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Teaching Placements
Teaching Placement Overview
| Salary range in USD per month | $800 - $1000 USD * * May fluctuate due to exchange rate volatility. |
| Salary local currency per month | 30,000 - 40,000 Thai Baht |
| Saving potential in USD per month | $100 - $300+ |
| Employment Type | Full-time |
| Contract Length | 5 months, 1 year |
| Placement Types | Public Schools |
| Classroom Audience | Kindergarten, Primary (elementary and middle), High school students |
| Classroom Age | Between 4 - 18 |
| Classroom Size | Public Schools: 30 - 50 |
| Working Hours per week | 25 - 40 |
| Days off | Weekends |
| Holidays / Paid Leave | 16 official public holidays (paid), as well as 2 and a half months of school holidays plus weekends (not paid) |
| Tax rate range for teachers | 3-5% * * Only those with work permits will be expected to pay tax, however, depending on how much you earn overall, you may not be required to pay any tax at all. |
| Visa | Non-Immigrant B visa, Non-Immigrant O visa or a tourist visa |
| Initial Enrollment to Arrival | 3 Month Minimum |
| Top Placement Locations | 1. Bangkok 2. Trang 3. Sukhothai 4. Ubon 5. Chonburi |
Teaching Placements
Placements are available in public schools.
Thai schools are generally very well-resourced and you will have a Thai teacher to assist you in the classroom.
Your books and teaching resources will be supplied, although you may want to get creative and supplement with your own. We’ll provide you with ton of resources and directories for all kinds of classrooms printouts and lesson plans!
Where will I be teaching English in Thailand?
- Urban or rural areas.
- In small or big towns.
- In some cases on Phuket island (Due to extreme demand these island placement locations are rarely available).
You can teach:
- Kindergarten.
- Primary (elementary and middle).
- High school.
Can I be placed with my friend or partner?
Yes, we can place you in the same town as your friend or partner. You might be teaching in the same school or in nearby schools, depending on the availability of jobs.
What are the working hours? And days per week?
- You should expect to be at school for 8 hours per day, but you will only have about 4-5 “in class” hours though.
- In most cases you will work a regular Monday to Friday, 7:30AM to 4PM with an hour for lunch.
- There may be times when you are asked to participate in events or activities outside of these hours.
Are there sports after school that you have to attend or teach?
This will depend on your school. In most cases, teaching activities out with work hours is voluntary, however they do have concerts, cultural festivals and after school activities every now and again that you will be expected to attend.
What if you are unhappy in a job? Can you get a new one?
Yes, but we don’t often find this to be a problem. If you really dislike the job and you have a good reason, then we can help move you. But you need to understand that this can take time, and we ask that you be patient and flexible.
What us the dress code for teaching?
Men are expected to wear smart trousers and a collared shirt. Depending on the school you may also be required to wear a tie. Women are expected to where a skirt and a smart shirt or blouse or a dress. Some schools may permit women to wear trousers. The dress code varies depending on the school but you should plan to dress to impress.
Can couples be placed together?
This can be done, but not always at the same school. The schools may be within the same town. For participants travelling in couples or friends, they need to be extremely flexible and open to placement location.
What is the level of English and behavior of students?
This will vary city to city; however, there is typically beginner knowledge of English throughout the country. Thai students are generally well behaved.
What curriculum will they follow at school?
There is no set curriculum; each school will have their own curriculum and procedures.
Will my colleagues speak English?
Yes. Sometimes only limited English though.
Will I work with any special needs children?
Yes, probably, but they won’t necessarily be classified as such. They will just be in your normal classes.
What are the chances of schools deducting security money? And how does this work?
Schools may sometimes hold a small portion of salary in escrow until the end of the contract to dissuade teachers from leaving in the middle of a school term. This is, however, a rare policy.
What are the expected deductions from your paycheck? Does is differ from school to school?
Yes, some schools take off tax at 3%. But normally they don’t take off tax for the first year.
Will I get paid overtime?
No.
What are the chances of getting a salary increase?
If you do a good job there is potential to get a pay rise or a resigning bonus.
Is all paperwork and books supplied by the school?
Yes, most of the time, but not all the time.
When are the school holidays?
Typically, Thai government schools have a month holiday in October and two months in March-April.
Are you expected to work during school holidays?
Not normally, however your school may ask you to participate in an English camp or activities camp of some kind.
A TravelBud teacher in her classroom in Thailand.
A TravelBud teacher engages in group work in a classroom in Thailand.
Visa Trip
Teachers who take the In-class TEFL/TESOL course may be required do a visa trip once they have completed the course and before (or soon after) they start teaching. Visa trips are mandatory trips to countries bordering Thailand to acquire or renew visa statuses.
Popular destinations for the visa trip are Cambodia, Laos and Malaysia. The visa trip can often be completed in a single day, but there may be circumstances that require a participant to be gone for 3-4 days.
The cost of the visa trip will be anywhere from $0 to $300 USD and you will receive time off to go on the trip. Depending on the school or agent this may also be paid leave.
Note that this may not be required for those who do the Placement Only program, as they will likely have their placement before they arrive and thus will arrive on a business visa provided by their school.
Don’t worry, we’ll talk you through the whole process, explain all your options and guide you every step of the way!
Guaranteed Job Placement
We find you a teaching job or jobs to ensure you have the maximum work hours allowed under your visa.
