Montenegro (which means Black Mountain) is a very small country in the Balkan region of Europe. It’s on the sea and has borders with Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Kosovo and Albania.

Right at the outset we have to say that the chances of finding work here teaching English are not that great. The main stumbling block appears to be its size: there are less than ¾ of a million inhabitants (many living outside the main towns and cities) and just a handful of private and international schools. If they aren’t looking for teachers, there’s little other option other than to move to another country to look for work. (Fortunately this isn’t that difficult; Montenegro’s neighbors all have much greater opportunities for TEFL teachers.)

Right now you can email the handful of schools (see the links below) and see if they are looking for teachers. You might be lucky. But if you are actually in the country then appearing in person is likely to be more productive (and, as we said above, if this doesn’t work out there are plenty of jobs in neighboring countries).

But the good news is that this situation is likely to change. Tourism is increasingly important and Montenegro is a candidate country for the EU so obviously looking outward where English is the language needed most. Some reports suggest that more schools are opening up although they tend to be very small right now so the future could be very different.

On the subject of the EU, because they are not members yet this means Americans and other non-Europeans can get work permits for Montenegro as easily (or as hard, depending on your point of view) as European teachers. This will change once Montenegro joins the EU, but for now it’s open to all.

Finally private lessons are an option; the touristic regions need to speak English (or Italian) to serve the tourists so you may well be able pick up extra work here.

Notes on Montenegro

• In summer it can get very hot in places like Podgorica (the capital); the coast tends to be cooler though. In winter it gets cold, especially in the higher areas, with heavy snowfall.
• They have a reputation of being friendly and hospital people.

Useful Links

Teaching English in the Balkans – a look at the various countries where you can teach English in the Balkans

Education and Schools in Montenegro – a list of private schools and international schools in Montenegro