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It’s time to get abroad and teach!
Teach in Thailand to kickstart a fun and fulfilling career, while experiencing a fascinating new culture and language, upskilling your CV, and, of course, eating lots of delicious street food.
This programme is a fast track to experiencing life abroad as a TEFL teacher, with full support as you adjust to a new culture and workplace. Thailand is a wonderful place to live and with us you’ll be able to step off the tourist trail and immerse yourself in Thai life – from ordering your favourite som tam (papaya salad!) in the market, to discovering Molam bands at local festivals and finding your new fitness kick in Muay Thai.
We’ll start you off with Ofqual TESOL training and an introduction to living in Thailand and Thai culture, before you go into a 5-month school placement, with a monthly salary, a vibrant community, and professional development support. You’ll teach full time in public or private schools Monday to Friday, while working on your TESOL qualification and acclimatising to the tropical weather.
By the end of the programme, you’ll be very well placed to continue teaching in Thailand or across Asia and the world – or to return home with a wealth of experience, stories to tell and new perspectives on where you want to go next on your path through life.
We’ll be there to support you throughout. Our £1,400 programme fee covers your Level 5 TESOL training, pre-departure support, a placement in a Thai school with a competitive salary, in-country support and mentorship, plus our orientation, including cultural activities and introductions.
Whether you’re a recent graduate seeking a new adventure, a professional craving a career change, or just want to try living somewhere new for a bit, hop over and join us in Thailand!
In-take dates for this 6-month programme are shown on the form at the bottom of this page, if you’d like to consider a shorter programme with more start dates, then you can view those on our Rural Thailand page.
Programme Snapshot
- Overview: Start a new career teaching abroad, immerse yourself in real Thai life and culture, and earn a professional teaching qualification (TEFL)
- Length: 6 months
- Orientation: Teacher training, tourism & cultural activities, and teaching practice in a school
- School Placement: 5 months teaching in a mid-sized town, such as Surin, Chachoengsao, Korat, or Khon Kaen. or the suburbs of Bangkok, giving you the chance to immerse yourself in Thai life
- TESOL: Earn an accredited qualification (Ofqual Level 5) that prepares you to teach around the world.
- Comprehensive Preparation & Support: Participate in cultural and teaching sessions to build your skills, with ongoing support before, during, and after the programme.
- Includes: Monthly salary to cover accommodation and living costs, Level 5 TESOL qualification, cultural activities, teacher training, domestic travel to your placement town, 24/7 support.
- Programme Fee: £1,400
Join an Info Session
Every Sunday, 12-1pm GMT on Zoom
Book on to the webinar to chat with our team, learn more about the programme, and ask any questions you have.
Why should you join this programme?
Thailand is known as the ‘Land of Smiles’, but could equally be known as the ‘Land of Beautiful Temples’, ‘Land of Rice Fields’, or the ‘Land of Tasty Street Food’. You’ll likely know of Thailand for its beaches and crystal blue ocean, but this programme will show you an entirely different side to Thailand.
Our placement towns offer a true local feel, with authentic Thai experiences around every corner. Mid-week evenings can be spent exploring night markets, singing karaoke with locals, watching stunning sunsets, training in Muay Thai, or simply relaxing over a slow, shared meal. Weekends offer even more options: continue enjoying local life or venture further to internationally renowned destinations such as Bangkok, Chiang Mai, or Koh Phi Phi, or discover spots beloved by locals like Khao Yai National Park, Kanchanaburi, or Koh Larn.
One of the best ways to experience Thailand is through its food! Each region offers its own culinary treasures. In the north, you’ll discover khao soi, a rich, coconut-based curry noodle soup topped with crispy noodles and fragrant pickled vegetables. In the northeast, or Isaan, the cuisine is famously fiery and tangy like som tam, a spicy green papaya salad that bursts with lime and chilli. Central Thailand delights with classics like tom yum, a hot and sour soup infused with lemongrass, galangal, and kaffir lime. Down south, flavours are intense and aromatic, with dishes like massaman curry, rich with coconut milk, peanuts, and warming spices.
