Everything You Need To Know About Teaching English In Vietnam

International schools are fee-charging institutions with a high level of education and students from all over the world. Jobs at international schools are one of the most sought-after teaching positions in Vietnam and competition for these positions is high. Jobs at international schools offer both the daytime hours of public schools and small classes of private language centres as well as high salaries. In fact, you can earn $2,900-4,000 per month working at an international school. However, you may be expected to have a teaching license from your home country.

Working at a university in Vietnam is another type of TEFL work that offers great benefits but has lots of competition. Private tutoring is a more achievable option for most English teachers – it offers an opportunity to earn some extra cash on top of your usual wage. You may even be able to turn private tutoring into a full-time job over time.

To teach English in Vietnam, you need a degree and a TEFL certificate. Native-level English speakers are also highly preferred by employers.

Some employers will offer work to candidates without a degree or a TEFL certificate, but this will always be under the table, i.e. working illegally on a tourist visa.

To work legally in Vietnam, you’ll need a work visa sponsored by your employer. Public schools and large, language centre chains will usually sponsor your visa and help you with the process.

However, lots of language centres will not sponsor your visa and prefer to pay teachers under the table – this is especially true of small privately-owned companies. Though, some small centres may accept sponsoring your visa if you’ll pay for the costs of the visa and application yourself.

The most popular locations to teach English in Vietnam are Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Both cities have lots of jobs in private language centres, less jobs at public schools, and only a handful of positions at international schools and universities.

There are opportunities to teach English in Danang, Nha Trang and other parts of the country but it’s much harder to find work.

With a rising need to speak English, there are a number of English language centres popping up around the country. This means there are lots of teaching opportunities, but it also means that there are lots of opportunists opening schools with the primary focus of making money – not teaching students. So, although there are lots of amazing teaching opportunities in Vietnam, there are also some dubious ones that you’ll need watch out for too.

If you’re keen to learn the local language, Vietnamese can be quite a challenge. The language is monosyllabic – meaning each word is usually only one syllable, and it also tonal – meaning you need to use a different pitch of voice for different words. The good news is that the Vietnamese alphabet is based on the Roman alphabet, so it’s easy to read.

A meal at a simple family-run restaurant costs no more than $2.50, a coffee or a beer costs roughly $1.50, and a one-way ticket on public bus costs about 25¢. A ticket to the cinema is about $4 and a massage can cost as little as $7. Groceries are a reasonable price, especially if you’re willing to do some bargaining at local markets. Though it often works out cheaper to eat at local eateries than it does to cook at home. In major cities, English teachers in Vietnam can usually afford entertainment and eating out regularly.

Vietnam offers both a shocking assault on the senses – traffic, action and noise – as well as a view of some of the world’s most stunningly surreal landscapes – such as Ha Long Bay’s karsts and Sapa’s rice terraces. It is also home to compelling, turbulent history, delicious and healthy food, and fascinating, diverse culture.

Much of Vietnamese culture focuses on the family unit. Although some families are beginning to live in smaller units, many houses are home to three generations. And almost every home has a shrine to their ancestors who have passed away – with regular offerings made to their spirits.

Respecting elders also plays a key part in local culture, with different pronouns used for people of different ages. Learning the different pronouns and using them correctly when greeting colleagues or friends is a great way to start showing your interest in the Vietnamese culture.

The Vietnamese have lots of age-old traditions and customs, as well as lots of superstitions! Bargaining is a part of daily life, there are lots of lucky and unlucky actions, and rules of etiquette are entirely different to those in the West. Learning about the culture can be both fascinating and fun, and Vietnamese people are usually happy to answer your questions.

Vietnamese food uses lots of fish sauce and soy sauce, and is usually served with noodles, rice or soup. Fresh herbs and vegetables play a big part in most dishes, and a selection of bird’s eye chilies, lime, coriander, mint and chili sauce can usually be found on every table.

Popular dishes include pho – the famous Vietnamese soup, bun cha – barbecued meatballs with rice noodles, banh mi – a classic Vietnamese sandwich stuffed with your choice of filling as well as coriander, cucumber and carrot, banh cuon – steamed rice cakes filled with minced pork and wood ear mushrooms, and com bin dan – rice with a large choice of accompaniments. Lesser-known dishes include hu tieu – a pho-style soup with sliced pork and cao lau – a thick noodle dish served with pork and fried dough, unique to Hoi An.

Vietnamese cuisine is known to be one of the healthiest in the world. The best restaurants and eateries in the country usually only serve one or two dishes, perfecting the recipes over generations.

Your biggest expense living in Vietnam will be accommodation – but even that is very reasonable! A one-bedroom apartment in Hanoi costs $250-500 per month whereas a room in a house share can be as little as £100 per month. Ho Chi Minh is slightly more expensive, coming in at $400-650 per month for a one-bedroom apartment and a minimum of $200 for a room in a house share.

Accommodation won’t be provided or covered as part of most English teaching jobs in Vietnam. Though, some large language centre chains or public schools may provide accommodation.

Vietnam has a tropical climate with high temperatures and regular monsoons in summer and mild, dry winters.

Vietnam’s capital, Hanoi, has two distinct seasons: mild winters and stifling hot summers. From May to September, Hanoi is hot and humid with an average temperature of between 28°C and 29°C and sudden downpours of heavy rain. From December to February, the temperature drops to between 17°C and 18°C and there’s little rain. Spring and Autumn are brief, with either increasing or decreasing rainfall and temperatures.

Ho Chi Minh City, in the south, is much warmer than the north and has fairly constant weather year-round. The average temperature ranges from 27°C to 30°C, being at its coolest in December and at its hottest in April. Rainfall suddenly increases in May and doesn’t begin to decrease until November. Though overall, the city does receive slightly less rain than Hanoi.

Please note: The information in this guide is accurate as of the time of writing. However, the laws and requirements to teach abroad can often change. Make sure to check the latest advice from the local authority of the country you plan to work in.