Applying with Academics in Asia in 7 Steps:

  1. See if you qualify here.
  2. To help you discern whether you would like to join our staff, please spend time looking through our website, especially the FAQ, Academic and Conversational English Course Descriptions, and learn about our Community.
  3. Contact Aaron to ask him any questions you may have. Once you are confident this is a potentially good fit, begin the application process.
  4. Create your current résumé with an emphasis on your teaching and cross-cultural experience. See résumé tips blog entry here.
  5. Request reference letters.  For the reference letter, please ask a previous employer, colleague or mentor who knows you to write-up a one-page reference letter and send it as a Word Doc or PDF attachment to aaron@academicsinasia.com.
  6. Schedule a ZOOM call with Aaron to talk about your cover letter, resume and ask any questions you may have.
  7. Fill out the online application and attach your cover letter, résumé and reference letters (optional). This puts you into our pool of applicants that will receive interview requests. If you have an issue with submitting the application, use this site to submit info.

Timeline [Estimated] for Fall New Hires

  • May 1 – Application Deadline for Fall Employment. Applications are accepted between December and April.
    Look over Compensation: Compensation Details: www.academicsinasia.com/employment/
    Upload your resume to our site: www.academicsinasia.com/apply-now/
  • Feb – April – Interviews and Job Offers. There are two interviews. The first interview provides the opportunity to share your experiences and what motivates you to join Sias faculty, and to hear about various aspects of life at Sias and the process of joining the staff. The first interview will be with one of our international (probably American faculty). The second interview is with the department one would work in. The interviewer may ask questions about how one handles difficult students in the classroom or what experience one has with EFL students. The second interviewer will be a Chinese national.
  • May – many new teachers who do not have two years of teaching experience or an education degree will complete a TEFL Certificate during the month of May. Sias ESL trainers researched various companies and recommend using MyTEFL. Learn more about the cost, discounts, and course details here.
  • June 1 – Email two recommendation letters for processing work visa (one letter emphasizing academic ability and the other emphasizing ability to serve, cross-cultural aptitude or to emphasize adaptability/heart of service leadership).
  • June 5 – Deadline to sign the employment offer letter.
  • July 1 – Deadline to send documents to Sias Visa staff (passport, authenticated diploma, and medical clean bill of health paperwork).
  • July 1 – Deadline to email school a doctor’s physical to testify of no contagious diseases.
  • July 1 – Those who do not have an English, TESOL, or Education degree need to complete a $200 online TESOL Certificate. It takes 1-3 weeks to complete.
  • August 8-14 – Negative nucleic acid test required within 48 hours prior to international travel.
  • August 10-16 – Sias pays for plane tickets. Departure from an international airport. Domestic travel not covered by Sias. Departure date range. Dates vary due to cost of travel.
  • August 17-20 – Teachers get settled at Sias University.
  • August 21-31 – Chinese Classes and New Teacher Orientation.
  • August 28-31 – All-Teacher Meetings.
  • Sept 4 – Fall Classes Begin

Want updates about CHINA?
We will update the CGE Landing Page.

Visa Process

To come to China, teachers need to have a Chinese Work Visa (Z Visa).

Once an applicant receives an Offer Letter from Sias, they will be asked to provide about 10 documents to Sias (by email). Some of these can take a fair amount of work, involve several steps, and may take a couple of months to obtain. Some of the foreign teachers that Sias hires have never been overseas, and some have possibly never had to deal with the level of bureaucracy required to get the documentation for the Z Visa. For this reason, the Office of International Affairs (OIA) at Sias will provide as much support as possible.

Once these documents are obtained, they should be sent to Sias via email. They are used to get an Invitation Letter, which is a document from China’s Foreign Expert’s Bureau (FEB) that promises a Residence Permit soon after the teacher arrives in China. [UPDATE: PU letter no longer required as of June 15, 2022]. This letter, along with the applicant’s passport and other relevant documents, is submitted to the Chinese embassy or consulate closest to them as part of the visa application.

Since the Covid-19 Pandemic began, Chinese embassies and consulates have asked for these documents (for the visa application) to be scanned first and sent by email. After the embassy or consulate approves the application, the teacher is informed that they can mail their application, passport, and documentation (including the Invitation Letter) to them. The applicant will receive a Z Visa within 1-2 weeks. This visa authorizes them to work in China for their sponsoring company (in this case, Sias University).

Once a teacher arrives at Sias, they will have their Z Visa upgraded to a Residence Permit, which allows the teacher to work for the contracted academic year.

Sias’ Office of International Affairs will also guide teachers with getting the Dependent Visa (S1 Visa) if they have dependents accompanying them.

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