Meals are more than nourishment in Thailand, they’re moments to slow down, savour, and share. So expect a lively evening or two around a Thai BBQ!
Locals in Thailand’s tourist destinations usually have a good level of English, but the English level varies more outside of these places. You’ll still find some people that are proficient at English, but you’ll be surprised at the bonds you can make with people across language barriers!
This programme is a fast track to experiencing life abroad as a TEFL teacher, with full support as you adjust to a new culture and workplace. By the end of your placement, you’ll have strong experience in the Thai teaching market and be well positioned to apply for further roles in Thailand or other countries. A full semester of classroom teaching is a valuable addition to any TEFL job application.
You’ll gain confidence in every aspect of being a school teacher – not just classroom contact hours but also planning, assessment, communication and school responsibilities. This experience will help you decide whether full-time teaching is the right long-term path for you, or whether you’d prefer to pursue one of the many other careers available within the TEFL industry.
You’ll also have the chance to experience authentic Thai life, living like a local in one of the world’s most popular and welcoming destinations for expatriates.
Anything! Your Teach in Thailand programme will give you the time, space, and support to work out what you want to do next: whether that be continuing in teaching, returning to work in the UK, or continuing your travels in another country.
Your TEFL certification along with your teaching experience will allow you to go on to seek teaching jobs in many countries around the world. You can go on to earn good salaries teaching across East and South-East Asia, South America, and even Europe (and many of our participants have done so!). Our Thailand programme sets you up especially well for a job in Thailand, where there are lots of great teaching jobs for teachers with some experience.
Even if you find that teaching isn’t for you, having a TEFL qualification and the programme experience will be a big boost to your CV. Teaching experience displays many skills to employers, particularly public speaking and confidence, as well as an ability to work on and implement a plan. Spending an extended period abroad suggests a high level of independence and open-mindedness, along with the ability to work with a range of people from different backgrounds.
Teaching abroad can also open up many other doors and career opportunities outside of schools. Long-time friends of Gotoco have leveraged their TEFL jobs to become full-time travel writers, work in Tokyo’s tech industry, and even set up their own businesses. An expat bar in Beijing, Bangkok or Ho Chi Minh isn’t just good fun, it’s also a great place to casually network!
We’ll be there throughout the programme to chat with you about your future plans and a unit of the TESOL is dedicated to planning the next steps in your career.
How the programme works
- Information packs and webinar – A webinar and two information packs with details on what to bring, what to expect from your programme and how to adapt to life in Thailand.
- On-hand support – Guidance from our team throughout the pre-departure process for visas, booking flights, and to answer any questions you have to ensure you’re as prepared as can be for your time in Thailand.
- Connect with your fellow Gotoco’ers – You’ll be added to a group Whatsapp chat so that you can get to know each other and create travel plans together.
- Begin your teacher training course – Get started on your teacher training course online so that when your programme begins you’ll hit the ground running.
- Arriving in Thailand – Guidance and contact information will be given to ensure you arrive smoothly. We’ll arrange for you to be collected from the airport in Bangkok and brought to your orientation location.
- Meeting the team – You’ll meet your programme coordinator(s) upon arrival, along with your fellow Gotocoers who’ll be joining you on this journey.
- Getting settled – We’ll spend roughly one week enjoying orientation. We’ll give you teacher training, advice on life in Thailand and at your school, and teaching practice on a fun English Camp to build confidence in the classroom. You’ll also get to see some cultural and/or historic sites, eat delicious Thai food and have time to acclimatise to life in Thailand.
- Monday to Friday Teaching – You’ll be joining us for a 5 months teaching placement as a full time teacher at a public or private school. You’ll typically teach around 18–25 hours per week, and outside of class time you’ll have a place in the school where you can plan lessons, prepare materials, mark work, and create exam papers.
- Evenings and weekends – You’ll have the evenings and weekends to explore your placement town or nearby provinces. There’ll also be some longer weekends through the term for public holidays where you can go on trips further afield and see more of Thailand.
