EPIK Hub/Application Documents

EPIK Application Documents

Everything you need to submit for your initial EPIK application. Files must be completed digitally and sent via email to your Korvia recruiter.

Using AI (ChatGPT, Claude, etc.) to generate your Lesson Plan or Personal Essay will result in application FAILURE. EPIK screens for AI-generated content. Write everything yourself.

Before starting your application, review the checklist below — required documents for every applicant plus case-specific conditional documents.

EPIK Application Step-by-Step Guide

Checklist

Required Documents

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EPIK Application Online Form

Candidates must submit the fully completed online application version of the EPIK application form. The form requires personal essays and a sample lesson plan.

✓Select 'Classification' as Agency — Korvia Consulting
✓Korvia team can't access your application if you select the wrong classification
✓Don't leave the form idle — sessions may time out and data may be lost

EPIK Application Guide›

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Sample Lesson Plan

Applicants must create an original sample lesson plan that includes teaching materials such as PowerPoint slides, worksheets, etc. The specific format and instructions are available in the EPIK application.

✓Must be conversation-based and in full sentences (not bullet points)
✓Include supplemental materials (PDFs, max 10MB)
✓Write about WHAT you'll do and HOW — no need for WHY

Lesson Plan Guide›

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Personal Essay

Personal essays following EPIK's questions are required as part of the online application. The essays should be written in a professional manner with proper grammar and punctuation.

✓Follow EPIK's specific essay prompts carefully
✓Professional tone, proper grammar
✓Consult with your Korvia recruiter before starting

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Two (2) Letters of Recommendation (PDF)

EPIK requires two letters of recommendation from academic professors or previous/current employers regarding your work ethic and abilities. Original ink-signed copies will need to be sent with your final documents after passing your EPIK interview.

✓Must include ink signatures from the writers
✓For current/recent teachers in Korea — one letter must be from your current/previous school
✓Scanned copies are fine for initial submission

Letters of Recommendation Guide›

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Passport Sized Photo (Digital)

Applicants need a colored passport-sized photo (3.5 × 4.5cm) with a completely white backdrop. The photo should be digitally attached to the application. Personal photos from Facebook or social media will not be accepted.

✓Official passport size: 3.5 × 4.5cm
✓White background only
✓No social media photos

Passport Photo Guide›

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Proof of English Education (SA/Quebec Only)

Applicants from South Africa or Quebec, Canada must submit a letter from their school confirming English-medium education from grade 7 through university. The letter should clearly state the instruction language (English), duration (grades covered), and the attendance period (MM/YYYY to MM/YYYY).

✓Key phrases to request: 'language of instruction: English', grade range, and attendance period (MM/YYYY to MM/YYYY)
✓Vague or generic letters are a common cause of rejection — request the exact wording
✓Ask your Korvia recruiter for the approved template before requesting from your school

Conditional · Case-by-Case

Additional Documents Some Applicants Are Asked For

Why these conditional requirements exist

The items below come from regional Offices of Education (시·도교육청) — the actual employers of EPIK teachers — that collect ongoing safety and welfare input from frontline schools and parents. Their goal is a safe, age-appropriate learning environment for Korean elementary, middle, and high-school students. They are not intended to discriminate against applicants.

Each item below is case-by-case — it applies only if a specific trigger in your situation is present. Submission is voluntary on the applicant's sideand handled with your explicit consent. Korvia's role is to help you prepare a clean response so a legitimate question doesn't cost you an interview slot.

Regulatory note: no item below is a pre-application gating filter. These are responses to legitimate, parent- and school-driven safety questions — framed so applicants can prepare proactively rather than be surprised in the middle of a process.

Homeschool Records (Grades 7–12)

Trigger — when this applies to you

You were homeschooled for any part of grades 7 through 12 and don't have standard school-issued documents.

What to prepare

Homeschool Confirmation Letter (typically issued and signed by the parents who led the homeschooling; a program administrator or state-recognized authority signs only when parents are unable to)
Copy of your high-school transcript (if available)
Copy of your diploma or equivalency certificate

Lead time

Prepare before submitting your EPIK online application — not after. Once submitted, EPIK may request this within 1–2 business days.

Watch-outs

Who signs the Homeschool Confirmation Letter follows this order: parents first, program administrator only if parents are unable. Template and signer vary by state/country — lock both early so you don't have to re-issue under deadline.

Proof of English-Medium Education (Expanded Cases)

Trigger — when this applies to you

You are from South Africa, Quebec (Canada), or attended an international / English-medium school in a non-English-speaking country.

