Is it possible to get TEFL jobs in Thailand without a degree?
It’s no secret that Thailand is among the world’s most coveted teaching destinations. From the sugar-soft sands of Koh Lipe in the south to the karst bays of the Andaman Coast to the elephant-stalked mountains of the north, it’s an adventure from head to toe. Throw in millions of English learners and schools with ample job opportunities, and it’s easy to see why so many of our graduates look to this corner of Southeast Asia right away.
But it’s not just a case of waltzing over to Bangkok and straight into a job. Thailand has a few hoops that any budding teacher will need to jump through. From a TEFL qualification to native-level command of the language itself, there are all sorts of requirements in the mix. With that in mind, one query we get all the time is whether it’s possible to bag TEFL jobs in Thailand without a degree.
The simple answer? Yes. But there are a few caveats and nuances to get through. Read on for more information…
Do Thai schools require you to have a degree to teach English?
Nope. Thailand’s schools are currently seeing a huge swell in demand for TEFL teachers. Parents are trying really hard to get their kids into classes that will give them some experience of conversation with a native speaker, so there’s not really room for the institutions to be picky about degrees. That’s especially true if you’re looking for jobs in major cities like Bangkok and Chiang Mai, where more and more positions are popping up each year. That said, loads of places will have it written into their job descriptions, and – more importantly – it’s not all about what the school itself wants…
The government and work permit requirement
The reason most people think it’s entirely impossible to get TEFL jobs in Thailand without a degree is because of the government’s current requirements on working permits. They essentially prohibit schools from sponsoring the documents of teachers who don’t have a BA or BSc from a recognized higher-education institution. Strangely, these relegations only seem to apply to the TEFL industry in Thailand, because other sectors of employment don’t have the same stringent laws.
So that’s that, right?
Not entirely. As with most things in the lovely Land of Smiles, the situation on the ground isn’t what you might expect from reading all the legal documents. There are a few exceptions to the rule that mean TEFL jobs in Thailand without a degree are still a possibility. They include:
- Jobs awarded through an agency.
- Jobs that aren’t “fully-fledged teacher roles”.
The first instance applies to applicants who go the route of getting a job through a third-party employment institution. This is basically what happens on our Thailand internship. It’s an opportunity for non-graduate TEFL teachers to get their foot in the door, all while ensuring they get the support, the experience, and the know-how needed to really make an impact in the classroom when they do finally start teaching. You can check out our Teach in Thailand page to see all the extra care that goes into making sure the professionalism and skills are there using teaching placements and hands-on training.
The second way that schools award TEFL jobs in Thailand without a degree is by creating different sorts of roles. They’re often not very different from the normal teacher positions. They still see workers planning lessons, supporting other teaching staff, and managing classrooms, only with a different job title – things like ‘teaching assistant’ or ‘educational support officer’ are common.
If you’d like more information on getting TEFL jobs in Thailand without a degree, we’d love to hear from you. Drop a comment below the line or get in touch via email. Alternatively, head over to our Teach in Thailand page to consider joining an internship program on the ground in the Land of Smiles itself.