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Do You Need a Degree to Teach in Thailand?

This question deserves its own post because there's a lot of misinformation surrounding it.

I have answered this question in reply to various comments around the blog, but think it's important to clear this up so that people wanting to teach in Thailand, who don't have a degree, know where they stand.

The short answer is yes, you can teach in Thailand without a degree.

Over the years I have met numerous teachers, many who have been teaching for 10, 15 and even 20 years in Thailand without a degree. And they have no trouble staying employed.

So why do people say it is illegal to teach in Thailand without a degree?

Why do people say that to do so you would have to work for a school without a work permit or proper paperwork?

teaching-in-thailand-no-degree

What the Law Says About Degrees

It is true that the law states that schools are not allowed to sponsor the work permits of foreign nationals who do not have a degree.

So then, how are all these teachers teaching without a degree?

Well, like many areas of law, there are a number of loopholes that can be exploited.

1. The first loophole is that a school can classify a teacher as a “classroom assistant”.

In many cases this is not technically untrue, because although the teacher is working full-time, he/she is part of an English program that is assisting the other teachers in teaching children English.

So, for example, an English teacher may be employed to teach English to a number of form classes belonging to other teachers, and therefore the foreign English teacher can be classified as an assistant.

Even if this is not absolutely the case, it is unlikely that a government official is ever going to visit the school and investigate this matter. The point here is that the word assistant is broad and can be interpreted in a number of ways.

2. The second loophole is that teachers without a degree can find employment through agencies. Indeed, a large majority of those who end up teaching in Thailand do go through agencies.

Agencies actively advertise and recruit teachers, often through job boards  such as my own. The reason an agency can recruit the teacher without a degree is because an agency is a non-formal school.

The law only stipulates that a formal, government school cannot sponsor the work permit of a foreign English teacher without a degree.

So the agency can provide the  job offer letter required to obtain the non-immigrant B Visa, and the subsequent work permit. The agency then subcontracts the teacher out to a formal school.

A Lack of Teachers

The reality is that Thailand cannot afford to be picky and solely employ teachers with degrees. The reason for this is because the demand for foreign English teachers is very high.

In the big cities of Bangkok, Chang Mai, Phuket, and Khon Kaen, parents are willing to pay extra to get their children into classrooms led by foreign English teachers and schools that provide an English program.

There simply isn't enough teachers to meet the demand.

Thailand has a very immediate need to better its overall grasp of the English language to compete in the worldwide economy.

So if you don't have a degree, you might have to go through an agency, but this is not going to prevent you from getting a job.

If you have a TEFL certificate, and you are polite and enthusiastic and want a job, the likelihood is you are going to get one.

every single week there are jobs published on my job board seeking English teachers, particularly for native speakers from the UK, US, Australia, and New Zealand.

If you meet the requirements and the school has an urgent need, then you will get the job.

In many cases one of the requirements is a degree, but this is often waived if the school is hiring for an agency and thinks the candidate is suitable.

=> Your Next Read: The Beginner's Guide to Teaching in Thailand

Is a Degree Really Necessary?

I think a degree serves as a good barrier for entry, so that you don't just get any Tom, Dick, or Harry applying for a position, but at the same time I don't think it's really necessary.

If a person isn't up to the job and is a bad teacher, the school will replace that person. A problematic person won't last long in a Thai school.

Moreover, a degree from a western country doesn't necessarily prepare you in anyway to teach children in a classroom setting in rural Thailand.

Okay, if you have a teaching degree, or some other degree relating to working with children, that's a different story.

Me, I have a degree in commercial music. This is not going to help me teach grammar rules to children. I would still need to do a TEFL certification and have some pre-job and on-the-job training to ensure that I am delivering the correct lessons in a way that is optimal for the children.

There are TEFL courses held in Thailand that not only provide a TEFL certification but also provide in-class training to prepare teachers for teaching children in Thailand.

