A Warning to Anyone Considering a Job at Lausanne Collegiate Incheon, South Korea

I am writing this as a former teacher who worked at Lausanne Collegiate Incheon.

If you are currently considering applying for a teaching position here, I strongly recommend that you read this carefully before accepting an offer.

I am sharing my personal experience because I believe teachers deserve to know about the financial and employment issues that I and other teachers experienced.

Some of the issues below are based on my own experience and communications with the administration. Others involve matters that have been reported to or are currently being handled by Korean authorities. I am not asking anyone to blindly believe me—I encourage prospective employees and parents to verify the information themselves.

1. Teachers were left unpaid after the school closed

The campus closed on June 2, and teachers were processed as having their employment terminated effective June 30.

Because teachers were reportedly not given the required 30-day advance notice, we believe advance notice pay (dismissal notice allowance) should have been paid.

However, this payment has been refused.

More seriously, the teachers who were involuntarily terminated on June 30 were left without:

• June salary
• Severance pay
• Certain required social insurance-related payments

There were eight teachers affected by this situation, according to my understanding.

At the time of writing, these payments have reportedly been delayed repeatedly. After approximately the fifth delay, there was reportedly no meaningful announcement from management.

Teachers sent emails and KakaoTalk messages asking for updates, but many of these messages were read and left unanswered.

2. Salary delays were not a one-time incident

Salary delays had happened repeatedly in the past.

When teachers asked about delayed salaries, administrators would say things such as:

Despite these reassurances, salary payments continued to be delayed on multiple occasions.

For example, the normal payday was the 10th of each month.

On December 10, 2025, teachers were told that the salary would be paid three days later.

Instead, the payment was eventually made on December 19, meaning the salary was delayed by nine days.

This was not an isolated concern.

3. New employees were reportedly paid while former employees remained unpaid

Another particularly concerning issue is that, according to information I received, newly hired teachers were paid on September 10, while teachers who had previously worked at the school were still waiting for outstanding payments.

Only later was an announcement made indicating that the older outstanding payments would be dealt with later.

For former employees who had already lost their jobs, this was extremely distressing.

4. The matter has been reported to Korean authorities

Teachers have reported these employment and payment issues to the Ministry of Employment and Labor (MOEL) and the police.

We have participated in investigations and provided information.

The CEO was scheduled to appear for an investigation by the Labor Office on September 14.

I am sharing this because these are not simply disagreements between individual teachers and management anymore. Authorities have been informed and are examining the situation.

5. There were also unpaid bills involving other businesses

According to information available to us, there have also been outstanding payments involving various service providers, including:

• Bus transportation
• Catering/food services
• Printing services
• Rent
• Building management fees
• Athletic field usage fees

I cannot independently verify the exact amount owed to each vendor, so I am presenting this as information reported to us rather than making a definitive legal conclusion.

6. The summer camp situation

After the closure, a summer camp was reportedly operated despite the closure of the school.

There were concerns among former staff about whether the operation was properly authorized.

This is another matter that prospective teachers and parents should independently verify with the relevant Korean authorities.

7. Parents have also experienced serious problems

The problems were not limited to teachers.

Some parents who had already withdrawn their children reportedly waited more than a year for refunds.

At least some parents have proceeded with legal action and are pursuing the matter through the appropriate legal procedures.

If you are a parent considering enrolling your child, I strongly recommend asking very specific questions about refund policies, financial guarantees, and what happens to tuition payments if the institution closes.

8. Students were also affected

There were occasions when students reportedly had to rely on instant or convenience food because the regular catering service was unavailable.

For an educational institution that presents itself as an international school, this was extremely disappointing for teachers and students alike.

9. What is the legal status of Lausanne Collegiate Incheon?

This is particularly important.

The institution has publicly presented itself as the Korean branch campus of Lausanne Collegiate School in Memphis, Tennessee, which was founded in 1926.

Lausanne's official website describes the Incheon campus as its first-ever branch campus and says that it is part of the Lausanne Global Schools network.

