The Jeollanam rural-placement track of the English Program in Korea
EPIK Plus (Jeonnam) is a direct-to-EPIK classification for teachers willing to be placed in rural schools across Jeollanam Province in exchange for expedited processing and an all-expenses-paid workshop. Korvia cannot process EPIK Plus applications— if you want Korvia's full recruiting support, please apply to standard EPIK instead.
Direct
To EPIK (Not via Korvia)
Jeonnam
Rural Placement Region
Priority
Expedited Processing
Workshop
All-Expenses-Paid
EPIK Plus — officially listed on the EPIK online application as EPIK Plus (Jeonnam) — is a classification option within the main EPIK (English Program in Korea) application, not a separate program. Candidates who select this classification agree to be placed only in rural schools across Jeollanam (Jeonnam) Province, including schools on small islands.
In exchange for this geographic commitment, EPIK provides three documented benefits to Plus applicants:
Final placement is always decided by the Jeollanam-do Office of Education, and — per EPIK's own guidance — placement cannot be guaranteed even after a successful interview. Plus candidates should also plan for the possibility of being assigned to more than one school and for longer commutes.
Source: EPIK official site (epik.go.kr) and the "Initial Application Preparation Guide" for the Spring 2026 and Fall 2026 intakes published by EPIK / NIIED.
Based strictly on what EPIK has published. Items not differentiated on epik.go.kr (e.g., salary scale, contract length) default to standard EPIK terms.
| Dimension | Standard EPIK | EPIK Plus (Jeonnam) |
|---|---|---|
| Placement Region | All 17 provinces / metropolitan cities | Rural schools across Jeollanam (Jeonnam) Province only — may include small islands |
| Application Path | Default "EPIK" classification on the online application | Select "EPIK Plus (Jeonnam)" under "Classification" at the start of the EPIK online application |
| Processing Speed | Standard review queue | Priority / expedited review (per EPIK) |
| Workshop | Standard arrival orientation | All-expenses-paid EPIK Plus Workshop (past workshops hosted Jan & Summer 2025) |
| School Assignment | Single school typical | Successful candidates may be assigned to multiple schools with longer commutes |
| Final Placement | Decided by Provincial / Metropolitan Office of Education | Decided by the Jeollanam-do Office of Education — not guaranteed even after interview |
Bachelor's degree (accredited), citizenship of one of the seven recognised countries (US, UK, Canada, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa), clean criminal record, and ability to meet E-2 visa rules. See epik.go.kr "Eligibility" for the authoritative list.
Required unless you hold a teaching licence, B.Ed., M.Ed., or majored in Education / TESOL / Second Language Studies (per EPIK).
EPIK Plus placements are only in rural areas of Jeollanam Province, which can include small islands and multi-school assignments. This is a non-negotiable characteristic of the Plus track.
Official EPIK guidance notes successful Plus candidates may teach at more than one school with longer commutes. Applicants should plan for this reality before selecting the Plus classification.
Always verify current requirements on epik.go.kr before applying — EPIK updates eligibility by intake.
EPIK Plus applications are handled end-to-end by EPIKat epik.go.kr — documents, interview, placement, and arrival logistics. Korvia is not involved at any stage. If you want Korvia's document pre-screen, interview coaching, and arrival support, the standard EPIK path (through Korvia) is the right fit.
Apostilled degree, FBI/CRC (or national equivalent), sealed transcripts, passport, and TEFL. Preparing these is your responsibility — Korvia cannot review or pre-screen EPIK Plus documents, because we do not process EPIK Plus applications at all.
Create an account at epik.go.kr and open the application for the current intake. Under "Classification" at the start of the application, select "EPIK Plus (Jeonnam)".
EPIK Plus applications are processed on a priority queue. EPIK performs document screening and arranges an interview.
Conducted online with an EPIK coordinator. Expect competency-based questions on classroom management, co-teaching, and adaptability to rural life.
The Jeollanam-do Office of Education reviews approved candidates and makes the final school assignment. Placement is not guaranteed, even after a successful interview.
Sign the Notice of Appointment (NOA), process the E-2-2 teaching visa, and travel to Korea for orientation. EPIK Plus teachers receive an all-expenses-paid EPIK Plus workshop.
Choose this if your top priority is getting placed at all— even if that placement is a rural Jeollanam school or a small island — and if you are comfortable applying without a recruiter's support. Korvia cannot process this path.
Choose this if you want a dedicated recruiter, document pre-screening, interview coaching, and full arrival support. Placement region is the standard EPIK pool (all 17 provinces). This is Korvia's main service and is free to applicants.
Here is the honest trade-off: the recruiting benefits below come with Korvia-placed teachers— they simply don't apply to a direct EPIK Plus path because Korvia is not involved. None of them are deal-breakers on their own, but if several of them matter to you, standard EPIK through Korvia is likely the better fit. Either way, you're an EPIK teacher in Korea at the end.
