TEFL Cambodia

Enchanting Cambodia

Whichever TEFL destination you choose to do the course, you can be assured of a spectacular location. Choose Bali for a tropical surf beach vibe, or Siem Reap for its rich culture and proximity to the world heritage site of Angkor Wat Temple Complex … or, bustling Bangkok, a city that never sleeps and the travel hub of Asia.

Country Info

Cambodia – a land where ancient and modern worlds collide to create a unique destination. Tourism and development in Cambodia have exploded over the last two decades. The nation shares borders with Thailand and Laos on the West and the North, and Vietnam on the East and the Southeast as well as by the Gulf of Thailand. The mighty Mekong River dominates the landscape of Phnom Penh and is the base of much of the recreational activities from boat trips to riverside restaurants. The river originates in mainland China, flows through Myanmar, Laos, and Thailand before entering Cambodia.

Why do your TEFL course in Siem Reap, Cambodia?

Angkor Wat, a symbol on the Cambodian flag, is one of the most amazing attractions in South East Asia, and is only five kilometres from Siem Reap – home to Destination TEFL Cambodia, and our headquarters. Although a relatively new discovery to the West, the ruins of Angkor were never really lost to the Khmers, who have used the monuments as religious sites throughout their history.

Siem Reap, just south of Angkor Wat, has blossomed from a relatively small backwater town into the fastest growing area in Cambodia. Siem Reap is a foodie haven, from local Khmer food to Western delights, you’ll find endless options. The city also offers plenty of ‘non-ruin’ things to do and see.

Throughout Cambodia, you’ll encounter friendly locals who are eager to learn English. You’ll explore a country with rich culture and history, at great value, from transport to food, you can’t beat Cambodia for low-cost travel and living. The country is easy to get around – from using the ‘Grab taxi app’ to out-of-town bus trips, transportation is on-hand and cheap.

Phnom Penh, the country’s capital, is where the majority of teaching jobs can be found. Here you’ll discover temples, markets, and buzzing back streets. This energetic city fuses Cambodian, Chinese, and French influences.

Cambodia is also home to several islands, perhaps not as well-known as neighbouring Thai islands, yet they have as much to offer – at a fraction of the price. And if it’s travel that excites you, Cambodia is centrally located to visit other countries in SE Asia.

A major plus point in doing your TEFL is in Cambodia, is that It’s the only country where you can LEGALLY teach in SE Asia without a bachelor’s degree, and Destination TEFL has links to many schools to assist with job placement. The visa and work permit process is also relatively easy compared to other countries

FAQ

  • Our TEFL course in Siem Reap, Cambodia exceeds all international criteria, with emphasis placed on practical teaching experience. Our directors and trainers have 50 + years combined experience in both TEFL as well as gap year programs.
  • Our course trainers in Cambodia are highly qualified.
  • All of the learning at our training centre in Siem Reap is done hands-on through games and interactive activities. You will never just be lectured to, but will always be involved in every lesson. The theory in the course is presented by the trainer using games, activities, and strategies that you will then be able to use in your own teaching, allowing you to build your portfolio of activities and teaching tools from day one. Your observed teacher pracs will start from week two when you’ll be able to apply these techniques yourself.
    We limit our numbers at our TEFL centre in Siem Reap to small groups so that we can offer personal assistance with lesson planning and any area you may need help with such as grammar etc. Our practical training includes both youth and adult lessons, at various schools and businesses in Siem Reap. Should your course be over a school holiday, we’ll use the same children, but teach them in the form of a summer camp.
  • If you sign up for one of our ‘course plus placement’ packages, we’ll assist you with job placement and preparation. **conditions apply, non-degree holders can legally work as a teacher in Cambodia**
  • We have a low student to instructor ratio on our TEFL/TESOL course in Siem Reap, which ensures that students get quality attention. This means that you will always have someone to assist with lesson planning or to give you extra attention in any areas you may need assistance.
  • Our TEFL trainers in Cambodia will provide you with the support you need to compile lesson plans. You also have access to resources such as free internet, a library of teaching books as well as printing and copying facilities on site.
  • Save money on travelling to teacher practices in Siem Reap (TPs) – we will transport you there.
  • Choose Siem Reap as your TEFL course destination for its rich culture and proximity to the world heritage site of Angkor Wat Temple Complex.
  • Our Cambodia TEFL course package includes many extras, including airport collection, personal assistance with your CV/resumé, stationery and supplies, a cultural tour, Khmer lessons, and more.
  • We are genuinely interested in our students, and don’t view them as just numbers. We stay in touch with students after each course, whether they stay in Cambodia or move on to other countries. and get regular updates on their teaching careers and travels. Many of our job leads come from past students for this reason.
  • We have connections with many schools and agencies, not only in Cambodia, but in our other course locations, as well as a private Facebook group where job listings are posted, ONLY to our graduates. This means that you have up-to-date info on current jobs available, with many of these agents contacting us before listing the jobs elsewhere.
  • ​Our reviews for our TEFL course in Cambodia on GoOverseas and GoAbroad say it all!

