Questions to Ask Before Accepting an Overseas Teaching Job

Accepting the wrong teaching job means wasted money, wasted time, and a whole lot of stress you didn’t sign up for. And the worst part is that most teachers only realise the mistake after they’ve already packed their bags and landed in a new country.

Now you might be wondering, “What should I ask before accepting?” Let us help you with that.

In this article, we’ll share interview questions that reveal the real picture, tips for spotting red flags, and examples of what good schools actually tell you up front.

Our overseas teaching company helps Australian teachers find positions every year, and we’ve seen what happens when teachers ask the wrong questions.

So before your next teaching interview, let’s sort out what you need to know.

Teaching Job Questions That Reveal the Real Picture

Schools love talking about their achievements, but the real picture comes from specific examples of how they treat teachers on tough days. When you ask the right interview questions, you force schools to describe what actually happens in their classrooms.

The two areas below will help you prepare questions that dig deeper into what your teaching life will look like.

1. Questions About Your Classroom Management Support

Ask who helps you when a student disrupts your class repeatedly. This one question shows whether the school backs its teachers or leaves them to struggle alone.

Some schools offer training sessions for handling difficult situations, while others expect you to figure it out yourself. So ask them to demonstrate how their support system works in practice.

You should also check whether senior staff assist new teachers regularly in the classroom. If they say “occasionally” or “when needed,” push for specifics. Usually, schools with solid classroom management systems describe them proudly because they’ve put the work in.

2. Questions About the Learning Environment

Knowing your class size and resources up front prevents nasty surprises. We’ve heard that promise before, the one where schools claim small class sizes but forget to mention combined groups.

That’s why you have to ask about student-to-teacher ratios directly. A positive learning environment depends heavily on whether you’re teaching 15 students or 40.

Helpful Tip: Request details on available teaching materials and textbooks. It’ll save you from spending weekends creating lesson plans from scratch.

All these details influence your daily teaching experience heavily, so don’t skip them.

What to Ask About Behaviour Management Strategies

You should ask for the school’s written discipline policy and how staff enforce it.

A school’s behaviour management strategies tell you a lot about its teaching philosophy. You’ll get a clear sense of how they handle tough days and whether they support teachers or leave them hanging.

Consider asking these:

• How do teachers handle disruptive students in the classroom?
• Do they follow a system, or does everyone do their own thing?
• Can they share their behaviour management policy up front?

You’ll be the one dealing with students who test boundaries, so knowing the school’s approach before you sign counts more than you’d think. Nobody wants to play referee without a rulebook, right?

Schools that align discipline with their values usually have documentation ready to share. But the ones with nothing in writing will hesitate or change the subject fast.

Interview Questions to Ask Hiring Managers Directly

What you ask hiring managers tells them who you are. Serious candidates come prepared with questions that show they’ve done their research. And school leaders notice when someone asks thoughtful questions during an interview.

Here are two areas worth digging into:

1. How Will I Differentiate Instruction Here?

We recommend asking whether the curriculum allows flexibility for mixed-ability students. Not every school values differentiated instruction the same way, so you need to know upfront.

Before accepting any teaching position, consider these:

• Lesson Plan Freedom: You have to find out if teachers can adapt their lesson plans based on student learning needs. Because some schools lock you into a rigid curriculum with no room to adjust.
• Real Support: Check whether schools actually support differentiation in practice or just mention it in brochures. One way to do that is to ask for specific examples of how current teachers differentiate instruction in their classrooms.

2. Can I Incorporate Technology in My Lessons?

You don’t want to deal with broken projectors and dodgy wifi while teaching a room full of students, right? So ask what technology actually exists in classrooms right now.

Also, find out about internet reliability and whether students have device access for lessons. Schools that follow best practice usually invest in teacher training too, so check if they offer continuous learning opportunities for tech skills.

After covering teaching tools and support, it’s time to flip the script on common interview questions.

Common Interview Questions You Should Flip Back

Flipping questions back gives you control in the conversation.

For example, when hiring managers ask common interview questions like “Why do you want this job?” you can turn it around with a follow-up question: “What made previous teachers love working here?”

