for Filipino teachers who are fluent English speakers. You’ll need to have a reliable internet connection and a smartphone with the Palfish app downloaded.
You also must be able to teach at least 3.5 hours per week. The highest-demand times are 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm on weekdays and all day on weekends, Beijing time.
Palfish Philippines Pay
The Palfish Philippines course pays 180-268 PHP per hour and there are opportunities for bonuses.
Final Thoughts: Teaching English Online For Non-Native Speakers
I hope this post has helped you find more job opportunities for teaching online as a non-native English speaker! If you have any questions about online teaching or the companies listed in this post, feel free to drop a comment below or email me here.
Happy teaching!
