Vietnam Teaching English

Teaching professionally in Vietnam almost always requires official certification such as TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language), TESOL (Teach English to Speakers of Other Languages), or CERTA (Cambridge Certificate in English Speaking to Adults). Certification programs are surprisingly expensive, but they often guarantee placement into paid positions in the country, and some program fees include airfare and housing costs. Most programs require applicants to have a B.A. or higher; teaching experience is not usually necessary but often ensures better placement and a higher-paying position after certification. Undergraduates can sometimes get summer positions teaching or tutoring in Vietnam, but these jobs are relatively hard to come by and generally pay very little.

English speakers working in private schools are most often hired for English-immersion classrooms where no Vietnamese is spoken. Those volunteering or teaching in poorer public schools are more likely to be working in both languages.

Placement agencies or university fellowship programs are the best resources for finding teaching jobs. Alternatively, you can make contact directly with schools or just try your luck once you get there. The best time to look once in Vietnam is several weeks before the start of the school year.

Experimental Learning International (ELI), P.O. Box 9282, Denver, CO 80209, USA (☎303-321-8278; www.eliabroad.org/volunteer/vietnam). Teach English or French in Hà Nÿi or a nearby town. Summer-school and school-year positions available. US$700, not including accommodations.
ILA Vietnam, 402 Nguy[n Th¢ Minh Khai, District 3, H· Chí Minh City, Vietnam (☎8 929 0100; www.ilavietnam.com). All applicants must have a B.A. and TEFL qualifications. A few summer positions, in addition to year- and semester-long positions, are available.
International Schools Services (ISS), 15 Roszel Rd., Box 5910, Princeton, NJ 08543-5910, USA (☎609-452-0990; www.iss.edu). Hires teachers for more than 200 overseas schools, including one in HCMC. Candidates must have a college degree, 2 years of teaching experience, and usually teacher certification. 2-year commitment expected.
LanguageCorps, 101 Longfellow Rd., Sudbury, MA 01776, USA (☎877-216-3267; www.languagecorps.com). Flagship program (US$4395) includes 4-week TESOL certification course, cultural and Vietnamese-language training, excursions throughout Vietnam, and guaranteed job placement. LanguageCorps also hosts TESOL-only and short-term programs (US$1690-2595).
TEFL International, 72 Pentyla Baglan Rd., Port Talbot, SA12 8AD, UK (☎709 216 5424; www.teflcourse.com/locations/vietnam.htm). Offers 1-month English-language CELTA (US$1500) course in Vietnam, then helps find you a paid teaching job in Vietnam.
Trung Tñm Anh Ng Sydney (Sydney Center of English), 26 L™£ng Ngßc Quy\n, Hà Ni (☎926 0762; sydneycentre@fpt.vn). This and many other English-language schools hire mostly native speakers to teach English to Vietnamese locals. Wages and hours will vary significantly for each teacher and each week, but hours usually include weekends and evenings.