- Gain invaluable skills & experience – Plan and deliver engaging lessons developing your skills in public speaking, communication, leadership, and growing your professional confidence.
- Be immersed in local Thai culture – Eat the local street food, make friends with the staff at your school or locals in the area, relax and enjoy the slow pace of life, and find some time to explore on the weekends.
- Continue in your school – Many Gotoco’ers find that one semester isn’t long enough and choose to stay on for another term.
- Find your next teaching job – The TEFL industry is thriving not just in Thailand, but worldwide. With your Level 5 TESOL qualification and valuable classroom teaching experience, you’ll be well placed to secure your next role. Our team can also support you in finding opportunities across any of our country bases, including Thailand, Vietnam, China, and India.
On this programme, you will work up to our Level 5 TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) qualification, regulated by Ofqual – the UK government body responsible for overseeing qualifications.
A Level 5 TESOL qualification is equivalent to a foundation degree and offers more advanced and comprehensive training than standard 120-hour TEFL courses you’ll typically see offered on online courses.
Because your qualification is Ofqual-regulated, it’s internationally recognised and meets the TEFL requirements for EFL teaching roles and visa processes around the world.
You’ll receive access to your course once your placement is confirmed. In the first units, you’ll learn how to plan a lesson, about different learner types, and how to manage a classroom, allowing you to hit the ground running the moment you set foot in a classroom.
Once on your placement, you’ll have time in your teaching schedule to work through your TESOL qualification alongside any lesson planning for the week. We encourage you to complete the qualification alongside your teaching placement as it’s a practical course designed to go alongside your teaching. If you don’t manage to complete the full course during your placement, don’t worry! You’ll still be able to finish the assignments at your own pace once the programme ends.
Our course is fully online and self-led – no in-person training or weekly webinars needed – so you can study flexibly around your schedule, whether that’s teaching, work, travel, or other life commitments.
How much does it cost?
The programme fee of £1,400 gives you access to our TEFL course (up to Level 5) with a guaranteed paid placement for 5 months.
On the programme, you will receive:
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- Monthly Salary: a minimum of 30,000 Thai baht (ca. £700), which should help with funding everything!
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- Orientation: Group meals, accommodation and cultural activities are also included throughout your initial training before your placement begins.
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- TEFL Qualification and Training: Earn an accredited qualification (Ofqual Level 5) that prepares you to teach around in the world.
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- Guaranteed Placement: 5-month contract in a school in Thailand with your fellow Gotoco’ers. This includes a monthly salary, accommodation and visa support, and the option to extend to a full year.
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- Discover the ‘real’ Thailand: Get off the tourist trail in great teaching locations in local mid-sized cities usually within 6 hours of Bangkok, such as Surin, Chachoengsao, Sri Ratcha, Nakhon Ratchasima (Korat), Phitsanulok and Khon Kaen.
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- Cultural Immersion, Adventure & Community: Immerse yourself in Thai culture through festivals, community events, and activities, while experiencing life in your local community with your fellow Gotoco’ers.
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- Comprehensive Preparation & Support: Participate in cultural and teaching sessions to build your skills, with ongoing support before, during, and after the programme, including for visa and work permit processing.
What is covered with your monthly salary
Once you are on your teaching placement, your monthly salary will cover:
- Your rent and utilities during your placement
- Personal expenditure (e.g. meals, drinks, transport etc.) and travelling/ tourism expenses during your free time
We recommend that you prepare to have £1,500-£2,000 available to cover costs such as flights, travel insurance, degree legalisation, accommodation deposit (returned when you leave your accommodation at the end of term), certain visa costs, and to cover any living costs or extra spending during orientation or your first month in your placement before you receive your first salary at the end of your first month teaching. We’ll provide you with a full budgeting guide once you interview for the programme so you can prepare.
What’s not included?
- Flights/travel to and from the programme
- Travel insurance, Vaccinations, DBS check
- Visa costs, including legalising your degree for work visa process (we can arrange this for you at a discounted rate)
- SIM card
- Personal spending during orientation.
