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Teach, Explore, Grow: : Your Funded 2-Week Programme in Thailand or Vietnam
Are you ready for an adventure that builds your skills, grows your confidence, and takes you somewhere completely new?
This could be you...
Why should I join this programme?
Most of our participants describe their experience as life-changing.
By taking part you will:
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Travel abroad safely, supported by our experienced team.
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Gain international experience that makes your CV stand out.
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Develop independence, confidence, and leadership skills.
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Make new friends and lifelong memories.
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Contribute to education and community development abroad.
And most importantly, you’ll have a lot of fun along the way!
Teaching English is one of the quickest ways to build professional skills while making a positive impact.
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Career progression: real classroom experience and leadership opportunities to develop your professional skills and boost your CV.
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Personal development: confidence, independence, communication, teamwork.
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Global citizenship: broaden your horizons and explore new pathways.
You can choose to complete our online TEFL course, learning how to plan lessons, manage a classroom, and understand different learner types.
You’ll be able to work through the TEFL at your own pace before or after your programme, and can complete it to become a certified TEFL English teacher!
This qualification is recognised worldwide and can open doors to international work opportunities, and to show future employers in any field the skills you’ve developed.
Employers value international experience. Completing this programme shows initiative, adaptability, and leadership. No matter what field you are working in, you’ll return with skills and experiences that set you apart and that you can apply to your work, studies and life back home.
How the programme works
Over two weeks you’ll take part in a mix of teacher training, classroom activities, and cultural experiences.
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Professional growth: develop leadership, teamwork, communication, and cultural awareness.
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Teaching practice: lead English activities in schools, nurseries, or universities.
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Cultural immersion: take part in workshops, tours, and community life, and try lots of delicious local food.
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Travel safely: go with a group of fellow UK learners and the support of our coordinators, so you’ll never be on your own.
All your key programme costs are covered through the Turing Scheme. Read on below to explore what the Thailand and Vietnam programmes involve, and for further information about the funding.
Thailand
In Thailand you’ll join a group of 10–30 learners from the UK to run English Camps in local schools.
Click through the sections below to learn more about what you’ll do in Thailand.
Before you travel to Thailand, our expert team of coordinators will help you prepare and make sure you’re ready to make the most of your time abroad. All of our coordinators were once in your shoes, about to take the leap and join a programme with us, so they are very well-placed to guide you as you plan to travel.
We’ll make sure you’re ready before you travel, through:
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Country guide with practical tips on what to pack and expect.
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Two online induction webinars to meet your group and prepare.
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Group chat to connect with fellow participants.
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Option to begin an online TEFL teacher training course.
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Support from our team whenever you need it.
You’ll help run English Camps in local schools, run in partnership with our partner, a Thai education foundation. These camps give children from rural areas and small towns the chance to learn from international teachers, building confidence and motivation in their English studies.
This means you’re not only developing your own skills but also contributing to opportunities that many Thai students would not otherwise have.
On arrival in Thailand, you will join a full orientation in Ayutthaya – Thailand’s ancient capital. Led by our experienced coordinators in Thailand, you will:
- Join teacher training sessions to prepare for the English Camps
- Learn about Thai culture and language through fun workshops
- Tour the ancient capital and learn about Thailand’s history
- Try lots of tasty Thai food and get to know your fellow participants!
After the orientation, you will travel to join an English Camp with one of our local partner schools in central or north Thailand. This will give you the chance to immerse yourself in a local Thai community, away from the tourist trail.
What is an English Camp?
An English Camp is an activity camp focused on building students’ confidence and interest in learning English.
Through fun activities, games, and lessons, you will gain experience in teaching in Thailand, while supporting local students to develop their language skills.
You can see clips from a fun English Camp in June 2025 on this Instagram post.
What do the camps involve?
For the camps, you will either stay in one location or move between 2-3 locations to join multiple camps over a week.
During the camps, you will
- teach English and lead activities through each day, developing your confidence and skills in leading groups
- teach and exchange with a range of ages, from nursery to adults
- deliver sessions focused on your specialisms in your studies at home
- be immersed in a local community, and learn about living and working abroad
After the camps finish, you will travel to Bangkok, to see Thailand’s thriving capital and join more workshops to reflect on your time in Thailand.
