TEFL Bali

Beautiful Bali

Bali is a world-famous island in the Indonesian archipelago. Located in the Java Sea, Bali is an approximately 4-hour flight from Australia’s west coast and only a 10-hour flight from London.

The island is known for its immense surf scene, gorgeous rice paddies, and its yoga and holistic living culture. Local hospitality makes a warm and comforting experience whilst feeling relaxed and safe.

The varied landscape of hills and mountains, rough and rugged coastlines, lush sandy beaches, gorgeous rice terraces, and barren volcanic hillsides all provide the perfect photo backdrop to the deep and cultured soul of the island. It’s easy to see why Bali makes many people’s bucket lists.

Country Info

Bali is a world-famous island in the Indonesian archipelago. Located in the Java Sea, Bali is an approximately 4-hour flight from Australia’s west coast and only a 10-hour flight from London.

The island is known for its immense surf scene, gorgeous rice paddies, and its yoga culture. Local hospitality and culture make a warm and comforting experience whilst feeling relaxed and safe.

The varied landscape of hills and mountains, rough and rugged coastlines, lush sandy beaches, gorgeous rice terraces, and barren volcanic hillsides all provide the perfect photo backdrop to the deep and cultured soul of the island. Bali is paradise on earth.

Why do your TEFL course in Bali, Indonesia?

If you’re a beach bum, you won’t be disappointed in Bali’s offerings. From soft white palm-fringed beaches to dramatic black volcanic sand beaches you’ll find a place to top up your tan. And if deejays playing chilled tunes and a barman on hand to refill your mojito are your thing, then you’ll find trendy beach clubs galore – just listen for the beat and let your nose follow the scent of coconut suntan lotion and you’ll soon see the deck chairs and tasseled sun umbrellas. Any surfer will include Bali on their list of all-time ultimate waves to ride. Along Kuta beach, you’ll see endless surf schools where beginners can learn the ropes in shallow waters. Big-time surfers will head to Uluwatu. It’s rare that you’ll find a day with an un-rideable wave in in Bali at one of the many surf spots.

Bali is known for its stylish shops – particularly in Seminyak where the shopping strip includes some of the best retail therapy outlets for clothing and interiors. You’ll pick up some great bargains, but better yet, you’ll find unique items, often locally made. In Sanur, you’ll find the same, yet better priced as it’s a less touristy location.

Bali has much to offer those who want to soak up new cultures. Participate in interesting festivals and ceremonies, visit spectacular Balinese Hindu temples, and marvel at the colourful offerings put out daily by the locals. Canang sari is one of the daily offerings made by locals to thank the Sang Hyang Widhi Wasa. Canang sari will be seen in the temples as well as on small shrines in houses, and on the ground.

Are you a nature lover? Each day can bring on a new adventure in the great outdoors, from exploring the many beaches to hiking a volcano to meeting the inquisitive monkeys in the Monkey Forest in Ubud (they are free, wild, and protected – but cheeky!) Bali’s interior, mountains and beaches, as well as surrounding islands all invite you to explore.

If you’re looking for a pamper session, Bali has a great selection of spas, retreats, and wellness centres that cater to all budgets.

A visit to Bali is no time to diet. From delicious local dishes to international fare, Bali is a foodie’s paradise. Add to that a coffee culture and beach bar scene and you’ll never want for a good meal. Of course, restaurants with a view are aplenty – whether it’s a view of a surf break or a picturesque rice paddy in Ubud. From street food to fine dining, Bali has it all.

Bali is but one island of many forming the country of Indonesia. Your opportunities to explore and also teach, don’t stop here.

Location of the Destination TEFL training centre in Bali

Our Destination TEFL training centre in Bali is ideally located in Sanur on the east coast of Bali. Sanur Beach is quieter than the more touristy west coast, with a more authentic Balinese vibe, yet offers all the conveniences you’ll need during your stay. The beach is protected by a string of offshore reefs providing warm, calm waters ideal for swimming. If you’re a surfer, you’ll be pleased to hear it offers some of the best surfing in the world, depending on the conditions – it’s shallow at low tide, with more consistent waves beyond the reef.