You could spend your own time trying to find your own teaching position.
But this can be time-consuming and stressful because you’ll have to wade through a myriad of risk factors and paperwork when evaluating teaching positions.
These can include but are not limited to:
- Work visas, relevant permits and documentation
- The interview process
- The credibility of the school
- Your safety at the school
- Understanding contracts, contract length and hidden clauses
- Payment terms and what happens in the event of non-payment
- Taxes
- Teaching philosophy and environment
- Teaching materials
- School code of conduct
- Local staff support and English proficiency
- After school activities and requirements
- Disciplinary processes
- And many more considerations!
So you might find a job but you’ll be unprepared from a teaching, cultural, financial and emotional perspective.
We take the pressure and stress away from you by guaranteeing your job placement and providing peace of mind support
- We guarantee you a teaching job in carefully vetted and trusted schools where every effort is made to match placement preferences.
- You can focus on enjoying your new lifestyle knowing your income of $800 – $1000 USD is secured.
- We’ll explain all the paperwork, contracts, taxes, work hours, requirements and responsibilities.
- We guide you through everything you need to know before you depart to Thailand and from the moment you touch down, you’ll continue to receive peace of mind 24/7 support from our in-country team who will be on hand for you throughout your placement.
- We’ve all taught abroad before and, having placed over 2200+ participants around the world, know the key to success is well-trained, culturally-adjusted, and emotionally-supported teachers. Read more about our teaching placements.
Expert guidance and support
Our experts will explain the program and answer all your questions.
Awards & Nominations
We’re thrilled to be recognized as one of the best Teach Abroad organizations and these awards reflect our commitment to delivering an exceptional standard of professional support, training and experiences to our community of teacher travelers worldwide. Read more about our values and team.
Lifetime Placement Guarantee
Once you’ve taught in one of the TravelBud schools, we can guarantee you a position at another partner school in any of our destinations for which you are eligible on your program line, at no additional charge to you.
- Pay one fee and you’re able to teach in any partner school on your program line as long as you like.
- It’s a once-off fee for a lifetime of opportunities to make a difference in the lives of your students and travel the world in a sustainable way.
- For example, once you’re finished in Thailand you can travel over to South Korea or Vietnam and experience a whole new cultural adventure.
Fees
The following costs make up the program fee and are payable to TravelBud before you head over to Teach English in Thailand.
Currency Converter
Change to your currency. Default prices in US Dollar (USD). Please take note that the amount reflected above is based on the current exchange rate and may fluctuate due to exchange rate volatility on the day of being invoiced.
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Option 1In-Class TEFL & Placement | Option 2Online TEFL & Placement | Option 3Placement Only | ||
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Enrollment Deposit |
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| Comprehensive pre-departure support and guidance |
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| Personalised one-on-one Support |
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| Visa Guidance |
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| Your questions answered |
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Online TEFL Fee | Choose between: 120 Hour Online TEFL $499170 Hour Online TEFL$1299 | This fee is due 1 week prior to your selected course start date. | ||
Final Program Fee, Guaranteed Job Placement and 24/7 Support | Final Program Fee$2200 | $1300 | $1300 | Due 12 weeks prior to your selected intake date. |
| Guaranteed Job Placement |
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| 24/7 In-country support |
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| Lifetime Teaching Placement Guarantee |
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| TEFL/TESOL Course | (4 weeks in-country) | (4 weeks online for 120h or 11 weeks online for 170h) |
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| Internationally Accredited Certification |
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| Practical Teacher Training in-class | (not applicable for Sep and Apr intakes when schools are closed) | (not applicable for Sep and Apr intakes when schools are closed) |
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| Airport pickup and transfer Subject to correct arrival times |
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| Airport Assistance Info & guidance on trains/taxis/buses and routes |
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| SIM Card Included |
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| SIM Card guidance |
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| Local bank account guidance |
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| Shared Accommodation | (1st month in-country) | (1st week in-country) |
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| Cultural Orientation including excursions | (1 week) | (1 week) | (1 week) | In-class TEFL participants experience:
Online TEFL & Placement Only participants experience:
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| Lesson Plan templates and resource directories |
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| Support Network |
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| Self-development and advantageous future employability |
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Total Fee | 120 Hour In-Class TEFL$2799 | 120 Hour Online TEFL$2398170 Hour Online TEFL$3198 | Placement Only$1899 | Default prices in US Dollar (USD). Please take note that currency converted pricing is based on the current exchange rate and may fluctuate due to exchange rate volatility on the day of being invoiced. |
Expert guidance and support
Our experts will explain the program and answer all your questions.
A super supportive experience from start to finish
If you want to make the move to become a teacher abroad, I would recommend going via TravelBud, especially if it’s your first time. It really is like having someone to hold your hand through all of the hard bits – but in the best way!”
I’d definitely recommend this experience
I was a little nervous to go so far away from home alone, but they made the process simple in terms of explaining VISAs and all other information. Thank you TravelBud for helping me get to Thailand, and for helping me become a certified TEFL teacher!
Grateful for TravelBud!
We wouldn’t be in Thailand if it wasn’t for TravelBud. The network of friends that we’ve made across the country is incredible. TravelBud’s staff are friendly and helpful and available nearly 24/7 to answer any questions we had along the way. We definitely will be teaching through a TravelBud program again in the future!!
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We’ll answer all your questions and guide you every step of the way!