Although the above isn’t included, once your place is confirmed we’ll send you guidance on finding the best flight tickets, which insurance you need, and information on things like buying SIMs, travelling around Thailand, and more.
How can you join?
To apply, you just need to fill in our application form here. Once you’ve applied and completed the application steps, you can then select the programme on the form below.
This is an entry-level programme, so all you need to apply is to:
- Have a bachelor’s degree (due to Thailand’s work visa requirements)
- 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 Thailand!
No, most of our participants join us without knowing a word of Thai. You won’t be expected to use any Thai in your English classes and there’ll be staff on hand at your school to help you with most things. When you’re out and about you can get by using limited Thai, translation apps, and gestures, or often with just English in any tourist areas.
With that said, we encourage you to try to pick up some Thai while you’re here. You certainly won’t leave the programme fluent in Thai, but with some effort you could be able to get around a market, order food and drink, and make a local life by the time you leave the school. If you’d like to start learning before arriving then you may wish to try Mondly, or if you’re particularly keen then set up some online classes on websites like Preply or italki!
This programme is entry-level, so we generally accept applications from any young adult. However, you need a bachelor’s degree for this programme due to the work visa requirements in Thailand.
Non-native speakers: There’s no requirement to be a native speaker of English for this programme – so long as your English ability is C1 or C2 on the CEFR scale then we should be able to offer you a place. Please note that if you are not from the UK, we will need to review visa requirements for Thailand with you, depending on your nationality.
Experience: These programmes are entry-level, so no teaching experience is necessary!
Age: Like all of our programmes, our Teach in Thailand programme is targeted at those from 18 to 30 years old. However we do accept those over 30 for this programme as it’s also suitable for those seeking a career change.
We will review your application and get back to you, including a video interview for a position in Thailand, giving you the opportunity to ask any questions that you have.
If you’re successful, you’ll be invited to confirm your place before moving on to prepare for your departure for Thailand and teaching adventure!
Apply now!
If you pass our first application stage, you’ll then be invited to a consultative interview.
Select your programme dates
We review applications and offer places on a rolling basis. Apply quickly to maximise your chances of securing an unmissable move to Thailand with us.
Once you’ve applied and your application has been approved, you can select your preferred dates on the form below, just login! If you don’t have an account yet, you can apply now on this page!
FAQs
As part of the application process, you will have a video interview, giving you the chance to ask any questions that you have. For now, please find answers to common questions below and feel free to email us at recruitment@go-to.co if your question isn’t answered here.
Your Teach in Thailand programme will set you up for a global and impactful career, while helping you make the most of the here and now.
Through the programme, you will:
- Become a Global Citizen: You will be living in Thailand! You will be immersed in Thai culture, you’ll engage with the world in a new way, becoming part of a global community and taking your first steps on an exciting career.
- Boost your employability: It is no secret that employers value international work experience, and this trend is on the rise. By teaching abroad, you gain valuable experience and transferable skills to any future dream career plans and you’ll set your CV apart. Coupled with the globally-recognised TESOL qualification, you’ll have compelling stories of your transformative experiences in Thailand to share with potential employers
- Go on an adventure: Jump into new experiences and step out of your comfort zone; each challenge is a stepping stone to personal and professional growth. From adapting lesson plans to tasting new cuisines, the exciting journey is what life’s all about. These moments shape you into a more versatile, insightful individual and will always be a story for you to bring back home. So, take the leap and let every hurdle add to your story.
Whether you want to work in education or are unsure what you’d like to do longer term, our teaching and professional development programme will boost your CV, make you stand out in any recruitment process and help you work out what steps you want to take next on your career journey.
Do we really need to convince you?
Thailand is a friendly country with so much more than that meets the eye initially. Yes, there are sun-kissed beaches, tropical rainforests, and delicious food, but there’s so much more besides.
With this programme you will be living in local communities off the standard tourist trail, experiencing a different culture and immersing yourself in new perspectives and experiences. If you want to try something different to your usual way of life back home, then Thailand will be an ideal choice to kickstart your teaching journey.
