EPIK-SEOUL 2011 Spring Orientation and Pick-up service

* Detailed information about the location and schedule of the orientation will be posted on the EPIK website (www.epik.go.kr) in early-February.

* General Information of the EPIK-SEOUL Spring 2011 Orientation

* Please check our website regularly for important updates beginning in early-February since the above information is subject to change.

Documents to be Prepared before Entry

Missing documents:

Please check the top of page 1 of your contract for any additional required documents. Please submit your missing documents as soon as possible. The contract can be cancelled if you do not submit the required documents by the orientation.

Note: American citizens who initially submitted an apostilled state-level criminal record check are required to submit an apostilled FBI background check at their earliest possible convenience. If you cannot procure this document before your eparture, please be aware that the apostilled document must be sent to Korea as soon as possible to be presented to your Provincial or Metropolitan Office of Education. While your contract will not be canceled if the FBI check is not received by the end of orientation, the contract is still contingent on submission of the document, and EPIK strongly recommends that all teachers submit the document to their POE or MOE within the first month of their employment.

Other documents (if applicable)

Original Teacher’s/TESOL/TEFL/CELTA certificates (for applicants who submitted one of copy of these certificates)

* Purpose: EPIK and SMOE (Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education) will need to verify these certificates because only copies of the certificates were submitted during the application process.
* Applicants who submitted the proof of Enrollment and Sworn Declaration for TESOL/TEFL/CELTA certificates should complete the course and should submit a copy of the certificate(s) before the orientation.

Residency Certification (Official proof of residency) (With the exception of
Canadians & Irish)

* Tax laws vary from country to country, so please contact the tax or revenue authority in your home country for more information on how to obtain the proper residency
certificate.
* Purpose: To qualify for exemption from Korean income taxes. The document is not required for your application to EPIK, but it is mandatory if you expect to be exempt from Korean income taxes while living in Korea. If you do not submit the document, you will simply have a small percentage of your salary (approximately 3-4%) deducted each month for Korean income taxes.

Also, if you cannot obtain the certificate before you come to Korea, you may still qualify for tax exemption if you can submit it to your school after you begin your contract. It is strongly recommended, however, that you submit this document to your school as soon as possible after your arrival, preferably before you receive your first pay check. If you submit the residency certificate after you have received your first pay check, it is possible to be refunded for the tax that has been deducted from
each of the preceding month's pay checks; however, to avoid confusion, we strongly recommend submitting the document before you receive your first pay check. Therefore, you should apply for your residency certificate immediately and try to either bring it with you to the orientation or have it sent to Korea as soon as possible after you arrive.

Please be aware that you can only be exempt from Korean income taxes for a maximum of 2 years. So, if you have already worked in Korea for 2 years or more and have qualified for tax exemption during that time, you will no longer be eligible
for tax exemption.

Must be issued by the jurisdictional taxation department in your home country. (refer to FAQ section for how to obtain residency ceritificate)

Entrance Allowance

* Within the first month of the contract, all EPIK-Seoul GETs (Guest English Teachers), regardless of level, will be provided with 1,300,000 KRW as an Entrance Allowance by SMOE.

* The entrance allowance is intended to assist with several initial costs for the GETs including: airfare, a medical examination in Korea ( ~70,000KRW), transportation to the orientation or school upon arrival, and transportation to and from the later orientation for latecomers.

* Since you will not receive your entrance allowance until one month after you start teaching, please bring enough money to live off of for one month (approx. $1,000 USD)

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