According to the Dubai government the city has a population in 2023 of 3.4 million residents rising to 4.4 with temporary residents. Demand for native English speaking experienced & qualified English teachers, female & male are fairly high as people wish to learn, and its one of the main languages business is conducted in Dubai.
Can a single woman work in Dubai? Yes. Single woman & married females with families have been relocating to Dubai for teaching for many years as their skills and knowledge of teaching & student learning methods are highly regarded & desired.
The city welcomes people from many countries and backgrounds to live & work, as you see adult woman of different ages working in many roles in private business & government departments.
Opportunities exist to teach English as a single female or woman with family at a nursery, international school, university and language schools. 2-5 years English teaching experience is required with a BEd, PGCE qualification for private school or CELTA or Maters in TESOL for language institutes nurseries & universities.
School English teacher Dubai salary
International schools pay female classroom English teachers between 9,000-19,000 AED per month in 2023 tax free plus free accommodation, gratuity, free utilities, flights, and other benefits. Better salary packages are offered by good and top private schools in Dubai, ones rated outstanding by KHDA.
How much salary per month English teachers make in Dubai depends on school type, years of experience and qualifications. More years of successful teaching experience you have the higher a salary you’re offered, extra each month is given for master & PhD holders in English.
English as second language (ESL) teachers in Dubai are paid by nurseries and language schools from 8,000 to 14,000 AED full time in 2023. A teacher with 2 years experience will receive around 10,500 offer salary + other benefits.
Women’s opportunities & school types to teach English
- International school: There are many private education schools in Dubai City that offer students an international curriculum including USA, UK & Australian with lesson instruction in English. Indeed, you can secure a teacher of English job as a woman as it’s one of the core subjects taught in British and American schools in Dubai for 3-18 year old students at primary & secondary stages.
- Woman teachers in the classroom are mostly respected in Dubai, although you may come across one or more students whose values think females should be home, not working. As a female teacher of English teaching a mixed class of boys & girls you’ll have no issues with respect, as long as you’re good at teaching.
- Teach as a single woman & with family in Dubai an option for you is an English teacher abroad at a all girls school, although this restricts the availability of good international school jobs available too you. Women and men have the same career advancement and chance of promotion as male teachers in schools. You work 5 days a week with Friday & Saturdays off, and receive around 12 week’s holidays a year.
- Nurseries: Many young children attend nursery from infant to 5 years old in Dubai with English being taught as part of a child’s learning. You can be employed as a nursery English teacher as a woman, as Dubai law states females only can teach at nurseries.
- Language institutes: English language learning is in demand in Dubai from younger children, teenagers and adults. As an English as a second language teacher you’ll find yourself teaching a mixture of adults & children from beginners to advanced level. Teenagers wish to improve they’re English skills for college & university application overseas or future job prospects. Adults learn English to advance a career or to conduct business in English.
- Universities: A few openings at one of the universities in Dubai could see you as an instructor to undergraduate & postgraduate students taking degrees in English. As an English lecture you’re well paid with benefits & long holidays at New Year and summer months.
Dubai school qualifications & requirements to teach English
To teach English at a private international school in Dubai you require a degree in the subject (English) and formal school age teaching qualification; BEd, PGDE, BA, or similar and a Native English speaker. 2 + years of post qualification class teacher experience is also require by schools.
Nursery English teacher qualification requirements Dubai include, either a degree in English, CELA, TEFL, TESOL certificate or Master in TESOL. Some employers will require at least 2 years experience teaching in a nursery and either CACHE 3, degree in early years learning.
Questions
Can you teach in Dubai with no experience? Very few nurseries and schools will employ an English teacher with no formal classroom teacher experience, especially at the age level. A teacher with 2 years experience for example has proven they can teach effectively, and can control a class of learners to gain good student grades.
Can a non native speaking teacher teach English in Dubai? Very few foreigners get a job teaching English if their native language is not English. There’s a lot of competition for these high demand jobs from teachers with passports and skills from UK, USA, Canada, Australia, South Africa who are qualified for the role.
What are the citizenship requirements for Dubai English teachers? Vast majority of private schools, nurseries & language centres will request native English speakers from Canada, Ireland, UK, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and USA. For you to gain a work visa and residence as a foreigner Dubai labour authorities request you have a passport from one these counties.
Can you teach English in Dubai without a degree? You can possibly teach English as a second language (ESL) at a language school or nursery with a recognised TEFL, TESOL, CELTA certificate, if meeting all other work permit and employer requirements.
What’s the Dubai dress code for female teachers? Each school employer and age of students taught will have a strict dress standard for all teachers. Expect to wear a full length dress or trousers & blouse that fully covers you’re knees, shoulders and arms. There’s expectation, although it’s standard dress at Dubai international schools.
Dubai teacher living accommodation
Private international school teachers hired from abroad receive accommodation as part of a salary package. Single teachers or married couples get a one bedroom furnished apartment supplied by the school or offered an accommodation allowance to rent your own.
Married female teachers with family normally get a 2-3 bedroom house or apartment, although various from school to different employer offer.
Good language school employers will provide accommodation, although maybe shared teacher housing enabling the employer to cut high city rental costs.
You can only live with people whom you are related if female/male or with being marred you’re husband according to Dubai co-habiting laws. Woman live comfortable and safe lives as a teacher alone or with they’re family, although rare instances occurrence of unwanted approaches and harassment.
The school will provide housing accommodation in a safe area with other foreigners, some with security.
Should you prefer a female teacher, like male colleagues can opt to share a school appointed apartment. You could use and combine housing allowances to rent accommodation of your own in the city giving you better options, such as pool & gym.
Living in Dubai as a woman
Dubai is safe city to live and work for woman when taking normal percussions, following laws and respecting local customs. Local emirate men & women are welcoming to all foreigners including single & married women at work and out in public.
Crime rate in Dubai is extremely law as the country has fairly harsh laws for criminals & anyone breaking the law. A few expats, men & women, do receive harassment each year usually from another foreigner they know or when someone gets drunk.
Both single & married woman & men enjoy the same level of freedom to socialise, live where they wish and associate in mixed groups.
Woman in Dubai should avoid anything that’s usual that may attract the wrong type of attention in public or in private with other people. Research cultural norms for Dubai and avoid any person whose behaviour is not good, and especially drunk people in private residences.
Walking around Dubai
Dubai continues to attract many tourists & workers and they enjoy a relaxed atmosphere when it comes being women. You’ll see people in shorts and bikinis at poolside hotels or at the beach, and you as a woman can walk around in shorts & top along the street as it’s acceptable.
Young females do at times get starred at, called insulting names and receive cat calls from conservative male & female foreigners that think you’re dressed inappropriately or out alone.
You can walk around or ride on public buses or metro rail with a group of other women or a female & male group as it’s allowed in Dubai, as well as venturing into malls, entertainment venues, hotels and shopping.
Dubai entertainment
Female single and married English teachers that live in Dubai have a large choice of night clubs, bars & hotels, restaurants, events, private social meetings and other entertainment to pick from each day, night & weekend.
Foreigners, both women & men are allowed to drink alcohol, but only in licensed premises such as hotels, bars or restaurants, as it’s illegal to consume or walk around in public with alcohol.
Take part in sport clubs or watch
- Golf
- Horse riding
- Sailing
- Walking & hiking
- Squash
- Tennis
- Cycling
- Football
- Motor sports
- Badminton
- Table tennis
Other clubs and meeting activates
- Arts & crafts
- Women’s social
- Barbeques with expats