CIEE Teach Abroad & TEFL Reviews

My time teaching in Vietnam was incredible, but it had nothing to do with CIEE or its placement program. I wish I was exaggerating, but I have never experienced such incompetence in my life. I started in the CIEE program around July, and I didn't have a single interview for months--same for my sister who was going through the same program. Finally, we got one interview each, but it turns out it was for a Vietnam-based placement company, not even a school that would give us a job. We were planning on starting to teach in early January of the next year and in the interim, I had one interview for a school nowhere near where my sister or I wanted to teach. My sister received NO INTERVIEWS the entire time. As we called CIEE more and more we were constantly brushed off and told everything was going to be fine. One month before our expected departure date and I call CIEE again and they informed me that, 'oh, there actually aren't any jobs in Vietnam.' Well, thanks for making us wait. On top of not fulfilling her duties to place us with a school, or even get us a viable interview, our coordinator was rude to us and impatient with our well-deserved anxiety. My sister and I blew off CIEE and found jobs ourselves. Upon arriving in Vietnam we were able to find even more jobs. Strangers would literally offer me jobs in passing. How CIEE was not able to find a single job was mind blowing.

TLDR version: CIEE employee was rude and never found a single job for my sister or I, in a country desperate for teachers. The program gave us nothing and set us back on planning our trip, while we waited for them to tell us there are no jobs in Vietnam. Atrocious.

I chose to teach abroad because I wanted adventure, I loved teaching and I thought it was a good way to live overseas. I chose China somewhat randomly... The timing of the program was the best for me. I applied with my boyfriend and we were both accepted and placed at the same school. We read that CIEE had a good reputation for placing couples, so we went for it. The placement that we ended up with is ideal. Honestly, the whole process has been great. Of course, the visa and pre-departure tasks are a headache (mostly just because they are time consuming), but it's all worth it in the end. Our coordinator, Allison, was so helpful throughout the whole thing. Being able to just call her and speak with her directly whenever we had questions gave us such peace of mind that CIEE would support us with whatever we need. Teaching in China has been a great experience so far. I would highly recommend it.

This is a great class to take for anyone interested in a career as an EFL teacher. It was informative, well-organized, and interesting. The course content is a combination of PowerPoint slides, videos, discussion boards, and quizzes. My instructor was helpful and responsive and I enjoyed working with her. The practicum gives you hands on experience working with students who are learning English, and is very rewarding. It is true that I was given a lot of information over the course of ten weeks, and I had to budget your time accordingly. Within 10 weeks we had to complete 130 online class hours, take a short quiz at the end of each module, a weekly written assignment of about 500 words, grade three written assignment of our peers, complete a final written assignment, complete a final exam, and attend a weekly conference with our instructor (we're given an extra month to complete the 20 hour practicum). But being an online course allowed me to work at my convenience, and it was never overwhelming.

Bottom line, CIEE offers a great online education program for anyone who's serious about TEFL, and provides great resources for future job applicants.

I went to Thailand alone, but with CIEE helping me every step of the way, I felt like I could travel to a new country with confidence. This is NOT a program that drops you off in a foreign country and you never hear from again! Their constant support helped me to easily navigate the application process, prepare me for packing and living in Thailand, and made the nightmare that can be getting a visa, stress free with their step by step instructions and assistance. Once in Thailand, I spent a week at their orientation in Bangkok making friends that I then travelled with throughout the year and talked to about teaching. When I left orientation for my new life in Thailand, my housing was already ready for me and a Thai teacher welcomed me on arrival to guide me.

With the help of CIEE I began my time in Thailand on a positive note, transition smoothly into my new life. I quickly grew to love my farming village, my silly, eager students and created a community of friends and peers. I kept in constant contact with other teachers I had met at orientation, going on weekend adventures and trading lesson plans with them! On my good days and my bad days, it was always a comfort to know that in such a foreign place, CIEE was there for me if I needed help.

I chose to teach in Thailand with CIEE for countless reasons. This was my first time abroad and I was beyond excited for the journey ahead, despite not having a clue as to how and where to begin- I needed help! I was about to embark on something that I knew would change me forever. It’s the best and scariest feeling in the world. I wanted to feel confident that I was getting everything (i.e. paperwork, visa, work permit) logistical completed, and not only completed, but completed correctly and efficiently. I also wanted a personal relationship/contact to ensure I had actual people there for me while being in a foreign country. CIEE has exceeded my expectations. This journey has been nothing short of amazing, life changing, and challenging, and when I hear from my coordinator randomly on a Monday morning before teaching, I know I went with the right program. The people of CIEE make it such a fantastic organization just as the people of Thailand make it such a beautiful place to live and work

The last thing I wanted was for an agency to take advantage OF me to advance their own business and to leave me in the dust to fend for myself after getting me the job. I was glad I came across CIEE, who never did any of those things, and I found the organisation to be transparent and honest. They listened to my worries pre-departure and assured me, and they continued to do so even after my arrival. The webseminars and the forums on the pre-departure training course are useful because then you see some of the questions and concerns that others have that you might have never considered. They also provide you with a list of the previous CIEE teachers who taught at the school so that you can get into contact with them. I asked to be placed in a less developed part of China where I could be immersed in the culture and practice my Chinese, which is what I am getting, so I am very pleased with my placement via CIEE and for all their their help.

