So Many International Schools WITHOUT Retirement Plans! (Updated 2026)

It is on all international school teachers’ minds. How am I helping to contribute to my future now (for when I retire/stop working) as a current teacher in the international school community?

Not that everything is all worry-free if you just stayed teaching and earning money in your home country, but living and teaching abroad can sound pretty risky to some people (maybe even many people).

If you are working at an international school that has an amazingly high salary with equally amazing benefits, then that is one story. Even if this type of school doesn’t actually offer a nice retirement plan benefit, you still have the opportunity to save a lot of money.

But if you are working at an international school and receiving a salary that helps you ‘just get by’ along with very average benefits (for example, there is no retirement plan benefit that is on offer to you), then international school educators need to consider if the experience working at this type of international school is a good fit for their plans.

Does an international school that doesn’t offer a retirement or pension plan benefit immediately equate to being a bad decision for your future? Not necessarily. If you are only planning on staying there for one to two years, then it shouldn’t make that big of a difference. If you are receiving a high salary along with paid housing, not having an established pension plan benefit shouldn’t make that big of a difference because your savings potential is high. Hopefully, you have a laser-focused investment plan for all of that money saved.

But for those of us who are not so smart with money and don’t have the expertise to manage our own savings/retirement plan, it can definitely not be a good fit to accept a teaching job at a school that doesn’t offer retirement plan benefits.

We did a keyword search on our Comment Search feature and found a number of comments related to international schools that don’t offer a retirement or pension plan benefit.

We found 26 comments when we searched the short phrase: “No retirement”
Here are a few of those comments:

Amman Baccalaureate School (16) Total comments
“No retirement plan right now is on offer as a benefit.”

Canadian International School (Tokyo) (93) Total comments
“No retirement plan for teachers.”

International School Ho Chi Minh City (106) Total comments
“Unfortunately there is no retirement plan.”

We also searched the short phrase “No pension” and found 109 comments.
Here are a few of those comments:

Zhuhai International School (126) Total comments
“There are no pension plans from the school (included in the contract), although if you wished to establish one, the office staff would be able to assist you in establishing one.”

Varee Chiang Mai International School (138) Total comments
“There is no pension provision, but an end-of-contract gratuity is awarded in lieu.”

Stamford American International School (347) Total comments
“There is no pension, but this means you can invest your money as you see fit. There is a 15% allowance that is paid monthly with your salary. This is “instead of CPF,” which is paid for Singaporeans and PR.”

On the more positive side, we did a quick search for this key phrase “matching” (33 comments), hoping to find comments related to international schools that match the pension plan contribution of the teachers.
Here are a few of those comments:

American International School Vienna (90) Total comments
“Under the newest contract, teachers now have 10% matching for retirement fund commencing at first year. Certainly better if you’re there short-term, though perhaps not if you’d plan to stay 30 years.”

Hong Kong International School (161) Total comments
“I spend a lot of money here because I love to do eat out a lot, travel, and there are many things to do in the city. With that being said, I save about 1,300 USD a month, not counting the school severance/matching scheme which is another 1,300 USD.”

Cairo American College (230) Total comments
“The pay continues to be good. There is now a higher matching for retirement. The cost of living is still very inexpensive in Egypt.”

Become an ISC Mayor and Get Unlimited Free Premium Membership

Our mission for the International School Community website is to have the most up-to-date information about what it is like to work at numerous international schools around the world. One way to help us achieve that mission is to have Mayors.

Being a Mayor is super easy, and the best part is that you get unlimited free premium membership to our website!

And ANYONE can be the Mayor of their school. Most of our active Mayors are just regular teachers at their schools, but we also have heads of schools, HR representatives, principals, etc., as Mayors as well.

Mayors are commenting on the school and the benefits information, but they also comment on the city and travel information of the country as well. Mayors also don’t need to represent all aspects and perspectives of the school. They are recommended to just share their experience and perspective on living and working at that international school and in that city/country.

Mayor Responsibilities:

• Submit at least 3-6 new comments on your school every 1-2 months (on the 79 different comment topics). It takes about 5-8 minutes to do this. It will take a Mayor two years to submit one comment in all 79 comment topics.

• Make sure that your school has the most up-to-date and correct information (e.g., basic info, links, Facebook page, YouTube video, etc.) on the Overview and Social Media tabs.

• Submit job vacancies that are currently available at your school.