So what’s the real deal here? The truth is, teacher interview questions work both ways. So if they ask about your past experience with difficult students, flip it and ask how the school supports teachers in those situations.

This way, their common questions become a chance to do your own research. When they ask about your teaching style, respond and then ask what teaching styles work best in their school culture.

Every question they throw at you is a chance to learn something back. Trust your gut during the interview, and if their answers feel vague, that tells you plenty.

Handling a Challenging Situation: What’s Their Approach?

Imagine half your class refuses to follow instructions in your first week, and no one steps in to help. Frustrating, right?

But it’s no secret that every teacher will face a challenging situation like this at some point. The question is whether school leaders expect you to bite the bullet alone or actually step in with support.

To get a clearer picture, focus on these areas:

Support for New Teachers in Tough Moments

When a school has proper mentorship, your first tough day becomes a learning moment. You won’t spiral into a breakdown when someone’s got your back.

Based on our experience, most good teaching teams pair their new teachers with someone experienced to help them stay calm when things go sideways. But some schools may skip this entirely.

So ask these:

• Ask about mentorship programmes for newly arrived teachers.
• Find out who helps when classroom issues arise.
• Does the deputy principal show up, or are you left sending emails into the void?
• Do classroom observations focus on growth rather than punishment?

How Schools Handle Student Behaviour Issues

Behavioural problems aren’t rare in overseas classrooms. One disruptive student can throw off your entire lesson if there’s no system in place. That’s why you have to ask about escalation procedures upfront.

Start by asking about suspension and expulsion policies directly. You need to know what happens when a student crosses the line and who makes that call.

Find out how parents get involved in discipline, too. Some schools bring parents in early, while others avoid those conversations altogether. And check what happens when behaviour escalates seriously.

Watch Out: If their answer to any of these is “it depends” with no follow-up, that’s your cue to keep looking.

What Contract Questions Should Overseas Teachers Ask?

Questions about housing allowances, flight reimbursements, and termination clauses protect you most. So don’t shy away from detailed queries about these areas. Your wallet and long-term satisfaction depend on it.

Before you sign anything, prepare questions around these:

• Housing: Does the school provide accommodation, or do you get an allowance? If it’s an allowance, ask if it covers rent in that school district.
• Flights: Are return flights included, or just one-way? You have to ask this one because some contracts only cover your arrival. Your trip back home remains your problem, and that can cost you an arm and a leg.
• Health Insurance: What does the policy cover? And request the details in writing, not just a verbal promise.
• Termination Clauses: What happens if you leave early, or if they let you go? This one catches many teachers off guard, so get it sorted up front.
• Job Description: Does your contract match the job description you applied for? It’s really important to compare both documents because some schools sneak in extra duties after you’ve already landed.

All these questions might feel awkward to ask. That’s where a teaching company can help you out.

A trusted overseas teaching company like Faces of the Layoffs means someone reviews these details before you sign. It takes pressure off and keeps the school’s mission aligned with what you were actually promised.

Red Flags in a Job Interview for Overseas Roles

Now that you know what to ask, learn what to watch for.

Red flags during a job interview often hide in plain sight, and spotting them early saves you months of regret. Look out for these common themes:

• Vague Responses: If you ask about the school’s culture and they dodge with generic phrases, that’s your cue. It signals hidden problems.
• Rushed Timelines: Rushed hiring processes are increasingly common, too, and they usually mean desperate schools trying to fill gaps fast.
• Contract Avoidance: Schools avoiding contract discussions want flexibility against you, not for you. And if they pressure you to sign quickly without giving time to review, walk away.

You know what? Teaching overseas isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, and neither is every school.

Take the Next Step With Confidence

Your teaching job in a different country could be the adventure of a lifetime or a lesson you’d rather forget. But the right preparation puts you in the right classroom.

Here’s some honest career advice: don’t rush into a teaching job just because it sounds exciting. Take time to prepare, ask the hard questions, and leave a strong impression by showing you know what you’re looking for.

Our team has guided Australian teachers through this process countless times. If you want your next teaching interview to lead somewhere good, start with the right questions. Your education career deserves that much.