We can think of plenty of reasons why you might want to teach English in Croatia. From the sparkling shores of Dalmatia, where the Dinaric Alps tower over azure seas and castle-topped towns like Dubrovnik await, to the olive-clad hills of the Istrian Peninsula in the north, this is one darn stunning country. Add in a climate that has oodles of sun, a Mediterranean diet infused with a touch of Slavic heartiness, and gorgeous islands where you can laze in idyllic coves whenever you’re not in the classroom – it’s easy to see how you could be tempted…
We certainly are. The thing is, Croatia is only really just about coming onto the mainstream TEFL scene in Europe. And, with a population only a touch over four million, it’s relatively small, so demand for teachers is lower than in Italy or France. But there are opportunities out there, and they pave the way for a new career in one seriously handsome corner of the Balkans.
This guide will run through all the ins and outs of teaching English in Croatia. It’s got the lowdown on visas and living costs, along with details on the sorts of jobs you’re looking at getting in this land of craggy mountains and see-through Adriatic Sea waters. Let’s begin…
What's in this guide?
The TEFL jobs market in Croatia
Croatia is a relatively new market for would-be TEFL teachers in Europe. The country was still a part of Yugoslavia as recently as 1991, and there were some brutal wars in the late 1990s that slowed development even further.
But things are changing. It’s estimated that over 50% of the country now speak English in some shape or form. All state school attendees have to learn English as a second language, too. Oh, and as much as 20% of Croatia’s GDP is tourism-focused, so there’s a huge demand for fluency in that sector to boot.
The bottom line? There’s not the same booming demand for teachers of English in Croatia as there is in other, more populous European destinations, but there are still lots of opportunities and they’re growing in number every year.
- Population: 4 million
- Language(s): Croatian
- Currency: Croatian kuna (kn, HRK)
- Capital city: Zagreb
- Estimated salary: 5,000-7,300 HRK ($800-$1,200)/month
Types of TEFL jobs in Croatia
There are a number of different sorts of TEFL jobs up for grabs for those who want to teach English in Croatia. From classic private language schools to one-on-one tutoring, let’s take a look at some of the most popular:
- Private language schools – This is the main sort of employer in the TEFL industry in Croatia. You’ll work for a school that teaches languages to paying customers. Classes are typically organized to fit around the Croatian school or business day, and students can be young learners or adult learners. It’s common for lesson times to be at unsociable hours and even on the weekend.
- Private tutor – Lots of teachers take on extra work as a private tutor. Most of the demand for one-on-one tutoring is in bigger cities with universities, like Zagreb, Split, and Rijeka.
- Summer camps – You can work short-term at Croatian summer language camps. These can last anything from 1-6 weeks, usually include all food and accommodation, but are a mix of paid and voluntary positions. Summer camps mainly take place on the Croatian coast between May and June, so there’s plenty of sun, sand, and sea in the offing too!
- International schools – You can find a handful of well-rated international schools in Zagreb that occasionally employ English teachers. Requirements will be high but so’s the pay.
TEFL teacher salary in Croatia
You’re not likely to strike it rich teaching English in Croatia. The salaries here are on the more modest end of the spectrum for Europe. But that’s not to say they’re bad. Coupled with Croatia’s relatively low cost of living compared to, say, Italy just across the Adriatic, the wages are usually enough for most teachers to live comfortably, travel a little, and even save some.
On average, we’d say monthly pay is in the region of 5,000-7,300 HRK ($800-$1,200)/month, and perhaps even a little more than that if you teach in the capital of Zagreb. You can also increase the amount you take home by adding on either private tutoring or supplementing your work with online teaching, which can pay anything between 90-150 HRK ($15-20)/hour.
Visas for teaching in Croatia
It’s super simple for any EU citizens to set up to teach English in Croatia. You won’t need any special visa or permit because Croatia became a member of the union back in 2013. You’re free to settle and work anywhere in the country, so long as you notify the local authorities within three months of arriving and sort out your business and tax affairs.
Things get considerably harder if you don’t hold a passport from an EU country. Sadly, that now covers a lot of traditional native-speaker countries like the US, Canada, and the UK. For those, you will need to go through the process of organizing a Croatian working visa, which is always best done with help from your employer and the Croatian consulate, as requirements will vary depending on where you’re from and what you’re going to be doing.
There are lots of instances of non-EU people teaching “under the radar” in Croatia by essentially entering on a tourist visa. That’s not recommended, especially since Croatia is due to join the Schengen Zone by 2024. After that, breaking or overstaying visas here could have a knock-on effect on your ability to visit 26 other countries across the continent.
