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If that travel bug has bitten you and you yearn to make a big change in your life, ditching your 9-5 in favor of a global adventure, you’ve probably considered teaching English abroad. Many people, maybe like you, with this dream don’t have degrees for a variety of reasons: you’re too young and are just on a gap year, you couldn’t afford one or perhaps you decided to shun the crowds and do things your own way, hoping to be the next Zuckerberg, Jobs or Assange.
But you’ve probably heard that you might need a bachelor’s degree to qualify. So let’s explore this and get your questions answered!
Degrees might not be required for Thailand, but they do often make getting a job easier.
So how important is it to have a degree?
In most circumstances, the requirements to teach English overseas will include a bachelor’s degree.
This is particularly true of destinations like Thailand, Vietnam and South Korea among others where a bachelor’s degree is a prerequisite to signing up and being offered a job.
A lot of the time the local governments set these rules but occasionally it’s the schools or language centers who set this requirement and with the sheer number of degree-holding applicants applying, particularly from North America, there is no short supply of qualified would-be teachers.
Vietnam is an exciting destination to teach in – one catch though, you will need a bachelor’s degree to qualify to teach here.
I’m still waiting for my degree certificate, can I apply?
Perhaps you’re in the process of completing your degree or perhaps you’re graduating soon but haven’t received your certificate yet.
That’s not usually a problem, so long as you have it by the time you’re ready a few weeks prior to starting your job.
Countries like Thailand and Vietnam might require you to have it 6 weeks or more prior to starting and South Korea will require you to be in possession of one in order for you to start interviewing.
South Korea is a country where ancient tradition and a high tech modern lifestyle collide. You’ll (almost always) require a degree to teach English here.
Is there anywhere that doesn’t require a bachelor’s degree?
Myanmar (Burma)
One of our newest and most exciting programs won’t require you to hold a bachelor’s degree to teach there: Teaching English in Myanmar. Sandwiched between Thailand, India, Bangladesh and China, Myanmar is a country full of unique culture, mysterious ancient ruins and stunning scenery.
While Myanmar had been shut off from the outside world until recently, it recently opened it’s doors to foreigners and is looking to attract many English teachers to help it grow its tourism business and provide a better future to its citizens from employment to study abroad opportunities for which the ability to speak English is a necessity.
While bachelor’s degrees are preferred, non-degree holders are regularly accepted to teach here also.
This makes Myanmar a great option for anyone wanting to use the country as a springboard to explore the region, whether that be a wild weekend in Bangkok or wandering around India’s Taj Mahal or even hiking in the Himalayas. Myanmar is a great option!
Why is a degree so important for teaching English abroad?
- It’s a quick way for employers to see the caliber of person they’re getting.
- While not all hard working people hold degrees, most degree holders would have proven their ability to work hard having put in the time and dedication to complete a degree.
- It also shows employers a level of intelligence as most bachelor’s degrees have high requirements for enrollment and for passing and are regulated to some sort of internationally recognized standard.
- It will also show them that you have the ability to communicate effectively; having completed written assignments, presentations and exams in English means you know how to explain yourself to others.
- Finally though, the parents of the children you’ll be teaching and sometimes the students themselves (particularly if you’re teaching adults) want peace of mind that the often high fees they’re paying to have their kids taught are securing the highest caliber teachers.
Tebello, pictured here, had a BA degree with honours in English. While not 100% necessary for teaching in Thailand, it certainly didn’t hurt her chances of getting a job
What about diplomas, associate and foundation degrees?
While these often require you to do just as much work as a bachelor’s degree, unfortunately, they’re just not held in as high regard internationally.
There are a number of reasons for this, particularly that colleges offering these aren’t required to be kept to the same internationally recognized standards as those offering bachelor’s degrees.
Courses can vary wildly in terms of standard and requirements for both enrollment and passing and it makes judging the quality of the certificate really difficult. This means that schools in general, the world over, have a blanket rule of not accepting diplomas and associate degrees as a qualifying certificate.
