Get certified
It is now a LEGAL requirement to have both a three year degree and a TEFL qualification to work in Vietnam and obtain a work permit. While the law does not state which TEFL you must have, the reputable language centres which provide you with a work permit do. An acceptable TEFL qualification for almost all reputable language centres MUST be a 120 hour course (minimum) and have at least 6 observed lessons from a trained ESL professional. Example courses which are internationally recognised are the 120/ 150 hour CELTA and TESOL course.
YES there are jobs available in Vietnam without a face to face 120 hour course, and without CELTA/ TESOL and even without a TEFL all together. However- WILL YOU BE WORKING LEGALLY?
You MUST have a work permit to work legally in Vietnam and the work permit will be processed for you by the language centre or school who offer you a job. (You can get one by yourself but it is costly, timely and extremely difficult). If you only have a 120 hour (or less) online certificate then you are unlikely to be offered a job by the reputable language centres who WILL offer you a WORK PERMIT, pay you on time (and some don’t at all!) and legitimately.
To clarify, there are still options for work available to you without a 120 hour face to face TEFL course and/or degree however you would probably be working illegally, or will find it very difficult to get a school or language centre to process your work permit.
Without ‘Teachers Friend’ and Georgie, the company director, this experience would have been so much more challenging and time consuming to organise.
Georgie is extremely well versed in all things Vietnamese! She is an excellent communicator and has dealt with my endless questions swiftly and effectively; she is also very empathetic, encouraging and a great listener. There has been many a time when I have just wanted to hug her! I am so very thankful for the expert guidance and ongoing support.
Crystal, UKThe next step:
My best advice for you is to complete a 120 hour, IN CLASS TEFL certificate, or even better the CELTA/ TESOL, either in your home country or in Vietnam. It is worth noting that completing a TEFL course in Vietnam may be cheaper, due to a lower cost of living. It will also give you time to acclimatise to your new surroundings before commencing teaching. The course usually takes just one month, but there are other options available.
Having a TEFL certificate (CELTA/ TESOL) will open up many teaching opportunities for you all over the world, as it is an internationally recognised qualification.
Furthermore, if you complete your TEFL certificate in Vietnam, 70% of CELTA candidates are then offered a job afterwards with the centre they trained with. This makes it highly likely that you will obtain you a job in a reputable language centre.
We would always promote the CELTA/ TESOL qualification as the most prestigious, internationally recognised and in-depth ESL TEFL course, which will open many teaching opportunities for you ALL OVER THE WORLD.
However, we do know that money is often the biggest obstacle to kick starting your teaching career…
We are partners with ITTT (International TESOL and TEFL training) and they offer a fully certified combined and face to face course for excellent prices. The in-class CELTA/ TESOL course is usually about $1600-$1700 US however this company offers it for $1490 US. This course is run in various locations across America, some in Europe and also in Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam.
While it is not as renowned or internationally recognised as the CELTA, it is a 120 hour in classroom course, with at least 6 observed hours (actually, more) by an ELT professional.
If you book through us, we can offer you a further 10% DISCOUNT on your deposit.
Find out more about ITTT
Apply now and get 10% discount
If you are interested in completing a CELTA qualification in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh or your home country then please get in touch