Get paid to teach English in one of Asia's most exciting and culturally immersive destinations and earn salaries between $1400 - $2000 USD per month.

Program Options

Option 1: In-Class TEFL & Placement

If you do not have an internationally accredited TEFL/TESOL certification, we highly recommend our in-class course held in Vietnam to prepare you for your teaching adventure abroad.

Option 2: Placement Only

If you already hold an accredited 120 Hour TEFL/TESOL certification, then our Placement Only option guarantees you a teaching job with all our in-country support benefits.

View more about each program option on our Teach English in Vietnam program page.

Eligibility

All you need to qualify is to have a bachelor's degree in any field of study (with no previous teaching experience required) and be a citizen of one of the following countries:

• USA
• Canada
• UK
• Ireland
• Australia
• South Africa
• New Zealand

When can I start?

2024 Intake Dates

• 27 May 2024 (Orientation Only. TESOL completed in Hua Hin, Thailand)
• 22 July 2024
• 19 August 2024

2025 Intake Dates

• 24 February 2025
• 21 April 2025 (Online TEFL & Placement and Placement Only)
• 26 May 2025
• 21 July 2025
• 18 August 2025
• 3 November 2025 (Online TEFL & Placement and Placement Only)

TravelBud's Fees include Guaranteed Job Placement

We find you a teaching job to ensure you have the maximum work hours allowed under your visa.

• You’ll have more time to make friends and adjust to the culture.
• You can focus on enjoying your new lifestyle knowing your income is secured.
• With TravelBud, we walk you through everything you need to know before you depart to Vietnam and from the moment you touch down, you'll receive 24/7 support from our in-country team who will be on hand for you throughout your teaching placement for anything you need help with - be it big or small.

Teaching Placements

We offer full-time positions to teach children of varying ages including:

• Kindergarten
• Primary (elementary and middle)
• High school

Placements are mainly in public and private schools.

Private Language centers operate throughout the year. The public school year runs from September to May. The peak hiring time is in August for both school types.

Public school placements are possible outside of this time period but chances are reduced after September.

Placement Only

If you already have an internationally accredited TEFL/TESOL certification, you may qualify for our Placement Only program program.

Placement Only candidates will join one of the in-country orientation weeks before heading to their placements.

During the orientation week, candidates will meet with the placements team to discuss their preferences and work together to find a suitable placement. By doing the in-country orientation, the participant will be able to experience a full Thai cultural program as part of a group, meeting many other teachers who are also going to teach in Vietnam.

Teaching Contracts

Placements are for 1 year and can be renewed if you’d like to stay and continue to teach for more than a year.

What are the working hours?

• You will generally teach for 15 to 25 hours per week. That’s about 4 or 5 hours a day.
• School hours are usually from about 7:30am to 4pm and you will be expected to be at the school for the whole day, but you won’t be teaching all the time.
• You’ll use your extra time at school to mark, prepare lessons and spend time with the kids.
• If you teach kindergarten, your teaching hours might be different. This will be communicated to you once your placement has been finalised.

View more about teaching placements on our Teach English in Vietnam program page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Transportation from accommodation to work?

Not provided by schools, though some schools will provide a travel stipend. Most people rent scooters.

What are the age groups you will be teaching?

Mixed ages but mainly children.

After contract can you still travel in the country or do you need to be out?

You can stay as long as you like as long as you have a job and you maintain a legal Visa status. It is important to check with your school on how long you have. Most schools cancel work permits and visas within a month of a teacher leaving.

Can one renew working contract and visa without leaving the country?

Yes

Medical services and insurance?

Insurance coverage differs between schools. Some schools and contracts provide it whilst others do not. Some schools require that the teacher pass probation first before becoming eligible for paid insurance but they also offer the teacher to buy their own insurance through the same provider.

Dress code for teaching?

Smart. Typically collar shirts for men and conservative dress for women.

What is the level of English and behavior of students?

This will vary from student to student, however, there is typically beginner knowledge of English throughout the country. You should expect to teach students of all ages (though they will mostly be children). Vietnamese students are generally well behaved, at least compared with children in the West.

What curriculum will they follow at school?