If, however, you hold a tertiary qualification in education/teaching, which is not a bachelor’s degree, please apply, you may qualify! These are sometimes accepted as you can demonstrate you understand some basics of teaching.
Interested in Teaching English Abroad? We’ll send you more info!
Why do I need Tefol if I have a degree?
Hi Yeshantha, thanks for reaching out!
You’ll need a TESOL, TEFL or CELTA certification to teach abroad as these courses prepare you to teach English to speakers of other languages. This can be quite different from teaching English to those who are first language English speakers. Almost all private language schools and much of the public schools in the countries we place teachers in require applicants to hold one of these certificates in order to qualify for a job there.
The certificate will help with many smaller details around dealing with presenting English to your students, from presenting sounds to grammar to vocabulary, a TESOL certificate (or similar) will prepare you for these tasks. Added to that, we have TESOL courses in South Korea, Vietnam and Thailand which are tailored specifically to teaching speakers of the local language in that country and will detail things like common mistakes Korean speakers make with pronunciation and why and how to overcome that. Or perhaps a common word order error Vietnamese speakers make and how to explain the concept to them effectively.
I hope this helps answer your question 🙂
Is a Bachelor’s degree still not a legal requirement to teach English in Thailand?
I’ve conducted some personal research on the web and a lot of forums are stating that it’s required by law to have a degree in order to obtain a work permit in Thailand these days. However, these forums also state that there are loopholes one can take at their own risk, such as buying official-looking Bachelor’s degrees online.
I don’t have a degree, nor do I have the resources to obtain one. However, I have a TESOL certificate and would love to teach in Thailand.
Hi Aubrey, thanks for reaching out!
You are correct in saying that legally one needs a bachelor’s degree to be able to teach English in Thailand – I think we should update the post to include this.
Our organization and local partners in Thailand have a long history of successfully placing non-degree holders however. Every year, about 30% of the teachers we place do not possess bachelor degrees. Many stay for years and years. Some settle permanently in Thailand teaching as non-degree holders. Overall in Thailand, there are an estimated 5,000 non-degree holders teaching English across the country.
Many visa types are temporary, which means that teachers will have to make regular visa trips (trips crossing the border into another country). The options are outlined below:
1. The tourist visa is a main way that teachers without degrees work
2. Volunteer Visas and Research Visas are also becoming more popular and they are legitimate but it is not guaranteed that the agent or school can provide this.
3. About 20% of non-degree holders may actually get work permits. They are able to do this through local relationships between the school and labor department.
So to answer your question, yes, technically it’s illegal to work in Thailand, but the Thai was is often not to enforce the rules. So while technically you could be deported for working illegally without a degree, for the vast majority of non-degree holders, things have worked out fine for years and show not much in the way of signs of changing seriously.
We do however always try to keep on top of the latest developments and will notify our participants and applicants of any serious changes which might occur.
Hope this helps!
Hi,
How do I find a job in Thailand without a degree? I have a TEFL and CELTA and 9 years teaching experience abroad in universities and vocational colleges. I’m South African.
Hi Erica, thanks for reaching out.
We very occasionally get some positions where non-degree-holders with good teaching experience do get placements (this is a fairly recent development). I would suggest that you check out our program page for teaching English in Thailand. Check out the costs involved there as well as the benefits to see that it suits your requirements.
Then I would suggest for you to enquire through the Inquire Now button on the program page, you’ll have to enter that you don’t have a bachelor’s degree and the system may send you an automatic message referring you to try our Myanmar program. Once you have submitted your details though, it will allow one of our enrollments coordinators to reach out to you to chat through the options with you and the possibility that you could a placement in Thailand. I would recommend that in the comments section of the inquiry form that you mention your experience and qualifications so that they’re aware.
Hi there. My partner has a 3 year Diploma from a university in South Africa and 120hour TEFL certificate. I have a degree and TEFL certificate. Would you be able to help. Visa requirements state that a degree is needed but she only has a diploma hence am asking for your assistance.
