International schools are one of the steadiest sources of teaching vacancies in Sri Lanka. They hire all year, they recruit directly, and they don’t use the government selection system.
That also means there’s no single rulebook. Each school sets its own requirements, pay and contracts. This guide explains what most schools ask for and how to judge an offer.
For the government route, read our guide to applying to the National Colleges of Education.
How international schools are set up
Sri Lankan international schools are registered as companies under the Companies Act, and some operate under the Board of Investment. The Ministry of Education doesn’t regulate them the way it regulates government and assisted schools.
For teachers, this has 3 practical effects:
- There’s no national minimum qualification. A large Colombo school and a small suburban school may ask for very different things.
- Pay, leave and working hours come from your contract, so read it carefully.
- Quality varies a lot. Checking the school before you accept is part of the job search.
Curricula you’ll teach
Most schools follow a British curriculum. They prepare students for Cambridge IGCSE and A Level, or Pearson Edexcel International GCSE and International A Level. A few schools teach the International Baccalaureate (IB).
Experience with the exact exam board matters. If you’ve taught Cambridge IGCSE Chemistry, a school using Cambridge will value you more than a candidate who knows the subject but not the syllabus, mark schemes and coursework rules.
Many schools also run a local syllabus stream or teach Sinhala, Tamil and religion to local standards, so teachers of those subjects are hired too.
Qualifications schools usually ask for
Upper school (IGCSE and A Level)
A degree in your subject is the normal minimum. Established schools often prefer a teaching qualification on top, such as a Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) or a PGCE. Science, Mathematics, ICT, Accounting, Business and Economics teachers are in steady demand.
Primary and lower school
Schools accept a wider range here. A degree, a diploma in teaching, or a recognised early childhood or primary teaching certificate can all work, especially with classroom experience. Strong spoken and written English is non-negotiable.
English teachers
For English language posts, schools look for an English degree, a teaching diploma, or certificates such as Cambridge CELTA or TKT. Our guide to professional certifications covers how to weigh different qualifications.
Assistant and support roles
Teaching assistants, admissions officers and front-office staff are hired with A/L results and good English. Many teachers start this way and study for a teaching qualification while working. See our guide to jobs for A/L school leavers.
Pay and contracts
Pay ranges widely. Large, established Colombo schools with high fees usually pay more than smaller schools and schools outside Colombo. Upper-school teachers of exam subjects usually earn more than primary teachers in the same school.
Before you sign, check these points in writing:
- Monthly salary, and whether it’s paid for all 12 months or only term months.
- EPF and ETF contributions. Private schools must pay these like any employer. Our EPF and ETF guide explains the rates.
- Teaching load per week, plus extra duties such as clubs, events and weekend work.
- Probation length, notice period and any penalty for leaving mid-year.
- Annual increments and whether training costs are covered.
Some schools pay extra for paper marking or for exam-class results. Ask. A teacher with strong IGCSE or A Level results has room to negotiate, and our salary negotiation guide shows how.
How schools recruit
Most hiring happens before the new academic year, which for many schools starts around January or September. Mid-year vacancies appear when teachers leave, and many teachers do leave for jobs overseas, so openings come up throughout the year.
A typical process has 3 stages: a CV review, an interview with the principal or section head, and a demonstration lesson. Prepare the demo lesson carefully. Keep it to the time given, involve the students, and show how you check that they understood.
Checking a school before you accept
- Ask which exam board the school is registered with, and confirm it on the board’s centre list.
- Talk to a current or former teacher if you can. Staff turnover says a lot.
- Be careful with schools that ask you to pay for training, uniforms or registration before you start.
- Get the offer as a signed letter. A verbal offer protects no one.
Teaching vacancies on CareerLK
Our teaching jobs in Sri Lanka page lists current international, private and government school vacancies. For other sectors, browse job vacancies in Sri Lanka.
About the Author
Prasad Fernando is the CEO of Skysol Solutions and the owner of CareerLK.com and CourseLK.com. A digital creator with hands-on experience building and managing online platforms for Sri Lanka’s job and education sectors.