Frequently Asked Questions: Application Process

1. Create an account via myciee.org.
2. Click "start an application."
3. Choose "Teach English abroad" under program type. 
4. Select your country of choice. Click here for a list of all our destinations.
5. Choose a specific program and term, then hit "submit."
6. Complete any items that are on your list.

A blue "Submit" application button appears when you have finished everything that we need to begin reviewing your application.

Ready to begin

You shouldn’t apply to more than one CIEE Teach Abroad program at a time. It means extra work for you and doesn’t give you an advantage. Most of our programs have a very high acceptance rate, and even if you’re not accepted, we will offer to transfer your application to a second-choice program. We advise people to focus on completing one application for their top choice. If you’re not sure which one to choose, give us a call and we can advise you!

We can help with that! Call or email your coordinator to explain which program and start date you would like to transfer to. If there are different options available, like one/two semesters or with/without TEFL, be sure to specify that information as well.

If you’re applying close to the deadline, we normally review applications and get back to people within ten business days of submission. If you’re applying early and need to get a decision before the deadline passes, please email your coordinator to explain the situation and they should be able to assist you.

There is a non-refundable $50 fee to submit an application. This ensures that we are devoting our time and resources to assisting serious applicants.

Once your application is reviewed and accepted, you’ll be asked to pay a Commitment Deposit. If your program includes TEFL, the deposit amount will be $1,000 and our TEFL team will email you about enrollment in a TEFL class once it is paid. If your program does NOT include TEFL, the deposit amount will be $500.

The remaining balance of the program fee (total fee minus Commitment Deposit) is due a few months later, after you accept a job from a school in your destination country. Visit our Program Pages to see the total fee for each program.

Once an applicant is accepted, we ask them to make a decision about participation and pay a Commitment Deposit within ten calendar days. If that’s not possible or you need more time, be sure to let your coordinator know. Your application will remain active, and we’ll hold the door open as long as we can, but beyond a certain point, you might run out of time to get a visa or all the positions might be filled. You’re also more likely to get a placement that matches your preferences if you make the deposit and get started early.

If you don’t end up making the deposit after all, you can still request a transfer to a future start date so you won’t lose the work you put into your application!

Yes! To add TEFL, log on to your application, click on the HOME tab, and then click the ADD TEFL button. You can do this at any time up to departure.

If you opened an application for a program “with TEFL” and would like to opt out, please email your coordinator. Once you have made a deposit and started a TEFL course, however, it’s not possible to change your mind and remove the TEFL course from your program.

Yes! You’ll need a bachelor’s degree for all of our paid Teach Abroad programs, but we welcome applications from graduating seniors. You should ask your academic advisor for a letter confirming your expected date of graduation, and you can upload that to your online application in place of your actual degree. Check with your school to confirm when your diploma will be delivered to you, and email a scan to your coordinator at that time.

Yes! You should apply for new or renewed passport right away. You’ll need to enter passport data to complete the application task, so enter “000000000” as the passport number, and made-up dates for the issue and expiration. Take a receipt scan or confirmation email from your new passport application and upload that in place of the passport scan. That will let us review and accept your application, just remember to email a scan of your new passport to your coordinator as soon as it arrives.

Once you open an application, you’ll be able to see instructions for the Personal Statement, including several question prompts. Most people answer these individually, with a paragraph or two for each. If you prefer, you may combine your answers into a single narrative, as long as you respond to all of the prompts. Both approaches are effective and acceptable. Either way, your combined Personal Statement responses should be roughly 500-800 words in total.

Each upload task has a maximum number of files it can accept. To add more than that, you will need to combine your documents into a single file. You can use one of the tools below to accomplish this:

• smallpdf.com/merge-pdf
• combinepdf.com

Most programs require two letters, but our options in Spain only require one. If you’re planning to apply to EPIK Public Schools in Korea, they have some special rules for letters (for more context, click here for a comparison of Korea's public and private school options).

Select someone who is/was directly responsible for supervising your work as a student or employee (i.e. a professor or manager). CIEE does NOT accept letters from family members, friends, neighbors, or high school teachers.

When you input the name and email of your recommender, our system will automatically send them an email from CIEE with brief instructions on how to prepare and upload their letter. Once that goes out, we’re not able to change the recommender or re-send that email. In those cases, please ask your recommender to prepare a general letter of recommendation, scan it, and email the scan directly to us at Teach@ciee.org so we can upload it for them.

The best letters will include letterhead or a business card. If these are not available, your recommender should include a detailed signature block with their organization and job title. Make sure to include your full name, the recommender’s full name, and the recommender’s contact information: email, phone, and mailing address. Letters should be dated within the past year. For more info on letter formatting, you can download this handout and share it with your recommender.

Recommendation letters are due by the Application Deadline for that particular program, which you can find on our Program Pages. If your letters will be a few days late, we will still consider your application as long as there are positions available and sufficient time to get ready.

Yes! You can submit your application as soon as you have filled out your recommender’s contact information. You don’t have to wait for them to upload their letters. We check regularly to see which applications have all their letters uploaded and are ready for review!