During these final days in Thailand, you will
- attend workshops to reflect on your experience and learnings
- visit local organisations and businesses, usually related to your specialisms at home
- learn what it is like to live and work in a metropolis in SE Asia
- take opportunity for some final tourism, and delicious food
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Safe, shared accommodation arranged and vetted by our team.
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Three meals a day of local Thai food.
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Accommodation is simple and local, giving you a taste of local life.
We are committed to introduce you to backpacking as a great way to travel the world, and we hope that you’re excited for this aspect of the programme.
If you have any dietary requirements or extra support needs, you’ll be able to let us know about these through the application and pre-departure processes.
Our coordinators are always nearby, both pre-departure and once you’re in Thailand. They’ve all been participants themselves before, so they know exactly what it feels like to take this step. You’ll be supported throughout, while also encouraged to develop independence and leadership.
Programmes run monthly from October 2025 to May 2026, each lasting two weeks. Groups are 10–30 participants, and dates fill quickly.
Be sure to apply as early as possible as popular dates will fill up quickly!
The provisional dates for the Thailand programme are:
- Thurs 16th to Thurs 30th October 2025
- Thurs 13th to Thurs 27th November 2025
- Thurs 4th to Thurs 18th December 2025
- Thurs 15th to Thurs 29th January 2026
- Thurs 5th to Thurs 19 February 2026
- Thurs 12th to Thurs 26th March 2026
- Thurs 16th to Thurs 30 April 2026
- Thurs 14th to Thurs 28th May 2026
Please note that each cohort has a maximum of 30 and minimum of 10 participants.
If you hold a UK passport, you will not need to apply for a visa to join this cultural exchange and training programme in Thailand.
If you hold a passport for a country other than the UK, you may need to apply for a visa before you travel. You will be guided on this through the application and pre-departure processes, and you are responsible for any related costs and obtaining the visa in advance.
Before you travel, you will need to check that your travel vaccinations are up-to-date. You should speak to your local healthcare provider about what vaccinations you need.
For Thailand, you generally need your standard travel vaccinations, such as Hep A and Hep B, Typhoid and Tetanus.
If you meet criteria for disadvantaged learners, you will be able to access funding support for vaccinations. However, you will need approval in advance and there is a limit on the funding available, meaning that more expensive vaccinations, such as for Rabies, may not be covered.
You can see more info about the vaccinations recommended for Thailand on this link: https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/country/221/thailand
Vietnam
In Vietnam you’ll join a group of 10–20 learners from the UK to teach and take part in education workshops in Danang and Hoi An, two beach towns in central Vietnam.
Click through the sections below to learn more about what you’ll do in Vietnam.
Before you travel to Vietnam, our expert team of coordinators will help you prepare and make sure you’re ready to make the most of your time abroad. All of our coordinators were once in your shoes, about to take the leap and join a programme with us, so they are very well-placed to guide you as you plan to travel.
We’ll make sure you’re ready before you travel, through:
-
Country guide with practical tips on what to pack and expect.
-
Two online induction webinars to meet your group and prepare.
-
Group chat to connect with fellow participants.
-
Option to begin an online TEFL teacher training course.
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Support from our team whenever you need it.
This programme is based in central Vietnam in the coastal cities of Danang and Hoi An.
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Danang: a vibrant coastal city, popular with international teachers and digital nomads.
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Hoi An: a UNESCO-listed town with beautiful history and culture, only an hour from Danang along the coast.
This two-week immersive programme allows participants to engage with Vietnamese students in classrooms, experience cultural exchange, and enjoy the natural beauty and vibrant life of Da Nang and Hoi An.
You will join workshops in a foreign languages university, and teach Vietnamese children in local kindergartens and primary schools. This will give you the chance to develop your professional skills, while learning about education in Vietnam.
Beyond school activities and workshops, mornings and evenings include optional activities like beach time, cultural hangouts, rooftop dinners, and reflection nights, creating a balanced mix of learning, culture, and relaxation.
This programme is run in partnership with a local social enterprise that aids rural children and disadvantaged women through educational, vocational, and mental health support programmes in Vietnam.
