Teaching English in Hungary

The following comments are from teachers who have taught, or are currently teaching, in Hungary. If you are a teacher and have some advice to share, please add it here.

Agnes on 18 April 2007

quote I am in Hungary teaching English. I finished the CELTA course in August here in Budapest at International House and by the second half of September I started work. I cannot take on any more students I am fully booked! I have various classes to give the range is from a 6 year old boy to a group of bankers who need business English. It is still rather scary but I am getting the much needed teaching experience.

Paul on 18 April 2007

quote If you're thinking of doing the CELTA, then Budapest is THE place to do it. It was quite intensive, but very rewarding, and it certainly equipped me for life as an EFL teacher. The staff and other teachers at IH Budapest were friendly and helpful, and the trainers were excellent. They have a lot of experience and knowledge, and were very supportive. The school is a short tram ride form the city centre, so when you have a spare moment, you can get out there and explore one of the most exciting cities in the new Europe.

Anonymous on 7 December 2007

quote There is plenty of work in Hungary for an EFL teacher. Degree and CELTA are usually not necessary. Being a native speaker is enough. Schools do not usually advertise, so it is better to mail your CV around. Working conditions are not always the best and nor are the salaries, but you will get a lot of private work once you are settled in. Hungarians want to pass an exam rather than learn a language, so most of your time you will be teaching study skills and practising pass papers.

Rave on 8 March 2010

quote Hungary is not the ideal place to teach at present due to the economy. The number of students in language schools is drastically declining and schools are closing down. Working conditions are far from ideal. Most schools only hire on a freelance basis.

Adrian on 16 November 2010

quote Budapest is a beautiful city, and a great place to live and teach - but, like anywhere, it's best to get to know the locals to truly feel at home, and help overcome the culture shock which inevitably sets in after the initial "honeymoon" period... Also, because foreigners moving here often do not undertake learning Hungarian, they have to rely on advice from other foreigners to figure out the ins and outs. If you do your homework well, you can find good language schools to work with, but some of them are not reliable in paying, disorganized, or not too fair, like sending you to travel hours to companies at the end of the world without extra compensation. If you have any questions about working in Budapest, please feel free to contact me: s_z_k_y@yahoo.com

www.ticket2teach.com on 31 August 2011

quote I did 7 years in Nyiregyhaza (north east Hungary). Perhaps not always the most financially rewarding of experiences, but a great place to live. As has been mentioned, most Hungarians regard learning as being able to pass exams. This is not always (or even usually) the same as speaking the language. As a result, you will hear the phrase 'I need grammar' a lot. Formal qualifications are not really a requirement outside of state schools, as being a native speaker is enough to get you work in the language schools and with private students. In terms of pay, Hungary has its ups and downs, but when I left in 2010, the economy was really on the skids, and students were hard to find. When it all gets better, I will be back there like a shot.