South Korea is hiring: EPIK Spring 2027 applications just opened

Archived edition. Updated 9 September 2026. This edition was sent on 5 August 2026 and is kept on the record as it was written, with four figures corrected in place. The EPIK monthly range read 2.1–2.8M KRW; the programme’s own salary page states that the offices of education are not hiring Level 3 and that all applicants must qualify for at least Level 2, so the real floor is 2.35M. The JET euro conversion read about 23,500 EUR; at the European Central Bank reference rate of 8 September 2026 it is about 22,400 EUR, and JET’s 2027 window is now known to be September to November with exact dates still to be set. Spain’s NALCAP was described as closed “until around June 2027”; the ministry page publishes no 2027/28 date at all. Taiwan’s TFETP pay and its 980-position count have been withdrawn because both official TFETP pages returned no readable content when re-checked on 31 August and 9 September 2026. EPIK’s Spring 2027 intake and its 1 August opening were re-confirmed on the official Apply page on 9 September 2026.

Applications for EPIK’s Spring 2027 intake opened on 1 August and they are reviewed on a rolling basis, which means the teachers who apply early get the pick of the placements. Here is everything on the wire this edition.

Jess JeffreyWriter at The TEFL Institute Group · taught in South Korea and Vietnam

The big oneEPIK Spring 2027 is open

The English Program in Korea is the country’s flagship public school scheme, and it remains one of the best packages in TEFL. Applications opened on 1 August and positions fill on a rolling basis, so an application submitted in August carries far more weight than the same application in October.

The package: 2.35–2.8M KRW per month (about 1,510–1,800 EUR at the ECB rate of 8 September 2026), free furnished housing, flight allowance, settlement money and a one month finishing bonus. Most first year teachers save 400–700 EUR a month without trying hard.

You need a bachelor’s degree, a clean background check and a 120 hour TEFL certificate. If you are missing the last one, the 120 hour Advanced TEFL Course is the qualification EPIK recruiters expect to see.

On the wireEverything else this edition

🇯🇵 Japan: JET opens next month

The JET Programme’s 2027 application becomes available in September 2026 and closes in November 2026, at 4.02M JPY a year (about 22,400 EUR at the ECB rate of 8 September 2026). The programme says exact dates are still to be determined. Start gathering documents now. References and transcripts are the usual bottleneck. Official JET site →

🇹🇼 Taiwan: rolling recruitment

The Taiwan Foreign English Teacher Program recruits on a rolling basis. The pay figure and position count this edition carried have been withdrawn: both official TFETP pages returned no readable content when re-checked on 31 August and 9 September 2026, so there is nothing to stand behind. Official TFETP site →

🇻🇳 Vietnam: peak hiring window

Language centres hire hardest from July to October, paying 1,200–2,000 USD a month against some of the lowest living costs in Asia.

🇹🇭 Thailand: semester two starts

Schools recruit August to October for the second semester. Expect 25,000–55,000 THB depending on school type and city.

💻 Online: Preply and italki open, Cambly paused

Preply and italki are onboarding new tutors. Cambly has paused new applications. We will flag it here the moment that changes.

🇪🇸 Spain: NALCAP closed until 2027

The language assistant programme shut on 30 June 2026 and the ministry has published no 2027/28 date (800–1,000 EUR monthly stipend when it last ran). If Spain is your goal, use this year to get qualified and gather documents.