Through your time in Vietnam, you will learn about the work of this social enterprise and join sessions with women that they support. This means that you’ll be able to learn more deeply about society in Vietnam, and your time in Vietnam will also support a wonderful and impactful initiative.
On arrival in Vietnam, you will join a full orientation to
- Join teacher training sessions to prepare for teaching English
- Learn about Vietnamese culture and language through fun workshops
- Join a city tour of Danang and visit the local museums
- Try tasty Vietnamese food and get to know your fellow participants!
During the programme, you will join a range of teaching activities to develop your professional skills and learn about teaching English in Vietnam.
This will include:
- University Workshops: cultural exchange and teaching workshops with university students at a foreign languages university
- Nursery Teaching: you will join a local nursery to teach English and observe classes.
- School Teaching: you will lead on English Camps and fun lessons in schools.
- Cultural Activities: you will join sessions with our local social enterprise partners, such as cooking classes, coffee workshops, and crafts.
Programme highlights include:
- Educational Engagement: Hands-on classroom support & workshops with Vietnamese students (ages 3–18 & university students).
- Cultural Immersion: Cooking with single mothers, coffee workshops, crafts, bamboo boat tour, lantern night.
- Nature & Reflection: Beach mornings, Son Tra trekking, rooftop dinners, evening reflection circles.
- Leisure & Bonding: Movie/theatre nights, city hangouts, group dinners, rooftop gatherings.
Throughout the programme, your accommodation and meals are provided.
We are committed to introduce you to backpacking as a great way to travel the world, and we hope that you’re excited for this aspect of the programme.
You will be staying at our local partner’s volunteer house. The accommodation is shared to ensure you have community support throughout the programme. This means you’ll be staying in dorms with up to six other participants.
The accommodation and meals will be local and you should be aware that this may differ from what you’re used to at home – beds in Southeast Asia can be much harder than what we’re used to in the UK!
All accommodation is carefully vetted by our team, and is safe and secure.
For meals, three meals a day of tasty local Vietnamese food will be provided. You will be responsible for any snacks or extra meals outside of those provided.
If you have any dietary requirements or extra support needs, you’ll be able to let us know about these through the application and pre-departure processes.
Prior to departure and throughout your time in Vietnam, you’ll be supported by our dedicated team of coordinators and our local partner’s team.
All of our coordinators first joined us as participants on one of our teaching programmes.
This means they’ve been through all the same steps and excitement that you’re about to embark on. So, they’re very well placed to support you!
They’ll be there throughout to help you thrive. But don’t forget, this is a professional development programme for adults, so you will be expected to show leadership and proactivity in overcoming any challenges you face, while having support on-hand from our team.
Programmes run monthly from January to June 2026, each lasting two weeks. Groups are 10–20 participants.
Be sure to apply as early as possible as popular dates will fill up quickly!
The provisional dates for the Vietnam programme are:
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January: Thursday 8th to Thursday 22nd January 2026
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February: Thursday 29th January to Thursday 12th February 2026
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March: Thursday 26th February to Thursday 12th March 2026
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April: Thursday 2nd to Thursday 16th April 2026
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May: Thursday 21st May to Thursday 4th June 2026
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June: Thursday 11th to Thursday 25th June 2026
Please note that each cohort has a maximum of 20 and minimum of 10 participants.
If you hold a UK passport, you will obtain a visa on arrival for Vietnam. For this, you will need to complete an application form in advance, and you will need to pay US$25 on arrival in Vietnam.
If you hold a passport for a country other than the UK, you may require a different type of visa. You will be guided on this through the application and pre-departure processes, and you are responsible for any related costs and obtaining the visa in advance.
Before you travel, you will need to check that your travel vaccinations are up-to-date. You should speak to your local healthcare provider about what vaccinations you need.
For Vietnam, you generally need your standard travel vaccinations, such as Hep A and Hep B, Typhoid and Tetanus.
If you meet criteria for disadvantaged learners, you will be able to access funding support for the visa and vaccinations. However, you will need approval in advance and there is a limit on the funding available, meaning that more expensive vaccinations, such as for Rabies, may not be covered.
