Program Reviews

Before deciding to do this course, I already had an online TEFL certificate, so I was debating for a long time if the cost of doing another course was worth it. I have no regrets! The course allowed me to gain confidence in teaching in front of a real class, it allowed me to ease my way into living in an Asian country for the first time by meeting new friends doing the same exact thing and having access to staff members who have been living here for a long time and can provide helpful tips and advice. They also set me up with an interview with one of the most reputable centers in Vietnam and I was offered a job before my course was over! The only negatives I would say is that for the accommodation, some people were put in recently renovated apartments whereas mine was older with a cockroach problem so I felt a little cheated there having paid the same price as everyone else, but it was only for a few weeks. I also felt we were a bit over promised on the potential salaries we could make- we were told to expect $20-$25 an hour but I don’t know anyone from my course who makes more than $17 or $18 to start even after negotiating. This is still more than enough to live comfortably in Vietnam. Overall I would recommend this course to a friend, but I would tell them to be prepared for a lot more work and less free time than I expected. Again, it’s only for a little while!

I could write about my impressions and go through all the details, but I simply by telling you my outcome...that should speak for itself.

They lined up a job for me before I even finished the course! At one of the best High Schools in Vietnam...”gifted” students. I started working 3 days after course completion with my pay rate at the high end of the scale!

After one week at my new school, I secured a great apartment two blocks away for just $270 per month!

Throughout the entire experience, and still ongoing, Ninja Teacher has been there for me. I have no doubt I made the right decision.

I had already done an online TEFL, and for a long time was debating back and forth between just showing up to Vietnam and trying to find a job or going through another course but this time with real teaching practice hours. I don’t know what the first outcome would have been but I don’t regret doing this course! It allowed me to have real teaching practice and build my confidence since I had never taught before, and brought me a whole network of friends and access to helpful resources for life in Vietnam, which made the transition so much easier.

I heard about Ninja teacher through a friend who'd recently gone through the program in 2017, after watching a few Youtube videos I decided to schedule a skype call to learn more. I instantly got the feeling these people really cared about making sure I was 100% comfortable before I left.

My first night in Saigon, Alex invited that month's Ninja Teacher group to a rooftop bar on Bui Vien, we drank, played pool, and got dinner together. Periodically through the course Alex stopped by in Go Vap and would ask us to grab lunch and catch up about our feelings on the course, always making an effort to help us have the best experience possible.

When the course finished, our group stayed in touch, and so did Alex, after a few lunches to check up on us, making sure we were content with our job placement and living situations, our meetings became more casual and I consider him to be a good friend.

Ninja teacher has added new members to their team since I arrived who are equally as helpful. I don't think there's been a question I've had that Miranda hasn't been able to answer.

I would say without a doubt, Ninja Teacher has made the transition into living the expat life in Saigon as seamless as possible. 10/10 would recommend!

I heard about Ninja teacher through a friend who'd recently gone through the program in 2017, after watching a few Youtube videos I decided to schedule a skype call to learn more. I instantly got the feeling these people really cared about making sure I was 100% comfortable before I left.

My first night in Saigon, Alex invited that month's Ninja Teacher group to a rooftop bar on Bui Vien, we drank, played pool, and got dinner together. Periodically through the course Alex stopped by in Go Vap and would ask us to grab lunch and catch up about our feelings on the course, always making an effort to help us have the best experience possible.

When the course finished, our group stayed in touch, and so did Alex, after a few lunches to check up on us, making sure we were content with our job placement and living situations, our meetings became more casual and I consider him to be a good friend.

Ninja teacher has added new members to their team since I arrived who are equally as helpful. I don't think there's been a question I've had that Miranda hasn't been able to answer.

I would say without a doubt, Ninja Teacher has made the transition into living the expat life in Saigon as seamless as possible. 10/10 would recommend!

I completely recommend this course. Taking a leap and flying to Vietnam is such an incredible step in its own right that having a whole supporting network there when you land is amazing. Vietnam and teaching had always been on my mind, yet the idea of flying around the world to a place I'd never been was quite the anxiety inducer.

I first found the course through the YouTube videos. I couldn't believe there were countless videos depicting the day-to-day of Vietnamese life as well as a program already in place to bring out interested teachers. After binge watching hours of Ninja Teacher videos, I felt like I could trust the program and decided it was time to take the leap. I met over Skype with one of the advisors, asked 12,000 questions, received 12,000 answers, was accepted into the course, fist pumped, then bought a plane ticket.

