EPIK

Name

EPIK

Legal name

EPIK (English Program in Korea)

Website

https://epik.go.kr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

EPIK is a Korean government program under NIIED and the Ministry of Education that recruits native English speakers through an online portal and approved agencies, then places them as assistant teachers in public primary and secondary schools across South Korea's 17 provinces.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Seoul

HQ country

South Korea

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Government-Funded Teacher Placement Program: EPIK is funded entirely by the Korean government through the Ministry of Education and NIIED. It does not generate commercial revenue. Costs are covered by public education budgets. The program pays salaries to Guest English Teachers, with remuneration funded through Provincial Offices of Education (POEs). Salary levels range from Level 3 (1.8 million KRW/month for bachelor's degree holders) to Level 1+ (2.5 million KRW/month for returning teachers after consecutive Level 1 years). Additional allowances include settlement allowance (300,000 KRW), rural area allowances (100,000 KRW/month), and provincial allowances (100,000 KRW/month for non-metropolitan regions).

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

EPIK is a Korean government program that recruits native English-speaking teachers from English-speaking countries and places them in public primary and secondary schools across South Korea as assistant English teachers. Administered by NIIED under the Ministry of Education, the program handles recruitment, placement, contracts, pre-arrival training, and ongoing in-service support through 17 Provincial Offices of Education. Teachers receive government-funded salaries, furnished accommodation, airfare, insurance, and allowances under standardized 52-week contracts.

Product overview

EPIK (English Program in Korea) is a Korean government program administered by NIIED (National Institute for International Education) that recruits native English speakers to teach in South Korean public schools. The program consists of a core recruitment and placement service, supplemented by an online application system, pre-orientation training, Korean language learning resources, and periodic contests (Video Clip Contest, Co-Teaching Model/Essay Contest). EPIK Plus offers an alternative track with different requirements. The program also publishes periodic e-newsletters (Vol. 51 as of 2023) to communicate with participants.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• EPIK (English Program in Korea) The core government-operated recruitment and placement program that hires native English speakers as English Language Instructors (ELIs) in Korean public primary and secondary schools for 52-week contracts. Administered by NIIED under the Ministry of Education and delivered through 17 Provincial Offices of Education.
• EPIK Application System Online application portal (integrated with Jinhakapply.com) used by prospective native English teacher applicants to create accounts, complete the application form, submit required documents after a successful interview, and track their placement. Supports rolling admissions across Spring and Fall intake cycles.
• EPIK Plus An enhanced EPIK program track that offers additional requirements and alternative placement opportunities compared to standard direct applications, including in-service professional development workshops for current EPIK teachers.
• EPIK Pre-Orientation Training Mandatory online Pre-Orientation Course that incoming EPIK teachers must complete before arrival in Korea, covering Korean culture, classroom fundamentals, and co-teaching methodologies. Administered through a partner company.
• Say Something in Korean Structured Korean language phrase library with Romanized pronunciations for daily-use expressions, supporting foreign English teachers' language learning needs during their placement in Korea.

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 15 trillion KRW estimated annual household spending on private English education in Korea, which EPIK and TaLK programs aim to reduce by providing free public school access to native English teachers

