How long has the school been open?

The American Bilingual School was opened in September of 2006.

Is there an age limit for applicants?

Yes. ABS does not accept applications from individuals older than 59 years of age.

 What is the average length of a teaching contract?

The standard contract length is two years. Applicants who wish to sign for only one year will be responsible for payment of all residency fees (Residency fees = Kuwait work visa fees) regardless of whether or not they sign up for a subsequent year of teaching.

What are the benefits for overseas hires?

• Tax-free competitive salary- $28,000 to $38,000 (US Dollars) per year DOE/Q
• Economy air fare from point to point origin - Reimbursed.
• Paid summer leave for approximately 65 consecutive days
• Excursion air fare to and from point of origin for summer leave
• Housing Options:  KD 200 per month housing allowance, or Furnished housing*
• Paid utilities (except telephone)
• Transportation to and from the school for 6 weeks from first official day of work for new overseas employees – usually starting at the end of August. Employees who arrive late will receive two weeks of transport.
• Assistance with finding permanent personal transport will be provided
• Baggage and shipping allowance of $200 US (with receipts)
• Workmen's compensation insurance as per Kuwaiti Labor Law
• Paid private health insurance.
• Assistance with processing work visa, residency, and driving license
• Kuwaiti visa expense (for 2+ year contracts only) reimbursable after completing first academic year + 3 months of second academic year
• Opportunities for after school tutoring to earn extra wages
• Professional development workshops
• Up to 2 days leave for attending a recruiting fair for non-returning faculty (with prior approval of the administration)
• 2 personal days annually (must be pre-approved)
• Tuition discount for 1 dependent child
• Sick leave provision:

6-days full pay
6-days 75% of full pay
6-days 50% of full pay
6-days 25% of full pay

• End of service award as per Kuwait's Labor Law to be disbursed in June with summer salary

Monthly Salary _______X _______ =
(0.5 month's salary year 1-5)
(1.0 month's salary years 6+)


In which currency will I receive my salary?

Salaries are paid in Kuwaiti Dinars. For currency conversion, see www.oanda.com/convert/classic in order to see the Kuwaiti Dinar equivalent of your U.S. Dollar salary.

What is the approximate cost of a work visa/residency fee?

The work visa/residency fee is approximately KD 280 for the 1st year and 74 KD every year afterwards. ABS does not pay for direct or indirect degree translation, authentication fees, residency, or local health insurance fees. These will be deducted from your salary during the pay period in which these expenses occur. These fees will be reimbursed after completing 1 year and 3 months of service only for employees who sign a 2 year contract; they will not be reimbursed if the employee’s service is terminated.

What type of private health insurance is provided?

We use the Alico Insurance Plan.
Please click here to consult the Alico Insurance Plan brochure.
Would I have my own apartment?
Yes. All Apartments are 1-bedroom and assigned to an individual teacher, or couple.
ABS Administrator (Principal) accommodations are 2-bedroom apartments.  ABS can give consideration to prospective administrators with a maximum of two dependent school-age children.
ABS housing is expected to be cleaned as follows at time of checkout:

• Kitchen and bathroom thoroughly cleaned and odor free.
• Floors swept and mopped thoroughly.
• All bedding and towels laundered and folded neatly.
• All dishes and utensils must be cleaned and put away neatly in the cabinets.
• The interior and exterior of the washer and dryer must cleaned.
• The ironing board must be folded, and the iron must have cord wrapped around it.

A KD 60 Apartment Cleaning Fee will be required at time of check-in.  The Apartment Cleaning Fee will be refunded at the time of check-out if the apartment is returned to ABS in the original, clean state in which it was issued.

What is the distance between the teacher housing and the school?

On average, it takes between 15-20 minutes by car. It is not possible to walk or bike to school.

What credentials are required to be employed at ABS?

The teaching requirements for the American Bilingual School are a Bachelor’s degree and valid teaching certification.

What are the nationalities of the students?

As with most American Schools in Kuwait, the majority of the student body is comprised of Kuwaiti nationals whose parents desire an American education for their children.

What is meant by “Bilingual School”? Do I need to speak Arabic?

