Can I Teach English in Taiwan Without a College Degree?

I’ve been asked this question quite a bit, so here goes …

Legally? No you cannot. To get a work visa, you must have a BA degree from a 4 year university.

But, I know of two workarounds that people have used.

1.) Working off-the-books

I know a few people still teach, get paid off the books (no taxes) and then either (A) leave the country every 60 days to renew their visa or (B) Enroll in a language school (getting a student visa) and then teach on the side.

2.) Using a fake diploma

This one takes pretty big cojones but I did meet someone who did this. They borrowed a friend’s degree, scanned it and doctored the name using Photoshop. I never saw the final results, but apparently it must have looked pretty good because he was approved for his work visa and permit.

That being said, both methods are risky business. You can get deported for either one if you are caught, but many people do get away with it.