Each year, thousands of teachers move abroad with their families. Many move for a higher salary, a better standard of living, or just to experience a new country and culture.

But uprooting your family and relocating to the other side of the world isn’t something to do on a whim.

Planning for teaching overseas

Here are four areas to consider to help you with your planning.

1. There is no such thing as too much research

Spend time investigating the location, government, laws, climate, cost of living and social scene to see if the country will truly suit your family’s needs and preferences.

Find out what you can about the existing staff: if you are the only teacher at your school with a family, it may feel quite isolating if all your colleagues are single 22-year-old NQTs who go out clubbing most weekends.

If you are moving with a non-teaching spouse, research the job prospects for their career. If they do not have a degree, it can be quite hard, but not impossible, to find well-paid work. If you are planning to live off one salary, thoroughly research the cost of living.

Another important consideration is for single parents. Some schools abroad require that you have written permission from the other parent to show that you are allowed to bring your child to the country. Some single mothers have had issues when applying for jobs, but many have moved successfully; it depends on the country’s laws and the school itself.

2. Finding a school for your children can be tricky

Most British, American and Australian schools offer assistance or free school places, but these are usually limited to one or two children.

It is important to check before accepting a job, as annual school fees are sky high in schools abroad. If you are not given free (or almost fully funded) places for all of your children, it may not be financially viable to make the move.

Another thing to consider is that if you get a job in a government or public school teaching local students, your children most likely won’t be able to attend. In this instance, you’d have to apply to an international school for a place, and these often have long waiting lists.

3. Consider the accommodation you will need

Teaching packages in the Middle East and Asia almost always provide accommodation, either in the form of an apartment (or villa if you have a partner and children) or a rent allowance. This means that you should not have to spend your salary on rent (unless you rent a place that costs more than your allowance).

Many ex-pat families have a full-time, live-in nanny, as it can work out cheaper than playschool or a childminder. However, that requires an extra bedroom, so you might need to rent a villa rather than an apartment.

Rent can be very expensive (especially in the Gulf states), so make sure that your school provides this housing option or offers you a good rent allowance.

4. Keep an eye on the future

Be prepared if you want your children to go to university in your home country and qualify for home fee status rather than paying international fees, which tend to be double or triple the price. To prove that your children should qualify, you need to demonstrate your constant connection to your home country.

You could do this by having a home address in your country of origin and keeping all your plane tickets home as evidence. Unfortunately, these actions do not always guarantee success, so seek advice from other ex-pat parents at your school.

Moving abroad with a family is life-changing, so it is important to make the decision carefully and research as much as you can before committing to a job.

With so many factors to think about, you should give yourself at least a year to research and discover if it is the best option for you and your family at that time.

If you have done all the groundwork and decided it is for you, then enjoy the wonderful adventure.

Sorcha Coyle has taught at schools in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. She also runs the Empowering Expat Teachers community, which can be found on her blog.  

Ready to move on? Check out the latest UK and international teaching jobs.