EnglishEverywhere Review: Minimal Requirements & Above Average Pay

EnglishEverywhere is a well-established online teaching provider (since 2008) with the goal of connecting Japanese students with native-level English teachers around the globe.

Although the Chinese market currently dominates the online English-teaching industry due to high demand and a national drive to develop English skills among the population, many teachers are happy to discover Japan as an alternative.  

EnglishEverywhere made our list of the 14 Best Places for Teaching English Online to Japanese Students.

In this EnglishEverywhere review, we’ll dive into the requirements to get hired, the pay schedule (and how it stacks up to competitors), how to apply, and what current and former teachers have to say about their experiences.

What Are the Requirements to Teach for EnglishEverywhere?

Before we get into the application process and pay details, let’s first run down the list of requirements to see if you have the necessary qualifications to apply successfully.

General Requirements

EnglishEverywhere’s requirements for teachers are minimal and include:

• An accredited TEFL Certificate from a reputable provider
• Ability to respond via email within 36 hours
• ESL teaching experience (see next section)
• Technical capacity to teach online (see next section)

If you haven’t already earned a TEFL certificate, consider TEFL Hero’s 120-hour 100%-online program. You can complete the course at a reasonable pace in 4-6 weeks and, once you’ve got it, it will open new career opportunities.

The benefits of having such a professional accreditation – not just for EnglishEverywhere, but for the entire global ESL industry – cannot be overstated.

Teaching Experience Requirements

The company doesn’t specify the amount of experience required, but it does make clear (repeatedly) that applicants with no experience need not apply.

If you don’t have teaching experience under your belt, don’t worry. There are tons of jobs available for teachers new to the field. Build up your resume with an entry-level job to expand your ESL horizons. Then, if you’re still interested, come back to apply to EnglishEverywhere.

Technical Requirements

As with any online ESL gig, EnglishEverywhere wants to ensure a smooth experience for its students and teachers, which obviously requires a speedy web connection and minimal know-how on the part of the instructor:

•  Proficiency at using Skype video feature
• Fast typing skills
• Ability to send files and URLs via Skype
• Working knowledge for adjusting the audio and webcam settings
• Ability to sign out/in of account quickly and efficiently.

The minimal speed you’ll need for maintaining a glitch-free Skype connection is 25 Mbps. Instantaneously check your internet speed here.

The basic hardware you’ll need is:

•  Laptop or desktop PC
• Webcam (most PC’s in 2021 come with a sufficiently high-quality internal camera already installed)
• Headset with microphone attached (for clear communication)

EnglishEverywhere Salary (How Much Can You Make)?

EnglishEverywhere breaks its classes into 30-minute intervals. Accordingly, the pay schedule looks like this:

•  Initial pay: 800 Yen ($7.50) per 30-minute class
• Higher pay tier (following the completion of 10 classes): 900 Yen ($8.50) per 30-minute class

If you compare this relatively simple pay arrangement to the common convoluted pay schemes with bonuses and incentives of other platforms, EnglishEverywhere’s is refreshingly straightforward.

That amounts to about $15-17 per hour, a respectable rate at or above the industry average – and significantly higher than the bottom-rung (in terms of pay) online ESL platforms such as Cambly at $10/hour.

The company pays out once per month via PayPal.

What’s the EnglishEverywhere Application Process Like?

The actual application form is pretty standard. To start, key in your basic info.

Some of the questions they ask pertain to your basic qualifications, familiarity with the software used, etc.:

• National origin?
• Familiar with Skype?
• Internet connection speed?
• PayPal account/familiar with the payment system?

The company also asks that you familiarize yourself with the EnglishEverywhere Regulations before submitting the application.

