Hi all,

I'm considering doing a TEFL course with a view to teaching english in Turkey. I have been looking about and it seems most places ask for a Bachelor's degree. Is this correct that you needa bachelor's degree to teach english in turkey? If so, does the BA have to be in english or just in anything?

I qualify as a staff nurse in september but am unsure as to whether i'd be able to work as a nurse in turkey.

Any info is much appreciated.

ekd.

P.S. My nursing qualification is a diploma not a degree.

can anyone offer any info?? x

Hi

Nursing: you cant officially work as a nurse in Turkey, as foreigners cant get a work permit for the medical professions. (There was a law passed to change this last year, but President Sezer vetoed it, and so it never became law)

English Teaching. They are clamping down on people who cant really teach coming here and, because they are native speakers, getting jobs as teachers. Work permit rules are getting tougher. A simple ELT certificate isnt enough. A diploma like the CELTA course (Cambridge) is often accepted, if you have some experience on your CV.

Somewhere like the British Council in Istanbul may have some good cuurent information as they run a CELTA course in Istanbul , or schools like Koç High School (www.kocschool.k12.tr) or Enka that employ foreign teachers.

It is best to get a job with a school and then have them help you through the process (they will do the application for you). I can tell you a lot of horror stories about small private tutorial schools (Dershanes) that promise work permits, and dont apply but hold your passport, and then they also only pay salary intermittently. If you get a job with a decent place they will look after you if you are a good teacher.

Best of luck

thank you marion,

but that puts a dampner on moving to turkey to be with my partner. what kind of job could i get?? :o(

Dear Ekd. Before planning to move to Turkey, I would suggest you read this thread:-

http://www.turkishclass.com/forumTitle_15_19486

It may change your mind!

Aww come on aenigma...you have said yourself it is not the way all Turks feel. Stay above the fray!

got it...just thought you would enjoy being queen

so other than being a rep, what jobs can english people get in turkey? i have tried searching the internet but its only english teacher jobs that seem to come up!

Hi

It depends what qualifications you have. e.g. if you have worked in a specialist department of an insurance company, you can get a job in an insurance company head office (Istanbul or Ankara).

I have friends who are doing all sorts of things, based on their experience abroad. Native speakers can also get jobs working as secretaries in international companies, as copy editors in English language newspapers etc. Those jobs are normally in the big cities though.

where do you planning to live? There is a hospital İncirlik-Adana Base and ı am sure they are not looking for any turkish citizenship at all.

Not all places are looking for a BA. Have you tried looking at Kent English? They offer courses and so long as you pass their entrance exam, there is no reason not to gain your TEFL certificate and onto teaching English.

Hi Trudy

Non native speakers can be really good English teachers her and get work permits. My Romanian friends has had a work permit here for 2 ro 3 years.

it'd be either fethiye or mugla city i think.

i know about the work permits but apparently you dont need one if you work for a british company or if you are married to a turkish citizen. not been sucessful in my searches for anyone needing this. maybe i should try the travel companies to see if they need staff for their offices, just seems such a shame to waste a nursing qualification that i have worked hard for.

i am planning on learning turkish once i qualify as a nurse (have enough to take in at the moment!!) so should hopefully be able to get by by the time i'd be moving out there, which would prob be about 18 months away.