Au Pair in China - Requirements

Basically, anyone who meets the criteria down below can participate in the Mandarin School Au Pair in China Program. Since this program is offered throughout Europe and America, we recommend that you apply up to four months in advance of your planned departure. This is due to high demand and the necessary paperwork.

To participate in the Mandarin School Au Pair in China Program, you have to meet the following requirements:

• You should be between 17 and 29 years old:

You should be at least 17 years old. The host families often want to employ au pairs who are less than 30 years old. If you do not meet the age criteria, you can apply anyway, and we will do our best to find a suitable host family for you.

• You have to be healthy and free of any infectious diseases:

A normal health is a prerequisite for entry into China and enrollment at a university. It is also understandable that host families do not want to expose their children to health risks. Therefore, you should have no dangerous infectious diseases at the time of your application. If you have any allergies or asthma that will be no problem at all.

• You should speak English well:

First and foremost  the host family wants its child to learn English. English is not only the lingua franca of the business world, but also an essential part of the entrance examination to higher education institutions in China. If you are no native speaker, your English skills must be proven with school reports or certificates and are randomly checked by our staff via Skype conversations. The “English criterion” must be met in approximately 95 % of all cases. If a family would like its child to learn another foreign language than English, we will address candidates independently.

• You should show an interest for children and be culturally open-minded:

Cultural open-mindedness is the ability to understand that you are part of a certain culture, but able to deviate ready deem from learned norms. Regarding child care, you must enjoy working with children. We explicitly ask all interested candidates who do not meet these criteria to not apply and appreciate your understanding.

• You have to be willing to work 25 hours a week:

Due to the general politeness and hospitability of Chinese host families, au pairs sometimes neglect their job and spend their working hours going out for sightseeing or to meet friends. Your host family will spend a little fortune to enable you to participate in this program and expects you to spend your working hours with their child. Therefore, we expect that you also hold up your part of the bargain.