Regards,
Hi Kapenda, thanks for reaching out. For Thailand, it’s still quite difficult to get in without a degree. Most of the time there aren’t any legal positions for non-degree-holders and so you would need to opt for locations like Myanmar instead. I’d suggest clicking the Inquire Now button on our website to get started with our enrollments team, they can walk you through everything you need to know and what your options are with your qualifications.
Hi Nick
I have a three-year diploma in journalism from a university in South Africa. I have work experience in the communications field, and would need to complete an additional year of study to obtain my BTech degree (at the same institution). Would a BTech enable me to get a teaching job in Asia (if I do a TEFL course as well)? Do they recognize these degrees? Or will I have to start from scratch and get a BA.
Thanks
Hey Lee, most programs in Asia accept a bachelor’s degree or higher from any field, that can be in the form of a BA, BEd, BSc, BMed, BEng, BTech or any other recognised Bachelor’s degree. So I don’t think you’d need to start a new degree from scratch.
If you’d like to make enquiries about one of our programs, just click here to get in touch with one of our program coordinators, they have all taught abroad themselves as well: https://travelbud.com/quick-inquiry/
Hi Nick,
I have a national Diploma in analytical chemistry and multiple certificates because of my work. I know that this qualification is higher than a normal diploma course. I was wondering would I still have to complete my btech or can I still obtain a visa with my qualification?
Hi Roche, thanks for reaching out!
For Vietnam, South Korea and Thailand, a full Bachelor Degree is required in order to work legally as a teacher in those countries. With your qualifications, it sounds like you may qualify for our Teach English in Myanmar program where a Bachelor Degree isn’t required. For more on this program, visit: https://travelbud.com/teach-english-in-myanmar/
If you complete your BTech, you definitely will have a bunch more options open to you in terms of teaching abroad.
Good day Nick,
I am considering teaching abroad.
I completed my LLB (law) at an university in South Africa.
Does this degree count toward proving that I have the “skills” employers want?
Thank you in advance.
Hi Harmann, thanks for reaching out! Yes, an LLB should be accepted, you certainly wouldn’t be the first LLB holder to teach English abroad. As for my knowledge on the subject the B in LLB stands for Baccalaureus, the same B as in a BCom or BA which are accepted for teach abroad programs – so, so long as your certificate stipulates your degree level, you should be fine.
Just click that Enquire Now button and reach out to our enrolments team for them to assist, select on the form there that you have a bachelors degree and you can talk through your options with them based on the degree you have.
All the best!
Hi Harmann,
My husband and I are both considering completing a TEFL course and teaching abroad… However, only I hold a degree… Would it be possible for us to start in a country that doesn’t require a degree and for him to complete a degree online and then teach in one of those countries? Would teaching experience count and allow him to teach without a degree in the long term? We would lile to do this long term and visit a variety of countries before settling down in one of them, but I feel not having a degree limits us a lot…p
Hey Alex, thanks for reaching out.
You could definitely consider teaching in Myanmar where a bachelor’s degree is not required, you’d both like be able to get positions, provided you hold citizenship for one of the following countries: Canada, USA, Ireland, UK, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand.
Myanmar is currently the only country where one can legally work as a teacher without a degree. It is occasionally possible in Thailand but the authorities have seriously clamped down on it, making us very hesitant to send teachers there.
Click the Enquire Now button and reach out to our enrolments team for their advice also. They’ll be happy to help!
hi I have a Journalism diploma so I would like to know if do I have any chances to teach English abroad, and if yes which country would you recommend?
Hi Loiso!
Thanks for reaching out. You may qualify to teach English in Myanmar, currently they accept some applicants who don’t hold bachelor’s degrees.
Click the Enquire Now button to reach out to our enrolments team to chat through your options.
– Nick
Hi Nick
I have a diploma + PGCE (Post Graduate Certificate in Education). From UNISA.