Korvia-placed teachers get a free document pre-screen before EPIK ever sees their packet — catching apostille, CRC, and TEFL accreditation issues that commonly cause rejection. EPIK Plus direct applicants do not get this review.
Korvia provides a Pre-Interview Check-in and coaching built on thousands of debriefed EPIK interviews for teachers we place. This coaching is not available for EPIK Plus direct applicants.
A dedicated Korvia recruiter walks standard-EPIK-through-Korvia applicants through every stage — documents, interview, visa, arrival. EPIK Plus direct applicants deal with EPIK directly end-to-end.
Korvia's arrival briefings, pre-departure checklist, and on-the-ground help in Korea are reserved for teachers placed through Korvia. EPIK Plus direct applicants follow EPIK's own arrival program without Korvia overlays.
The 10,000+ Korvia alumni community — country-specific WhatsApp groups, Jeonnam-based alumni connections, mentor matching — is a Korvia-placed benefit. Direct EPIK Plus applicants are not added.
Korvia-negotiated partner benefits (Sentbe remittance, Kimchi Mobile eSIM promo, Korea Travel airport pickup) are offered to teachers we place. Direct EPIK Plus applicants are welcome to use these partners at public pricing but do not receive the Korvia-exclusive terms.
Honest disclosure: Korvia is not an agency channel for EPIK Plus. Korvia does not submit, pre-screen, coach, or support EPIK Plus applications. This page exists only to help you choose the right path.
Full overview of EPIK — eligibility, salary, benefits, process.
Degree, nationality, TEFL, and visa requirements in detail.
Level 2 to Level 1+ pay scale — applies to Plus teachers as well.
Housing, insurance, settlement allowance, completion bonus.
Transcripts, CRC, apostille, TEFL — what EPIK requires.
Intake-by-intake timeline from application to arrival.
EPIK Plus (formally "EPIK Plus (Jeonnam)") is a classification within the standard EPIK application. Candidates who select it are placed only in rural areas of Jeollanam (Jeonnam) Province. In exchange, EPIK offers priority / expedited processing and an all-expenses-paid EPIK Plus Workshop. The option is chosen under "Classification" at the start of the EPIK online application at epik.go.kr.
The core EPIK eligibility, contract structure, and visa process are the same. What differs is the placement region (Jeollanam only), the likelihood of multi-school assignments with longer commutes, the expedited processing queue, and the dedicated EPIK Plus Workshop. Always check epik.go.kr for the most current specifics.
No. EPIK Plus applications are submitted directly to EPIK via the official EPIK online application at epik.go.kr. Korvia does not process EPIK Plus applications at all — no document pre-screening, no interview coaching, no recruiter support. The direct-to-EPIK path is the entire path.
Ask yourself one question: is guaranteed placement your top priority, even if that placement is in a rural Jeollanam school or on a small island? If yes — apply directly to EPIK Plus at epik.go.kr. If placement flexibility and full recruiting support matter more — apply to standard EPIK through Korvia. You cannot combine the two: choosing the EPIK Plus classification on the EPIK form makes it a direct EPIK application, which means you forfeit every Korvia-placed teacher benefit listed below.
All Korvia recruiting services: free document pre-review, Pre-Interview Check-in and coaching built on thousands of debriefed EPIK interviews, dedicated Korvia recruiter throughout the process, arrival briefings and on-the-ground support in Korea, 10,000+ Korvia alumni network access, and Korvia-negotiated partner benefits (Sentbe remittance, Kimchi Mobile eSIM promo, Korea Travel airport pickup). These are for teachers Korvia places — they are not available to direct EPIK Plus applicants.
No. Priority processing speeds up review, but final placement is decided by the Jeollanam-do Office of Education and is never guaranteed. EPIK's own guidance states that placement cannot be guaranteed even after a successful interview and document review.
No. Like standard EPIK, you may list preferences (e.g., elementary vs. secondary, mainland vs. island), but the Jeollanam-do Office of Education makes the final school assignment. Plus candidates should be ready for multi-school assignments and long commutes.
EPIK runs two intakes per year — Spring and Fall — following the Korean public-school calendar. Deadlines for the EPIK Plus (Jeonnam) classification follow the same EPIK intake calendar. Check epik.go.kr for current dates; for Fall 2026, EPIK's Initial Application Preparation Guide opened applications on 1 February 2026.
EPIK has not published a separate Plus-only salary scale on its public pages. Plus teachers fall under the standard EPIK pay scale (Level 2 up to Level 1+; Level 3 is listed but not actively hired by any office of education) as set by each regional Office of Education. Always verify on epik.go.kr before assuming salary specifics.
EPIK Plus goes directly to EPIK (no Korvia). Standard EPIK goes through Korvia with document pre-screen, interview coaching, alumni network, and partner benefits. Pick the path that matches your priority.