Here is a step-by-step rundown of the application process:

1. Peruse the terms and conditions (pops up at the start of the app)
2. Fill in the application form (super succinct and basic)
3. Register a time for an interview with EnglishEverywhere staff
4. Conduct and ace the interview (see next section for how to do this)
5. If the company decides you are the right candidate, you receive an offer and are automatically registered in the database of available teachers
6. Start teaching

How to Shine in Your EnglishEverywhere Interview and Get the Job

The most nerve-wracking part of the application process, of course, is the actual interview itself (conducted virtually). Here are a few tips to succeed:

• Use plenty of physical gestures to complement your verbal communication. This is a well-established method for enhancing ESL instruction (called total physical response, or TPR). When you use this technique in the interview, it will demonstrate strong interpersonal communication skills, know-how of effective ESL education, and professionalism
• Speak slowly. Your EnglishEverywhere interviewer isn’t just asking questions; they are assessing your viability as a teacher. Speaking slowly and clearly will demonstrate this.
• Hype up your past teaching experience. Don’t sell yourself short – short of lying, there is no need to downplay what you have accomplished in the past. This is your opportunity to sell yourself.
• Smile and look professional. East Asians, even more so than Westerners, place a heavy emphasis on putting a “good face” forward in social situations, so don’t be afraid to lay the smiles on thick (and wear something nice).

What Is the EnglishEverywhere Teaching Experience Like?

So, what kind of digital learning environment does EnglishEverywhere seek to foster for its teachers and students?

In an apparent translation from Japanese, the company lays out its vision:

Students book appointments with the teachers of their choice, so it’s up to you to create an impressive-looking profile that makes you stand out of the crowd.

As opposed to other online ESL platforms that require teachers to be present at particular heavy-traffic times (often referred to as “peak hours” in industry jargon) EnglishEverywhere allows for unrivaled flexibility.

As a teacher, you can set your own schedule, blocking out times that you are unavailable or do not wish to teach, and students cannot book you during those times.

Below is an outline of the company’s policies for tardiness, absenteeism, etc. As you can see, the penalties can get fairly steep for non-responsiveness, failing to reply to a lesson request, or not showing up to classes.

Students who enroll with EnglishEverywhere have several course options to choose from:

• Beginner
• General conversation
• Travel
• Business beginner
• Business advanced

Following each class, teachers are required to submit a “class report” in which you briefly run down what was taught, any difficulties the student had, his or her strengths, and any additional notes. EnglishEverywhere uses this information to optimize the effectiveness of its lessons.

EnglishEverywhere Teacher Reviews

As a relatively obscure ESL platform, finding reliable (read: unbiased, third-party) feedback on the teaching experience from actual teachers is tough. 

Here’s what we know.  

EnglishEverywhere has a grand total o one (1) review on Glassdoor. However, the reviewer left a generous 4/5-star rating.

Similarly, there is only one review to be found on Indeed, another popular employment review site. This one is 5/5 stars:

As I expected to find (assuming I could find any feedback at all), the Indeed reviewer did comment on the need for teachers to create their own lesson plans – a task that, as any seasoned ESL professional can attest to, can be not only time-consuming but monumentally tedious.

“Teacher Settey” explores the various ins-and-outs of work-life with EnglishEverywhere.

EnglishEverywhere Alternatives

If you don’t meet the requirements, or apply to work with EnglishEverywhere and are not accepted, or just want to explore other options for online ESL education to Japanese students, consider these alternatives in our in-depth reviews:

• Okpanda Review
• Cafetalk Review
• Lyngo Review
• Eigox Review

EnglishEverywhere FAQs

Here is a brief rundown of the most common FAQs that prospective teachers have before applying to EnglishEverywhere.

The Bottom Line on Teaching English With EnglishEverywhere

As a relatively high-paying ESL platform ($15-$17/hr) with minimal requirements to join, EnglishEverywhere might be ideal if you:

• Have not completed a four-year degree
• Are looking for a higher-paying alternative to Chinese ESL platforms
• Have an interest in teaching business and conversational English to adult students

The only real downsides are a.) the fact that you compete with other teachers to attract students and b.) the company’s strict policies (enforced by pay deductions for non-compliance).