8 Reasons Why Cambodia Is the Perfect Place to Teach English
Cambodia is quickly becoming one of the most sought-after places to teach English in Southeast Asia. If you’re looking for an adventure of a lifetime, teaching English in Cambodia is the way to go. You’ll encounter unforgettable cultural experiences, and diverse landscapes different from those in Thailand, Vietnam, China, and South Korea. It’s a destination unlike any other.
If you want to teach English in Southeast Asia, Cambodia just might be the perfect destination for you, and Destination TEFL could be just the company you need to help make your transition abroad ten times easier. We’ve helped many aspiring teachers from all over the world get their TEFL certificates and begin their journey to teach English in Cambodia and beyond. There is an abundance of compelling reasons why Cambodia has become such a hotspot for ESL teachers.
1. You can LEGALLY teach English in Cambodia without a degree.
Sure, you may have heard of people teaching in other countries in Southeast Asia without a degree, but the truth is: it’s illegal. Cambodia is the only place in Southeast Asia where it’s easy and completely legal to teach English without a degree. As long as you meet all of the other requirements for a work visa, it’s okay to apply to any school and start teaching. Of course, you’ll need your TEFL certificate, and that’s where we come in and help.
Luckily our well-trained staff at Destination TEFL can help you get your TEFL certificate, work visa, and so much more. We are passionate about helping teachers find work abroad AND meet all the necessary legal requirements for their visas. It’s too risky not to! 9 times out of 10 the teacher (not the school or visa agent) is the one who gets into big trouble if they’re caught. We don’t want that to happen to you.
2. Cambodia offers higher salaries for non-degree holders compared to other countries.
For example, in South America, you can teach ESL without a degree, but will only earn around $700 a month. In Cambodia, the average salary for a non-degree holder is around $1000 per month. Sometimes the pay could be higher once you have teaching experience or other qualifications such as an associate’s degree or advanced TEFL diploma.
Cambodia is one of the fastest-growing economies in Southeast Asia. It offers a range of opportunities for people who want to teach English but don’t have a degree. With the right skills and guidance in the job market, it’s possible to find well-paying ESL jobs in Cambodia without a formal degree.
That’s why Destination TEFL offers prospective teachers without degrees easy access to both a TEFL qualification and guidance in the job market. Teaching English can be an incredibly rewarding experience, and with the right guidance, qualifications, and dedication, it can be very lucrative too.
3. Teachers can live well AND save money.
One of the best things about living in Cambodia is the cost of living which is actually pretty low. Teaching English in Cambodia offers an amazing opportunity to build an incredible, adventurous lifestyle, and save money at the same time.
With such a low cost of living, you’ll have the opportunity to work your dream job in a beautiful country and live comfortably without breaking the bank. It’s like having your cake and eating it too! Which let’s be honest, we should all be able to do.
Not only can you save money but you can also enjoy the unique experiences that living in Cambodia has to offer. With incredible food, a wide range of things to do, and some of the kindest people you’ll ever meet, you genuinely can’t go wrong. Cambodia really gives you the best of both worlds because the gap between earnings and the cost of living in Cambodia is so big. Send us an email to request a free in-depth cost of living in Cambodia guide and find out how you can join in on this awesome money-making adventure.
4. Degree holders in any field can find a job teaching English easily.
Whether you have an associate’s degree in general studies, or a doctorate degree in animal science, finding a job in Cambodia is easy. Although non-degree holders can also find jobs, having a degree will set you apart from many other candidates no matter your field of study.
Some of the most successful teachers that Destination TEFL has trained come from diverse educational backgrounds. In fact, we would argue that having a diverse educational background makes you an even better teacher. You would be surprised how easy it is to connect your previous learning experiences to teaching English. When you teach English, every subject is relevant.
5. Cambodia has a year-round job market with high demand.
Once you’ve finished your TEFL certification and are ready to start job hunting you’re in luck because the job market in Cambodia isn’t as seasonal in comparison with other countries like Thailand or China.
Sometimes people struggle to find a job during the “off-season” when schools are closed for Winter or Summer holidays. Whereas in reality, the only “downtime” the ESL job market has in Cambodia is during the Khmer New Year in mid-April.
In fact, if you decide to get your TEFL certification through us at Destination TEFL, we can actually guarantee you’ll find a job (with a few terms and conditions of course). Because Cambodia has such a booming economy with a high demand for ESL teachers, it’s a fantastic and easy place to launch into your TEFL career.
6. Lots of public holidays and vacation opportunities.
We can pretty much guess that a big part of why you want to teach English abroad is to have lots of opportunities to travel and take in the sights. It just so happens that Cambodia has tons of public holidays that teachers actually get paid to take. On average Cambodia has 21 public holidays per year.
Apart from the regularly scheduled and paid public holidays, as a teacher you will also receive around 3 weeks of paid leave depending on the school and your teaching contract. This alone makes travelling around Cambodia, and even Southeast Asia a whole lot easier. And the best part? You can schedule your paid leave around the paid holidays to give yourself even more vacation time. Talk about a life hack!
7. Incredible day and weekend trip options.
Luckily, our training centre is located in the heart of Siem Reap – the cultural capital of Cambodia. It’s located just 20 minutes away from the largest religious structure in the world, Angkor Wat. Plus, there are plenty more incredible sights to see all around Cambodia. Most of which are just a quick full or half-day trip outside of Siem Reap.
Some of our favourites are:
- The floating villages of Tonle Sap Lake – an incredible ecosystem on the verge of major change.
- Banteay Srei Temple – a 10th-century religious temple dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva.
- Beng Mealea Temple – one of the most mysterious temples in all of Cambodia.
- Kulen Mountain – a historically and culturally significant location where many go to find peace.
- The Flight of the Gibbon – one of the coolest zipline courses in all of Southeast Asia.
Can you guess what the best part about getting your TEFL certificate through us is though? During our training course, we take all of our students on an unforgettable cultural excursion. Although we won’t lay out the details in this post, let’s just say it’s pretty spectacular and is often rumoured to be the highlight of the entire course for many of our students.
Unlike other TEFL training companies, we value having fun just as much as we value the important work we do. It’s all about balance.
8. Simple visa and work permit process.
No lie, getting the necessary paperwork together to remain in a country and work at the same time can get complicated quickly. Thankfully, Cambodia has a relatively simple visa and work permit process for people who want to teach English.
This is in part due to the high demand for English teachers in Cambodia. The Cambodian government has done a great job in simplifying the process so they can easily bring in more people who want to teach.
The red tape surrounding the visa and work permit process in many other countries in Southeast Asia can get excessive. Cambodia, luckily, doesn’t make people jump through crazy hoops just to obtain their visas and work permits.
What’s even more, Destination TEFL helps our students through the entire visa process. That way there’s no chance of a mix-up or not getting approved. From beginning to end, we’ve got you.
Sign Up to Teach English in Cambodia Today!
For us, at Destination TEFL, teaching English as a foreign language isn’t just about the job. It’s also about engaging in cultural experiences. In Cambodia, you’ll get the best of both worlds with awesome and fun job opportunities. Plus, you’ll experience cultural encounters with some of the friendliest and most welcoming people in Southeast Asia.
These 8 reasons only touch the surface of why Cambodia is the perfect destination to teach English abroad. With its diverse culture, picturesque landscapes, and friendly people, it’s the perfect place to start your journey into teaching English abroad. If you’d like to explore your options, feel free to send us a direct email with any questions or book a one-on-one call directly with one of our centre managers in Cambodia to talk about your options. We’d love to hear from you!