Requirements to teach English in Croatia
The requirements to teach English in Croatia are largely in line with what you’d expect of a European destination. That means:
- 120-hour TEFL course. Ensure you get one that’s properly accredited and recognized by schools around the globe.
- A college/university degree. Most Croatian employers will ask for this, but you can get summer camp or voluntary TEFL work without a bachelors.
- Native-level English. Being a native speaker will help in Croatia, but you don’t have to speak English as your mother tongue. Employers will ask for idiomatic-level English, though.
Term times and working hours in Croatia
The Croatian school term is likely to play a big role in your schedule. That’s even the case if you’re working in a private language school because lots of students won’t take lessons during the holidays.
The academic year runs from early September to the start of June. There are breaks of up to two weeks in November, December (for Christmas and New Year), and February. The school day lasts from around 7am to 3pm, and most private teaching and tutoring is done after that, so expect to work some evenings and weekends.
A healthy schedule for a TEFL teacher in Croatia usually involves around 25 contact hours per week. Most schools will pay per lesson, not a set amount per month. That means any additional prep work, marking, and report writing will be done in your own time.
Cost of living in Croatia
Croatia might have the Mediterranean sun and the see-through Adriatic Sea waters, but it’s actually nowhere near as pricy as its compadres in the region. It’s way cheaper than Italy, for example, especially for day-to-day outgoings like meals in a restaurant (around 60 HRK/$10) or beers in a bar (16 HRK/$2.50). Rent is a lot less than in London or New York City, but will increase when you head to the most sought-after areas of Zagreb or the tourist resorts on the coast. Overall, we’d estimate you need around $700 USD/month to get by before accommodation.
Where to teach English in Croatia?
Croatia isn’t short on awesome locations for English teachers. Stretching for a whopping 3,600 miles up the side of the Adriatic Sea, the country encompasses over 1,000 islands, the end of the mighty Alps, and lush pine forests galore. The bulk of the work opportunities are in larger towns and cities, but you can also branch out to work in summer camps if you’re really keen to top up the tan and enjoy life on the riviera…
Zagreb
The fizzing capital of Croatia might not be what you quite expect. Those visions of yacht-filled coves will have to wait, because this one’s tucked into the mountains in the north of the country, closer to Austria than it is to the Adriatic Sea. There’s a population of nearly a million, and a fascinating old town that’s positively brimming with bars and nightclubs (check out Tkalčićeva Street on a Friday night to feel the buzz of it all).
Rijeka
A northern port town with plenty of grit and character, Rijeka sits plum on the edge of Kvarner Bay and the Adriatic some two hours’ drive from Zagreb. The presence of lots of shipping companies and multinational businesses here help to fuel demand for English teachers. And you get a load of beaches within a short drive, along with a medieval castle and interesting shipping museums.
Pula
Dominated by a colossal Roman amphitheater that some say is the best-preserved in the world outside of Rome, Pula caps off the lovely Istrian Peninsula in the north of the country. Heavily influenced by Italy (which is very close), it’s got plazas that bustle with taverns and pizza joints. The rugged Premantura headland is just to the south, offering remote coves and swimming inlets where there’s rarely another soul in sight.
Split
Sunny Split is the gateway to the gorgeous region of Dalmatia. It’s also the second-biggest city in the country. That means a combo of beaches on the doorstep and plenty of job prospects for those who want to teach English in Croatia. Oh, and the whole town has been there since ancient times. It’s center, the grand and amazing Diocletian’s Palace, is even a complete UNESCO World Heritage site!
The Dalmatian coast and islands
No guide to the most alluring spots to teach English in Croatia could possibly be complete without a mention of the Dalmatian coast. This region is often fodder for vacay postcards, offering blinding pebble beaches hemmed in by fragrant pine woods, high Dinaric mountains, and seas so blue you’ll think they were computer generated. Because it’s mainly holiday territory, there’s not loads in the way of conventional TEFL jobs, but you can find summer camps and even tourism-related business English jobs in these parts.
Teach English in Croatia: Where to begin?
- Get TEFL qualified – Most employers in Croatia ask for at least a 120-hour TEFL course. This is the industry standard across the globe and usually the bare minimum you’ll need to work in Europe.
- Go to Croatia – There’s no substitute for being on the ground in Croatia. Some schools might be happy to conduct interviews online, but most will want to sit down before they employ. Peak hiring times are in the midsummer and around Christmas.
- Get your visa sorted – Get help from your employer and the Croatian embassy back at home to sort out all the necessary documents you need to teach English in Croatia.