These instructional slides will take you through the steps to help you with the application process for the English Program in Korea (EPIK) and the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education (SMOE).

1. EPIK/SMOE
Reference Letters

2. EPIK and SMOE are very particular about the reference
letters, so please read this carefully.

3. Important notes for each letter:
***The letter must be addressed to"Dear Sir / Madam" or "To Whom it May
Concern"
IMPORTANT

4. Here is an example of what
the reference letters should
look like.
Note: Nothing handwritten will be
accepted, i.e. address or contact
information, everything must be
typed except for the signature.
***Please do not lose your LOR, as
the scans you send us must match
the LOR you physically send in to
us at a later date.
Sample LOR

5. Mandatory Requirements for Letters of
Recommendation
1. Direct Contact Details of the Referee: The EPIK/SMOE office needs
the letters to include the referees direct contact details; meaning, a
generic company email address and phone number in the letterhead is
not sufficient. Ultimately EPIK/SMOE needs the referee’s direct phone
number (if they have a direct line at the company or school, if not using
the company number is o.k.) and email address (direct business email
or personal email) somewhere on the letter.
2. The letters cannot be addressed to Reach To Teach. Letters should be
addressed to an anonymous source such as: ‘To whom it may concern’
or ‘Dear Sir / Madam’.

6. 3. There is a section on the EPIK/SMOE application form (page 3,
question 9) that asks applicants to enter the contact details from their
LORs. The contact details you enter on your EPIK/SMOE application
form MUST be the same direct contact details that appear on your
actual/physical Letters of Recommendation. Please be mindful of this
requirement.
4. Both letters must have the referee’s real ink signature. Electronic
signatures or traced signatures are not accepted – EPIK/SMOE does
not make exceptions for the real ink signature requirement.
5. Letters must be less than two (2) years old.
Mandatory Requirements for Letters of
Recommendation

7. 6. The letters you submit at the initial stage (via email as scanned
copies) must match the hardcopies you submit during the second stage.
7. The person who writes the letter must include your full/complete
name on the LOR. Example: If your name is Matthew Doe then the
letter should state Matthew Doe – it CANNOT state the short form of
Matt Doe.
8. Applicants who have taught in Korea before: Applicants who are
currently working in Korea, or worked in Korea recently (from
February 2012 or after) MUST submit one recommendation letter from
their current/former Korean employer.
Mandatory Requirements for Letters of
Recommendation

8. 9. The letters should be scanned, saved and emailed as jpegs or PDF
files only; therefore, you do not have to request the letters in a sealed
envelope. If the letters come sealed then open them up and scan them
accordingly.
10. Recommendation letters can be written in English or Korean.
11. Attaching a business card as an alternative to the letterhead
requirement: Some employers (businesses) do not have letterhead paper
available. If you experience this problem then ask the referee for a
business card instead and staple it to the letter as an alternative to the
letterhead. EPIK/SMOE will accept letters with business cards attached
if letterheads aren’t available.
Mandatory Requirements for Letters of
Recommendation

9. If you have 1 or more year of full-time teaching experience, then you
will need an additional teaching experience reference letter.
You will need this letter in addition to the 2 regular reference letters to
get your pay upgrade. If you have worked at multiple schools and want
to receive credit for each of them, you will need a separate teaching
experience reference letter for each school. For more detailed
information, please refer to the Proof of Teaching Experience Letter
page.
NOTE: This only applies for the teaching experience in which you
were the primary teacher. Also, you must have held the position for an
entire year.
Proof of Teach Experience Letter

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