Teaching English is the most popular job opportunity in Vietnam for expats. If you are thinking to do some career change or simply moving to a new country for a fresh start, why don’t you consider Vietnam? There are many great reasons why you should move to Vietnam.
Apart from having a Bachelor’s degree in any field, holding a TEFL or CELTA certificate is one of the requirements to land an English teaching job in Vietnam. You can either do it online, or take a course in person after you enter Vietnam.
This article will show you how you can apply to TEFL courses in Vietnam or get TEFL certification in Vietnam.
MUST-READ: Everything you need to know about teaching English in Vietnam
Why Teach English in Vietnam?
Vietnam has been one of the easiest countries to teach English for foreigners. The demand for foreign teachers has been at its highest, making it the newest melting pot for people who wants to start a new chapter of their life in Southeast Asia.
On top of that, it’s just a really cool country known for its unique cuisine, huge caves, ancient temples, stunning landscapes and hiking opportunities, motorcycling routes, and the famous Halong Bay.
Requirements for Teaching in Vietnam
For nearly a decade, the requirements to teach English here for foreigners was pretty basic. Before, it wasn’t even a requirement to have a Bachelor’s Degree or teaching experience to land a job here while the salary ranges from $15-$25 per hour. If you compare that to the cost of living in Vietnam, it’s a really great opportunity. It’s definitely a reason why Vietnam is one the best places to teach English abroad.
In 2021, the government finally set a specific requirement for foreigners to qualify to teach English in Vietnam. This is not only to weed out unqualified English teachers but also to make sure that the students are getting high standard education. Since hiring foreign teachers can be expensive, it should well match the requirements.
Today, a foreign teacher has to have the following:
- Bachelor’s degree in teaching or related background
- Teaching experience – if you have a long list of experience but the education background is not in teaching field, you might still be able to qualify
- TEFL/TESOL Certified
- Criminal background check/certificate
- Learn more about teaching in Vietnam and its requirements
Since you’re thinking about teaching in Vietnam, you’ll want to read our guide to how to dress when teaching in Vietnam.
How to Get a TEFL Certification in Vietnam
Right now, there are two ways to get yourself TEFL certified, either through the web which you can do anywhere in the world or in-class which you can do either in Vietnam or before you leave your home country.
Online
Most people have obtained their TEFL online, which is always cheaper than in class. However, like everything else, there are pros and cons in every situation. Personally, I got my TEFL online, while it was very convenient, there was something missing.
This can be in pre-recorded video form or a module for you to go through. Let’s discuss them below:
Pros:
- affordable, prices between $40-$300
- can be done between 40 hours to 120 hours (120 hours is the minimum requirement if you want to be an ESL teacher)
- can be done anywhere in the world, anytime you want (some courses require you to finish 90 days after you enrol)
- you can finish the course as soon as you can – this is great if you don’t have weeks or months to go through the course
- you can start right away
Cons:
- you can’t ask a “teacher” whenever you have questions
- if you like learning with other people, via online can be boring and motivation might be hard to come by
- doesn’t build up your confidence in teaching face to face
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CLICK HERE for another online course option
In Class
I’ve met a few people who have done their TEFL through a physical classroom and only heard great experiences. Here are the pros and cons of getting your TEFL through a class:
Pros:
- Possibility to do practical classroom teaching – great way to build your confidence and handle classroom situations
- Face to face interaction with the teacher/professor to handle your questions
- Learn with other people/in group
Cons:
- Pricier, run from $250 to $1000
- Follow a strict schedule and time consuming
- Take 4 weeks and up
READ FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT IN CLASS TEFL COURSE with NINJA TEACHER or via MYTEFL]
WHERE TO ENROL FOR TEFL COURSES IN VIETNAM AND ABROAD
The bottom line, you need to be certified in a 120-hour TEFL course to be able to teach English in Vietnam. However, if this is not your goal, you can also enrol on a simple 40-hour, 60-hour, or 80-hour course.
Here in Move To Vietnam, we are comfortable recommending two companies to get your TEFL certification. One that is located in Vietnam and another that is located all over the world.
ALSO READ: How to get a work permit and TRC in Vietnam
Ninja Teacher
Ninja Teacher is located in Ho Chi Minh City (South of Vietnam). You can either enrol on an in-class TEFL course where you can benefit from lots of perks. From the method and theory discussion to teach and observe with real student session. You will get feedback on your performance from your teacher, classmates, real students.
You can also enrol on an online TEFL course if you prefer that. It is composed of recorded videos while you will also have a chance to do a weekly call of Q&A to address your concerns.
One of my favourite features that Ninja Teacher offers is that they can help you land a teaching job in Vietnam once you finish your course.
MyTEFL
MyTEFL is a Canadian-based company. Their most popular TEFL course is online, however, you can also enjoy an onsite course which you can either in Argentina, Portugal, and Thailand. Once you finish your course, MyTEFL can help you find a job placement in Asia, Europe, to South America.
They offer a wide range of courses, from 40 to 120-hour courses. The shorter courses (including the 120-hours) can only be done online, while the onsite courses are available onsite.
The best feature of MyTEFL is their promo for Move To Vietnam readers. You can enjoy 35% off on any course. Enrol through this link and use “vietnam35” to enjoy your discount.
ALSO READ: Cost of living in Vietnam
Should You Get Certified in Vietnam or Before Moving There?
If you really want to teach English in Vietnam, there is definitely an upside if you finish your TEFL course here. You will get the chance to do your practice in a Vietnamese class and learn what the teaching environment here is like.
However, I honestly don’t think there is a difference if you get TEFL certified either here in Vietnam or before you leave your home country or current location. Perhaps, it is cheaper to enrol here versus in Europe or North America or Australia.
CONCLUSION
Getting TEFL certified is not the worst decision, either you are planning to teach English or not, it’s a certificate that gives you an option to teach in countries where foreign English teachers are in high demand.
If it’s your dream to move to Vietnam, having a TEFL certificate will be a big advantage, it can help you start your new life here.
I hope this article about TEFL courses in Vietnam and how to get certified has been useful. If you think we forgot to cover certain topics, let us know in the comment section below.