Teaching in Germany

Most English teachers in Germany work freelance, typically earning around €25 to €40 an hour, with business English the biggest part of the market. EU citizens can start straight away, and UK, US, Canadian and Australian citizens can enter visa free and apply for a residence permit, often as freelancers, from inside Germany.

This page has been replaced by our full, up to date guide to teaching English in Germany, which covers pay, the freelance permit route, qualifications, where the jobs are and classroom culture.

The essentials at a glance

• Pay: freelance rates of around €25 to €40 an hour, and employed language school posts of around €2,400 to €3,200 gross a month. Germany’s minimum wage is €13.90 an hour from 1 January 2026.
• Qualifications: a TEFL certificate of at least 120 hours and native or near native English. A degree is preferred and helps with residence permits.
• Visas: EU citizens need no permit. Citizens of the UK, US, Canada, Australia and several other countries can apply for a residence permit inside Germany, commonly for self employment supported by letters of intent from schools.
• Costs: a room in a shared flat typically costs €600 to €850 a month in Berlin and €380 to €520 in Leipzig. Freelancers pay their own health insurance and, as self employed teachers, compulsory pension contributions.

Read next

• The full country guide: teaching English in Germany
• Rent, insurance and worked budgets: cost of living in Germany for English teachers
• Pay city by city: English teacher salary in Germany, 10 cities compared
• Get qualified: our 120 Hour Advanced TEFL Course and Ofqual-regulated Level 5 TEFL course

Updated 1 October 2026. Figures are approximate typical ranges, not quotes. The minimum wage figure is from the German federal government.