Start with the classroom and the working week. Before choosing a Shanghai teaching job, establish who you would teach, what a complete week involves, whether your qualifications fit the role, and what the offer pays after its conditions are understood. Housing and relocation decisions become easier once those facts are clear.
This guide is published by Flying English Center, a school in Shanghai's Huangpu District. It brings together practical questions to use when considering our role or comparing other employers.
What kind of teaching would suit you?
Think about the learners you want to work with. Teaching a small group of children, leading a school homeroom and helping adults with workplace English demand different preparation. A school category alone will not tell you the age range, curriculum or amount of support.
Read how to choose a teaching role in China to turn those preferences into questions for a recruiter. If you are new to teaching children, try sketching a short lesson before deciding whether that work appeals to you.
How should you compare two offers?
Put the guaranteed base salary, housing arrangements, conditional payments and expected workload in separate rows. Ask whether figures are before or after tax, when payments arrive and whether probation changes the package.
Our offer comparison guide includes a worked example and a table you can use during recruitment. Do not make a relocation budget from the largest number in an advertisement.
What will your working week look like?
Teaching hours describe only part of the job. Preparation, meetings, student records and required attendance can change the commitment substantially. Ask for a representative timetable and clarify what changes during busy periods.
Use the teaching hours and working hours guide before arranging an interview. It explains how to compare lessons measured in periods with hours measured in minutes.
What should you ask before accepting?
An interview should help both sides understand the role. Ask about the teaching materials, classroom support, feedback, schedule and application process. Request concrete examples: an ordinary timetable or an explanation of induction is more useful than “plenty of support.”
Bring the teacher interview questions and check Shanghai teaching eligibility before paying for documents or committing to travel.
How do you plan the move?
Work backwards from a confirmed arrival plan. Identify your temporary accommodation, initial transport, required appointments, available funds and the person responsible for each task.
The moving checklist, rental guide and commute guide cover those decisions. Shanghai's official living guide is a useful starting point for current city services.
Exploring Flying English
Read about the school, then check the teaching role for the advertised vacancy and application route. Ask the recruitment team to confirm the current terms that matter to your decision.
Teacher stories can help you form questions, too. Keep the date in view: an older interview offers historical experience, not a guarantee about today's team or contract.