International Teacher Exchanges

The application period for all programs for the 2024-2025 academic year is now open

Ohio’s visiting international teacher programs support the Department’s vision that Ohio learners be “workforce ready and successfully participate in the global economy as productive citizens". These programs support the Department’s objective of “teaching 21st Century knowledge and skills for real-word success” by:

  • Providing students with quality world language and cultural instruction from native language speakers and cultural experts;
  • Providing Ohio schools and districts with a source of highly-qualified world language educators during an unprecedented world language teacher shortage; and
  • Supporting the implementation of Ohio’s Learning Standards for K-12 World Languages.
Ohio’s programs are designed purposefully to:
  • Promote strong ties between the citizens of Ohio and the citizens in our partner territories;
  • Foster knowledge and appreciation of each other’s cultures;
  • Provide students who enroll in these programs with bilingual and multicultural education opportunities that train them for future personal, academic and professional success;
  • Provide professional growth opportunities to teachers from Ohio and abroad; and
  • Serve as a key element in Ohio’s federal educator equity plan.

Outbound Teacher Programs

Teaching English in Taiwan Program

Through a memorandum of understanding with Taiwan's Ministry of Education and a partnership with the Taipei Economic and Culture Office (TECO) in Chicago, the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce invites both new and experienced licensed elementary and middle school teachers to apply to the Teaching English in Taiwan program. Selected educators must be qualified and available to teach English to primary and middle school students in Taiwan for one or more academic years. Annual teaching contracts are for 11 months. 

Each selected Ohio teacher is paired with a Taiwanese classroom teacher. In addition to providing instruction in English as a foreign language, teachers work with Taiwanese educators to develop curriculum, prepare lesson plans and teaching materials, conduct classes and evaluate student progress.

The application period for the 2024-2025 school year is now open. The deadline to apply is Monday, April 22, 2024.

Click on the links below to read more about this special opportunity and to apply to the program.

Inbound Teacher Exchange Programs

Spanish Visiting Teacher Program

To provide quality instruction in Spanish from native speakers of the language and to promote rich cross-cultural exchange, Ohio has a formal Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Education of Spain that facilitates the placement of visiting educators from Spain in Ohio schools. To understand the various program requirements and to access a copy of the contract that host districts are required to sign if they decide to host a visiting teacher through this program, visit the Spanish Visiting Teacher Program webpage.

Teacher Exchange Program with France

Teacher-for-teacher exchanges are facilitated by the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce's Memorandum of Understanding with the Académie de Normandie in Northern France. The program seeks to identify teachers in Ohio and France that can exchange positions for one or more academic years. Ohio teachers going to France must demonstrate advanced proficiency in French, while teachers coming to Ohio must be highly fluent in English and qualify for Ohio's Visiting International Teacher License. Teachers continue to be paid and insured by their home institutions while working abroad. The Department sponsors the required J-1 visa for inbound teachers under authority of the U.S. Department of State’s BridgeUSA Program. 

Visiting Chinese language TeacherS from Taiwan Program

The Department partners with the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Chicago and the Taiwanese Ministry of Education to bring highly qualified Chinese language and culture teachers and Chinese language immersion teachers to Ohio for placement in schools and districts for an initial period of up to 2 academic years. The Department reviews the application, and then works with the district and the TECO office to recruit a highly qualified teacher. The Department verifies the selected candidates’ eligibility for J-1 visa sponsorship and Ohio’s Visiting International Teacher License. Host districts pay a salary and benefits commiserate with a candidate’s level of education and years of prior experience. The Department sponsors the required J-1 visa under authority of the U.S. Department of State’s BridgeUSA Program. The date to apply for a teacher for the upcoming 2024-2025 school year is Friday, April 12, 2024.

Financial Disclosure for Visiting Teachers Coming to Ohio

The Department has prepared a financial disclosure statement for visiting international teachers in compliance with federal regulations for J-1 visa sponsoring organizations. This statement will be useful to overseas educators who might be considering Ohio as a potential visiting teacher program destination by providing a basic understanding of the financial circumstances that might be encountered while living and working in Ohio. These factors include expected earning potential, typical payroll deductions and anticipated living expenses. The salary ranges, deductions and costs described in this disclosure represent statewide averages based on market research last conducted in March 2023. Actual figures might vary greatly by region of the state and may be less than or exceed the estimated ranges listed.

Program Participation Fees - Please note that the Department does not charge any visa sponsorship or program participation fees to the international exchange teachers that it recruits for placement in Ohio. Additionally, exchange visitors sponsored by the Department are not subject to any foreign or domestic third-party or partner organization fees.

Third-Party Organizations - The Department collaborates exclusively with the following third-party organizations to recruit international exchange teachers for its programs:

  • Ministry of Education of Spain (Spanish Visiting Teacher Program)
  • Académie de Normandie (Teacher Exchange Program with France)
  • Ministry of Education of Taiwan/Taipei Economic and Cultural Office – Chicago (Visiting Chinese Language Teachers from Taiwan Program)

Last Modified: 3/18/2024 1:23:16 PM