WorldTeach Pre-Departure Information
Officially deciding to participate in a WorldTeach program means you have an adventure ahead of you. There is work to be done before the excitement of teaching abroad begins. One source of helpful general information to consider as you prepare for your experience abroad is the International Volunteerism Resource Center. This convenient resource is provided by our partner Idealist.org. These pages are to give you a glimpse into the steps you will need to take after your acceptance.
After you are accepted into a program, WorldTeach will send you an Acceptance Packet with a checklist of things you will need to do before you depart for your particular program. To give WorldTeach, and yourself, maximum time to prepare for your program's departure, we ask that you confirm your participation as a WorldTeach volunteer within two weeks of acceptance.
As you move forward through the pre-departure process, to track which items have been received and processed by our office, please log in to your account using your username and password to check the status of your application. This screen will show you what we need for you to submit in order to confirm.
Once you have confirmed your participation, you will be required to submit various materials, including a Physician's Health Form (signed by your physician during a health exam), passport photos, travel information, and other documentation for your visa. Pre-departure preparations vary depending on the program you will participate in, and therefore you must pay careful attention to the correspondence sent to you by the program staff. Once we receive your confirmation, we will send you additional materials to help you prepare to live and teach in your host country.
In order for WorldTeach to match your qualifications, skills, and interests with the needs of the host country, we ask that you complete a Volunteer Profile Form once confirmed. This online form asks several questions about not only about your interests and experience, but also your placement preferences. Please remember that placements are based on the needs and resources of the host country partners and institutions as well as the skills and preferences of volunteers. You can expect to be notified of your placement three weeks before your departure date. Unfortunately WorldTeach can not guarantee that every volunteer's preference will be met. Patience and flexibility will help you to keep an open mind until you begin your teaching assignment and discover the school and host community for yourself.
WorldTeach will provide you with guidance and useful information, but you are ultimately responsible to promptly send in any forms or items required by WorldTeach and to prepare yourself for departure. WorldTeach recommends allowing at least 3 months for pre-departure preparation. The earlier you apply for the program the more preparation time you will have.
Please read the following pages to get a better understanding of how the your preperations might feel after your acceptance.