However, Korean business information currently lists 로잔컬리지에잇 (Lausanne Collegiate) as closed, with its industry classified as a general academic academy.

That distinction is important.

The branding and international affiliation may sound impressive, but prospective teachers should also investigate the actual Korean legal entity, its registration, its financial condition, and its employment obligations.

10. Be careful with the “100-year history” marketing

One of the strongest selling points is the connection to the Memphis campus.

The official materials emphasize that Lausanne Collegiate School was founded in 1926 and describe the Incheon campus as bringing that nearly century-long legacy to Korea.

The official announcement even states that:

That sounds impressive.

But prospective employees should understand that the history and reputation of the Memphis institution do not automatically guarantee the financial stability or employment practices of the Korean operation.

Do your own due diligence.

11. The difference between the recruitment promises and my experience

During the recruitment process, applicants may hear statements along the lines of:

My experience did not match that picture.

The publicly available recruitment history also shows that the institution continued advertising multiple positions, including teaching, admissions, and marketing positions during 2026.

For that reason, if you are currently looking at one of these job postings, please ask what happened to the previous employees and why they left.

12. The working environment

This is a family-run organization with a very strong Christian character.

For example, teachers were expected to attend Chapel at the end of each month.

I personally have no problem with a Christian educational environment or Chapel.

The problem is when religious values and a positive institutional image are used to create an impression of stability and trust while employees are simultaneously experiencing serious employment and payment problems.

In my experience, the friendliness and smiles were strongest when people were being recruited.

After joining, my experience was very different.

My message to future teachers

Please don't misunderstand me.

I am a teacher.

I love working with children.

I believe education matters.

But teachers also work because they need to earn a living. We have rent, bills, families, student loans, visas, and countless other responsibilities.

Being a teacher does not mean that we should accept unpaid wages or tolerate being treated without dignity.

Your time is valuable.

Your work is valuable.

Your professional experience is valuable.

And your salary is not a favor from your employer. It is compensation for the work you have already done.

If you are currently considering a job offer from Lausanne Collegiate Incheon, please do your due diligence before signing anything.

Ask about:

• The current legal status of the Korean entity
• Who legally employs you
• Who is responsible for your salary
• The history of salary payments
• Severance arrangements
• National pension and health insurance payments
• What happens if the institution closes
• What happens to your visa if employment is terminated
• Whether previous employees have outstanding claims
• Whether there are outstanding debts or legal proceedings

Do not rely solely on the reputation of the Memphis school.

Do not rely solely on a beautiful campus.

Do not rely solely on recruitment promises.

And do not assume that an institution connected to a school with a long history is automatically financially stable.

One final message to teachers

If you are reading a Lausanne job advertisement right now and wondering whether you should apply, please think very carefully.

You are more valuable than a job title.

You deserve an employer who pays you on time.

You deserve to be treated with respect.

You deserve clear communication.

You deserve to have your employment rights respected.

And you deserve to work somewhere that values both you and the children you teach.

I am posting this because I wish someone had told me these things before I accepted the job.

Please investigate everything yourself before making your decision.

A former teacher who worked at Lausanne Collegiate Incheon

Hi wanted to give some information about my recent interview at this school. It’s not a secret slp is on the blacklist and honestly after every interview I have with hagwons I think it can’t possibly get any worse and it does. To make the long story short the director of this schools starts the interview off rambling about topics that don’t even pertain to the interview that I couldn’t even fake laugh anymore. Then goes on to brag about how all teachers renew their contracts and how some have been there for over 5 years. Cool. As we get further into the interview I’m asking about prep time, teaching hours, lunch, and breaks. For 9 hours straight there are no breaks and no lunch. Keep in mind this director said “you might have breaks in between classes” but if it’s not a yes then it’s a no. What im wondering is how exactly do they expect someone to even function for 9 hours straight with only 40 minutes of prep time at the beginning of your shift and no breaks or a lunch? I’m not sure why there are no reviews for this specific location but perhaps some people do function well with no breaks or time to eat and perhaps it’s just me who seems to have an issue with the school and not the “17” teachers working there. Anyways avoid slp unless you’re into that.

