This question sheet is general information for organizing an offer review. It is not legal advice, and it cannot confirm whether a particular role, school, or employer will meet your expectations.

A school offer can arrive with a friendly message, a short deadline, and a number of details still missing. Before making a decision, it helps to turn the conversation into a small set of written questions. The aim is not to assume a problem. It is to understand who is offering the role, which terms have actually been put in writing, and which documents you should retain for your own records.

1. Who is the legal employer?

Ask for the full legal name of the employing entity, not only the campus, recruiter, or brand name. If more than one organization appears in emails, contracts, invoices, or job listings, ask which one would sign the contract and pay salary. Write down the name exactly as it appears on the proposed agreement.

Useful questions include:

  • Which entity is named as the employer in the written contract?
  • Is the role directly employed by the school, or arranged through another organization?
  • Who will be the practical contact for payroll, work-permit paperwork, and contract questions?

2. What version of the offer is current?

Save each dated offer, email, and draft rather than replacing earlier files. Give the document a clear name that includes the date received. If a salary figure, start date, teaching load, location, housing arrangement, or probation term changes, ask for the updated wording in one written document.

Check whether the document states:

  • the position title and usual work location;
  • the proposed start date and contract length;
  • salary timing, currency, and any stated deductions or allowances;
  • teaching, office, preparation, or other expected hours;
  • probation, renewal, notice, and any conditions attached to the offer.

3. How would visa and work-permit arrangements work?

Ask which party will handle the required steps, which documents they need from you, and which details should be confirmed before travel. Keep copies of the list they provide and note any dates, fees, or stated responsibilities. It is reasonable to ask whether the role, employer name, and work location in the written materials will match the arrangements being discussed.

If the answer is unclear, write a factual follow-up question rather than relying on a verbal summary. For example: “Could you confirm which entity will be listed for the work-permit process and when you expect that step to begin?”

4. What should be retained privately?

Keep a simple private chronology with the date, source, exact wording, document name, and the question still awaiting an answer. Preserve original messages, listings, files, and screenshots in addition to your own notes. This makes it easier to distinguish a confirmed term from an informal discussion later.

For reader guidance about documenting a recruitment concern without making accusations, see the China School Blacklist Archive. Treat it as a prompt for careful, source-based questions rather than a conclusion about any school.

5. A final pre-acceptance check

Before accepting, compare the written offer with the job listing and your notes. Mark every point that is still a question. Ask for a written clarification if a material term is missing or different. Keep the exchange polite and specific: who will confirm it, what document will show it, and when will it be available? A well-organized record is useful even when the offer proceeds smoothly, because it gives everyone the same reference point.