I have embedded a video made by ESL teacher, blogger and YouTube vlogger, Tom, who recently uploaded to his channel. He asked to use the EPIK interview questions I blogged about and told him to go for it.



Tom (a.k.a SeoulTee on YouTube) has been very helpful in my pursuing an ESL teaching position in Korea over the last 4-5 months although it seems longer because the paperwork process can feel long and arduous. He has always been responsive to my occasional question regarding teaching in Korea, whether it's with EPIK (Korean public school system) or in hagwons (private schools).

His vlogs and blog are extremely useful and informative for anyone who is thinking of teaching ESL in Korea. He's been at it for at least three years in Korea and has shared his experiences in and out of the classroom. I highly recommend you give his social media a view. His blog, Red Dragon Diaries, is located here: The Red Dragon Diaries and his YouTube channel here: SeoulTee on YouTube

I do hope to be able to meet Tom one day and thank him personally for all he's helped me with. <-- true Chicagoan ending with a preposition.

EPIK requirements

Like every other TEFL blogger, I will include what is needed, at least from someone in the U.S. with a bachelor's degree.. also included how much I paid for each service.

Requirements:
1. Apostilled FBI background check ($20 for manual fingerprints, $18 for background check, $8 for FBI apostille).. there are 3rd party services that will charge you a lot to do it themselves. I had a friend in DC help me with mine.
2. Apostilled college diploma ($2 for notarization at UPS Store and copy, $3 for state apostille)
3. Sealed university/college transcripts ($10/$7.50/$5 respectively,  from each school in which credits applied to degree)
4. Copy of current passport (cost of a single copy)
5. Copy of TEFL degree (cost of a single copy). I highly suggest an in-class course as I've heard EPIK is no longer accepting online certificates. Mine was a 180hr in-class course.
6. Two, original signed recommendation letters (original ink signatures), FREE, just find people
7. Copy of TEFL/TESOL/CELTA certificate (cost of a single copy)
8. Printed scan or photocopy of the information page of your passport (cost of a single copy)
9. Signed declaration for tattoos and piercings (cost of a single copy)
10. Two passport photos ($12 at Walgreens)

EPIK application on their website (scroll to bottom)
Application forms


FBI background check request (required by South Korea)
Request FBI background check

Useful info taken from another blog (correct as of 11/5/2013)
Process info

Another great resource for EPIK application information can be seen at SeoulTee (on YouTube).

- Check out this link for more info on applying with EPIK: http://youtu.be/agwYCmnOTx0
- And the rest of his awesome vlogs: http://www.youtube.com/user/SeoulTee/videos

The more popular and well-respected TEFL recruiters are:

Footprints - http://www.footprintsrecruiting.com/
Korvia - http://www.korvia.com/

I've worked with a few others but they were flaky so I won't include them.

TEFL course
In regards to my TEFL course.. my one month intensive, 180 hour in-class course cost $1650. Classes were 9:30a - 5:30p M-F except for days when I had teach after class, which was until 6:30p-8:00p.

Korean Consulates in the world
-(to apply for and pick up visa), click here

EPIK accepted me! So far that is...

I knew it was going to take a few days to hear back from my recruiter on whether or not I was accepted into EPIK. Today, while waiting in the car in the supermarket parking lot for my roommate to return, I received an email from my recruiter. Anxiously, I pressed on the email, slowly scrolled down, then read, "Congratulations!"  It had been a long time since I was that excited about something. 

I know that it's first-come first-serve in regards to being placed in your preferred location in South Korea so I just requested transcripts from my first two colleges (which I didn't confirm with my recruiter that I needed in the first place). EPIK will need transcripts from ALL colleges/universities in which you received credits from that went towards your bachelor's degree.  Aside from these transcripts, I have everything else ready.

EPIK interview info

I completed my EPIK interview an hour ago.  I was nervous, anxious. The interview went okay, not spectacular. Some of it had fluid responses, some not so much.  The interview lasted 25-30 minutes and was purely audio, no video.

I was asked several questions, being warned prior that some may be personal and that's they way it just is:

1) What is your teaching philosophy?
2) Why did you choose South Korea over other Asian countries?
3) If you noticed your co-teacher making a mistake in English, how would you handle it?
4) How would you handle a student who is disruptive in class?
5) What makes you stand out compared to the other thousands of teachers applying with EPIK?

5a) How would you handle students learning at different levels?

6) Have you ever done drugs?
7) Do you have any disabilities that would prevent you from doing your job?
8) Have you ever had any counseling?
9) Have you traveled at all?

That's all I can think of at the moment.  I should hear from my recruiter within 2-3 days whether I have been accepted into EPIK or not.  Of course I will continue applying with hagwons as I don't want to put all my eggs in one basket.

Dan