Teaching English in Italy

Moving to Italy to teach English can be the adventure of a lifetime and an amazing launchpad for your career. If you're considering teaching English in Rome, Florence, or another Italian destination, this guide will provide you with all the essential information you need.

Is Italy a good place to teach English?

There are many countries in Europe that you could choose for teaching English abroad, so why Italy? Here are some good reasons:

• the mild Mediterranean climate: you'll get to enjoy the sun all year round
• the opportunity to travel and discover one of the most beautiful countries in the world: Italy is a relatively small country, and it's easy to explore by train
• an incredible food culture and rich history
• job opportunities: many Italian schools are on the lookout for native English-speaking teachers.

Requirements to teach English in Italy

Before deciding to teach English in Italy, make sure you meet the necessary requirements. These typically include:

• a college degree (in any field): while this isn’t always mandatory, having one will open up many more job opportunities for you
• an official certificate to teach English abroad (TEFL, TESOL, CELTA)
• previous work experience as a teacher: this isn't actually required, but it can be very helpful, especially if you don't hold any language certificates.

Tips for teaching English in Italy

Once you're set on the idea of moving to Italy and teaching English, you can start looking for a job, which could be at a public or private school.

If you're still outside Italy, there are several websites you can use to look for teaching jobs, such as Indeed, LinkedIn, Subito.it, and Infojobs.

However, if you're already in the Country, it can be much more effective to approach schools directly. Make a list of schools in your area that you'd like to work at, and send them your CV.

Salary and cost of living in Italy

Choosing which Italian city to move to will significantly affect your cost of living, so it's a good idea to do plenty of research beforehand. Teaching English in Milan or Rome, for example, will be a very different experience compared to teaching in Florence.

Although Milan and Rome are more expensive than many other Italian places, they are the two biggest cities in Italy, so they offer plenty of job opportunities. On the other hand, Florence and Venice are smaller and can be more competitive.

The average salary for an English teacher in Italy -according to Glassdoor- is 1200€ per month for a full-time contract. Of course, salaries can vary depending on the school, the type of contract, and other factors.

What visa do you need to teach English in Italy?

If you’re a non-EU citizen from countries like the United States, Canada, the UK, or Australia, you’ll need a visa to work in Italy as a teacher. A student visa only allows citizens from these countries to stay in Italy for a maximum of 90 days within any 180-day period, and it doesn’t permit any kind of work.

Getting a work permit to teach English in Italy can be quite difficult, which is why many teachers choose to apply for a student visa and take advantage of their time in Italy to also learn the Italian language. The student visa allows you to legally work up to 20 hours per week.

Learn more about visa applications for studying in Italy with this complete guide.

Healthcare for English teachers abroad

While working abroad as an English teacher, having good health insurance is very important. Welcome Association Italy offers various solutions for international professionals looking for coverage and assistance during their time in Italy.