Many of the teachers at Sias International University (SIU) have a heart to learn Mandarin as they teach. SIU offers to all of our teachers the opportunity to take “survival” Mandarin courses once a week for two hours. Many teachers also take it upon themselves to hire Mandarin tutors. Teachers have been allowed to audit Mandarin language courses but often they can’t keep up with the homework and fall behind the rest of the class. The best way to learn a new language is to immerse yourself in it!
SIU hosts a community of 160 expats with a cafeteria that offers three meals per day just for this community. 8,000 of the 26,000 students are Business English majors and are eager to learn English. Also, SIU offers Oral English to all of the Freshmen and Sophomores so after a few years the students’ confidence to speak English has skyrocketed. This amounts to an environment for not learning Mandarin well unless one is intentional.
The Two-year Teach and Study Scholarship has been developed by the leaders of Long-term Impact Training (LIT), a 3-week optional boot camp offered to SIU teachers during the summer. One of the core teachings of LIT is the importance of language learning as the best tool for staying long-term in your new host culture. After two semesters of language learning, students will be able to communicate in Chinese about daily life, write 1000 to 2000 characters, read 2000 to 4000 characters, and test for up to grade 5 in HSK, China’s only standardized test of Standard Chinese language proficiency for non-native speakers. Learn more about LIT at www.academicsinasia.com/lit
Applicants will be considered part of the teaching faculty of Sias. You will either teach Oral English or an Academic Course in English. You have the option of living in the foreign faculty housing or international student housing. In mid-August you report to Sias for 2 weeks of culture and classroom orientation/training. During the Fall semester you will teach full-time. During the months of January and February you will have 6 weeks of holiday. During the Spring semester you will be a full-time Sias language and culture student.
Download FAQ.
Fundamental Chinese (Comprehensive Chinese, Chinese Speaking, Chinese Listening, Chinese Character) and Elective Courses (Chinese Calligraphy, Chinese Painting, Chinese Folk Songs, Chinese Martial Arts/Kung Fu, HSK Comprehensive, HSK Vocabulary). Learn more at https://en.sias.edu.cn/info/1050/1068.htm
Bachelor’s Degree and 120 Hour TESOL Certificate from American TESOL Institute or two years of teaching experience. Those who have been through cross-cultural training courses or will attend Long-term Impact Training (LIT) are given priority for this scholarship.
As long as you sign a 2-semester teaching contract, Sias University will pay for your airfare to China, provide housing, and as you teach in the Fall semester provide meals in the teacher cafeteria and give you a teaching stipend of $600-800 depending on your education background. You will not receive a return airfare home until after you have completed your second semester of teaching. This will allow you to return home during the winter break or summer break of your second year. Learn more about benefits of teaching here and download a LIT details flier here.
There are only 5 scholarships offered at a time.
Deadline to Apply: November 1st (the earlier you apply the more likely to be considered)
Download this application.
How to Apply: Email your teaching resume to aaron@academicsinasia.com along with the LIT Teach and Study Scholarship application. Please explain to Aaron in the body of the email why you want to apply.