What to prepare

A letter on school letterhead stating: 'Language of instruction: English'
Exact grade range attended in English-medium education
Attendance period — MM/YYYY to MM/YYYY

Lead time

Request from your school 2–4 weeks before the EPIK application period — schools can be slow to re-issue for specific wording.

Watch-outs

Vague or summary letters are the #1 cause of reject-and-resubmit loops here. Request the exact three elements above.

Tattoo Disclosure (Conditional)

Trigger — when this applies to you

You have tattoos in locations that may be visible during class (hands, neck, face, forearms, ankles) or that include religious, cultural, or socially sensitive imagery.

What to prepare

Location check: note where each tattoo is and whether it is covered by standard long-sleeved business attire
Cover plan: confirm you can keep tattoos not-visible during classroom hours (long-sleeve shirt, bandage, collar, etc.)
Subject matter check: ideally tattoos should not include religious, cultural, or social content that could conflict with age-appropriate norms in a Korean elementary / middle / high-school classroom
If unsure, share a photo with your Korvia recruiter before the interview for a case-by-case read

Lead time

Discuss with your Korvia recruiter as soon as you apply — not after the interview.

Watch-outs

Decisions are made at the school / Office of Education level and vary case-by-case. The goal is classroom-appropriate appearance, not a blanket ban.

Doctor's Note for Medical History (Optional Reference)

Trigger — when this applies to you

You have a treated or resolved condition, take regular medication, or have a health note in your medical history that might come up during the interview or visa medical exam.

What to prepare

Short English-language letter from your physician
Confirmation that the condition is resolved or under stable control (완치 or 안정 상태)
Statement that no ongoing treatment prevents you from working, and that you are fit to perform English conversation instruction in a classroom setting
Letter date within 3 months of your application

Lead time

Obtain before the interview, only if relevant to you.

Watch-outs

Submitted on a voluntary, reference-only basis to support your interview opportunity — not as a mandatory medical disclosure. Share only what is directly relevant to fitness for classroom teaching.

Korean Domestic Reference Check (SRC)

Trigger — when this applies to you

You have recent or current English-teaching work experience in Korea (current school, previous hagwon, etc.).

What to prepare

Referee organization name + role / title
Direct contact info (phone and email)
Best contact hours (KST) and preferred language (Korean or English)
Your explicit consent for the referee to be contacted

Lead time

Set up at application start — expect 3–7 business days to reach a referee.

Watch-outs

If a referee is unreachable, your interview scheduling slips. Confirm contact details work before submitting.

FAQ

Questions applicants ask about the conditional documents

Q.Why is EPIK asking for these conditional documents at all?

Regional Offices of Education — the actual employers of EPIK teachers — maintain teacher-screening criteria shaped by ongoing input from frontline schools and parents. The aim is a safe, age-appropriate learning environment for Korean children, not to discriminate against applicants. Each conditional item below applies only when a specific trigger is present in your situation, and submission is always voluntary and consent-based on your side.

Q.Are the tattoo guidelines a blanket rejection?

No. The guidance focuses on two practical concerns: (1) that tattoos can be kept out of sight during classroom hours with standard business attire, and (2) that tattoo imagery does not conflict with age-appropriate norms in a Korean elementary / middle / high-school setting. Decisions are made case-by-case at the school or Office of Education level. If you have visible or potentially sensitive tattoos, share a photo with your Korvia recruiter early — it dramatically improves placement outcomes vs. being surprised at the school level.

Q.Why a doctor's note if I am healthy? Isn't health information private?

A doctor's note is never required up front. It is offered as an optional, applicant-initiated reference letter — used to proactively address a medical-history question that might otherwise slow your interview or post-placement medical check. The goal is to secure your interview opportunity, not to collect medical data. Share only what is directly relevant to your fitness for classroom English instruction, in a short English-language letter. Your health information stays with you until you choose to share it.

Q.Does Korvia see my private documents?

Your application is submitted through the EPIK Online Application System directly, so Korvia does not separately store or retain your documents. If you would like a pre-screening review before you submit, you may share materials with your recruiter on request — those items are handled in line with the Personal Information Protection Act (개인정보보호법) and are not kept beyond what the conversation requires.

Q.What if my conditional document is not in English?

Provide the original plus a certified English translation. Homeschool letters, English-medium school letters, and doctor's notes are ideally issued in English directly. If the issuer can only produce the document in your home language, we will guide you to an approved translator — allow 3–7 business days extra for this step.

Important: Select the Correct Classification

Please don't forget to select “Classification” as Agency — Korvia Consultingwhen you are completing the EPIK online application form. Our Korvia team can't access and review your application if you fail to select the correct classification.

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