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Teach for a year in China

Ambassador Year in China (AYC) is an employment opportunity in cultural exchange for university graduates to spend a year (or two consecutive academic semesters) exploring, learning, teaching, and making a difference at placement schools across China by becoming Assistant English Language Teacher.

  AYC Provides:

 8000-10000 RMB / month
 International airfare allowance of RMB 8,300, upon completion of the program. 

	
 TEFL training and certification (free 120-hour course)
 Free housing (conveniently located close to your school)
 Full legal work and residence status (Chinese work visa and residence permit)
 Health insurance
 Chinese language lessons
 Airport pickup and ongoing support
 Fruitful cross cultural experience and various kinds of activities
 Potential high value employment opportunities

Why Choose AYC?

Enhance your career prospects with valuable teaching experience abroad
Build up your savings (889GBP/month) while living in China, where costs are lower than in the UK
Gain an international perspective and a competitive edge in the job market
Make lifelong friends and expand your global network
Immerse yourself fully in Chinese culture, engaging all your senses

Unlike typical TIC (teach in China) jobs, being an Assistant English Teacher is a unique learning process that teaches you how to adapt to a vastly different culture one step at a time whether it is overcoming language barriers or handling culturally sensitive situations. Resources such as coordinators and network opportunities are provided so AYCers can lead fulfilling independent lives in China.

As a country with strong political holds on liberal expression (Great Firewall, traditional conventions, government restrictions, etc), China can at times be frustrating for AYCers. However despite these drawbacks, China has other state of the art technological advancements such as high-speed trains, advanced takeout delivery, newly developed biking systems, and many more.

Ambassador Year in China Promo

Check out this trailer below to get a better idea of what you as an Assistant English Teacher can accomplish in a year through our AYC program.

Application Timeline:

Our application for 25’-26’ is currently open

If you have any questions, please reach out to goayc@ambrightgroup.com.

AUTUMN 2025 TERM

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION: June 30, 2025

Deadline is June 30th, however the earlier you apply, the greater the chance we are able to accommodate for your location/grade preference.

AYC Voices

Learn about how the AYC experience has changed the lives of participants in their own words. We have included a collection of photo essays and videos from current and past Educational Ambassadors to give you a taste of life in China.

AYC Voices

“Stepping into ayc” web series

We are very happy to share our web series called “Stepping Into AYC” which features interview content and highlights from AYC's Ambassadors in their Chinese communities. Visit our YouTube Channel below to subscribe and share, and check back regularly for more chapters to follow Educational Ambassadors as their AYC experience unfolds.

Media contests

Each year, Ambassador Year in China holds Photo Essay and Video contests for our hard-working Educational Ambassadors. The competitions challenge participants to demonstrate what it feels like to be completely immersed in a new culture and lifestyle. The essays and videos here tell the story of EAs crafting the unfamiliar into a home away from home.

For essays and videos made by Educational Ambassadors, check out the links to our YouTube Channel and our past media competition entries.

AYC Youtube Channel

AYC Media Competitions

Educational Ambassadors in Action

Testimonials

Hear what professionals, professors, and former AYCers have to say

about our program

Testimonials

Hear what professionals, professors, and former AYCers have to say

about our program

Educators & ORGANIZATIONS

AYC ALUMNI

Muriel Cooper, Senior Manager, Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Inc.

"The AYC program is a great opportunity for future leaders to experience the challenges and distinct rewards of working in today's global workforce while increasing their cultural awareness through teaching and interacting with students in China."

Ray Cortines, Former Superintendent, Los Angeles Unified School District

"AYC’s extensive connections in the field of education in China uniquely position it to act as a bridge between China and the West, and its programs are fostering cross-cultural understanding on a very large scale."

Dr. David Cardwell, Professor of Superconducting Engineering, University of Cambridge

"AYC offers a comprehensive support network to help participants navigate their new environment and accomplish their goals. Adapting to life in a new country can be trying, and a solid support network can make a world of difference."