The terms basically mean the same, with TEFL more common in the UK, and TESOL more common in America. There is a slight technical difference since TESOL refers to learners whose first language is not English, although they may speak English in their daily lives. TEFL refers to ‘foreign’ students, learning English as a foreign language. These students do not use English regularly and therefore have different usage and comprehension problems. The course in Cambodia covers both aspects, and our TEFL certificates mention TEFL/TESOL.

We understand that it may have been a while since you studied grammar at school. However, as a native speaker, you already know grammar quite well, it’s more the terminology that you may not know.  We can send you an easy-to-use grammar workbook before you start the TEFL course in Cambodia so that you can brush up in your own time prior to the start of the course. During the course, we work through this material to ensure that you are familiar with grammar as well as its terminology before you become a teacher.

No. Destination TEFL/ TESOL uses the international standard communicative approach to teaching, where English is the only language used in the classroom. These methods are thoroughly explained and practiced during the course in Siem Reap. This means that you will be able to use your new TEFL qualification to travel the world and finance this wanderlust by teaching.

Applications are welcomed regardless of first language or nationality. However, as we believe that in order to teach English well, you need to KNOW English well, the only requirements are a proficient level of both spoken and written English and an understanding of the intensive nature of the course. Please be aware that some schools will only employ NATIVE English speakers (NES). We cannot guarantee placements for non-native speakers (NNES). If you are unsure, let’s set up a video interview before you sign up so we can see your level of English and therefore employment prospects as an ESL teacher in Cambodia.

We have no official upper age limit for the TEFL course in Siem Reap, but you must be 20 years of age or older for your application to be considered. We may consider school leavers aged 18-19 years, based on a video interview. If you are a person of ‘more mature years’, don’t let this put you off applying. If you are receptive to learning, you should have no problems. We have many mature students taking ‘Golden Gap Years’, not quite ready to retire yet, and see the adventure of a new life as a TEFL teacher in Cambodia.

NOTE: Some employers may have an upper age limit, especially if the job is with younger children, due to the energy level required for this kind of teaching, therefore our job guarantee for NES has an upper limit of 55 years of age, due to restrictions at some schools.

Yes. Upon successful completion of our 4-week TEFL course, you will receive a certificate which is recognised worldwide. Destination TEFL Cambodia’s course meets and exceeds the basic international criteria, as we offer 140 hours of classroom time and observed teaching practice. You will also receive a detailed report card, and those who obtain merit or higher, will receive a personalised letter of recommendation.

Work is available almost anywhere in the world where English is not the native language. There are many opportunities within Asia specifically, but not exclusively. Some countries require teachers to have a bachelor’s degree (any) as well as a TEFL qualification. A list can be provided on request. Many of our graduates choose to teach online after the course, which is a good option for those travelling – a good internet connection is required, and we supply a list of online agencies to our graduates. Cambodia is the ONLY country in Southeast Asia where you can LEGALLY teach without a bachelor’s degree.

If you sign up and are accepted onto one of our ‘course plus placement programs’ and pass the course, we offer teaching placement assistance, and in most cases, can guarantee a job after the course (conditions apply). This applies to both degree and non-degree holders for jobs in Cambodia. Degree holders will obtain a higher salary and have more options.

Interested in teaching in Thailand, Vietnam or Indonesia after the course in Cambodia? Placement assistance is offered, should you meet the following criteria:
If you’re from one of the official native English-speaking (NES) countries  (only UK, Ireland, USA, NZ, Aus, Canada and SA), if you have a university degree, and are under 55 years old, and if you obtain at least a high merit on the course.

Please note: Legally, to work as a teacher in Indonesia, Thailand, or Vietnam, you also need to have a university degree in order to obtain a work permit.