Sanur is ideally located for exploring the splendours of the nearby island of Nusa Lembongan, approximately 8KM2 in size, and is one of three neighbouring islands, the others being much the larger Nusa Penida and tiny Nusa Ceningan.

For a scenic bike ride, Sanur’s paved beachfront cycle-path stretches about 5km from the Jalan Mertasari area in south Sanur, north to the main beach at Jalan Hangtuah. If water sports are more your scene, try kitesurfing, windsurfing, wakeboarding, surfing or paragliding.

Traditional fishing boats can be seen on Sanur Beach offering a postcard-perfect view of the island Nusa Penida. The beach is beautiful with its golden sands and calm, blue waters. Restaurants, resorts and shops are spread around the coastal area, with many authentic Balinese products on offer from food to clothing to homeware.

Getting around during your TEFL course in Bali

Jalan Danau Tamblingan, the main street in Sanur, has a number of shops for car, motorbike and bicycle rental. Metered taxis patrol the streets looking for passengers. Grab and Gojek are like Uber for TukTuk/bikes. Download their apps, to be used for both transport and food delivery. Local bemos run up and down both Jalan Danau Tamblingan and Jalan Danau Poso. Sanur is also a great place to walk, as the distances are not far, the streets are relatively quiet, and you’ll find a fantastic paved beachfront path which runs the whole length of the district. Sanur is well positioned to get to other areas of the island: 20 min by taxi from the airport, 15 min to the capital, Denpasar, and about 45 min to Ubud, Kuta and Seminyak.

In summary, Sanur has the best to offer: it is not as busy as other beach towns such as Seminyak or Kuta, but it’s not too quiet either.

FAQ

  • Our TEFL course in Bali, Indonesia exceeds all international criteria, with emphasis
    placed on practical teaching experience. Our directors and trainers have 50 + years
    of combined experience in both TEFL as well as gap year programs.
  • Our TEFL course trainers in Bali are highly qualified.
  • All of the learning at our training centre in Bali 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 practicums will start from week two when you’ll be able to
    apply these techniques yourself.
    We limit our numbers at our TEFL centre in Bali 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 Bali. 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, note that you need a bachelor’s
    degree to get a work permit as a teacher in Indonesia. If you don’t have a degree,
    you can still do the course and we can assist you with job placement in Cambodia**
    You need to have a passport from one of the official native English Speaking
    countries (NES) including South Africa to get a work permit as a teacher.
  • We have a low student to instructor ratio on our TEFL/TESOL course in Bali, 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 Indonesia 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 Bali (TPs) – we will transport you
    there, and we have students coming to our training centre for lessons.
  • Choose Bali as your TEFL course destination for its island and beach vibe, and its
    bucket-list reputation for ticking all the boxes including food, culture, health and
    wellness, adventure and Instagram-ready photo opportunities.
  • Our Bali TEFL course package includes many extras, including airport collection,
    personal assistance with your CV/resumé, stationery and supplies, a cultural tour,
    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 Indonesia 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. Some
    graduates choose to stay in Bali and work as digital nomads, as online TEFL teachers.
  • We have connections with many schools and agencies, not only in Indonesia, 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 Bali, Indonesia 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 Bali, Indonesia 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 Indonesia so that you can brush up in your own time prior to the start of the course. During the TESOL course in Bali , 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 Bali 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 Bali. 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 Indonesia. Note that for the work permit as a teacher in Indonesia, you need to have a passport from one of the official NES countries – including South Africa.
We have no official upper age limit for the TEFL course in Bali, 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 – however note that it’s unlikely that someone of this age has a bachelor’s degree, so therefore placement cannot be in Indonesia. 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 Indonesia. 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. The retirement age for local teachers in Indonesia is 60 years of age, so placements over this age for foreign teachers can be difficult too.
Yes. