What is considered a full-time teaching load at UWC Mostar?
In Bosnia and Herzegovina we are required to rationalize how teachers spend the 40 hours of the work week. Depending on additional duties, full time teachers generally have between 14 and 18 teaching hours per week.
What is expected of UWC Mostar teachers in addition to the regular teaching commitment?
Teachers are required to serve as an academic tutor to around 9 students, to help lead one or two CAS activities, and to attend the regular meetings and school events (some of which are in the evenings and on weekends). In addition, all teachers do some work in the residences, either as a House Fellow or as a study monitor. House Fellows do check in once a week, and weekend duty once every nine weekends; study monitors generally supervise study sessions in the residences twice a month.
Do I already need to be an IB-trained teacher?
No. While experience teaching in the IB is an advantage, it is not required. Where necessary, we will provide teachers with training via IB workshops.
Do I need a teaching certificate?
For international teachers, a degree in a field related to your teaching subject is sufficient. For teachers from BiH, you will need to pass the state teachers’ exam if you have not done so already.
Do I need an advanced degree in my subject?
While many teachers at UWC hold Master’s Degrees, it is not a requirement. We want a diverse faculty to mirror our diverse study body, and this includes age-diversity, so we frequently hire younger teachers who have recently graduated university, in addition to teachers who have decades of experience, with or without advanced degrees.
What about health insurance, taxes, pensions and other statutory contributions?
UWC Mostar covers all medical expenses for its employees while in Bosnia and Herzegovina or on school-organized trips outside the country. We also pay all state taxes for Bosnia and Herzegovina; if you are from another country, you should check with your own ministries to assess whether you will need to pay taxes there.
What is the visa process for international teachers?
There are two categories: those who hold passports that allow them to travel into BiH on a 90-day visa waiver, and those who require a visa to enter the country. For those from visa-waiver countries, the process is relatively easy: you enter as you would if you were tourist, and then we register you with the Aliens’ Office when you arrive. Your residential permit is issued within a couple months. For those who need a visa to enter the country, we will work with you obtain the necessary visa before you arrive. If you are from a country where there is an Embassy of Bosnia and Herzegovina, you will need to travel to the Embassy; if you are not, you will need to travel to a country where there is an embassy a week or two before new teachers should arrive in Mostar to process the visa. We will support you throughout the process, and cover necessary expenses.
What kind of contracts does UWC Mostar offer?
UWC Mostar offers fixed-term contracts, with the first contract being for two years. After the first two years, for teachers from BiH may be offered a permanent contract according to federal law.
Will you provide housing for teachers?
For teachers who are moving to Mostar for their work at UWC Mostar, we will provide you with an apartment. We pay the rental fee, and additional costs (electricity, internet, etc.) are borne by the teacher.
Would it be possible to live with a family in Mostar?
Yes, there are possibilities for teacher families to live in Mostar, but there are no educational opportunities in English for children until they are prepared to enter UWC. So for international teachers, it is only really possible for those with pre-school age children or children old enough to attend our college. Please contact us to discuss details if you are interested but have questions about these issues.
What are the possibilities for education of staff children?
Unfortunately, at present there are no options for education in English in Mostar.
Staff children of an appropriate age who meet admissibility criteria may be selected to attend UWC Mostar. Applications to attend other UWCs also may be considered.
What’s living in Mostar like?
Mostar is a lovely, small city situated in a small valley split by the emerald green Neretva River. Cafes line the streets, and when it’s warm people stroll with families and friend late into the evening. It is generally a very safe city, with a slow pace of life that many people find easy to settle into.
Moreover, Mostar is only two hours from Sarajevo, the lively capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina; two hours from Dubrovnik, the UNESCO World Heritage site; and two hours from Split, the picturesque seaside city of Croatia. The Adriatic coast and islands are all within a few hours, as are the mountains of central Bosnia and neighboring Montenegro.