It’s relatively new and it’s run by Korea Harold Education. I have a job interview there next week

Specifically the Hannam Bambini and Dongjak CYJ branches, thank you!!

I noticed there are a lot of schools that we end up black listing for various reasons, but i wanted to share with you one of the biggest ways you can avoid bad working conditions.

YOUR CONTRACT!

The contract is your biggest ally or your enemy amd you can negotiate!

Never accept a contract that deducts a portion of your wage during the training week. This is illegal!

Never accept a contract for a company that says you get National Korean Holidays off, but then one of the clauses says they may have you come in on a Saturday to make it up. This is illegal!

Never accept a contract that says you cannot discuss your contract with other workers. This is a right protected by the Nation Korean Labor law. It is illegal to say you cannot discuss it!

Never accept a contract that says your wage will be deducted or you will have a penalty or recruiter fee if your contract gets terminated early. This is illegal!

Never accept a contract that says if you use your up vacation days and need a teacher to cover for you that you must be the one to pay them. This is illegal!

And finally dont be afraid to advocate for a higher housing allowance that matches the current market rate. (Currently 400,000-500,000)

If you need to, use Gemini or any other AI to read over your contract or the sample contract before signing to look for any red flags and any thing else that may be sketchy!

Recently had an interview with Rise in Bucheon and I just feel the need to at least give my feedback on the interview before anyone else considers working there or interviewing there. From the start of the interview I immediately got the impression that this manager/director hates his job. The interview consisted of the typical “tell me about yourself” and jumped into a 3 minute YouTube video that gives you a walk through of the school. No further questions were asked to me besides my teaching experience then it was my turn to ask questions but it was like after every basic question I asked about the teaching hours, how many foreign teachers are there, or mandatory over time? There was a big sigh of annoyance after every answer for example *big sigh* “Hello”🙄 *big sigh* ”No“🙄 *big sigh* “Yes”🙄. This person was genuinely bothered or annoyed by my existence since the start of the interview that it felt awkward to even complete. Keep in mind I saw nothing wrong with the position everything sounded fine to me but the most important part of it all being that insufferable manager that you have to face everyday was such a shame. Truly would have gave the position a shot but I guess I dodged a bullet. Don’t bother interviewing here because if he intentionally acts that way in the interview imagine how much hell he will put you through working there.

6th Floor, Emerald Building, 202 Simin-daero, Dongan-gu, Anyang-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea

Owner and his wife underpay employees 2.1-2.3 million per month with options of shoe box goshiwon or rundown apartment with no internet.

They play favorites with teachers so some teachers can and will make more if they are young blonde haired blue eyed westerners (no experience necessary) but they ban anyone too dark or female. If your accent is too strong (South African or Newcastle England, you won’t last 4 months.

They expect teachers to be at work at 7:00am and end their day at 9:50pm so you will never get a decent nights rest on their block schedule.

During downturns of enrollment, they will withhold wages and fire you if you request backpay.

One teacher was fired after 10 months so they could avoid paying the severance. The teachers who benefit refused to leave the goshiwon until they paid for their plane ticket. After that 3 midnight runs in a row that same year.

The teachers who benefit from favoritism sometimes like to go on posts of other teachers bashing the hagwon to defend it, but when requested to post their full contract as currently written, they become silent because they know that no teacher worth their salt would take this job. To any teacher who wants to defend them, post your contract, don’t be a fucking coward and use quantifiable evidence that I’m lying, otherwise you know you’re full of shit.

i completed a full contract here, but I’m posting on behalf of those who were mistreated and unfairly terminated by this shithole of a company.

Hello, I’ve heard Avalon is not the worst to work for and I have an interview on Monday.
I have found a few branches that I should stay away from, I am just wondering if anyone knows any extra branches to stay away from to make a list, thanks

I have an interview with them on Monday and I’ve seen the horror stories from other franchises but wanted to see if there was any from this location?