So before you enter the classroom you have a grasp on the environment, the culture, the kind of children you can expect to interact with and their level of understanding of English.

It's my opinion that the government is well aware of the loopholes and help people get around teaching without a degree, but they don't bother challenging this with the agencies and the schools because they understand that the demand outstrips the supply and that they would risk losing a lot of good teachers who don't have degrees.

Glad we have cleared that up.

=> Now go here to get your TEFL certification



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  2. Nancy Russell says

    I taught ESL at AUA in Bangkok 25 years ago. And, even though I had only a BA in Art, I was in Thailand for only 3 days when they hired me fulltime teaching adults. They gave all the new hires training. Within a few months they transferred me to Bhurapa University to teach English to students and professors. I worked 7 days a week!
    It did help that I had lived in Thailand for half a year twenty years earlier, I think. I don't speak more than a several dozen Thai words but I just love Thia people!!!
    Reply

    • Nancy Russell says

      One thing I forgot to mention...I never was given a contract or a work permit. Every 3 months I traveled to a nearby country to renew my tourist visa. But I was able to experience Malayasia and Cambodia. A plus for me.
      Reply

  3. Will says

    Hi thank you so much for providing this information! I'm curious, would a Bachelors from a University that is Nationally Accredited in the U.S. but not Regionally Accredited be a problem at all? Also, if you were to travel to Thailand and apply for a job with an agency without a degree, would the agency use that as leverage to give you a lower salary? Do you know what kind of salary someone without a Bachelors or someone with only an Associates + TEFL Cert. can expect from an agency? Appreciate any help you can offer!
    Reply

  6. Pensri says

    Hello ,
    I am a native English speaker from the US with a tefl/tesol certificate only with a high school diploma though . I am planning on moving to Chiang Mai and was wondering if there are any agencies that you can recommend ? Or also any places that would offer onsite training
    Reply

    • Shevriano says

      Hey Pensri,
      (Not to answer your question . But i was hoping you'd answer mine )
      Did you end up moving to Chang Mai ?
      What was it like ?
      Did you find an Agency ?
      Im planning on moving to Thailand in 2023 . Fyi , just like you, I just hold a TEFL certificate and high school diploma.
      Reply

      • Kristel says

        Hello. My husband is three years Bachelor's degree in Engineering. He is very good at handling kids, English, and math. He can also do P.E during some gatherings of kids, and he can handle small kids to teenagers. He teaches children online and offline as a volunteer, and he handles some activities in the community regarding children. He has TESOL and TEFL, and IELTS, too. Do you think he will be accepted into Thai schools? He wants to teach because that is his passion, so he never finishes his engineering course.
        I am his wife, a science teacher by profession, seven years in a public school in my country, licensed too, and at the same time with five years teaching English to other nationalities. We like to travel to Thailand together, and the means that we can stay together is that he can teach in Thailand. If he needs agency because he is not a four-year degree holder, can you recommend agencies that could help him?

        Thanks a lot. Your reply is highly appreciated.
        Reply

  9. Charles says

    Hello, I’m currently in Thailand and applying for teaching jobs. I’ve had a number of interviews that have all been successful but the final question is “do you have a degree?”

    This is a huge problem for me as I’ve travelled during Covid and have been led a long by an agency to be hit with this question on arrival.

    Could you offer some advice or guidance on this please?

    I’ve only got 2 months left on my TR visa.

    Thanks,

    Charles
    Reply

  10. jamie mcc says

    I am currently considering becoming the latest ajarn to land in Thailand with big hopes and dreams, and have been doing my research on this and other similar websites but still have many questions!

    I am adding the finishing touches to my PhD dissertation in Anthropology. I do not have any specific TEFL or CELTA qualification, however I do have experience teaching university tutorial classes to undergrads over the past few years.

    I am not too concerned if the job would 'match' my qualifications, as I would be very happy to teach anywhere at any level, but I was wondering if my PhD would be sufficient to unlock any doors to a teaching job in Thailand.

    Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks
    Reply

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