Overview
The Teacher Appointment Examination (교원임용시험, commonly called Imyong-gosa) is South Korea's competitive exam for appointing teachers to public schools, run separately by each metropolitan and provincial office of education (시도교육청), which each publish their own vacancy numbers by subject and school level.
Who can apply
Applicants must hold a teaching certificate (교원자격증) valid for the school level and subject applied for, obtained through an accredited teacher-training programme or education degree in Korea, along with meeting any additional requirements set by the specific office of education.
Exam pattern
The exam generally has two stages. The first stage is a written test covering educational theory/pedagogy common to all candidates, plus subject-specific content knowledge for the chosen subject and school level. The second stage, for candidates who pass the first, includes a lesson demonstration (수업실연), an interview, and for some subjects an essay or practical/performance test (particularly for subjects like physical education, music, or art).
Marking and results
Final selection combines first-stage and second-stage scores; because the number of positions varies significantly by subject and region each year, competitiveness differs widely between subjects and provinces.
How to apply
Applications are submitted to the specific metropolitan or provincial office of education running the recruitment, following that office's published application procedure and deadline.
After the exam
Candidates who pass all stages are appointed to a public school within that metropolitan or provincial area, generally beginning with an initial probationary and induction period.
Preparation tips
Because vacancy numbers by subject and region vary year to year and directly affect competitiveness, checking the specific office of education's planned vacancies for the target subject before committing to long-term preparation is a common first step among candidates.
Is the Teacher Appointment Examination run nationally in South Korea?
No, each metropolitan and provincial office of education runs its own exam, with its own vacancy numbers by subject and school level.
What does the first stage of the exam test?
Educational theory/pedagogy common to all candidates, plus subject-specific content knowledge for the chosen subject and school level.