Students at bilingual schools take two periods daily of Arabic language arts, and are taught social studies in Arabic through 8th grade.  However, all other subjects are taught in English. Teachers of non-Arabic subjects do not need to know Arabic. Our students are fully fluent in the English language, even at the pre-kindergarten level.

What is the Student/Teacher Ratio?

The maximum number of students in a classroom is 25. Furthermore, pre-K to Third grade teachers have a teacher's assistant.

How many classrooms are on the campus?

We have over 100 classrooms for grades preK-12.

What kind of facilities does ABS have?
• One teacher computer per classroom
• Interactive White Boards in most classrooms
• Software for grading, attendance, progress reports, and class WebPages
• Semi-Olympic size swimming pool
• Kindergarten wading pool
• 4 Computer labs
• Library
• Separate girls and boys campuses for grades 6-12

What are the school’s expectations regarding technology usage in the classroom?

All staff and teachers are required to undergo training on both GradeQuick and Edline software which is used by ABS to manage grades, take attendance, lesson plan, and communicate with parents/students. Ongoing training throughout the academic year may be required for some staff members. Teachers must be committed to becoming proficient in the daily use of Promethean ActivBoards and all other required software. Moreover, we have an in-house IT team that offers ongoing support and training to all staff members.

What are the working hours?

The work week is from Sunday to Thursday, and working hours are from 7:10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.  The weekend is Friday and Saturday.
 
What are the school holidays?

The American Bilingual School Academic Calendar can be located on our website within the school calendar link. ABS recognizes most American holidays and all Kuwaiti and Islamic holidays.

How many periods will I teach per week?

There are eight 40-minute periods per day of which faculty are expected to teach six.

Can I bring a dependent with me to Kuwait, or transfer their residency onto my ABS residency?

We do not recommend bringing any dependents with you to Kuwait until after you have obtained residency. ABS is not responsible for obtaining residency for any dependent family members. We will not be held responsible for any late fees, fines, or other expenses related to delays in obtaining residency for the ABS employee. All such fees must be borne by the employee. ABS does not provide any assistance to employees in obtaining residency for dependents. We can only provide information on procedures and paperwork requirements.

Can I apply to ABS if I have dependent children?

ABS does not typically offer employment to teachers with children. This is primarily because our teacher accommodations are 1-bedroom apartments. They are not built for accommodating the needs of families with children.

How long will it take to get my residency and work permit?

The ABS Human Resource department requires 4 months for new and transferred residencies. You must complete 100 days of successful employment before we begin the residency process.  Do not plan to travel prior to receiving ABS residency, or within 30-days of the expiry of your residency. We will not be responsible for any complications, consequences, or visa problems that are encountered. Furthermore, if your residency or visa expires within 4 months (120 days) of the first day of work or less, ABS will not be held responsible for any resulting fines for overstaying the period of your residency or visa.

What is the Police Clearance Certificate and why do I need it for residency?

As of October 2009, the Government of Kuwait requires that all non-Kuwaiti citizens applying for Kuwaiti residency for the first time provide a police clearance certificate from their home country.  Please note that this document must be authenticated by the Embassy of the State of Kuwait in the country where the Police Clearance was issued.
ABS Police Clearance Certificate.
Check list of US State Police Clearance Offices.
NOTE:  Due to the coordination of all required documents, we are experiencing considerable delays in obtaining residency for newly arrived teachers and staff members.

Are there any companies that can perform the authentication paperwork for me?

Yes, there are several companies that perform authentication services. Though time consuming, most teachers are able to complete the lengthy authentication procedures without using an outside service.  Below are three companies (of many) that offer authentication services at a fee. ABS does not endorse any particular agency.

www.usauthentication.com
www.apostillepro.com
www.argentum-legal.com

What is the Staff dress code?

Teachers are permitted to follow the "business casual" dress code as long as it is modest and presentable. Jeans are permitted as long as there are no holes or excessive wear.

Do I have the personality and outlook to be successful in an overseas teaching position?

We have found that the following personal attributes are truly necessary in order for a teacher to be happy in an overseas position:
• Be able to tolerate a certain level of ambiguity
• Be flexible
• Understand that Kuwait is not America, Canada, or the UK. Many things that can get  done quickly back home, require time and patience overseas
• Have a sense of humor
• Have personal stability.