I'd had a taste of English tutoring living in Spain, but the idea of teaching full time was a bit scary. Public speaking, classroom management techniques, lesson planning, the course addresses it all. Most of all I am glad I went with Ninja Teacher because of the social community that comes with it. Even now, I still have many lasting friendships that I made through Ninja Teacher.

For those interested in teaching English in a country abroad, there are a few things I hope I can offer so as to make your decision a little easier. Ninja Teacher is a recruiting company (like several others) that will be sending you to the AVSE (Australia-Vietnam School of English) where you will be taught your TESOL course. Therefore, if you are wanting more information on the school, faculty, and course material, you can visit the school's page directly (http://avse.edu.vn/).

The difference in signing up for the AVSE course through Ninja Teacher is that Alex or one of his employees makes themselves available to answer questions regarding the course and your move abroad. He will also arrange for a group meet up prior to the start of the course so that you can get to meet some of the other students that signed up at AVSE through his recruiting company.

As soon as you register and reserve your spot in the course ($$$), you are contacted by the director at AVSE, at which time your subsequent questions and concerns can be directed to him (Peter Gouge). He will also be who you communicate with should you wish to be picked up from the airport (which can be maddeningly busy) and the staff at AVSE will be the ones working with you to find a job upon completion of the course.

So really it comes down to the type of person you are and your needs. If you're looking for a way to get to know some of your classmates before your course starts at AVSE, sign up through a recruiter like Ninja Teacher for sure! If you want to deal with your the school and staff directly, you can just sign up through AVSE. Different strokes for different folks!

I finished the course last month, and found it to be a challenging, enjoyable, and a very worthwhile decision. It's not easy to make a step like this, and for me it was certainly a big jump, but it's certainly made a lot easier when you have the kind of active support system provided by Ninja Teacher. Before the course I had searched online for information regarding different TESOL/TEFL programs, and the logistics relating to teaching English abroad and moving to Asia. I stumbled upon Alex's videos and found them very helpful and informative, providing a balanced view of life in Vietnam as a foreign English teacher. I remember sending an email just asking for some details about one of the courses, and within no time, Miranda responded and the next thing I knew I was talking about it via Skype with Alex.

The main questions and concerns I had were addressed in videos that Alex had made on YouTube, but for everything else I relied on the various Ninja Teacher Facebook groups, which I highly recommend as a means of support and information. The whole business about work permits, visas, document legalisation, and so on, can at first be troublesome to try and deal with, but with a whole network of other people doing the exact same thing, it becomes a breeze. I even got to know a couple of people I would end up being on the course with beforehand through the Facebook groups, which is another invaluable thing.

I was initially scheduled to do one of the TESOL courses in March, but due to sudden and unforeseen personal circumstances, I had to stay in the UK for another month. Even though this was only a few days before my course was due to start, Miranda, Alex, and others at Ninja Teacher were very responsive and I was informed about what my options were very quickly. I was able to seamlessly transfer to another course and everything went smoothly after that.

Both during and after the course, the team at Ninja Teacher offered guidance and support. They checked up on me to see how I was getting on and to make sure things were going okay., which of course they were.

I highly recommend you go through Ninja Teacher if you're thinking of doing a TESOL course, as they will not just try to recruit you, but will actually offer a priceless network of support and and guidance. You'll be very glad you did it this way.

I did the Ninja Teacher course in October/November and am so happy that I did. I was very nervous to make the leap and come to Vietnam to teach, especially with no prior teaching experience. The course prepared me for working here and provided me with the tools I needed to succeed and deliver quality lessons to my students. Alex and the team were welcoming and supportive, and the community that was provided was the best part of my experience. I made life-long friends in my course and am really grateful that I found Ninja Teacher.

Ninja Teacher was superb in helping me make the move from the U.S. to Vietnam. For someone who has never lived abroad before, making a decision such as this was very intimidating at first. But knowing that I had a support system during the transition made the process so much smoother. As far as the TESOL course goes, I thought that it did a very good job preparing me to be an ESL instructor. It was very challenging at times and it forced me to step outside my comfort zones when I wasn't prepared to do so. Overall, it provides a solid experience of what to expect when you move out into the marketplace and look for a job. I truly do believe this is much better than acquiring your TESOL certificate online. I'm happy with the service and would recommend it to anyone who is looking to start teaching English in Asia.