Yes, the course is intensive, and you will need to commit yourself to some independent study and lesson planning time outside of the classroom, but we schedule quite a bit of time within the 4-week TEFL course for planning and preparation. If you balance your workload and make good use of your time in the classroom, you will have weekends to enjoy the sights around Siem Reap and surrounding areas. Our training centre and accommodation options are centrally located within Siem Reap for evenings out.

  • An open mind and sense of humour!
  • Your ORIGINAL degree and transcripts if you are a degree holder, so we can apply for the best jobs according to your qualifications. (not a requirement for Cambodia)
  • Your prepared CV/resumé, and we’ll assist you in tweaking it for the local job market in Cambodia.
  • A police clearance certificate or a criminal background check is often required to apply for a work permit as a teacher. Please ensure you get one before coming to Cambodia. The process is different depending on where you are from.
  • We provide some stationery. Bringing a laptop or tablet (whichever you find easier to work on) will make your time on the course, as well as afterwards as a teacher in Cambodia, MUCH easier. You’ll need to do research and resource for lesson plans, type up lesson plans, etc. We do have computers at the training centre in Siem Reap, but these are for printing purposes only. Afterwards, you will really need one for teaching, so we strongly suggest you bring something with you.
  • Everything else as per normal travel requirements and personal effects for your journey to Cambodia.
  • Covid 19 Vaccinations – In the midst of the pandemic, the Ministry of Education has urged all teachers to be vaccinated however Cambodia has lifted all Covid travel restrictions and unvaccinated travellers are allowed to enter Cambodia. The Cambodian Independent Teachers Association (CITA) president Ouk Chhayavy said that teachers, school administrators and staff should voluntarily register for vaccination because it was the “right thing to do” for their own health and the health of their students. Destination TEFL does not require any of our teachers to be vaccinated. We can however not guarantee that a school may not insist that their teachers need to be vaccinated. If this is the case, placement might take a bit longer but in general, our teachers are not asked if they are or aren’t vaccinated.

Read our blog post on what you can expect as an ESL teacher in Cambodia.

Course Dates

Cambodia Full Onsite Course Dates
04 March 2024 to 28 March 2024
15 April 2024 to 9 May 2024
13 May 2024 to 6 June 2024
10 June 2024 to 4 July 2024
29 July 2024 to 22 August 2024
26 August 2024 to 19 September 2024
30 September 2024 to 24 October 2024
28 October 2024 to 21 November 2024
25 November 2024 to 19 December 2024
06 January 2025 to 30 January 2025
03 February 2025 to 27 February 2025
03 March 2025 to 27 March 2025
14 April 2025 to 08 May 2025
12 May 2025 to 05 June 2025
09 June 2025 to 03 July 2025
28 July 2025 to 21 August 2025
25 August 2025 to 18 September 2025
29 September 2025 to 23 October 2025
27 October 2025 to 20 November 2025
24 November 2025 to 18 December 2025
Cambodia TEFL Extension Dates
11 March 2024 to 28 March 2024
22 April 2024 to 09 May 2024
20 May 2024 to 06 June 2024
17 June 2024 to 04 July 2024
05 August 2024 to 22 August 2024
02 September 2024 to 19 September 2024
07 October 2024 to 24 October 2024
04 November 2024 to 21 November 2024
02 December 2024 to 19 December 2024
13 January 2025 to 30 January 2025
10 February 2025 to 27 February 2025
10 March 2025 to 27 March 2025
21 April 2025 to 08 May 2025
19 May 2025 to 05 June 2025
16 June 2025 to 03 July 2025
04 August 2025 to 21 August 2025
01 September 2025 to 18 September 2025
06 October 2025 to 23 October 2025
03 November 2025 to 20 November 2025
01 December 2025 to 18 December 2025

4 week Course Schedule in Cambodia

The schedule over the 4 weeks in Siem Reap will include class days, cultural days and days off (This timetable is subject to change as required by the course director). Class times are generally from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, but may vary depending on teaching practicums and other factors. Additional work such as resourcing and lesson planning will need to be done after hours, either as teamwork or individually.

The first two weeks will generally be comprised of input sessions on the techniques, strategies and theories, which you will then apply in a real classroom setting.

In the second half of your course, you will be putting into practice everything you’ve been taught by being immersed in a real classroom environment with observed teacher practicums with non-native English speaking students and given detailed feedback, with which to improve and grow.