Location
  • Chile
    • Santiago
Project Types
Education Teaching ESL

Program Details

Language
Spanish
Age Min.
21
Age Max
35
Timeframe
Year Round
Housing
Host Family

Pricing

Price Details
Volunteers receive:
-TEFL training during orientation.
-A volunteer allowance of CLP 100,000 per 30 days of service to reimburse local transportation or other costs related to teaching.
-Accommodations and meals with a host family.
-In-country emergency health insurance.
-Pre-departure information and support.
-Airport transfers to designated accommodations upon arrival for volunteers who arrive on official Program start dates.
-Assistance obtaining a Chilean I.D. card and a basic bank account.
-Round-trip transportation from Santiago to the regional placement site.
-Access to online Spanish-language learning resources.
What's Included
Accommodation Airport Transfers Meals Transportation Visa
What's Not Included
Airfare SIM cards
Apr 02, 2020
Mar 08, 2020
67 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

Are you interested in volunteering to teach English in Chile? Consider the English Opens Doors Program. Participation is FREE and placements are available throughout Chile.

The English Opens Doors Program is sponsored by the United Nations Development Programme-Chile and the Chilean Ministry of Education. The English Opens Doors Program seeks highly motivated individuals to work as English teaching assistants in public schools throughout Chile. A typical week for a full-time volunteer includes 24 hours of English teaching and 11 hours of extracurricular activities. Volunteers teach alongside a Chilean head teacher and work with students ranging from 10 years old to 18 years old.

Our 2020 Volunteer Initiative application process is now closed. Information regarding our 2021 volunteer service dates and application deadlines will be published on our website in mid-September.

This program is currently not being promoted on Go Overseas by its provider. Check with English Opens Doors Program for the most up-to-date information regarding the status of this program.

Video and Photos

Program Highlights

  • Chilean public schools
  • United Nations Development Programme
  • Fee-free
  • Education
  • Volunteer

Related Programs

Program Reviews

4.57 Rating
based on 47 reviews
  • 5 rating 74.47%
  • 4 rating 14.89%
  • 3 rating 6.38%
  • 2 rating 2.13%
  • 1 rating 2.13%
  • Benefits 4.1
  • Support 4.3
  • Fun 4.3
  • Facilities 4.1
  • Safety 4.85
  • Impact 5
  • Support 5
  • Fun 5
  • Value 5
  • Safety 5
Showing 41 - 47 of 47 reviews
Default avatar
dksndl
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Good program if you get lucky

EOD is complicated, because if you get lucky and get a great school and housing situation--it's awesome. If you don't get lucky, it kind of sucks.

I did get lucky, so I've had a great experience. My school is welcoming and nice. Teaching is really difficult because schools in Chile have different behavior standards. The kids are really noisy and rude, but they can also be really sweet. Just be sure you know you're signing up to be a public/semi-public school teacher!

What's a drag is that you don't get to choose where you're placed. I got really lucky and I'm in a great location, but if you get placed somewhere you don't like, you're stuck. They try to place you based on what you request, but they often don't succeed.

If you're a very flexible person who's open to anything, this would be great for you! If not, try it, and you can always drop out and do something else. Chile's awesome, so you should take any excuse to come here.

What would you improve about this program?
I would tell volunteers where they're going to be placed in advance and spend more effort finding great placements, host families, and so on. Also, I would give more housing options. A lot of volunteers would be happier living in an apartment, and that should be a valued option.
96 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
SupaShawn
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Two Thumbs Up!

Definitely a good program. The program is free! Make sure to go through the program directly and not through an endorser who will charge you $1000 or so. My host family was great! I felt like their son. If you don't want to live with a host family, you have the option of finding your own place. I suggest living with a family! Chile is a beautiful country with much to see. No one really gets placed in the tourist spots like Santiago or Vina del Mar, but its all pretty accessible. The system of buses is clean, comfortable and affordable. Bring your own money if you plan to travel, the stipend won't provide you with much more than souvenirs. You work 25hrs a week or less. You are given your own classroom and liberty to design the class as you see fit. Chileans are very friendly. I suggest you learn Spanish too, though Chileans speak their own dialect!

What would you improve about this program?
Some parts of Chile are not very open to foreigners. As the country is developing, visitors often become the targets of thieves.
100 people found this review helpful.
Read my full story
Default avatar
Kenneth
3/5
Yes, I recommend this program

A Definite Learning Experience!

Not a bad Volunteer Program, and it means great opportunities with regards to getting to know what Chile is really all about.

There is no salary, and the hours can feel long. But it's worth it; and you realise that it is possible to accomplish a lot with very little. If you spend more than 6 months in Chile you WILL realise a whole lot more about yourself and about how you work with others who come from a completely different cultural and historical background.It's eye-opening.

93 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
saladfork77
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

I extended three times

I came to Chile with English Opens Doors in 2010 for four months, and ended up volunteering for 3 semesters and have now been in Chile for over 2 years. This program is for proactive and independent people looking to make a difference, and while it might not be perfectly organized, it is up to the volunteer to make an impact!

99 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
UK
3/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Spanish and Teaching

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92 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Fred
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

A fantastic experience but be prepared for hard work with little pay.

I am loving my experience on this program. It is very professional and a 'proper' teaching experience without the need to pay large sums of money, like you so often do. You live with a host family, which is great and you are truly integrated into the community. Other volunteers will be close by so there is plenty of opportunity for a social life but you have to be prepared to travel a bit for this.

I would say that it is hard work. You will have to give a lot of time to lesson planning so do not come thinking it is a free holiday. It is worth it though for the experience.

96 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
merken
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

English Open Doors, 6 Month Volunteer,2008

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98 people found this review helpful.

Questions & Answers

Hello, hope you are doing good. The first thing you should put in mind is that this is a volunteer service, and not a regular job for payment, whatever is given to you is not payment actually but compensation for some other extra expenses which the host family doesn't takes care (like transportation to school and to some other meetings called up by your regional representative and others) so you...

If you're asking how to become a volunteer, then you'll need to apply as per the website and go through the vetting process. All this information is on the EODP website.

The visa is free, all fees are waived. The only thing you have to do is make your own way to the embassy nearest you to get the stamp, and collate all the information and send it off.