Teach in Thailand Program
Get paid to teach English in Thailand
What's Included
- Guaranteed job placement prior to departure
- Pre-departure support– including visa guidance and a comprehensive online pre-departure course
- Housing provided by employer at teaching location
- Orientation in Bangkok or Chiang Mai, including Thai language lessons, training sessions, meals, and hotel accommodation
- Transportation from orientation to your teaching location
- 12 months of iNext international insurance with 24-hour emergency assistance services
- 24/7 support while you're abroad
The Destination
CIEE participants are placed at public or private schools throughout Thailand in cities and towns of all sizes. Placements in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and the southern region are limited and typically more competitive.
It’s easy to see why this is the most visited country in Southeast Asia as you explore dense, green jungles, crystal-blue oceans as warm as bathwater, food with flavors that burst on your taste buds, and the company of smiling, adventurous people.
CIEE wants all our participants to feel welcomed, supported, and empowered to succeed while teaching abroad. To that end, we've gathered information from local teams and perspectives from former CIEE teachers and others about conditions and cultural attitudes that teachers with specific identities might encounter abroad. We hope those resources are informative and helpful.
The Take-Aways
Compensation
Get paid between 30,000 and 43,000 baht/month depending on your qualifications, and receive comfortable rent-free accommodations from your school.
Preparation
Pre-departure job placement, visa assistance, cultural and professional development guides, and extensive in-country orientation.
Assistance
Pre-departure guidance, in-country support from resident staff, medical insurance and 24-hour worldwide assistance with CIEE iNext.
Program Blogs
Rewriting My Top 10 Reasons: What a Year in Thailand Taught Me
Revisiting my First Blog Post If you scroll through my blog posts, you will find my first post: Why to Teach English in Thailand: My Top 10 Reasons. For anyone... keep reading
Exploring Thailand's Neighbors: Traveling To Laos and Cambodia
When I moved to Thailand, I knew that exploring Southeast Asia was high on my list of things to do. There were many places in Thailand I wanted to see... keep reading
Your Guide to Thailand’s Regions: Picking Your Top Three
My arrival in Thailand was my first experience coming to Asia. Even though I knew I wanted to go to Thailand, I honestly knew very little about its culture. All... keep reading
Job Description
As a lead classroom teacher, you’ll focus on improving the conversational English skills of your eager students with creative classroom exercises and educational games.
This is a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in a new culture and promote international goodwill while you earn money to support yourself. The cost of living in Thailand is quite reasonable, so your salary will go a long way.
Some schools will hire instructors to teach both English and also other subjects, such as math, science, technology, computers, social studies, and physical education. Candidates with educational backgrounds in these areas are encouraged to note a willingness to teach subjects other than English on their applications. Also conducted in English, these classes can be smaller than English language classes. These schools typically pay a higher monthly salary, as described below.
Compensation
The compensation package includes provided accommodation for all teachers and a salary between 30,000-43,000 baht per month. Note that holidays and semester breaks are unpaid.
There are five compensation tiers. Please note that positions at tiers 4 and 5 are very limited and competitive.
- 30,000 baht/month plus housing: This is the base salary for participants teaching English.
- 32,000 baht/month plus housing: Participants who have a TEFL certificate, a gov't teaching license/credential, 2-year Associate's Degree in Education or TESOL (in addition to the required bachelor's degree), or who teach additional subjects beyond English. NOTE: candidates using TEFL must provide proof of TEFL enrollment at the start of the job search, and must submit the completed TEFL certificate six weeks before arrival.
- 35,000 baht/month plus housing: Teachers with a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Education. NOTE: Degrees in Education Policy, Education Leadership, and Education Administration are excluded from this category.
- 40,000 baht/month plus housing: Tier 3 qualifications, plus a letter documenting at least one full year of full-time professional teaching experience. Requires two-semester commitment and a teaching demo video for potential employers.
- 43,000 baht/month plus housing: Tier 3 qualifications, plus a letter documenting at least three full years of full-time professional teaching experience. Requires two-semester commitment and a teaching demo video for potential employers.
These salaries are generous in local terms – about twice what local teachers earn – and your wages can easily finance independent travel after the semester ends.
Schools
Positions are available at private and public partner schools across Thailand. Most placements are available in the central, eastern, and northern regions of the country; while positions in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and the southern provinces are limited and typically more competitive. We do not place teachers in the southern provinces of Narathiwat, Pattani, Yala, Satun, and Songkhla.
You can request placement at a particular level and location, but keep in mind that placements are driven by demand, so we cannot guarantee that requests will be met.
Workload
A typical teaching load is 20-25 classes per week, depending on the school. In addition to time in the classroom, participants are expected to devote time to class planning, presentations, faculty meetings, and a range of extracurricular activities. Participants should expect a 40-hour workweek.
This allows plenty of opportunity to travel, explore the countryside, and enjoy Thai culture.
Qualifications
You’ll need a bachelor’s degree to apply, along with a few other qualifications. These, plus a sense of adventure and a desire to cross cultural boundaries and engage with people eager to learn English, will make you a great candidate.
CIEE looks for candidates who are independent, curious, and thrive in a changing environment. Are you self-motivated, responsible, and ready to take the plunge into a rewarding adventure? If so, start your application now!
Requirements
- Native-level English fluency
- Bachelor’s degree in any field from the United States, Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, or the United Kingdom
- Citizenship in the United States, Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, or the United Kingdom
- Passport validity must extend at least 6 months beyond end of program
- Age 50 or younger
To make your application stronger, highlight additional qualifications, such as:
- TEFL certification
- Experience studying, working, or volunteering abroad
- Master’s degree in English, education, math, or science
- K-12 teaching licensure or certification
TEFL Certification
Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) certification gives you the skills, experience, and confidence to make teaching abroad even more rewarding – both for you and those you teach. The CIEE TEFL 150-hour certification course can easily be added on to your program to ensure that you:
- Develop an awareness of the field and practices of TEFL
- Understand the components of English related to teaching nonnative speakers
- Get personalized feedback from an experienced TEFL tutor
- Can design lessons for TEFL students at a variety of levels
- Complete 20 hours of practice teaching experience to hone your skills
Discover the benefit of including a TEFL Course with your teach abroad program.
Our Staff
Ashley Lozon
Teach Abroad Advisor
Ashley taught English abroad in Bangkok, Thailand and has traveled to 7 other countries. She is passionate about international education and supporting others on their journey with CIEE.