Here are just a few of the many schools that have or have had a Mayor on our website:

• Western International School of Shanghai (Shanghai, China) – 572 Comments

• NIST International School (Bangkok, Thailand) – 333 Comments

• Tarsus American College (Mersin, Turkey) – 283 Comments

• Canadian International School (Hong Kong) (Hong Kong, China) – 185 Comments

• American School Foundation of Monterrey (Monterrey, Mexico) – 195 Comments

• Concordia International School (Shanghai) (Shanghai, China) – 187 Comments

• Yongsan International School of Seoul (Seoul, South Korea) – 145 Comments

• Copenhagen International School (Copenhagen, Denmark) – 458 Comments

• Seoul Foreign School (Seoul, South Korea) – 270 Comments

• American International School Dhaka (Dhaka, Bangladesh) – 168 Comments

• International School of Kuala Lumpur (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) – 129 Comments

• Tsinghua International School (Beijing) (Beijing, China) – 284 Comments

• Hong Kong International School (Hong Kong, China) – 161 Comments

The more Mayors we have on our website, the better informed our members will be, as there will be more up-to-date information about the schools they want to know about!

Become the Mayor of an international school where you work today!

* Please note that being the Mayor of a school is anonymous and that all comments and job vacancies submitted on our website are also done so anonymously.

Comparing the Schools and Comments: Working in Shanghai, China (2026)

Around the world, some cities have more than one international school. Many times there is an American school, a British School, and an international school that uses an international curriculum.

Some cities, though, have MANY international schools! When that is the case, how do the comments about each school compare to each other?

This blog series will look at comparing some of these comments submitted by ISC members, all coming from international schools in the same city.

Currently, we have 32 schools listed in Shanghai on International School Community.

Schools with the most submitted comments (number count from August 2026):
Yew Chung International School (Shanghai) – 53 Comments
Shanghai Community International School – 82 Comments
Shanghai American School – Puxi – 56 Comments
Concordia International School (Shanghai) – 187 Comments
British International School Shanghai – Puxi – 35 Comments
Western International School of Shanghai – 572 Comments
Shanghai American School (Pudong) – 209 Comments
Shanghai United International School (Hongqiao) – 101 Comments
Shanghai Singapore International School – 99 Comments
Lycee Francais de Shanghai – 82 Comments
British International School Shanghai – Pudong – 12 Comments

Salaries

“Base pay for teachers with 3 or more yrs of experience is between $32,000 and $39,000 (tax-free). Entry level is a little bit lower at $26,000-$32,000.” – Shanghai Community International School

“You can expect to make 16000 RMB a month after taxes.” – Shanghai Singapore International School

“I would say that teachers’ NET is around 21000 – this must be dependent on teaching experience, etc.” – Shanghai United International School (Hongqiao)

“The full salary is paid in RMB. The school adds an extra 500 RMB towards utility bills. The yearly pay is divided into 12 months. For newcomers, their first pay is on September 20th, although school starts in early August. This is clearly stated in the contract, but those new teachers coming in need to be aware of this that they won’t see money until September.” – Western International School of Shanghai

“Take-home per month is around 30,000 RMB (approximately 3500). You’ll be paid over time for any hours over your contracted 18. This is not paid throughout the summer. You receive 12 paychecks a year.” – Lycee Francais de Shanghai

Hiring Policy

“Teachers need to have at least two years of teaching experience in order to be considered.” – Concordia International School (Shanghai)

“WISS starts recruiting early but is very fair to its teachers. Those who “may” leave have their position advertised and only have to make a final decision when someone has been found as a replacement.” – Western International School of Shanghai

“They rely a lot on hiring people who are recommended by current employees. You still go through the interview process, etc. My initial contact to the school was through a connection I had to somebody already working here.” – Yew Chung International School (Shanghai)

“They attend Search Associates in January. They advertise in TES and through Teachanywhere.com. They interview in person or via Skype.” – British International School Shanghai – Pudong

“They are prioritizing teachers in China. The interview process is 3 interviews, and it’s very competitive right now with so many vacancies.” – Shanghai American School (Pudong)

Recent things the school has taken on

“A few years ago, the school decided it was important to do open houses (like other international schools in Shanghai), and that added a lot more work for the teachers. But hopefully they discontinued that this year.” – Yew Chung International School (Shanghai)

“The school is now implementing the ‘high performance learning’ initiative, which is being implemented across all the Nord Anglia Schools” – British International School Shanghai – Puxi

“There were many accomplishments from staff and students. It is amazing how many different areas were top-notch: Sports, drama department, music program, Chinese language, and much more.” – Shanghai Community International School

“The school has another campus in Qingpu which is probably one of the best campuses in China.” – Shanghai United International School (Hongqiao)

