Gotoco FUNDED TEFL Adventures (Bali, Thailand, Colombia, Europe, SE Asia!) Reviews

Having never been to Italy before , I found the program to be an incredible experience. From learning about cultures to gaining valuable skills, everything was amazing. Having the opportunity to go Venice with a host family was amazing where I had my first Italian pizza experience. This experience was made smooth and memorable by the coordinators' support and communication. It was great to see them prepared and thorough with everything, from detailed travel plans to itineraries! I will forever be grateful of this opportunity, thank you! I had the best 3 weeks in Italy.

I had the most amazing experience going the Vietnam Gotoco programme! We were so well looked after by the company. The coordinators were all so professional and kind. Working in the schools was an amazing experience and the kids were so sweet! I feel like I have a much greater understanding of Vietnamese history and culture. I have made some friends for life here!

Thoroughly recommend this experience for people wanting to gain qualifications whilst having an adventure you will never forget! I had so much fun!

Participating in the Gotoco Thailand teaching program was an unforgettable experience. From the moment I arrived, I was impressed by the seamless organization and the warmth of the local communities. The program's balance of teaching and cultural activities allowed me to truly engage with Thai culture and make a real impact in the classroom. The Gotoco team provided exceptional support, making sure every aspect of the experience was smooth and enjoyable. The connections I made with students and fellow volunteers were incredibly rewarding. If you're seeking a transformative adventure that combines meaningful work with cultural exploration, the Gotoco Thailand program is an outstanding choice.

I would 100% recommend this programme because of the many benefits it has brought me. I have made new lifelong friends, gained a level 3 teaching qualification and created some unforgettable memories. It is an experience that has all elements to it, education, travel and fun. Not only has it benefitted me personally but professionally too - my confidence has grown significantly along with my ability to communicate with different people and I have also developed great organisation skills, adaptability and leadership skills.

Such an amazing and well funded programme - the teaching was challenging but doable and there was support from the coordinators throughout. Pretty much every weekend we were able to explore Vietnam - our school even helped us organise transport and gave advice. Plus, there is an orientation week in Hanoi and an end of programme trip to Hoi An - with group meals and so many activities paid for, it was really fun. Definitely, definitely apply! Thank you so much GOTOCO, I had the best 2 months in Vietnam :)))

A very good opportunity to throw yourself into a new environment and balance travelling with working abroad. It was a good way to live in a town off the tourist trail and get to know new people, including both Vietnamese locals and other teachers. It's a good entry-level opportunity to go into teaching and lead lessons. I recommend such an experince to fresh graduates, school leavers, and those seeking a new lease for life and if you want to challenge yourself to build teaching and communication skills and get a taster for living and working abroad!

Such a rewarding experience working with gotoco in Vietnam. I made loads of friends and learned so much about Vietnamese culture and their way of life. I got to learn some Vietnamese and gain valuable experience in teaching. One of my favourite things to was trying all of the new cuisine Vietnam had to offer, such as pho and ban mi, and we learnt how to order in Vietnamese which was useful. But the best thing by far was the children, it was so rewarding seeing them learn English and being able to help in their educational journeys.

I had such an amazing time in Colombia with Gotoco. The accommodation and school we taught at were incredible and the people we were able to meet made the whole experience so memorable. We were able to travel around Colombia on weekends and experience many different places as a group. Gaining a TEFL qualification will allow you to be able to to teach all around the world, so it is such a valuable experience.

The children we met at the school were so enthusiastic and excited to have us there. We were able to make a big difference in their English learning and I felt very honoured to be able to make an impact in these young people lives. When we left, they were very grateful for our time and I felt very grateful to have had the opportunity to teach there.

What an experience living like a local for 3 months in rural vietnam teaching english to these adorable kids. The work was for a charity supporting marginalized women Vietnam, providing free English classes for children of single mothers. It was super fulfilling and eye opening to be a part of this, and I am forever grateful for this opportunity! Not only did I feel like I was able positively impact the lives of the kids, I connected with such a wide range of people, adopted a entire new way of life and pushed myself out my comfort zone as a result. Highly reccomend GOTOCO to anyone seeking to do a fully funded TESOL training course. Tôi yêu Việt Nam!

If you are intending on teaching English abroad and gaining a TEFL/TESOL qualification, PLEASE do yourself a favour and do not go through Gotoco. I'm writing this review to make people aware of what you're getting yourself into if you decide to do a TEFL/TESOL program through Gotoco based on my experience.

I completed Gotoco's Vietnam program from October - December 2023 and purely speaking on the experience itself, I really enjoyed the opportunity to live and teach in Vietnam on a funded program. It was reassuring to be based with people in the same position, getting to travel and experience Vietnamese culture was amazing, and I am very grateful to have been a teacher to kindergarten/early primary-aged kids. However and though I cannot speak on behalf of other participants' experiences, I heard some really awful situations that participants had on my program (in terms of school placements, living situations, and other problems like visas not even being sorted before arriving in Vietnam).

The biggest problem I experienced is receiving my TESOL qualification, which has arguably been the worst and most problematic experience I have ever had with a company (not an exaggeration). To put it into perspective, I completed all of the TESOL requirements before my program ended (back in December 2023), and at the time of writing this review (May 2024), I still have not received my official TESOL qualification or remaining deposit.

Gotoco's is extremely unresponsive and their communication is the worst experience I have ever had with a company. They will take weeks and months to respond to emails. I even contacted Citizens Advice because this has gone on for so long and I genuinely did not know what else to do. Gotoco do not provide a phone number on their webpage and so the only method of communication is going through email. On my program, they did not provide ANY feedback to my TESOL assignments whatsoever and being a first time teacher, it would've been really helpful to have had feedback whilst I was teaching to get a sense if what I was doing for my assignments was on the right lines or not. Then in January 2024, Gotoco sent out resubmission requirements and I had to re-do and make amendments on almost every single one of my TESOL assignments. The feedback that they provided was incompetent and did not make sense, with little to no elaboration on their requirements, i.e. "We need you to change this, but we won't tell you why we need you to change it."

Furthermore, Gotoco will keep your £100 TESOL deposit until the Ofqual TESOL certificate has been issued. But despite having finished the TESOL during my program, completed their resubmission requirements in January 2024, and chasing them for literally 5-6 months to receive my TESOL certificate, they will still hold your £100 deposit. What's more, you most likely won't even receive your full £100 deposit as Paypal deducts a fee if your deposit was sent to Gotoco for more than a 180 day period.

If you're looking to do a TESOL/TEFL and teach English abroad, please do yourself a favour and go with another company.