 Overview
Think Hungary, and you’ll probably think of paprika,
goulash, and horsemen on the Puszta (the Hungarian plain).
Those who know a little better may think of the many and
varied cultural and scientific bequests it has made to the
world: it numbers Liszt, Bartok and Kodaly among its composers,
for example, and boasts inventions and discoveries from
the simple ball point pen to Vitamin C. As a partner in
the mighty Habsburg alliance with Austria, Hungary has a
feel and identity more readily squared with Western Europe
than the Balkans. This is most evident in the capital, Budapest:
proudly labelled the Paris of the East by its inhabitants,
it is a city of boulevards and cafés, magnificent
eclectic architecture, and a hub of the rich Hungarian cultural
heritage.
The TEFL market in Hungary is highly competitive with a
huge number of language schools battling for the custom
of both the man on the street and the company client. Almost
all teachers here are self-employed with their own limited
companies which bill the schools they teach for; this is
standard in Hungary, though knowing this does not make starting
up here as a first time teacher any easier, particularly
given the complex nature of the bureaucracy.
The bulk of the work is centred in Budapest, which is not
surprising when you consider how much larger it is than
any other Hungarian cities, and how much foreign investment
is focused here.
English-learning in Hungary continues to grow and grow;
Hungarian learners have long been schooled in a very analytic
and teacher-centred way, which may initially make them appear
less dynamic learners than, say, their Mediterranean counterparts.
Scratch this surface, though, and you’ll find warm,
welcoming individuals who have a strong motivation to improve
their ability to communicate in English, and who cherish
any opportunity to share with the outsider the intricacies
of Hungarian culture, its history and language (the notorious
difficulty and uniqueness of which they are very proud).
Salary and hours
As already mentioned, the majority of teachers work freelance
and teach anywhere between 20 and 30 hours a week. Those
in full time employ can expect to be contracted for 25 hours
teaching a week, although at busy times of the year they
may be asked to do extra. ‘Split shifts’ are
the norm - students tend to expect lessons early in
the morning (7.30 starts are common, especially with company
teaching) or after work (at, for example, 17.30). This means
a long day for all concerned, often with large gaps in the
afternoon - effective time management is essential. Saturday
morning teaching can also happen, though it’s not
as common as in other countries.
Salaries tend to be around 2500 - 3500 HUF (Hungarian
Forint) per 45 minutes teaching.
Type of teaching
Teachers can expect to teach a variety of age-groups and
class-types. Business clients are as common as general English
adults. Exam preparation classes are popular though these
tend to be for locally accredited exams rather than Cambridge
main suite (which remains a niche market in Hungary). Younger
Learners are reasonably common, though more often than not
this involves teaching English conversation classes at a
local gimnázium (secondary / high school).
Accommodation
Accommodation tends to be organised by teachers
themselves through local agencies. Language schools sometimes
have contacts who rent out to their teachers each year.
Accommodation can be expensive so it is common for teachers
to share. If renting through an agency you’ll need
to provide a deposit of at least a month’s rent in
advance. You are advised to ensure the flat has everything
you need or feel is fair for the price (e.g. a washing machine)
and make a clear inventory of items before you sign a contract
and pay the deposit, which can be difficult to claim back
in full.
Start of school year/ best time to look for work
The few schools that offer full-time contracts tend to do
so from September, with hiring taking place late spring
or early summer. In fact though it’s possible to find
work any time of year, as enrolments fluctuate and a school
can find itself suddenly needing 5 teachers almost overnight—thanks
to a big company contract or a big enrolment. Having a CELTA
or equivalent qualification is essential for full time work
at private schools and gives you a significant market advantage
elsewhere.
Red Tape
As mentioned earlier, teachers who are serious
about earning a living legally here for any length of time
will need to set up a ‘BT’ i.e. a private company,
as most schools will insist on you providing bills for the
hours you teach. Unfortunately, this is a relatively costly
and complex process - it can cost 100,000 + HUF to
set up and you’ll be required to pay an accountant
on a monthly basis. There are alternatives to this however,
or at least there are at this writing: one is to bill using
either a UK self-employment tax number or a UK company (if
you’re from the UK!); or in the case of Americans,
to bill via an American company. Your employer here wants
most of all to cover itself in the case of inspection, and
to be able to show that it is reporting and paying taxes
for all employees who are billing via Hungarian entities.
Another alternative is to have someone bill on your behalf,
and yet another is to simply work “black”; it’s
still common for schools and certainly individuals (i.e.
1-1 students) to pay cash, off the books. Yes, it’s
illegal to do so, yet very much common practice.
Non-EU citizens will need to establish residency here if
planning to stay longer term—again, another bit of
bureaucracy to wade through—a challenge and an adventure,
but do-able.
FCO
Lonely
Planet Guide - Hungary
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