Teaching English Abroad

A bachelors degree is the basic requirement for teaching in Japan, Taiwan and Korea. You will not get a contract without one unless you lie and cheat. Other places may not have this requirement. It's unlikely you will get a 3 month contract, they want people who will stick around.

WeiLong - Travels in Asia

If you live in a place now that has a backyard, and you move to Tokyo, don't bring your dog. The poor thing will stress out from living here as it will be such a big difference to his lifestlye. Unless you are rich, you won't get a place with a decent yard for a dog. And with both of you working, he will be alone most of the time. (How are you going to deal with complaints from neighbours if your dog barks all day while you are at work? Usually neighbours make noise complaints to the police here in Japan) .

But of course, if your dog is accustomed to apartment living maybe it is worth considering. I don't recommend it though. I don't knwo anyone who brought their dog. And I know that my dog would absolutely hate living here....she is real lucky to live with my retired parents who have a huge yard and can keep her company 24/7. i miss her like crazy but I know she is better off back home.

In Japan it is rare to have your airfare paid for. Only JET does this, but you need a degree to get a job with this program.

Vacation time with pay is case-by-case, depending on the company.

Without a degree your job choices are limited in Japan. A degree is a requirement by the government to getting a working visa.

If you go to the ESL Cafe and read the FAQs for the Japan section, you will learn answers to most of these questions (for Japan anyway).

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<hr>- Is it quite common to have flight & accomodation paid for, even without a BA?<hr></blockquote>
Pretty much expect neither to be paid for. Extremely rare situations pay for flight (like the JET Programme) or reimburse after the fact, but practically nobody pays for accommodation, and that's with BA, MA, or PhD.

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<hr>- Im hoping to bring my dog with me to Japan for a year, anyone else have experience with bringing pets?<hr></blockquote>Personally, I wouldn't. Is it a big dog? If so, forget it. In Japan, you will have to pay more rent, and most landlords prohibit dogs anyway, even to Japanese renters.

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<hr>- My bf and I prefer our own apartment. What kind of accomodation do they usually provide for couples?<hr></blockquote>In Japan, most accommodation that is provided will be suited for singles. A few employers will make arrangements for couples, but the apartments are going to be small anyway.

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<hr>- Is vacation time included with pay?<hr></blockquote>In Japan, you have to work 6 months before you are required by law to have paid vacation. Employers may give it to you anyway, but that's case by case. They are not REQUIRED to. And, how much they give overall will vary on the employer. Expect a week in May, a week in August, and a couple of weeks over New Year, with a dozen national holidays thrown in (but you may have to work them).

Three months is too short a time to expect an employer to hire you. Contracts in Japan are for 12 with a rare exception (and the one I know requires work experience that you don't have). Besides, you won't break even in 3 months.

Oh, and if you don't have a BA, you are not going to get a work visa unless you have 3 years of experience.

Thanks everyone for your insightful answers!
Ive been doing some searching on the web and ive read that you can teach at many places without a BA... but then i read on here (and on some websites) that it is extremely difficult to teach without one. How hard will be it for me to find a job internationally with my TESOl course and no BA? And what salary can I expect? (yes i know different places offer different amounts.. maybe you could list some countries and their rough salaries) Is there any chance ill find a job where they'll pay flight and/or accomodation any place else?
Thanks so much!!

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<hr>How hard will be it for me to find a job internationally with my TESOl course and no BA?<hr></blockquote>

Many places would be happy to hire a trained English teacher, but you'll need to have a proper working visa. As mentioned by the posters above, a BA is the requirement for getting a work visa for Japan. Without the BA, your options would be the "3 years of experience" or a Working Holiday Visa. Other countries will have their own requirements for getting a work visa.

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<hr>Is there any chance ill find a job where they'll pay flight and/or accomodation any place else?<hr></blockquote>

You'll be hardpressed to find a company that will pay for your flight for only a 3-month contract. If any companies offer this, they will need at least a one-year contract. As for accomodation, it is unlikely that you'll find a company that will pay for it. Most will help you find accomodation, but you'll have to pay the rent.

mimi,
Your profile says you are from Canada. If you are the right age and can show some funds, you may get a working holiday visa. No degree required. Otherwise, work visas are pretty strict -- you will need a bachelor's degree or a minimum of 3 years of provable teaching experience.
http://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/index.html<BR><BR>Please show me where it says you can get a work visa without a BA. I suspect you may have read something about working holiday visas, or student visas, or cultural visas, or dependent visas, or spouse visas. All true, but you don't fit those categories (except perhaps for WHV, and that is only good for a year in your case).
http://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/w_holiday/index.html<BR><BR>I suggest you go to ESL CAFE and post your question in the General Discussion forum or the Newbie forum if you want info on other countries. You can even post in country-specific forums there. I don't think you're going to find much to please you with no degree, though.