I just wanted to know if I stand a chance to teach abroad.
Hi Malefa,
Thanks for reaching out! Most countries require you to hold a bachelor’s degree in order to be allowed a work permit. Currently, all of our programs are in countries where that is the requirement. This is not to say that you won’t find a school which is willing to place you without a degree – it’s just that the official line is that one needs to have a degree and for that reason, as someone who officially sends people abroad to teach, we have to abide by those rules to stay in line with the governments of those countries.
Hi Nick,
How are you doing?
I have a national university diploma in HR and 120 TEFL certificate. I am currently in the process of completing a 2 year Post Graduate Certificate in Education, which in SA is considered on the same level as a B.ed. I would like to know if there are countries in Asia which I will qualify to teach in?
Hi Cal!
Thanks so much for reaching out. I have chatted with our enrolments manager and he suggests that South Korea would be the easiest to get in to as they’re the most familiar with this qualification. When starting your enquiry with us I would suggest that you select that you have a diploma and that it’s in education. Just remember that you’ll need to have the certificate in hand in order to be offered a job usually.
Hey, I hold a professional diploma in accountancy and am doing my TEFL online. Would I be able to teach in Thailand with this?
Hi Becky,
thanks for reaching out, the current rules for our programs allow for anyone with a bachelors degree or a diploma/foundation degree/associate degree in education to qualify to teach at our network of partner schools.
Unfortunately if you don’t hold either of those qualifications, for our program, you won’t qualify at this time.
Hi Nick, recently one of my South African friends was rejected from the immigration in South Korea because she only had a 3-year degree. Is the new standard a 4 year degree? Or is it only related to South Africa.
Would be glad if you could share some light.
Hey Mackenzie, typically a South African 3 year degree is accepted, so this sounds a little odd. I know the US do their bachelors degrees over 4 years, but almost all South African bachelors degrees are 3 years and we’ve had plenty of people go over on those without issue. The only time we’ve experienced issues have been with degrees from the University of the Free State where the authorities weren’t satisfied that the certificate was legitimate due to the printing process used which they felt may have been forged.
It could be that your friend arrived without an apostilled degree, this process is essential to being allowed to work legally in Korea. With all our participants we work through each of these processes to allow you to work in Korea without incident.
I hope this helped answer your question.
Hi Nick, cheers for taking the time to answer all the previous questions. Would you happen to know whether it’s possible to legally teach in Thailand or China without a bachelor’s and only a masters in TESOL (awarded by university of Bath – UK). I also hold a CELTA, TEFL and TESOL certificate. Cheers
Hi James!
For China, the rules are pretty strict in that a bachelors degree is required for the work permit. You will probably find some employers/agencies allowing employment without a bachelor’s degrees, these are almost universally dodgy deals where you’ll be handed a fake degree certificate upon arrival or be put on a student visa and made to work on the sly as part of the university you’d be affiliated with.
There are China programs such as our internship program where you work for a set limited time as an ESL teaching intern, on an internship visa. This is legal as you aren’t earning more than a living stipend and don’t sign long term contracts as a teacher.
For Thailand, the official line is that a bachelor’s degree is required in order to teach in Thailand. It’s something we have to abide by, however you may find ways of getting in without a bachelor’s degree – Thailand’s rules are notoriously bendy and are at best, partially enforced. This is often done by staying in the country illegally (because you’re employed) as a tourist and doing border runs every couple of months to renew that tourist visa at the border. Sometimes one can get some sort of affiliation with universities or school on a sort of student visa and work there like that. Most of it will not be above board and if you do (on fairly rare occasions) get stopped by officials you could be deported.
Because of this elasticity of enforcement with the rules, we’d rather stay on the right side of the law and therefor only send over people who are eligible for a work permit, namely degree holders.
Sorry I couldn’t have a clearer answer for you, but the situation in both countries is unfortunately murky when it comes to not-so-legal employment.
