Introducing our new Vietnam internship

Vietnam is a TEFL mecca. Seriously, it’s got just about all the things you could want from an exotic teaching destination: Shimmering beaches wait down in Phu Quoc; emerald-green mountains covered in rice paddies beckon up in Sa Pa; metropolises like Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi come thrumming with scooters and dotted with mystical temples. It’s an adventure waiting to happen.

This year, we decided to make teaching in Vietnam just a little bit easier by launching our Teach in Vietnam package. It’s an internship, which means it takes care of all the basics and really eases would-be teachers into the job, offering training, orientation, help with accommodation, and a placement in a school – a fully paid placement! – to cap it all off.

Tempted? Of course you are! Here, we’ll run through all the things that our Teach in Vietnam package includes, what you can expect from the internship, and a whole load more…

What is the Teach in Vietnam internship, exactly?

The Vietnam internship is just like all of our TEFL internships: A fully-fledged package that aims to get you set up as a teacher somewhere amazing around the globe. The whole idea is that you get everything you need to start that new career with one single purchase, from the initial TEFL course to a teaching placement.

More than that, the Vietnam internship also smooths out all the stresses and hassles that come with moving abroad. We’ll be there to offer 24/7 support with things like visa applications from the moment you sign up. Once you land, you’ll be collected from the airport and get stuck straight into a curated orientation week that’s great for meeting new mates and learning a bit of Vietnamese. Afterwards, we’ll help you through the process of finding a job so that you’ll be teaching in no time.

What’s included in the Vietnam internship?

There are three main components to the Vietnam internship. They take care of all the technical things you need to qualify as a TEFL teacher in the land of banh mi baguettes and spring rolls, but also keep the process nice and stress free. Here’s a look at each in turn:

• A 120-hour TEFL certificate – You’ll do this before you arrive in Vietnam. It’s fully online and is our flagship, industry-standard TEFL course, offering 120 hours of training in everything from grammar to classroom management.
• Orientation –The first seven days of the Vietnam internship is a cultural orientation. You’ll be joined by other likeminded TEFL teachers and make friends for life. You’ll also get to see some of the most striking sights in the country, take a martial arts course, and learn some Vietnamese phrases.
• The teaching placement – This is the longest part of the Teach in Vietnam internship and the one that sees you achieve your goal of becoming a TEFL teacher. You’ll get a job placement somewhere in the country, paying up to $2,000 dollars a month!

The TEFL course

All participants in the myTEFL Teach in Vietnam program will do their TEFL course before even touching down on Vietnamese soil. We think that’s a great way of getting the technical study out of the way prior to your orientation. The course that’s included is our ever-popular 120-hour Professional Course. It’s basically the industry standard for TEFL schools all around the globe, which means it will qualify you for jobs in Vietnam but also the rest of Southeast Asia, Europe, South America and beyond.

It covers all aspects of teaching, including specific modules on:

• Grammar training – You’ll brush up on your own grammar to ensure you’re good enough to teach it! This means ensuring you have a deep knowledge of English tense use, parts of speech, sentence formation and more.
• Curriculum planning – You’ll learn how to organize and set out learning goals throughout the whole year for specific classes, helping you plan an effective teaching schedule.
• Using teaching materials – This module is all about harnessing the power of teaching resources, from worksheets to textbooks, AV aids and more.

The orientation

This is the step that makes the Teach in Vietnam internship with us so unique. Immediately after touching down in the country, you’ll be picked up at the airport and taken to your accommodation in Ho Chi Minh City. That’s where you’ll be based for a whole week of explorations and sightseeing, all while making friends with a bunch of likeminded TEFL graduates who are also on their way to becoming teachers in Vietnam.

You’ll have a chance to see some of the most incredible sites in the gritty southern city once known as Saigon. One day, you drop by the Cu-Chi Tunnels, the underground hiding places used by the Viet Cong during the Vietnamese War. The next, you’ll hit an enthralling night bazaar to sample some of the tasty treats of the local kitchen.

The orientation also includes some in-classroom TEFL training so you can start to get a feel for what it’s like as a teacher here. These are actual classes that you can observe and run, with a specific focus on the requirements of Vietnamese curriculums and local class styles.

The paid teaching placement

You’ve made it – congratulations! The final step in the internship is when you actually become a teacher in Vietnam. We’ll help you prep your CV and cover letters and reveal some insider tips on how to really stand out with employers in this corner of Southeast Asia.

Most jobs pay somewhere between $1,200-2,000 USD/month. That’s a very comfortable wage in these parts and should be enough to pay rent, get groceries, and all the basics, but also to do some traveling or saving on top. Positions usually involve at least 19 contact hours per week but could be up to 25 or 30.

There are two main employers that you can end up with: State schools and private language schools. The first will have you teaching kids during normal week-time hours. The latter teach kids, too, but also run lessons for adults and businesses, sometimes during unsociable hours like weekends and evenings. You’ll have normal state holidays off when working in state schools but get paid leave for holidays in private institutions.

Where will I be based for the Teach in Vietnam internship

For the orientation phase, you’ll be based in the electrifying metropolis of Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC). We’ve chosen to start this internship there because we think it’s a fine place to get a feel for the rhythms of Vietnam. You’ll dodge scooters on the packed streets, see striking war memorials, and shop in frenetic marketplaces.

Afterwards, where you’re based depends on where you score that job. The likelihood is that you’ll get a job in one of the major cities, which include HCMC, Hanoi, Ha Long, and Hue. However, it’s also possible to teach English in more rural locations in Vietnam, or in beach destinations like Da Nang and Nha Trang, though placements there tend to be highly sought after and will usually pay a little less.

How much does the Vietnam internship cost?

You’ll pay a total of $1,780 USD for the whole internship. Remember, that includes your TEFL course, which is usually $299 on its own. Plus, you get a week-long orientation in Ho Chi Minh City including accommodation and activities, along with unique access to jobs in Vietnam and a guaranteed placement that will pay up to $2,000 a month once your finished!

Ready to get started on the myTEFL Vietnam internship? Great – we can’t wait to show you this enthralling nation of jungle-dressed hills and karst mountains, of glimmering sands and ginger-scented noodles. Sign up now to secure your place for 2022.