This article focuses on being a volunteer to teach English as a foreign language in mainly developing countries. If you're interested in obtaining paid work teaching English in developed countries please check out our article all about working as a paid English teacher abroad.
Teaching English as a volunteer in a foreign country is one of the most popular volunteer focuses. Many organisations offer voluntary teaching positions and sometimes it can be difficult to know who to choose from and where to go. This page is a quick guide and introduction to finding volunteer places for teaching abroad and what you can expect from your time away.
Volunteer Teaching English
What's the best way to find volunteer teaching positions?
There are two main options for finding a volunteer teaching position abroad, either research in advance and source a position before you leave, or go to the country you would like to teach in and ask around at local schools and communities to see if they have any positions available.
Finding volunteer teaching positions in advance...
Searching online...
The best way to find volunteer teaching positions abroad is to search online and shortlist placements you like. Online research is the fastest way to narrow your search and puts you in control of where you want to go. Remember that not everyone has a website and often the best placements are directly with the grassroots organizations local to the region you want to volunteer. You should be able to use a volunteer search site to find at least contact details for these organisations.
WorkTravelVolunteer has a popular search function with over 600 worldwide organisations, from the very big to the very small. Try our search to find volunteer teaching organisations.
Independent Volunteer is a collection of over 30 independent organisations in developing countries. They only list projects that charge no fees (other than reasonable food and accommodation costs in some cases) and because they are not a placement agency you as an individual volunteer will need to contact and correspond with organisations directly.
http://www.volunteermatch.org/ provide a great search facility
If you're a qualified English teacher try Volunteer ServicesOverseas who are one of the biggest and best known agencies for qualified volunteers. They offer a complete package including airfares, in-country support and a basic living expense.
Once you have narrowed your shortlist to 5-10 placements or organisations that offer the type of experience you are looking for it is always best to follow up your search with a phone call or at least an email requesting further information before booking.
Phoning or emailing teaching placements directly...
If you are calling placements directly you may find that it takes a couple of phone calls to speak to the correct person, especially if the organisation is small or geographically split. Deciding on a few key questions to initially ask will reduce the amount of time you spend chasing placements that may not suit you.
If you have any specific requirements, such as requiring easy-access to classrooms, vegetarian meals or non-mixed groups you must ask these as early as possible.
Finding volunteer teaching positions when you are already abroad...
Don't be shy and ask everywhere. If you are in a developing country you may be surprised at how quickly you can find a school desperate for native English speakers to teach. As an example David and Kate (from Work Travel Volunteer) were exploring in rural Cambodia, popped into a school to see if they could help in any way and ended up staying the afternoon teaching the children English words associated with the sea. See our information below about finding English teaching volunteer roles in specific countries.
Volunteer Teaching English
Teaching English as a volunteer in Japan...
Japan's immigration laws are quite tight and if you want to try and source teaching English positions before you leave home you may need to complete a TEFL course and almost certainly you will need end up in a paid job rather than a true volunteer position.
Finding a teaching job locally in Japan usually isn't a problem, especially in the spring time, but steer clear of the large English conversation schools and stick to the smaller independent schools.
Sign up for the free O-Hayo Sensei, the newsletter of teaching jobs in Japan.
The Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme is a fantastic organisation that aims at promoting grass-roots international exchange between Japan and other nations. Their Assistant Language Teacher (ALT) position places participants in public schools or local boards of education with a Japanese teacher of English. Duties include team teaching, preparing teaching materials, assisting with other classes and participating in extra-curricular activities with students.
You can apply for a Japanese Visa at these Japanese embassies worldwide.
Working Holiday Visa
If you are not from the USA you may be eligible for a Japanese working holiday visa which lasts for 6 months. If you are from the United States you are not able to obtain a Japanese working holiday visa and you should apply for work visa.
Work Visa
You need have to have at least a bachelor's degree in any subject before you can obtain the necessary visa to work in Japan, and this includes any teaching work.
Tourist Visa
It is possible to enter Japan on a 90-day tourist visa and source your own teaching work locally - you can't legally work until you upgrade to a work visa, but many small schools will accept you and pay you before you have upgraded. If you do decide to travel to Japan with just a tourist visa with an intention to find teaching work make sure you have a round-trip ticket to show immigration.
Volunteer Teaching English
Teaching English as a volunteer in Thailand
You are normally required to have a work permit, obtainable only if you have a bachelor's degree to teach for almost any position in Thailand, however if you do not have a bachelor's degree but you have completed a TEFL, TESOL or PELT certificate you can now legally obtain a work permit to teach through either the Nonthaburi Teacher's Project or the Bangkok Metropolitan Project. These projects are state run and intend to place 250 foreign teacher's of English in the Nonthaburi region and 100 teachers in the Bangkok metropolitan area. You will be assigned to a University and provided with a monthly salary of between 35,000 and 40,000 bhat per month, free Thai training and help (but not financial assistance) in finding accommodation and a guaranteed work permit.
