Letters must clearly state the name of the referee, their title/position, and their contact information.
Ideally, both a phone number and an email address should be included.
Letters must be from a supervisor, manager, professor, academic advisor, co-teacher, or other professional source.
The referee cannot be a friend, family member, or co-worker. For academic sources, letters from tertiary school sources are preferred.
Applicants currently teaching in Korea must provide at least one (1) recommendation letter from their current school (e.g., co-teacher, principal/director).
Letters from volunteer groups/organizations, social clubs, etc. will only be accepted in relation to a teaching or education-based context.
Letters from freelance positions, independent nannying, babysitting, au pair experiences, tutoring, etc. will not be accepted. Letters from religious organizations will only be accepted in reference to teaching/education-related experience or professional employment.
Letters must be on official letterhead OR submitted with the referee's official business card.
The official letterhead/business card should include the business's logo, address, and contact information. If neither is possible, the applicant will need to obtain a letter from a different source. Business cards should be paperclipped to their respective letter(s).
As public schools in Korea do not normally have letterheads or business cards, letters of recommendation from Korean co-teachers must clearly state the school's name, address, and contact number. Korean school letters must be signed by the referee or include their personal seal. If possible, including the school's logo and/or official seal would be ideal, but it is not mandatory if the principal/school refuses to provide it.
Letters must be ink-signed.
Following a successful interview, the original physical letters with real, pen-to-paper ink signatures must be submitted as part of your application package. Traced signatures and duplicate/doubled signatures are not acceptable (i.e., ink signature next to printed copy of recommendation letter scan).
Letters must include a TYPED date of issue.
The date of issue must be within two (2) years from the opening date of the application period. For the Spring 2027 term, letters must be dated on or after August 1st, 2024. Regardless of regional formatting, the date must be a full date (e.g., August 1st, 2024; 01/08/24; 2024.08.01., etc.).
Letters must include the applicant's full legal first and last name as it appears on their passport.
If the referee knows the applicant by a nickname, they can use that nickname after including one instance of the applicant's full first and last name in the beginning of the letter.
Letters must be written in either Korean or English.
Letters written in Korean must have at least one instance of the applicant's full legal name written in English alphabet. Letters in other languages will not be accepted, even if a translation is provided.
Letters should be 1-2 pages in length.
The content should include more than just a description of the applicant's role or responsibilities. Letters that do not contain any character reference or do not attest to the applicant's (potential) ability as a teacher will not be accepted.
Letters should be addressed to “Whom it May Concern” or to the “EPIK Team.”
Letters addressed to specific recruiters, Offices of Education, institutions, etc. will not be accepted.
Letters must clearly state the nature and length of the relationship between the referee and the applicant.
This should include specific information regarding the referee's position in relation to the applicant to confirm they are a valid source of reference, along with specific dates rather than general time periods (e.g., 3 months).
Letters from online TEFL/TESOL/etc. course providers are not accepted.
Letters from course providers are only acceptable if the applicant has attended the course and interacted with the referee in-person.
This is only a guideline. Recommendation letters do not need to match this exact format as long as they have all the required components.
Letterhead
(한국 학교 및 학원: 기관 직인 또는 로고)
Company/School Address
Company/School Phone Number
Company/School Email Address
Typed Full Date of Issue
Recipient information (i.e., "Dear EPIK Team" or "To Whom it May Concern")
Please write specific information attesting to the applicant's (potential) ability to teach in Korea. The letter must:
- Be in Korean or English (한국어로 작성 가능 단, 지원자 성명은 영문으로 입력)
- Be 1–2 pages
- Be typed and printed on professional letterhead (handwritten letters are not acceptable)
- Include the applicant's full first and last name
- Clearly state the relationship between the referee and the applicant, including the length and nature of the relationship
- Provide a character reference, and not only a description of the applicant's role/duties
- Include any other required and relevant information listed in the preceding section
Signature (must be ink-signed; 작성자 잉크 서명)
Full Name
Title/Position
Contact Information (if different from above)