You’re also guaranteed to make lifelong friends and networks that will enrich your life and take you (and your career) further than you could ever get staying at home.
Spending six months or more in Thailand will also increase your understanding of Asia, and Southeast Asia in particular, setting you up for a wide-range of career options and making you stand out in future job applications.
If you want to learn more about what living and travelling in Thailand is like, you might enjoy Paddy Doyle’s Youtube channel.
Anything! Your Teach in Thailand programme will give you the time, space, and support to work out what you want to do next: whether that be continuing in teaching, returning to work in the UK, or continuing your travels in another country.
Our professional development programme will support you in working out your interests, values and skills and in identifying what career areas you want to pursue.
There is sometimes flexibility on dates in certain circumstances. If you would like to join the programme but have any issues with the dates below, please email us so that we can discuss your situation and see if you’re able to join the programme (recruitment@go-to.co).
There are orientations in April and October every year.
The two Thai terms run from May to October and November to March.
At the end of your first term, you graduate from our programme! You will have the option to stay for a second term of teaching or to leave to go travelling, return to the UK, or start a new job somewhere else.
To join the programme, you must commit to completing at least one semester.
TESOL is a Teaching of English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) qualification. The certification will allow you to teach in schools all over the world and will boost your CV and employability if you choose to pursue a career outside of teaching.
Two of the absolute best parts of becoming a TEFL teacher after graduating are the freedom it gives you to travel the world and the flexibility that it gives your career, as well as the space it gives you to work out what you want to do longer term. TEFL stands out as the best way to get abroad after graduation!
Flying around the world to start a TEFL/TESOL adventure can be a daunting (and exciting!) prospect, but for many people it’s the best decision they ever made. In six years living in Asia, we (Danny, Richard, and Lisha, the Gotoco Co-founders) have met hundreds of people who flew abroad on a whim to teach, and went on to revel in it: travelling the world, starting their own businesses, teaching in international schools, becoming travel writers, and much more.
We charge £1,400 for TEFL/TESOL and mentorship, with a guaranteed placement and a fun cultural orientation. You’ll receive a monthly salary during your placement to cover your living expenses.
We will support you throughout the visa process.
You will first need to apostille and legalise your degree for Thailand, if you haven’t already.
You will then obtain an initial visa for entry into Thailand, before processing your work permit after arrival in Thailand.
Our experienced team will help you throughout the process, including preparing the required documentation, and the processes prior to travel to Thailand do not require significant time.
You will be given more information about this process at the relevant point in the application process.
We will review your application and get back to you, including a video interview for a position in Thailand, giving you the opportunity to ask any questions that you have.
If you’re successful, you’ll be invited to confirm your place before moving on to prepare for your departure for Thailand and teaching adventure!
No! You will be joining along with a group of Gotoco’ers.
On your teaching placement, you will be in a local town or city with at least two other Gotoco’ers, and usually more, as well as your fellow teachers at the school. So, you will have a strong community support network and a group to have fun with as you settle into your new life.
The town or city you’re in will give you the opportunity to immerse yourself in a local community, start to learn Thai, make local friends, and to throw yourself into life in Thailand.
Your exact location will usually be confirmed during the interview process.
All of the teaching placements are in local mid-sized towns and cities, giving you the opportunity to immerse yourself in a local community. You will always be in a group of at least three fellows in the same location.
Placements will usually be within six hours of Bangkok, in mid-sized cities such as Surin, Sri Ratcha, Nakhon Ratchasima (Korat), Chachoengsao, Khon Kaen, Surin, and Phitsanulok. These are local towns that give you a chance to immerse yourself in a local community and learn all about Thailand. Please note that very few placements are near a beach.
You will receive extensive support from us and your school in settling in to your new location for your teaching placement.
This programme is now open to all applicants, as long as you have native or native-level English. Please note that if you are not from the UK, we will need to review visa requirements for Thailand with you, depending on your nationality.
If you are in this situation and would like more information, please send us an email to recruitment@go-to.co.