You can obtain free TEFL training from JP Education in Bangkok. The course is non-accredited and you will not receive TEFL certification, however you will be taught how to set lesson plans, core curriculum, Thai culture, do's and don'ts, PELT (Practical English Language Training), VISA issues and job prospects. You can obtain a certification of attendance for an administration fee of 200 bhat, or the course is free without one. For more information you should email jobpro@gmail.com with the subject "FREE TELF training".
There are many organisations that will help you find a placement without requiring you to go through the Thai government. Use our search facility to find a list of organisations offering volunteer English teaching positions in Thailand.
Try the Job Pro Thai job search.
Search the Bangkok Post's website for the latest job news in and around Bangkok.
You can apply for a Thailand visa at these Thailand embassies worldwide.
Work Permit and Non-Immigration Visa
Technically you should be in possession of a valid work permit for Thailand before you begin teaching there, even as a volunteer, however this is often not enforced, especially at rural based schools. You need have to have at least a bachelor's degree in any subject before you can obtain a work permit to teach unless you go through one of the government run projects to increase the number of teachers in the Nonthaburi and Bangkok metropolitan areas as mentioned above or through a volunteer placement organisation before you leave home.
Under a non-immigration visa you are required to report to an immigration office every 90 days to confirm your address.
Tourist Visa
Many volunteers will enter Thailand on a tourist visa and teach "illegally", whilst the Thai authorities have recently begun tightening visa and work regulations in the Bangkok area this is unlikely to spread to the rest of the country and you should find it relatively easy to find work in smaller schools outside of Bangkok on only a tourist visa.
For further information on teaching English in Thailand we would recommend checking out Stickman's guide to teaching English in Bangkok.
Volunteer Teaching English
Teaching English as a volunteer in China
There is a huge demand for English teacher's in China and its ever expanding economy and population make for an exciting, colourful and varied volunteer teaching position. Be prepared for very inquisitive students and a determination to learn not often found elsewhere. You must be flexible and possess enough understanding to live in a country where often thoughts, opinions and official policies will be contrasting to your own.
Finding a teaching job locally in China can be very easy - if your primary aim is to visit and tour China whilst teaching and not to continue teaching English afterwards it is not even recommended to spend time completing any kind of ESL / TEFL course. If you look like you speak English fluently (i.e. you are not Asian) you should be able to teach almost anywhere - even if English is not your first language.
Frequently check Raol's China Saloon job listing forum. Whilst the jobs you see advertised are mainly only for those looking for long term English teaching work in China you may find that if you contact the employee's directly they will know of schools locally that would welcome short-term volunteer teachers. This site is sometimes blocked by the Chinese authorities and you may find the site down, if so search Google for "Raols China Saloon" - if you are searching from within China don't forget to read our *****guide to accessing the Internet unrestricted from within China*****
TeachCN has listings for paid teaching work all over China - follow the same guidelines as Raol's forum above and ask directly if they know of volunteer positions.
It is possible to find volunteer teaching positions in China where you can teach on only a tourist visa, however it is not recommended or longer than a couple of week as it is against the law and the Chinese authorities may have informants within larger schools.
Chinese visa's can often seem complicated, especially if you intend to move around a lot whilst volunteering. It is often hard to find a definitive answer as to where and how to obtain the necessary Visas, and remember rules change quickly and at the government's discretion in China so it is always best to try and contact your local Chinese embassy to validate the information below is still correct.
Work Visa (Z Visa)
This is the official and correct visa you need to teach legally in China. Whilst intended for those seeking paid employment at schools and universities it is recommended you obtain a Z Visa for any placement where you will be staying longer than a couple of weeks, and certainly if you want to teach at a larger school. Many smaller schools may recommend you travel to China on a L visa and then upgrade to a Z visa when you have arrived at the school.
To get a Z visa you will require (in addition to your passport, photos etc) a letter of invitation from the school you wish to teach at and either a Foreign Experts Work Permit if you are a teacher, issued by the China State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs or an Alien employment license issued by China Ministry of Labor and Social Security.
More information can be found at your local Chinese embassy or through Visarite.
Business Visa (F Visa)
If you intend to lecture as a qualified teacher in China you may be eligible for a business visa. Whilst only allowing the same length of stay per visit as a L Visa (30 days) you would be allowed to lecture and teach and it may be possible to obtain double-entry, 6-month-multiple-entry or a one-year-multiple-entry business visa.
Tourist Visa (L Visa)
These are issued to non-Chinese citizens who announce that they are only temporarily touring. These should be applied for in advance. It is unlikely you will be granted a visa on arrival in China. The maximum stay in China is 30 days for each entry, and you are unlikely to be granted a multiple-entry visa.
Volunteer Teaching English
Recommended books
Guide to English Language Teaching - By Simon Collin, 2006. ISBN 190454908X
Teaching English Abroad, 7th ed *- By Susan Griffith, 2005. ISBN 1854581074
Strategies for Teaching English Language Learners (3rd Edition) * - By Adrienne L. Herrell, 2007. ISBN 013199266X