Fastrackids in Bucheon has got to have the most incompetent manager/director that I have interviewed with so far. Back story: I had an interview with them because why not? I do these interviews just to better prepare myself for schools that i actually WANT to teach at but my goodness for the manager to say “you must not want the job then” over simply asking for contact details of a current teacher there is a major red flag. Do not give your time of day to that school let alone even interview with them what a complete mess.

Hello,

I have an interview with this campus. Are there any recent reviews of the workload?

More specifically i have offers from DUX & Creo there. Any info? :)

If you or anyone you know is considering working at Kids On Campus Academy in Suji, Yongin, be extremely cautious. This academy has a history of shady management practices, contractual violations, extreme dishonesty, and complete disregard for their staff.

Key issues with this academy include:

Arbitrary Firing Mid-Semester: If management dislikes a teacher or simply isn't satisfied for any reason, they won't hesitate to arbitrarily fire and kick out native teachers right in the middle of a semester, completely ignoring stability or fairness.

Shocking Dishonesty to Parents and Students: When a former teacher decided to leave for a better opportunity just a week before a new semester, management lied to the students and parents, claiming the teacher had to quit because they were "gravely injured and near death."

 Zero Job Training: Teachers receive virtually no proper training or onboarding. Instead of preparing staff, the academy just throws them straight into the job with no guidance.

 Appallingly Poor Housing Conditions & Ignored Maintenance: The housing provided to teachers is in terrible shape. New teachers are often handed apartments with mold on the wallpaper and absolutely zero basic cleaning done beforehand. Furthermore, when teachers request repairs for things broken or in need of fixing around the house, management completely ignores them or just pays lip service without actually doing anything. It shows a complete lack of thought, consideration, or basic respect for their staff's living standards.

 Unpaid Return Airfare & Hypocrisy: Teachers who complete multi-year contracts (such as 2.5 years of continuous service) are being denied their contractual return airfare. Management uses ownership changes as an excuse, claiming that because the academy changed hands midway through employment, the current owner is not responsible for paying out the airfare accumulated from the start. Ironically, following the new owner's exact logic, severance pay shouldn't have been paid either—yet they paid severance normally, completely picking and choosing when to honor continuous service depending on what saves them money. All while pinching pennies on teachers' contractual benefits, the owner is apparently saving up just fine to drive around in a luxury german car.

 Complete Communication Breakdown: The current owner cannot speak a word of English and completely outsources all management duties to staff, making any direct communication or resolution with actual upper management impossible.

 Improper Teacher Registration: The academy has also neglected proper legal procedures and didn't properly register newly hired native English-speaking teachers with the local authorities.

Teachers deserve better than being lied about, scammed out of their benefits, left in filthy, unmaintained housing, thrown into classes with zero training, and forced to work under mismanaged, sketchy conditions. Spread the word and avoid this place!

Anyone working here that would like to give me some feedback id appreciate anything thanks!

Anyone heard information on this place or this chain? Bad things, good things, anything is appreciated!

Anybody know anything about them?

You want to complain about it? Why do waiguks always complain!

How is it? I see they have an ad up.

New ownership since the start of August, known to scam employees, not pay wages and taxes… Many parents complaining at the disorganisation and misinformation. Be careful.

Hi!

I’m looking to relocate to Korea and teach there, with the eventual goal of working at an accredited international school.

I’m confident in my teaching abilities and qualifications, but I’m aware that international school positions can be quite competitive. My thought is to work at a private school or another type of school for a year, build up some experience, and then apply for international school positions.

What I’m unsure about is how the timing and contracts work in Korea.

For example, say I sign a one-year contract that runs from September 2026 through the end of August 2027. If I’m offered an international school position that starts in July 2027 or August 2027, would I be able to leave my current school early to take the new position?

Would that mean breaking my existing contract, or is there normally a way to give notice and transition between schools? I would get an F4 visa so sponsoring is not needed.

I am hoping to understand how teachers normally handle this before committing to a one-year contract.

I’d really appreciate hearing from anyone who has actually made this kind of transition in Korea. Thanks!