Hi Nick,
I do not hold a degree, however I have been an ESL teacher independently for a few years and have also worked for Berlitz Languages for ten years, having been voted Teacher of the Year with them in 1999. I have also worked for Princess Cruises for one year and although I technically lived onboard the ship, I was on and off the American coast weekly, working in an English-only environment. I have been permanently living in the USA since 2011 and currently hold a retail job and although I am succeeding at it, I miss teaching dearly, as I believe it to be my vocational calling. I also speak Portuguese and Spanish fluently and have intermediate skills in French and Italian. What are my chances of getting an ESL job in a country like Thailand or Japan?
Thank you very much for your input.
Hi Katia,
thanks for reaching out! For our Thailand program you will need a degree to take part – this is really down to what’s legally required for you to teach in the country. We can’t be involved in any schemes that place teachers illegally as it would put the rest of our program at risk, for those wanting to work legally. You may find jobs from time to time in Thailand which will take on non-degree holders either as a program through a university where you’re registered as a student there or which are illegally.
What we could offer you is one of the following:
1. Volunteer teaching in Thailand (a 1 month program): https://travelbud.com/summer-english-camps-in-thailand/
2. Volunteer teaching in Panama (it has a range of durations): https://travelbud.com/teach-english-in-panama/
3. Paid teaching in Myanmar (neighboring Thailand): https://travelbud.com/teach-english-in-myanmar/
If it’s a long term program which you’re after, Myanmar is a great option. It’s only recently opened its doors to the outside world and has tremendous growth potential it’s only starting to realize. This means there’s a big demand for English language skills to help kids gain the abilities during their school years, needed to find work later in the tourism business, or in international companies or to further their studies at a tertiary level.
I can’t speak much for Japan as it’s not a program we offer, but my understanding is that they have similarly strict requirements to locations like South Korea where a bachelor’s degree is essential for work permit purposes.
Hope this helps!
im from the Philippines, i dont have bachelor degree, but i have TESOL certificate can i still teach english in other country?
Hi Mark, unfortunately none of our programs accept Philippine nationals. It should be possible though to teach abroad, unfortunately just not on one of our programs.
Good day Nick
I am 48 years of age, I have a national Diploma in Police Administration and have done other training courses as well. I am doing a TEFL course in Januarie 2019. Will I be able to to teach maybe in Maynmar? Or enter the volunteer teaching in Thailand?
Hi EL, thanks for reaching out.
The volunteer in Thailand option would definitely be open to you, it’s obviously an unpaid program and there are program costs associated with it there.
For teaching in Myanmar, it’s possible you could get placement through us there. Degree holders are preferred by the local schools, but there’s no law against hiring those without a degree. Usually though, for those coming without a degree, the schools we work with require applicants to do the in-country TESOL course which we offer, rather than an online course or one done elsewhere. This in-country course is designed to give you experience teaching in a Burmese classroom and ensure everyone is on the same level before they head off to teach abroad. Since diplomas vary greatly in content, education standard and so forth all over the world, this is a way for the schools to ensure everyone is ready to teach.
Hi Nick,
It seems having a Bachelor Degree is a good idea before teaching English in Thailand, but just to clarify, the Bachelor Degree can be any subject right?
Plus i intend to obtain a CELTA or TESOL Certificate also.
Is this correct?
Thanks
Keith
Hey Keith, thanks for reaching out!
You’re correct in that the bachelor’s degree can be in any subject. With regards to getting your certificate, if you’re doing yours independently (as in not doing the in-country TESOL course we offer with our program), I’d recommend doing TESOL or TEFL and not CELTA. CELTA is definitely not the preferred methodology for teaching Thai kids and isn’t generally liked by schools as it focusses on adult education with much more emphasis on grammar and professional English whereas the other two are more generally appropriate for kids and focus on spoken and written English at a more basic level.
Hope this helps answer your question!
