No degree? No problem
You do not need a degree to teach English online. In this post, I list the most common English companies that hire teachers without degrees in 2023.
When searching for companies, be sure you are looking at a recent blog post. This is because many of the popular companies disappeared a few years ago due to Chinese regulations. Any post from before this change will list lots of companies that simply don’t exist anymore.
How to teach English online with no degree
To start, know that getting a certificate to teach English online is amazingly easy and cheap, you don’t have to get one.
In fact, there are a lot of online English jobs that hire teachers without a degree. That’s because many E.S.L. companies are just looking for native speakers with outgoing, personable personalities. They want a teacher that can engage students over video chat.
These platforms or companies are interested in your enthusiasm and energy, not your degrees. That is why your ability to engage students and make them feel comfortable will always trump your credentials.
Remember, it is scary to speak in a foreign language! So, a student who is just beginning to learn the basics of English needs a smile and an encouraging attitude far more than a Ph.D. holder.
So, if this sounds like you, look below for some well-known companies that hire teachers that don’t have a degree.
English Companies: no degree needed
Cambly
First, I suggest applying to Cambly. They were around a few years ago and they continue to be hiring in 2023. Since they cater to students worldwide, and they aaren’t based in China, they weren’t gutted during the recent wave of Chinese regulations on the ESL industry.
Unfortunately, the pay is still the same now as it was a few years ago, and it’s rather low. You are looking at a bit over ten dollars an hour. Yikes! Unfortunately, that’s the going rate now that the well-paid Chinese companies have closed.
Despite this, teachers who want a flexible schedule and a lot of freedom should strongly consider teaching on the Cambly platform. Cambly has a lot of things going for it.
First, you can teach anytime because the platform attracts students from all over the world. This means that there will be students in any time zone.
Then, teachers can be based in any country and work for Cambly. The only requirement is that you are a native speaker. This makes the platform ideal for nomads or people who value flexible working and traveling arrangements.
Finally, you can teach adults or kids on Cambly. Cambly Kids even offers higher pay.
Teachers who use the Cambly platform come from a variety of backgrounds. You don’t even need teaching experience to work for Cambly (though it is preferred).
Engoo
Additionally, you can teach for Engoo without a degree. This company is really popular now that the Chinese companies closed. Check out r/TeachESL online. Reddit is a great place to read other Engoo teachers’ tips about the company. Many complain about the students on Engoo, but it’s still clearly a major employer in 2023 so they must be doing something right.
They’re always hiring and you don’t need a degree. Like Cambly, Engoo expects yuo to keep a good rating. If your rating drops, your bookings majorly drop. So, be sure to juggle another company if this is your only source of income.
Engoo’s pay rate is comparable to Cambly’s pay rate. They pay $10 an hour for Native Tutors and $2.4 for Non-Native tutors.
Here is a review of Engoo if you want to learn more from a current teacher.
What are the requirements for Engoo?
- At least 18 years old.
- Proficient in English.
- Headset and Webcam.
- Laptop or Desktop.
- High-Speed Internet Connection.
Skima Talk
SkimaTalk is a Japanese-based teaching marketplace where teachers create a profile and students can book them through the software. Classes are conducted through Skype video chats. Classes can be conducted at any time, 24/7.
Teachers can choose to teach their own material, or use SkimaTalk course content, which includes English Basics, Everyday English, Business English Basics, Business Skills & Knowledge, Writing Test Prep Topics, and Kids Courses. Finally, while there are some children students on the platform, most of the learners are adults.
Open English
Then, Open English will also hire you without a degree. It is an online English school based in Florida. It mostly caters to Spanish speakers. In 2014, the school had 100,000 students in the Spanish-speaking world as its main audience.
ESL Platforms: no degree needed
In addition to directly applying to work for an online English company, you can look into posting your profile on a platform and cultivating your own student base. The following English teaching platforms do not require you to have a degree.
italki
Finally, you can consider posting your teaching profile on teaching marketplace platforms and build a following there. One way to do this is to work for italki, an online language-learning platform that connects language learners and teachers through video chat. The site allows students to find online teachers for 1-on-1 tutoring, and teachers to earn money as freelance tutors.
You can also watch the video below to learn more about companies that will pay you to teach English- no degree required.
However, if you don’t have a degree, then the best thing you can do to strengthen your application to teach English online is to sign up for a TEFL full circle course or an equivalent online English certificate. There are many courses that are cheap (less than fifty dollars) if you sign up through Groupon.
There are many entry-level online English teaching jobs that do not require a degree, but many will require a TEFL or TESL certificate or some teaching experience. Don’t be discouraged. It is quite easy to obtain your TEFL.
Smaller ESL Companies
If you don’t have a degree, you might want to check out some lesser-known companies, too. They might offer more opportunities to a teacher without a Bachelor’s degree.
Bottom line, if you are committed to remote teaching, then don’t give up until applying to every online ESL company that you can.
If you are interested in this, you may also be interested in these posts.