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Gone2Korea-Venture Sense Inc.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 13 March 2013Official EPIK recruiting agency selected through the 2013 Open Selection for Recruiting Agencies. Assists prospective native English teacher applicants with the EPIK application process, including document preparation, interview guidance, and placement support.
• Gold Key EducationcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 13 March 2013Official EPIK recruiting agency selected through the 2013 Open Selection. Provides recruitment services for native English speakers applying to the EPIK program, facilitating the connection between applicants and Korean Provincial Offices of Education.
• Reach To Teach LLCcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 13 March 2013Official EPIK recruiting agency selected through the 2013 Open Selection. Supports native English-speaking applicants throughout the EPIK application and placement process.
• Educon Inc.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 13 March 2013Official EPIK recruiting agency selected through the 2013 Open Selection for Recruiting Agencies.
• ESL Starter Ltd.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 13 March 2013Official EPIK recruiting agency selected through the 2013 Open Selection for Recruiting Agencies.
• Canadian ConnectionscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 13 March 2013Official EPIK recruiting agency selected through the 2013 Open Selection for Recruiting Agencies, specializing in recruiting Canadian native English speakers for Korean public school placements.
• 코리안호라이즌 (Korean Horizon)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 13 March 2013Official EPIK recruiting agency selected through the 2013 Open Selection for Recruiting Agencies.
• 주식회사 코비아컨설팅 (Kobia Consulting Co., Ltd.)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 13 March 2013Official EPIK recruiting agency selected through the 2013 Open Selection for Recruiting Agencies.
• Teach Away Inc.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 13 March 2013International teacher recruitment agency and official EPIK recruiting agency selected through the 2013 Open Selection. Teach Away Inc. is a well-known global educator recruitment platform.
• FootPrints Recruiting IncorporatedChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 13 March 2013Official EPIK recruiting agency selected through the 2013 Open Selection for Recruiting Agencies.
• MOU/MOA Organizations (List of Partner Organizations)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 8 February 2013Formalized MOU/MOA partner organizations that collaborate with EPIK for teacher recruitment and orientation support. A complete list is maintained and published by NIIED annually.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Gone2Korea (Venture Sense Inc.): Gone2Korea is an official EPIK recruiting agency specializing in placing native English speakers in Korean public school positions. Comparable to EPIK's direct recruitment channel and to other recruiting agencies competing for the same applicant pool.
• JET Programme (Japan): The Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme is a Japanese government-run program that places native English speakers (and other language teachers) in schools nationwide. Closely comparable to EPIK in structure, mandate, and operating model - both are central-government-sponsored placement programs for foreign assistant language teachers.
• GEPIK (Gyeonggi-do English Program In Korea): GEPIK was a Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education program placing native English teachers in Gyeonggi Province public schools. While historically a separate program, it represents a comparable provincial-level public-sector English teacher placement program in Korea with similar operational scope.
• Native-speaking English Teacher (NET) Scheme, Hong Kong: Hong Kong's Education Bureau operates the NET Scheme, placing native English teachers in public primary and secondary schools. Directly comparable to EPIK in mission (native-speaker support for public school English education) and structure (government-funded, centrally administered teacher placement).
• Gold Key Education: Gold Key Education is an official EPIK recruiting agency selected through NIIED's Open Selection process. It recruits native English speakers specifically for EPIK placements, serving as a channel partner that directly competes with EPIK's direct-application pathway.
• TaLK (Teach and Learn in Korea): TaLK is a sister program to EPIK, also administered by NIIED under the Korean Ministry of Education. It places ethnic Korean university students in rural elementary schools to support English education. Shares the same parent agency, governance, and POE distribution network as EPIK.
• Teach Away Inc. Teach Away is an international teacher recruitment platform and official EPIK recruiting agency. It connects teachers with teaching opportunities globally, including EPIK placements, making it a directly comparable recruitment and placement partner.
• Reach To Teach LLC: Reach To Teach is an official EPIK recruiting agency that helps native English-speaking applicants navigate the EPIK application and placement process. Acts as a channel partner for EPIK while also recruiting for competing programs in other Asian markets, making it directly comparable as a placement service.

Broad incumbents

• EF Education First: EF Education First is a global private language education company offering English instruction, teacher training, and cultural exchange programs. While broader in scope than EPIK, EF operates in adjacent English education markets and recruits teachers internationally for various programs.
• Daekyo (MegaStudy / Eye Level): Daekyo is one of Korea's largest private education companies, operating the MegaStudy and Eye Level franchises. It represents the dominant private-sector English education market that EPIK's public-school English program is positioned against, particularly in addressing the household spending on private English education.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@epik_program
• Facebookfacebook.com/EPIKteam1
• Instagraminstagram.com/epik_program
• Xx.com/epikprogram
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/epik-english-program-in-korea-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about EPIK