Hi. Currently holding a 4 year National Diploma Nature Conservation at a SA University in hand and busy with my TEFL 200hr course. Will I qualify for teaching in South Korea? If not what other options do I have
Hi Andre, sorry for the late reply! To answer your question, you’ll need a bachelor’s degree in order to legally work as a teacher in South Korea, unfortunately if your qualification is not a bachelor’s degree, you will not be eligible for English teaching jobs there.
For non-degree holders teaching English in Myanmar is probably your best option. There no degree is required, though degree-holders are preferred and generally find placement quicker at locations more closely matching their preference. You can check this out on the Teach English Abroad tab on our website.
Can you teach in USA providing that I have LLB?
Hi York, we don’t deal with teaching jobs in the USA, but for most first-language English-speaking countries you’ll need a teaching diploma or degree recognized in that country to qualify for positions there.
Hi Nick,
I’ve got a 3-year degree in mathematics and I would like to teach in Thailand. Is it alright to have a 3 year degree??
Hi Lily, if your degree is a bachelor’s degree then it’s fine. Some countries like South Africa tend to complete bachelor’s degrees in 3 years, so what is generally required is that on the certificate, it says “bachelors” on it.
Hey Nick, I am Manqoba Dlamini holding a BA in Communication Studies and i want to teach English abroad. Recently i was interviewed by China for the teaching job but i was rejected because i don’t have 2 years as a graduate. So my question is the elsewhere i can teach English abroad without waiting for my Degree to be 2 old. And also i wanna know whether do i need to be in a position of a TEFC Certificate to qualify?
Hi Manqoba, thanks for reaching out!
Yes, you’re correct in regards to China, so I suggest maybe looking at Thailand, Vietnam or South Korea. The latter two will pay the best with Thailand being the best for time off if maximum travel opportunity is your goal.
Click on the Enquire Now button on our site to reach out to our enrollments team, they can help guide you on which destination would best suit your needs.
All the best,
Nick
Hi Nick,
I’ve just received a reject email from travel bud because I do not hold a Bachelor Degree.
I have a National Diploma from a South African private institution (3 years). I do have a TEFL certificate, so my question is:
Do you not consider non-degree holders anymore? Because I see in you replies that you keep encouraging non-degree holders to apply?
Hi Kay,
We currently are still able to accept some non-degree-holders for our Teach Myanmar Program, not for Thailand though. We’ve unfortunately found that the legality of teaching without a degree has come into question with the Thai officials and we’d like to be able to continue offering a secure experience without the possibility of deportation for not holding the right documentation.
With Myanmar though, there is no specification for a visa in the requirements, however, degree-holders are preferred by most schools and usually get first pick on placements.
Check out the program in the teach abroad section on the top of the website and hit the Inquire button to get started if it sounds like something which may suit you!
Hello Nick,
Is there a minimum aggregate that you have to have maintained throughout your academic record with regards to the three year degree?
Hi Siba,
thanks for reaching out. For programs like Thailand the grade usually doesn’t matter too much, but with other destinations, it does become important, for example for South Africans heading to South Korea it’s a minimum 55%, the higher the better though.
Hello Nick,
I am a South African Citizen, holder of A TEFL (in-class) with no degree. Am 50 years of age have worked abroad in Thailand, Malaysia, Brunei, Philippines and would love to teach English abroad. Would you recommend Myanmar?
Hi Tamara,
I would most certainly recommend Myanmar. It’s not going to be a destination where you’ll earn tons, to be honest, but it’s very affordable once you’re there. It’s a destination in great need of English education. I returned from there last week and I was struck by how hungry everyone was for knowledge of the outside world. I found everyone very friendly and welcoming and the kids in the schools really hungry to learn English, they really see it as a ticket to a better education, career and life in general.
The country has a lot of developing to do, so if you’re keen to forego some luxuries (don’t worry you’ll still be able to find an apartment with aircon), you’ll find a warm community who will benefit a great deal from the education you can provide.