Gao Qing, Executive Director, Confucius Institute U.S. Center

"AYC participants are able to develop their intercultural competence through people to people exchange during the trip, and return home with the in-depth understanding of China."

Dr. Deborah Stipek, Professor, Stanford University Graduate School of Education

“In today’s economy, a global perspective is as important as your education qualification. An international experience is a great way to kick start any career.”

Adam Callahan, placed in Nanjing, from Fayetteville, Arkansas

"China is where the jobs are. If I want to advance professionally, I have to be fluent in Chinese language and culture."

Evan McDaniel, placed in Nanjing, from Culver City, California

“My students are really easy to wrangle now that I’ve invented dang kuai. It’s money with my face on it. I hand out one bill whenever they answer a question right, and if they get five, they can exchange them for Pocky.”

Adrienne Losch, placed in Suzhou, from Palo Alto, California

"What separated [AYC] from other programs is that it seemed to be more focused on the cultural exchange, and making sure that you had a cultural experience…and just the idea that you are encouraged to really be culturally immersed and that you’re not just there to teach.”

Kiana Jackson, placed in Jiamusi, from Kennesaw, Georgia

"AYC stood out as something completely different, helping people at the same time as building a foundation for a global career.”

Kirsten Ourada, placed in Yichang, from Spokane, Washington

"Preparing high school students for IELTS and studying abroad has sparked an interest in education and I am considering pursuing a career in this when I return to the States."

Macky Landy, placed in Wenzhou, from New York, New York

"It was a little scary when I found out I was being placed in Wenzhou, which I had never heard of, but soon I was very excited to be in this place that’s not one of the mega-cities. It’s a very Chinese experience. I’m forced to speak a lot more Chinese and get out of my comfort zone.”

Mark Kraics, placed in Shenyang, from Long Island, New York

"I was really excited about this opportunity because it allowed me to travel and experience China while also developing professionally."

Rosalind Reischer, placed in Nanjing, from Arlington, Virginia

"There’s always something fun to do. Every Sunday, I play Ultimate Frisbee with Jiangnan. We travel all around the country to play against other Ultimate teams – in fact, we just competed in the China Open in Changzhou.”

Simeon Campbell, placed in Jiangyin, from Los Angeles, California

"China is developing and trying to increase their foreign relations, so I was like, I can be a part of that.”

Stephanie Lawrence, placed in Nanjing, from Toronto, Canada

"One of my coworkers invited me to her house one weekend and from then on, her parents have invited me over for every Chinese holiday, since I'm so far away from all my family.”

Program

Ambassador Year in China is a program that helps college graduates expand their horizons and enhance their careers by spending one academic year teaching, studying, and making a difference in placement sites across China. Some participants treat it as a way to launch a career abroad or as a language teacher; others think of it more as a gap year.

Program

Make the most of your year in China

What you can accomplish in one year in China depends on how you spend your time there. Each week, twenty hours are dedicated to teaching, ten hours are spent in the office or in support of student activities, and the remaining time is allotted for collaborative or self-directed pursuits, such as language learning, exploration, and community engagement. This schedule leaves a significant amount of your time open to be used as you see fit. We hope you will choose to use this time in a way that contributes to your personal or professional development In China, everything revolves around social context; as a newcomer to China, the strong support network that AYC provides will be invaluable in fulfilling your ambitions.

“All we have is now…”

There are nearly endless possibilities for how you could spend a year in China. Above all, we want all of our AYC participants to be active and outgoing because so much is possible if you just step outside of your comfort zone. In the end, though, your year is your year, and it’s up to you what you do with it. It is the AYC’s hope that this year can help kick start your life with the unforgettable experience of learning and teaching. We strongly believe that everyone should spend time abroad in their lives. If you’re curious to see what a year in China has to offer you, click here to get the logistical low-down from our FAQ, or if you’re ready to take the plunge, click here to apply online.