Your school will provide and train you on their specific curriculum. The schools have specific curriculums and curriculum support.

Do your colleagues speak English?

Yes.

What are the chances of schools deducting security money? And how does this work?

This is very rare and unlikely to happen. However, many schools pay teachers on the end of the first week of the following month. That provides a small bit of security for the school if you leave abruptly without notice.

Do you get paid overtime?

Yes, in most cases.

What are the chances of getting a salary increase?

Quite high for your second contract but your salary is typically fixed for your contract duration. But there might be opportunities for overtime work.

When are the school holidays?

As Language centers are open year round you will not share the usual school holidays as you would in Public schools. Instead, participants may take vacation leave and take public holidays.

However, all language centers do close for the Tet Holiday which usually last for 7-10 days at the beginning of February.

How is TravelBud Different?

We 100% Guarantee Job Placements and Vet our School Partners Carefully: As soon as your program acceptance has been confirmed, you have 100% secured yourself a job placement at one of our carefully vetted school partners. Our unrivalled job placement process takes your preferences into account.

We provide dedicated pre-departure support and 24/7 in-country support: Worried about preparing for your big move abroad all on your own or having no one to lean on for support when you arrive at your school placement?

With TravelBud, we walk you through everything you need to know before you depart to Vietnam and from the moment you touch down, you'll receive 24/7 support from our in-country team who will be on hand for you throughout your teaching placement for anything you need help with - be it big or small.

Our TEFL Certification is tailored specifically to Vietnam and includes an In-depth Cultural Immersion: We focus on all the unique elements that come with teach English in Vietnam compared to other countries - like the unique cultural etiquette, the working environment, overcoming the language barrier, and managing Vietnamese students effectively.

And with two full days of teaching practice at a local Vietnamese school, you'll graduate more prepared and confident than ever to teach English in Vietnam. Our full week of cultural immersion includes lessons on Vietnamese culture, history, politics, and language, with multiple enriching and fun cultural excursions to help you immerse yourself responsibly in your new cultural environment.

We've all taught abroad ourselves: TravelBud was born, and grew out of, the experience our entire team had teaching English abroad. There's nothing we're more passionate about! Based on our own experiences, we have developed holistic Paid Teaching and TEFL Certification programs which encompass all the most important elements we know are needed to ensure the most memorable and life-changing experience when it comes to teaching English abroad.

Program Highlights

• Comprehensive pre-departure support and guidance

  • Getting the necessary documentation prepared prior to departure.
  • Assisting you with all planning, packing, visas, costs, budgets and booking flights.
  • Answering your questions to help ease any anxieties you may have regarding your trip.

• Logistics and safety when arriving

  • Airport pickup and transfer to accommodation.
  • Sim card setup assistance.

• A toolkit for navigating Korean culture

  • Cultural Orientation.
  • Social events and meet and greets.

• Practical Teacher Training

  • To hone your craft and ensure confidence before you begin teaching professionally.

• Guaranteed Job Placement

  • At carefully vetted schools.

• An Internationally Accredited TEFL/TESOL certification

  • The knowledge required to teach english successfully.

• A support network of fellow teachers

  • Lifelong friendships and travel opportunities.

• 24/7 In-country support

  • Ex-foreign teachers and local, on-the-ground support staff provide you with personal assistance throughout the duration of your teaching experience.
  • You can rest assured knowing that any queries will be answered such as translation help, legalities, emergencies, travel options or school queries. Someone is on hand.
  • Teacher meet-ups.
  • We check in with you regularly and keep up to date with your teach abroad experience.

• Lifetime Teaching Placement Guarantee

  • Teach somewhere else after your contract and explore new cultures.

• Self-development and advantageous future employability

  • Add teaching abroad to your CV to stand out from the crowd.

Requirements

This program is only open to citizens of the following countries: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.

