Program Reviews

I am currently teaching IELTS English in China, Zhejiang, Ningbo.
Having seen a posting by TravelGrad online, I decided to apply and had a phone call with Andrew within the next couple days.
The process of going to teach in China is long, but TravelGrad were there to help every step of the way. TravelGrad found and arranged interviews with schools, detailed how exactly to apply for a Chinese Visa, and gave lots of more general life about living in China.
Given how complex the process of getting a job and a visa in China is, I highly doubt that I would currently be having such a great time in China now, if it wasn't for the efforts and help of the TravelGrad team, who were available 7 days a week, every week, if I needed their help.

I'm so glad I chose TravelGrad for my first teaching abroad experience. Andrew was always available to answer any questions, even though I was in a completely different time zone in the US. I loved that I was able to meet a ton of other teachers at orientation before going to my placement, which helped me not feel alone. My experience teaching in Thailand has been such an adventure! Students are so friendly and excited to see you. Everywhere you walk on campus, you will hear "Hello teacher!" or "Good morning teacher!" and see smiling faces greeting you. They get so excited over small things like playing learning games, which makes it so fun to teach them. I have felt safe and welcomed in my city the entire time. Overall, it has been such a fulfilling experience, and I'm so glad I took the leap and signed up. Also, I can't complain about eating amazing Thai food every night!

In January, I was living and teaching in South Korea which was never part of my plans. I had an incredible time, but my original goal was to reach Shenzhen in China.

I've been living in Shenzhen for around 4 months now and what a life!! Hasn't been easy adjusting but it's worth it with an open attitude. The time you have for yourself here with working in a public school is unmatched, and almost unbelievable. Andrew is a mate, he's genuinely just on the other end of the phone and willingly helps in any way that he can with any concerns you might have.

Life in Shenzhen is so unique, I'm riding an electric scooter to commute to my job which only needs me 4 days a week for a few hours. It can be a proper challenge, managing 40-50 children in each given class but the balance comes with no office hours, banging free school lunches and a healthy payslip each month. I've made amazing memories and have a little family here now, and I'm not even halfway through this first year here. It makes me excited for the future, not anxious, not dread, not hopelessness (which is what the uk gives me lol).

I’m currently on the Thailand taster course. TravelGrad made it super easy dealing visa applications and getting you in touch with the local company. Andrew in particular seems like he never sleeps and is always ready to respond to any questions.

Technically you can do all the visa applications yourself but having the peace of mind knowing you’ve got all the documents you need and checked all the right boxes for when you touch down is well worth it. Also just having a first port of call for any issues when you’re out and while you’re getting ready to leave is invaluable for saving yourself time and stress.

My experience has been amazing and it’s all thanks to the support that TravelGrad has provided me with. The process of moving abroad can be extremely daunting but it was the most stress free experience for me. That was all because TravelGrad helped me through all the steps and guided me on how to do everything! I have only positive things to say about them and will always recommend them to anyone who wants to teach abroad! It is my second year working with TravelGrad and all the advice I was given was so personal and they really looked after all of us coming here.

After a solid semester abroad I knew I wasn’t wanting to settle or stay in the UK for much longer than I needed to post graduation, I spoke to the guys at Travel Grad and they were incredibly helpful and understanding. Throughout the whole process Andrew was so insightful and covered literally everything I possibly could’ve needed to know about working abroad. I was originally wanting to go to Japan however he convinced me Thailand was the place for me. Could not thank Andrew and the others at travel grad for the experience I’ve had, and am incredibly sad at the thought of returning back to the UK. Couldn’t recommend travel grad enough to any future grads who are unsure about what they want to do/need time to think or get out of the UK - they have been so supportive and friendly, always there through the good and bad moments! Thank you guys!

I am grateful for the invaluable assistance provided by TravelGrad in facilitating my journey to teach abroad in China. TravelGrad's team displayed remarkable expertise in navigating the complex process of teaching in China. They guided me through the visa application process, offering clear instructions and guidance. Their thorough understanding of the requirements and procedures alleviated my anxiety about the aspects of moving to China. Communication with TravelGrad was consistently prompt and informative. They were readily available to address my queries and provide guidance at every step. The pre-departure resources provided by TravelGrad were invaluable. Their orientation materials offered a comprehensive overview of what to expect. In summary, TravelGrad has been a helpful partner in turning my dream of teaching in China into a reality. I recommend their services to anyone considering a similar venture. Thanks to TravelGrad, I am now embarking on a fulfilling journey of teaching, making new friends, and culturally exploring with confidence and excitement.

After a lot of consideration and deliberation, I decided to take up teaching abroad after seeing a TravelGrad advert. After speaking with the team and reviewing my options, I decided to settle on teaching in China as it was somewhere I had not been before. The TEFL courses was pretty straight forward, and after talking with a variety of schools to find the one most suitable to me.

As advice for first time travellers to China is e-bikers and scooters are everywhere, if you can ride one then it is very much worth looking into getting one whilst in China as it makes travelling around cities a lot more convenient. I would also advise seeing if in advance you can get as much detail about your job/area as possible. If you know someone in the area or can get a contact, it's always worth reaching out in advance to find what may be best suited for the area.

I had the most incredible experience with TravelGrad - from the moment I decided to explore this unique path, it opened up a world of opportunities that I wouldn't have otherwise considered! Instead of following the traditional 'grad job' route, I decided to explore the China Teaching Experience and go to Nanning, and I'm so grateful I did.

TravelGrad provided invaluable guidance and support throughout the entire process. They understood that my interests and skills, and they tailored their approach to fit my individual needs and give me options for where and what type of school I wanted to go to. The level of personalization was truly impressive.

Thanks to the experiences I had in China and the people that I met while there, I am now pursuing a career that I am truly passionate about. I feel confident in my abilities, and I am excited about the path that I'm on. If you are a recent graduate or someone looking for an alternative to the traditional job market, I highly recommend working with TravelGrad!

The Job itself is pretty easy going as you can work as little as 16 hours a week if you want but there is extra work available if you would like to earn more which is nice. There is a 2 -3 hour lunch break daily so you're never working more than a few hours at a time without an extensive break.

School is closed for the summer from June until September so you also have a 3 month period which you could use for travelling in Vietnam or abroad.

Overall, I would 100% recommend going with TravelGrad If you're thinking of teaching in Vietnam!