You can see more info about the vaccinations recommended for Vietnam on this link: https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/country/240/vietnam
How does the funding work?
This programme is fully funded! Your training provider has secured Turing Scheme funding that covers your accommodation, meals, cultural activities, teaching placement, and flights (within budget). Read on below for more information about what’s included in the funding.
When joining this programme, You’ll receive fully funded:
✔ Cultural and training programme, including placement on an English Camp or workshops in schools and universities
✔ Meals and accommodation
✔ Flights to and from Thailand/Vietnam (up to budget limit)
✔ TEFL training and certification (optional – see below for more info)
✔ Cultural activities and language support
✔ Essential in-country travel
✔ Personal and community support, including 24/7 support for emergencies from our in-country co-ordinators
✔ Travel/health insurance
✔ Pre-departure and post-programme support
✔ Life-long memories!
You will be responsible for any personal spending while abroad (e.g. snacks or souvenirs) and any pre-departure preparation costs not covered above (e.g. DBS, vaccinations, any visa costs).
If you meet the funding body’s criteria for disadvantage learners, you will also be eligible for funding to support certain pre-departure costs. This funding can only be used for the below costs and is capped at £135 per learner:
✔ Passport
✔ Visa (not usually required for Thailand and only US$25 for Vietnam)
✔ Vaccinations
✔ Insurance
✔ Health check (if required)
You will need prior approval to be reimbursed for any of the above costs if you meet the criteria for disadvantaged learners.
The criteria for disadvantaged learners is listed below. If you believe you meet these criteria, you will be asked to provide evidence as part of the application and pre-departure processes.
The funding body’s criteria for disadvantaged learners is:
- someone with an annual household income of £25,000 or less
- someone who receives universal credit or income-related benefits because they are either financially supporting:
- themselves
- themselves and someone who is dependent on them and living with them, such as a child or partner
- someone with experience of being in care or who is a care leaver – including anyone who is or has been in care, or from a looked after background, at any stage of their life a carer, meaning anyone who both:
- looks after a family member, partner or friend who needs help because of their illness, frailty, disability, a mental health problem or an addiction, and cannot cope without their support
- is not paid for this care
- someone entitled to free school meals
- a refugee or an asylum seeker
For this programme, your flights will be funded up to the budget limit.
For us to book your flights for you, you will need to pay a flight deposit of £600*.
You will be sent full details about flight bookings during the pre-departure processes and we will guide you through the process.
Please note that most flights will include a layover on your way to the final programme location.
*for students from disadvantaged backgrounds, the flight deposit can be reduced on
How do I apply?
To apply, you just need to fill in our application form below.
Once you’re invited to apply by your training provider in the UK, you can fill in our application form below to get started.
This is an entry-level programme, so all you need to apply is to:
- Have been invited to apply by your training provider – please note that they may have additional requirements
- Be 18 or over at the time your international programme starts
- Be an advanced level English speaker, e.g a native speaker or otherwise have native-level English.
- Have a clear criminal record
- Be available and excited to travel to Southeast Asia!
Our programmes are entry-level, so you don’t need any specific experience or qualifications to apply.
Training Provider Eligibility: For this programme, you must first have been invited to apply by your training provider in the UK and meet any eligibility requirements that they set. These programmes are only available to those studying with one of our UK training provider partners.
Experience: These programmes are entry-level, so no teaching experience is necessary! We’ll give you the training and support you need to thrive in SE Asia.
Age: For all of our programmes you must be 18 years old or over at the time your programme starts. Our programmes are designed for youth development and focus on those aged 18-30. If you’re over 30, you’re still welcome to apply, and our team will discuss the programme set up with you.
While applications aren’t competitive once you’re invited to apply by your training provider, earlier applications are prioritised, so make sure to apply as early as possible to give yourself the best chance of securing a place.
There are also a limited number of places for learners from each of our partners.
Certain programme dates may also be more popular than others, so being flexible with when you travel will increase your chances of securing a place.
70% of places are also reserved for learners who meet the funding body’s criteria for disadvantaged learners. If you don’t meet these criteria, you’re very welcome to apply and join us, but we encourage you to apply even earlier as there are fewer places available for those who don’t meet the criteria.
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