• Excellent command of the English language, both written and spoken
• Neutral accent
• Bachelor's degree is required - no teaching experience required
• Be a minimum of 20 years and maximum of 60 years of age, those aged older or younger will be reviewed on a case by case basis
• Clean criminal record
• A love for foreign cultures and willingness to embrace new challenges

Cultural Orientation

We believe in responsible travel and in the context of teaching abroad, that means being culturally sensitive, respectful travelers. Our orientation is done in Vietnam, run by a mix of Vietnamese and Western staff and is set up in a way that ensures you understand Vietnamese culture deeply even before you set foot in a classroom.

You'll start teaching feeling much more prepared for your new life abroad, ready to engage with the community you'll be living in and have a rewarding and immersive cultural experience.

Internationally Accredited TEFL/TESOL Certification

If you don't have a recognized TESOL, TEFL or CELTA certificate yet, it's not a problem. Our program comes with a highly acclaimed 120-hour in-class TEFL/TESOL course conducted in Vietnam which is tailored to the specific requirements of teaching English in Vietnam.

You'll learn everything from classroom management to creating lesson plans and the specific issues Vietnamese students battle with when tackling English. Not only that but you'll be able to try out your skills in front of a live class at a local English camp before you head out to your placement school so that you can be sure you'll be ready for whatever Vietnam throws at you.

Our TESOL Certification Course includes the following:

• 120 hours of in-class TESOL theory and instruction
• Overview of the history and theory of teaching English as a foreign/second language in Vietnam
• Practical training on how to teach speaking, listening, writing, and reading in the Vietnamese classroom
• Attend workshops on working in Vietnamese organizations, working in Vietnamese schools and on being a teacher in the country
• Extensive training on lesson plan development and presentation
• Multiple opportunities to receive and offer feedback with your peers and instructor throughout the course
• Tons of tips and examples on how to teach English to every age group in Vietnam
• Extensive training on effective classroom management, being mindful of cultural sensitivities in Vietnam
• Two full days of practical teaching at a local Vietnamese school to gain real experience of what it's like to teach in Vietnam

The TravelBud Team- celebrating 10 years of life-changing teach abroad programs.

Over the last 10 years, we’ve helped thousands of teachers successfully navigate the intricacies of teaching abroad.

Our entire enrollments and support team have teach abroad experience.

When enquiring with us you'll be speaking to one of the following knowledgable and personable former teacher travellers:

Grace - Grace taught English in Anseong, just outside Seoul in South Korea. She'll help you get all the answers to the questions you may have about taking the plunge and going overseas for your amazing teach abroad adventure.

Alyssa - Alyssa was an English, math and science teacher at a private school in a beautiful beach town in Costa Rica. While teaching in Costa Rica, Alyssa was able to experience different cultures and travel to other Latin American countries. She'll help you plan your teach abroad adventure to the best of her ability and share her insights along the way!

Destiny - Destiny was an English teacher in South Korea. While teaching in South Korea, Destiny was able to experience different cultures and travel to other Asian countries. She'll help you plan your teach abroad adventure to the best of her ability and share her insights along the way!

James - Following James' teach abroad year in Australia James headed back to study but soon found himself fighting with the unquenchable thirst for travel and made his way back overseas, travelling and working from the cold and wet Moorlands of Northumberland to the Sandy shores of Sun-kissed St Tropez. James will guide you through all your options for your teach abroad adventure.

Saskia - Saskia is CEO at TravelBud and taught English in Thailand. She's responsible for overseeing your success teaching abroad. Whether it’s your nerves that need calming or advice on budgets, Saskia is always here to help you on your way to your life-changing adventure!

Kim - Kim lived in Joenju, South Korea, working as an English teacher at two public schools and one boarding school in Wanju. Since then, she's been involved various education initiaties, held the position of enrollment coordinator, was a lead instructor for both online and in-class TEFL/TESOL courses and most recently was a Program & Placement Manager for our South Korea program!

Ben - Ben lived and taught English in the former capital city of Ayutthaya in Thailand. Since returning to South Africa, Ben has become passionate about helping other people to get the opportunity he had to experience a new part of the world and broaden his horizons.

Chelsea - Chelsea moved to Jiangsu province in China and worked as an English Teacher for 5 years at a training centre, a public shcool and an international school. She will assist you with all your support questions and help guide you smoothly throughout your experience.

Read more about the TravelBud team at https://travelbud.com/about/