Housing

“Furnished 2-bedroom for single & married teachers, not sure about families. Furnished means basic furnishings including TV, sofa, dining table & chairs, beds & bedding, bath linens, kitchen appliances, & basic cooking utensils & dishes. After one year, staff can opt to take a housing allowance instead of school housing. Most people are satisfied with housing overall, although sometimes it takes several “reminders” for repairs or service requests in school apts. Utility costs vary but are fairly cheap. My average for electricity, gas, & water is 100-200 RMB per month. Internet is 1,400 RMB per year. Mobile phone depends on plan/amount of data. – Yew Chung International School (Shanghai)

“Housing is provided by WISS for the 1st year. Teachers can decide for themselves for subsequent years whether they want to stay in the provided accommodation or find their own place.” – Western International School of Shanghai

“Housing allowance provided but most staff pay a bit more out of their own pocket to live in more desirable areas. Staff can choose to stay in school housing” – British International School Shanghai – Puxi

“Housing varies massively in price. If you are out of town and in a Chinese neighborhood, you can find a good deal. I live halfway between school and Jing’an and pay Y9000 a month (1500) for a two-bedroom, new apartment. My place is expensive, but I like it. The housing allowance is minimal. Y2600 a month for a couple (only one of you needs to be employed by the school), but there is a Y6000 living stipend. I’m not sure why it is separated like this, but I think it might be to do with taxes.” – Lycee Francais de Shanghai

“Staff housing in Jinqiao is huge and beautiful. The neighborhood has everything you need and has a metro line. You can take the allowance to live downtown instead, and with the allowance being raised for next year, some people will save money.” – Shanghai American School (Pudong)

(These are just 4 of the 73 different comment topics that are on each school profile page on our website.)

If you work at an international school in Shanghai, share what you know. Consider becoming a Mayor for unlimited premium membership!

Top 10 things you need to figure out when moving to a new country

Moving to another city is always a stressful thing. Stress can make us forget even the essential necessities that we need to settle down. Here’s a useful to-do list for all the newcomers:

1. Get your local ID and tax number

Getting or updating your documents is something to be made a top priority, as this can prevent you from doing many things on this list, such as opening a bank account or accessing local healthcare.

2. Choose your doctor/dentist

Secure your health first. In countries where public healthcare is available, you need to pick a personal doctor to whom you will be going first when something’s wrong with your health. Ask your colleagues at work to recommend a good dentist who wouldn’t rip you off.

3. Pick a bank

This is so much fun for some people, like myself. I love comparing conditions and benefits that banks are offering, but it is also of great importance. Check if the bank is offering all the services that you need, and what their conditions are for transferring the money back to your home country. Believe me, you want to do your research before you sign a bunch of papers without reading the “fine print”. Nobody wants to go through all that administration twice. You might want to bring someone who can speak the local language as well!

4. Find the best ways to commute

Ask around about the common ways that people commute in your new city. What is the availability of public transportation? In some cities, bicycles and taxis are more popular than dated trams or buses that are circulating. Use the Internet routing tools such as Google Maps to find the best way to get to work, the gym or your favorite green market.

5. Pick your favorite grocery store

We are spending too big a chunk of our lifetime shopping for groceries to waste it in some dump that looks like a warehouse. Surely, from time to time it is worth going to these places to get a good deal on some products, but you want to be enjoying your shopping at a nice place. Try it, and you’ll see what I’m talking about.

6. Get new clothing and furniture

Moving to a new place is an excellent excuse to get rid of the clothes and the furniture that you always secretly hated. If your new city has IKEA or H&M, that’s great, but try to find out where locals are buying their clothes and furniture. Buying at those stores will help you immerse yourself in the local way of life.

7. Choose a hairdresser

Everyone needs a hairdresser. Ok, almost everyone. There are still the ones and twos of people whose hair-trimming skills are good enough for a self-haircut. But everyone else needs a professional to do it. Since the prices of their services can vary significantly, investigate before you are sorry.

8. Get involved in learning the local language

Going to these classes is a good way to meet other expats and expand your circle of friends. Plus, it makes your everyday life much easier. If you already know the local language, I suggest you get involved in learning a new language or a craft, or join a cause or a club (e.g., a drama club, pet rescue centre).

9. Ask people about the cheaper ways to get stuff

Flea markets, thrift stores, used bicycle auctions, and local bidding websites can save you some money that you can use for a day trip around the city or going to that amusement park that everyone is talking about.

10. And don’t forget to find your asylum

Find a special place where you can get yourself on a date from time to time. It can be a restaurant, a café, a park or just a bench in your neighborhood. But having that one spot that you love is really important to have, wherever in the world you are.

This top 10 list was submitted to us by a guest author and International School Community member.

All guest authors on our blog get one year of free premium membership to our website. Email us if you are interested in becoming one of the next guest authors on the ISC blog.

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