Maybe fill out our enquiry form on our website and have a chat to our enrollments team to see if it’s going to be a good fit for what you’re after.
Hello Nick,
Wonderful, and will definitely reach out and have a chat with the enrolments team.
Am reading your reply with great interest – it’s amazing. Thank you so much for coming back to me.
Hello Nick!
A bachelor’s degree in Pre primary education in 2 years of duration is acceptable? I found this course but I am not sure about acceptance…
Hi Taiane, thanks for reaching out. Usually if you have a certificate with the words “bachelors” on it, that is sufficient for the authorities in the countries in which we operate. Just submit an enquiry and we can double check that for you 🙂
What if you’re Senior High School Graduate, is it okay to go to Thailand for work? What is the age limit? Thank you!
Hi Renile, thanks for reaching out.
For our Thailand program, in order to work 100% legally on a work permit, you’ll need to have a bachelor’s degree. It is possible that you may be able to find some sort of work without one, we just cannot vouch for the legality of it and therefore cannot sign you up to it.
You can check out our Myanmar program on our website where you may be eligible, the usual minimum age there is 19 or 20, but give it a go, submit and enquiry and our team can check if you do qualify.
Hello I have 2 national diplomas level 3 in engineering 1 first diploma level 2 all awarded by btec and multiple nvq level 3 all in engineering and a level 3 leadership and management qualification. Iv been wanting to teach english abroad maybe indonesia as my wife is from there. But I don’t have a university degree. I have the above diplomas. Which really took me 6 years to obtain. Is this enough what do I need. Thankyou for your help
Hi Andrew, thanks for reaching out. For most teach abroad opportunities, you will need a bachelor’s degree in order to legally work under those programs. The one exception we have is for Myanmar where a bachelors degree is not required as the everyone, regardless of their qualifications have to abide by the same visa rules.
You can check out more on that program under the teach abroad tab on our site.
Hi Nick, I have 15 years as a Family Trauma Professional, Child Trauma Professional, and medical qualifications in Nuclear medicine, but never practiced medicine nor became a doctor. At 64 would I be considered old enough to teach and would I be required to study further.
Hi Allan, thanks for reaching out. For most programs you would need to hold a bachelor’s degree in order to enroll as a teacher. If you do hold a bachelor’s degree, that’s one hurdle cleared! If you don’t you may only qualify for our Myanmar program where a degree is not required.
To be 100% honest with you, age can sometimes be an issue for schools in certain countries. For example in South Korea where age carries with it a certain level of respect, it becomes impossible for schools to hire teachers older than members of their management (usually this means not hiring anyone older than about 35). For them, it’s almost unthinkable for a younger person to be in charge of an older person and culturally it would cause tremendous complications. Thailand and Myanmar and even Vietnam to an extent can be more open-minded, especially if the applicant is energetic, positive, well-spoken and of good physical and mental well-being.
If you’d like to try and apply for any of our programs, have a look through the teach abroad tab on our website and click the Inquire Now button to get started.
Sir Nick, hows it going?
Mid May through early June, then again mid June, I visited the land of smiles and absolutely fell in love. I would very much like to find a teaching position there. Ive taught for 15 years in Japan, and am ready to move on. I’ve seen a couple posts related to this, but I have an Associate’s and online TEFL cert. I heard a rumor that hand carrying your credentials and CV directly to the school is the best way. Any truth to that? What is the best way to look for teaching gigs? I
Outside of teaching, working in a bar would be cool too; did that for about four years here. I know it’s a bit different, but it all boils down to customer service lol
Thanks Nick!
Hey Sean, thanks for reaching out!
You sound like you’d be perfect as an ESL teacher, the only catch is that for most teaching placements in Thailand, to be able to legally work there, you’ll need to have a bachelors degree. We do from time to time have positions for non-degree-holders, they’re harder to get than those for degree-holders, but you’re welcome to inquire with the Inquire Now button up top of this page, our team could check and let you know what we have.