I am currently teaching in Madrid, Spain with the CIEE Teach Abroad (regular) program. I would recommend CIEE for anyone looking to teach in Spain who seeks extra support and guidance with the somewhat difficult transition that comes with relocating your life abroad.
The online summer course and on-site orientation were especially helpful for me; I was given lots of useful information and was able to ask questions and get individual attention with the topics that were most concerning for me. I also enjoyed the opportunity to get to know other auxiliars so I could begin making connections and establishing friendships.
I did feel that the number of people in the program impacted CIEE's ability to provide enough assistance to each individual as might be required. There were about 200 of us, which was a huge increase from the previous year as I've been told, and it showed that CIEE was a bit overwhelmed when we all arrived on site. Things felt a bit chaotic and rushed.
If you do elect to teach in Spain through CIEE, expect help, support and guidance, but do not expect perfection and constant "hand-holding." There is a lot you will have to undertake and figure out on your own. CIEE will try to help you but they will not do it all for you.
Overall, I do not regret going through CIEE despite the high cost and inevitable obstacles. I have really appreciated all the services they have provided, and overall they have given me peace of mind through the most stressful moments which I consider to be priceless.
Best of luck to those of you considering teaching in Spain as your next adventure!

I am so thankful that I came to South Korea. Of course it has its challenges, but everyday is memorable when you are living in a new culture. My school and co-teachers have been very helpful. Also, the country itself is great. Transportation is easy to figure out, so traveling around is affordable and realistic. Meeting foreigner and local friends is not too big of a challenge either. The food is delicious and there is always something new to do and try around the country!

When the first semester was ending, one of my students ran up to me and asked "Teacher, will you be here next time?" and I said "Yes! Of course". She gave me the biggest hug and at the moment I knew I was where I am suppossed to be and couldnt be happier.

CIEE helped make this all become a reality and made the long application process a whole lot easier. :)

I chose to teach abroad in Spain through CIEE's Four Week Immersion Program. This program is a combination of a Spanish homestay, Spanish classes, as well as your placement as a Language Assistant at a school in Madrid. CIEE made my experience moving abroad more enjoyable and certainly less stressful. They are the liaison between you and the Spanish government and they guide you through every process necessary to apply, move abroad and stay abroad. The support and encouragement from CIEE's staff has been both welcoming and consistent from the people I have been in contact with in the United States and in Spain. This is an excellent organization and would recommend CIEE to anyone looking to travel, work or study abroad.

From my poorly communicated pre-departure, to my nonexistent dialogue with CIEE after months in Korea, CIEE is not vigilant enough to provide or ensure a great experience for their teachers.

When I chose CIEE (and paid for this program), I expected a high quality system of support from an experienced team. Instead, the issues I faced were easily dismissed. From a Skype call, the messages most prominent were: "None of [these problems] sound new." "You have to be your own person." Even further, answering questions became the teacher’s job, not CIEE’s. I was told “I’m not sure” one too many times without help or reassurance. It would seem beneficial if the coordinator researched these questions themselves…perhaps they would learn something new to help future teachers. Isn’t this their job? Are they not paid to assist teachers?

CIEE was not getting proper feedback from previous teachers, something inexcusable and careless. Getting feedback and being vigilant about a school’s condition is very important. These situations aren't able to be predicted, but there are always clues -- Blacklisting, school history, changing management etc. I am not an expert, but that's why I felt confident that CIEE would provide me with the peace of mind to get things right the first time. I should have never been placed here.

Considering the money you pay, the services you receive are not worth the expense. My pre-departure was stressful and required me to check-in on my visa's progress...even after a month of waiting. This is, thankfully, not your only option. The quality of service, attitude, and leadership are absent and empty. I cannot recommend CIEE or share positive comments based on this placement. It's simply unacceptable no matter how you spin it. Paying and studying for TEFL, paying for the CIEE program, paying for and preparing the paperwork and documents....all to lead up to ending my time in Korea six months early. It's disillusioning, it's disappointing, and saddest of all, discouraging.