Important Notice for TaLK Applicants
1. Application Procedures
※ The following dates are subject to change. Refer to the TaLK website (www.talk.go.kr) for updates.
(1) On-line Application
- Go to the TaLK website and click the “Apply Now” menu.
- Submit the following documents on-line through the Talk website.
① Application A
Name –enter name as printed on your passport.
Passport –enter the information of your current passport. If you do not have a current passport, leave this part blank and inform us via email ([email protected]) once you receive a new passport.
Contact Information and Emergency Contact –it is important that you inform us of your current information. If you do not, your application A is incomplete.
Education –it is a requirement that you inform us of your education history as part of the TaLK application.
Work Experience/Training Courses –provide us with the last 3 most recent experiences/courses that may help you as a TaLK scholar.
Contract Term –You must select one option.
Joint Application –if you are applying by yourself, this does not apply to you.
Disregard and do not enter any information. If you are applying with a friend, mention each other’s names.
Relatives in Korea –if you have relatives in Korea, inform us here.
Korean speaking level –your current Korean speaking ability has no influence on the final decision of your application. However, it influences the final location placement (within the province) and the buddy system.
How did you hear about TaLK? –this helps us with future marketing/PR. If you heard this through a friend who used to be a TaLK scholar, let us know his/her name.
Signature –After uploading your online application, print your application A and sign it. You will submit this hard copy with the rest of your application documents.
② Application B (Personal Medical Assessment & Personal Essay)
Last visit to the physician –we expect you to answer this question, even if you don’t remember the last time you visited a doctor. Enter “not applicable” if necessary.
Physical measurements –keep in mind in Korea the measurements are in centimeters and kilograms.
Signature and Date –enter your name and date when uploading to your online application with your essay. We will require a printed/hand signed Personal Medical Assessment form. You will submit this with the rest of your hard copy documents.
Personal Essay –A one-paragraph essay will not pass you for an interview. This is your cover letter and we want to know why you wish to apply to the TaLK program.
③ A photo
This is a profile photo of yourself, as you would submit when applying for a passport.
Should you be a successful applicant, this photo is used to make a TaLK ID card for you.
(2) Interview & Submission of Required Documents -Have an interview.
-Submit all the required documents (①~⑧ as stated below) to the Korean Embassy/Consulate by the deadline set by your application office.
※ Refer to the TaLK website (www.talk.go.kr) for detailed information on how to prepare the following documents.
① A completed application form A
※ One passport size photo must be included. Submit printed application A with applicant's signature at the bottom of the form at the in-person interview or mail with documents.
② A completed application form B - a personal medical assessment & a personal essay
※Submit printed application B (self-evaluation medical) with applicant's signature at the bottom of the form at the in-person interview or mail with documents.
③ A lesson plan
※ Download the prescribed form from the TaLK website.
We prefer the lesson plan to be typed/printed, over hand-written. The lesson plan is open to your imagination. If you have not put a lesson plan together before, we expect you to do some research on putting one together. We expect at least a 2 page lesson plan for a 40- minute lesson plan for an after-school class for elementary school students. Select a grade/no of students of your choosing and consider their English level.
④ A sealed transcript
⑤ Two signed and sealed recommendation letters
※ Download the prescribed form from the TaLK website.
We do not accept recommendation letters from friends or family members.
Recommenders are to seal their recommendation letters in an envelope where their signature is across the opening flap of the envelope.
⑥ A national level criminal record check
※ Apostilled by the state or notarized by the Korean consulate/embassy. The latter is applicable to Canada only.
⑦ A copy of your passport photo page
If you do not have a current passport at this time, submit a copy once you receive it in jpeg format to [email protected].
⑧ A copy of legal residence certificate (for Korean nationals) (3) Notification of Final Admission Decision
After your application has been forwarded to the TaLK Office in Seoul, the admission decision will be made and informed within 2~3 weeks.
- Check the final admission decision on the TaLK website.
(Go to "My Page" menu → Click "Status of Application") (4) Confirmation of acceptance of scholarship
- Confirm the acceptance of the TaLK scholarship after checking your contract in your admission package.
- Admission package, which includes an invitation letter and a contract (PDF files), will be emailed to you one week after your application result is notified.
(Go to "My Page" menu → Click "Status of Application"→ Click "Yes") (5) Visa Application at the Embassy/Consulate General: by January 24th (6) Purchase of (or accept from TaLK) an Airline Ticket : by January 25th (7) Arrival in Korea: February 6th – 8th
If you arrive in Korea on the designated arrival dates, transportation to the orientation venue will be provided by the TaLK Office.