You can also try going directly to schools, however, you’ll need to find employment within your 30/60/90 visa-free day allowance, or get a visa in advance if you get offered a job prior to arriving. The other issue with that is that you may not know the legality of working at that school or if they are trustworthy or not – if you end up working illegally, you’ll have zero legal recourse if the school doesn’t honor any commitments to you (like pay or benefits).
Thailand is a bit of an oxymoron a lot of the time in terms of legality – you’ll hear of plenty of people who have worked there without a work permit without any issues, while the official line, according to the government is that working without a permit is strictly illegal and getting caught doing so could see you deported and blacklisted from visiting again. We have heard of some people where this has happened in the past – it tends to happen in spurts when someone higher up in the government decides to crack down for whatever reason and then it fades away again.
Getting caught overstaying your visa (or 30/60/90 day allowance) can see you issued with a hefty fine and blacklisted against returning. This is something to keep in mind as it can have serious, negative consequences for you. I’ve heard of people who have overstayed, thought nothing of it, crossed the border for a trip to Laos or Cambodia and then get detained and deported when they try to return back to Thailand. Whatever stuff they purchased and left at their apartments has to be left behind which is obviously not great.
We obviously then don’t recommend going the illegal route – Thailand is a sovereign state with its own laws on immigration, just as working illegally in the US can get one into trouble with the law, so is the case with Thailand.
Sorry I can’t give you a more concrete answer on working without issues going the unofficial route, but that’s just how it is unfortunately.
Hey
I’ve got a 3 year degree from a Canadian university. It does say bachelors, Am I qualified to teach in every country that requires a degree?
Thanks for your help
Hi Adam,
Thanks for reaching out! If your degree certificate has the word “bachelor/s” on it, that should be sufficient for most of, if not all of, our programs.
Hit that Inquire Now button to reach out to our enrollments team for more info and to get you started on enrolling.
Hi
I live in South Africa and want to move to Thailand next year to teach English. I’ve read numerous articles and posts, all stating different things.
I have a BA(Hons) degree in journalism and translation (with some English modules), and I have a TEFL certificate. I read somewhere that it’s a legal requirement in Thailand for South Africans to have a TOEIC score of 600. It seems like I can only do IELTS in South Africa – will this be sufficient?
Thanks!
Hi Lizette, thanks for reaching out!
It’s correct that South Africans often have to do a TOEIC exam. For us though, it’s not a requirement to have completed it to sign up to the program. For our Thailand program we organize that you do the exam in Thailand after your orientation.
If you’d like to chat it over with our enrollments team to get more clarification and ask more questions, I’d suggest clicking the Inquire Now button at the top of the site and filling in your details. They can then give you a call or communicate with you over email.
Thanks so much for the quick and detailed answer, Nick! Have a great day 🙂
Hi Nick, I’ve read previous comments above but none of them has the same concern with mine. I am a graduate of Bachelor of Arts major in Sociology and graduated in June 2017, I am currently working in the call center industry for 2 years and 3 months now. I don’t have any experience in teaching and I don’t have any TEFL or TESOL certificates as it is costly. Now, is it okay to apply for an English Teaching position in Thailand even without experience or any teaching certificates?
Thanks.
Hi Lyca, thanks for reaching out. In order to teach abroad, you’ll need to be properly prepared and qualified for the job, the TEFL/TESOL certificate is a prerequisite for ESL teaching jobs and for you to properly qualify for a work permit. I must also point out that if the cost of TEFL certification is an issue, you should be aware of other costs you’ll incur in teaching abroad. These will include any fees payable to the placement, orientation and support program you sign up through (such as ours), costs of flights, accommodation, travel insurance and your living expenses until you receive your first paycheck which can be paid more than a month after you arrive in country. These expenses will be greater than the cost of the TEFL course, so it’s important to be sure you’ve saved up enough before embarking on a journey like this, as not having done so could see you land yourself in tricky situations while abroad.