What is required during the application/hiring process?

Interview - If the candidate is not present in Kuwait, the interview will take place via phone. Standard questions related your experience and suitability for the position will be covered. In addition, you will be asked about your age, your marital status, your state of health, and height/weight. Such questions are customary for overseas positions.

Pre-Employment Testing - All individuals will be required to voluntarily submit to a psychological, IQ, basic skills and personality test. Any applicant with unsatisfactory results will be denied employment at that time, but may initiate another application with ABS after one (1) year. Any applicant who is hired by ABS prior to its receipt of the test results will be hired on a conditional basis only.

DVD of Applicant - All successful applicants will be required to email or send a 3 minute DVD of himself/herself delivering a sample lesson within their subject area.  The DVD is required to reach ABS no later than 10 days after the submission of a signed offer of employment.  For applicants who choose to mail in their DVD, it must be sent using Fedex, DHL, or UPS only. 

What is it like living in Kuwait?

Kuwait is a very modern, multi-cultural country. There is access to many western grocery stores, shopping centers, restaurants, and recreational facilities. The Kuwait expatriate community includes British, Canadians, Americans, Australians, New Zealanders, Europeans, and Asian nationalities. It is a very safe environment for families and/or single persons.

What is the process for being reimbursed for my flight to Kuwait?

You will be required to book, pay for, confirm, and email us your one-way e-ticket complete with all flight details to Kuwait within ten (10) days of scanning and emailing us your employment contract.   We will reimburse you in cash payment for your air-ticket upon the presentation of your credit card and credit card receipt or other voucher within 48 hours of arrival into Kuwait.

Flight requirements:

• Lowest class of economy airfare only, without exception
• Must be most direct route to Kuwait, no stop-overs of more than 24 hours
• Claim may not exceed:
      -     KD 400 for one-way, or KD 500 for round-trip for US / Canadian Nationalities
      -     KD 200 for one-way, or KD 250 for round-trip for UK/ Irish Nationalities
• You must arrive into Kuwait no earlier than August 15th, and no later than August 28th
• Teachers who purchase round-trip tickets will have 50% of the value reimbursed upon arrival, and the other 50% reimbursed in April payroll. There are no exceptions to this policy

Important notes:
No refunds are provided for employees who miss a flight, for any reason. Travel insurance is highly recommended.

The airport code for Kuwait is KWI

Will I be required to undergo a Criminal Background Check?

American candidates, who have been offered employment, are required by Kuwaiti law to complete an FBI fingerprint background check, which will need to be authenticated by both the US department of State and the Kuwaiti embassy in Washington, DC.   Therefore, applicants will be required to answer specific questions related to this during the interview process.  It is important that applicants are entirely truthful during the interview process. 

Applicants will also be asked if they have ever had their supervisory or teaching license suspended or revoked at any period in their career, or if they have ever been disciplined in any manner by their school board.

Candidates of all other nationalities will be required to undergo a criminal background check by the designated agency in their respective countries.

FBI background check procedure.

If I am offered a position, will ABS contact my employer for a reference check?

Either before or after the offer of employment, we reserve the right to contact your current or past employer(s) in order to obtain a character and/or professional reference.

Can I bring my pets with me?

Yes you may, however, ABS does not advise bringing pets along for several reasons.

1. ABS does not allow cats, dogs rabbits etc. in staff accommodations.  We do allow small pets like fish and birds. 
2. Most airlines have imposed restrictions(restrictions vary by country and airline) on traveling with pets in the summer months and/or traveling while the temperature is above a certain temperature to limit potential risks to pets.  The times when you will be traveling to/from Kuwait will be during times of extreme heat, especially in Kuwait where ground temperatures can reach into the 130s.  Therefore it may not be possible to even bring your pet during the times you wish to travel.
3. Veterinary care is limited to a few clinics, is extremely expensive, and is sometimes not up to western standards.
4. Importing you pet can be very costly.

Should the items listed above not deter you, ABS can assist prospective overseas staff with obtaining the needed Kuwaiti documents at a fee of KD 100 per pet.  Please note - All animals entering Kuwait require a current rabies vaccination, an import document and a Health Certificate.  For additional information concerning necessary documents please see the PAWS Kuwait website.