(8) Participation in the TaLK Orientation: February 9th – 23rd
-Theories & practices concerning English teaching methodology & classroom management (9) Participation in the POE Orientation: February 23rd – 28th
- Meeting with the POE supervisor, and the school principal/teacher - School placement and accommodation arrangement
(10) Placement in the school : February 28th (11) Start of work : March 2nd
2. Visa Eligibility Check before Application
★ Overseas Koreans with less than two years of university education as of January, 2011 must inquire at the Korean consulate/embassy, to confirm qualifying for the F-4 visa before proceeding with their application.
★ Foreigners with less than two years of university education as of January, 2011 are not eligible for this term. Please apply when eligible for the E-2 visa.
3. Official Medical Examination
(after arrival in Korea)★ All TaLK Scholars will undergo a Medical Examination in Korea including a physical examination, a blood test, a chest X-ray, and so on. During the Orientation, TaLK Scholars will be taken to the designated hospitals to take a Medical Examination, and the cost will be covered by the Korean government.
★ If a TaLK Scholar is found to have taken illegal drugs or is infected with HIV and/or any contagious diseases, the contract will be cancelled and s/he must return to his/her home country. In this case, any or all expenses for entry, departure, or stay in Korea, including medical fees, must be paid by the TaLK scholar.
4. How to Receive Tax Exemption
(1) Eligibility : All TaLK scholars except those with Canadian citizenship
All TaLK scholars are eligible for income tax exemption for the first two years of employment in Korea. Canadian citizens are not eligible for this benefit as there is no tax treaty between Korea and Canada.
* If you have previously worked for more than two years in Korea, you will not be eligible for this exemption.
(2) Required Documents
In order to claim tax exemption, you are required to submit to your school a copy of
"Certificate of Residency" (a government certified document that confirms your legal residency status in your country). This can be obtained from the tax revenue authority in your country or online, after being placed in your school.
▷ Issued from the jurisdictional taxation department in your home country
▷ Submit to your school in Korea
▷ Korean National Tax Service website: http://www.nts.go.kr/eng
* If you apply for your Certificate of Residency before your departure and if you do not know which school you are placed in by that time, you can enter the information of your Provincial Office of Education as your employer. The mailing address is on the TaLK website (under "Placement" menu). Have this document mailed to you so you can submit by hand to your elementary school.
5. Military Service
Male applicant who has a dual citizenship or is a Korean citizen with permanent residency of his residing country must make sure that the military service issue will not interfere with his activity as a TaLK Scholar.
A male applicant with permanent resident status in his country of residence has the possibility of being drafted into military service if his stay in Korea exceeds six months.
Therefore, if your situation falls under this category, you must choose the six month contract. Be aware that your stay in Korea before and after the scholarship period will count towards the 6-month limit as well. This may also apply to male applicants with dual citizenship, entering Korea using a Korean passport.
6. Re-entry Permit
If a TaLK Scholar is planning to stay in Korea for more than 12 months and is a permanent resident of a country where there are regulations against staying abroad, (i.e. USA) make sure to receive a re-entry permit before leaving your country of residence.
For more information please visit the following websites:
http://www.uscis.gov/, http://www.dhs.gov/
7. Visa Issuance
(1) Please ensure that you are in possession of an E2-2, F-4, or F-2 visa prior to arrival in Korea. You cannot attend the TaLK Orientation, nor work in Korea, without an E-2, F-4, or F-2 visa.
(2) To apply for an E2-2 visa at the Korean Embassy/Consulate, the following items are required: a letter of invitation, your signed contract, your passport, visa application fee and some recently taken passport-sized photos.
* In some cases, they may require additional documents. Be sure to check with the Korean Embassy/Consulate where you will be applying for your visa. Inform the Korean Embassy/Consulate that you are a successful TaLK applicant.
(3) To apply for an F-4 or F-2 visa, inquire at your Korean Embassy/Consulate for information on application procedures and required documents.
Information on obtaining a visa
There are two types of visas that you can apply for to participate as a TaLK Scholar.
1) If you are a foreigner or overseas Korean with two or more years of college/university education:
- E-2 Visa (Foreign Language Teaching) 2) If you are an overseas Korean:
- F-4 Visa (Overseas Koreans)
If you are an overseas Korean with two or more years of university education, we recommend that you apply for the E-2 Visa.
※NOTICE : If you are an overseas Korean in first or second year of university, you MUST apply for the F-4 visa.
※Applicants who applied at the Seoul TaLK Office and wishes to change the status of their visa, must contact the TaLK Office for additional information.
8. Contact Information
(TaLK Office in Seoul, Korea )Tel : 82-2-3668-1399/1387 (from overseas)
* If you are in Seoul, dial 3668-1399/1387
* If you are in Korea but not in Seoul, dial 02-3668-1399/1387 E-mail : [email protected]
Fax : 82-2-764-1328
