You are here: Home / Work & Money / Do You Need a Degree to Teach in Thailand?

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



Last Updated on

Comments Sort by : newest | oldest

  1. Faraji Council says

    I'm getting ready to start the tefl certification program and want to teach in Thailand but don't have a degree. You mentioned agencies but don't give a example of how to tell the difference between a agency that might waive the necessity for the degree or a regular employer, or is it better to just apply regardless make it clear I have tefl but not a degree? I'm from the USA
    Reply

  2. Johnathan Scott Elliott says

    Upon arriving at BKK, I will need assistance with retrieving by checked baggage as I will have three large suitcases in addition to my roll-aboard and laptop bag. Will there be porters available to assist and how much should I pay them (and will they accept USD)? I'll need to have the three suitcases taken to AirAsia or wherever so I can check them in for flight to Khon Kaen. Thanks Scott
    Reply

    • TheThailandLife says

      Yes, there are plenty of staff available to help, just ask. If you can't push your baggage trolley then you may need to request the assistance of the golf cart car thingy to take you to the gate of your connecting departure. 100 Baht tip would be fine (2.5 USD). That said, you can usually have your baggage checked through, so you don't collect it in between flights, they just load it on to the next plane. You need to check this with the airline. I've done this before.
      Reply

      • Johnathan Scott Elliott says

        Thanks, Peter. Such would be the case in the event of connecting flights. The issue is that this will probably not be the case and I will have to wait for a period of time between my arrival at BBK and my departure for KKC. Therefore I will need assistance since my luggage will be offloaded in BBK instead of being transferred to KKC flight. That is why I asked who can help and how much will cost. Nevertheless, thanks very much for your reply. Scott
        Reply

  3. Isabella Macleod says

    I’m a 55yr old female and planning on spending 3mths in Thailand, at the start of next year. Would I be allowed to do some work, to help with my living expenses? If I wasn’t allowed to work for money, would it be possible for me to teach English, in exchange for a place to stay and my meals? I don’t have a degree, but I’m planning on doing the TELF course, and have my certificate. Would my age prevent me from working. Thank you 😊
    Reply

    • JamesE says

      So, the "official" answer would be: no. Unless you jump through the hoops and get a B-visa and work permit. The "volunteer" path might work (and maybe not even with English teaching) for room and board but you'd have little to no control over the room and board part. Plus, you'd need to arrange it in advance and get an O-Volunteer visa. Your age would not be a problem for working but only being there for 90 days would as most (all?) employers would not want to go through the hassle of getting you your work permit. My question would be: Why do you want to do this? You will work more than you think you will have to. You'll be paid less than you could imagine. And you won't be able to travel around the country because you are working. That being said, there are a lot of online resources, particularly for the volunteer side of things. Do a search on "volunteer in Thailand" and you'll find everything from teaching English to working with elephants.
      Reply

  5. Mark says

    Hi John,
    I am applying for an O retirement visa which should be completed in August - Can agencies still hire me without changing my visa status? By the way, I do have a CELTA, but no degree. What are my options please?
    Reply

  8. Ian says

    Hi John

    Many thanks for this article. I am a native English speaker from the UK and have just recently gained a CELTA certification, however I do not possess a degree and during the lead up and duration of the course I was unaware of how much of a barrier this would present itself to be when looking for work.

    Could you tell me what my next course of action should be please? Should I apply for jobs in Thailand here in the UK despite all the vacancies I have seen advertised explicitly state the need for a degree, or should I head over to Thailand CELTA in hand and look for work in person?

    Any other advice would be greatly appreciated.
    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

 

FOLLOW ME

Search TTL

Copyright © TheThailandLife.com 2024
No content on this site may be copied without written consent.

Send this to a friend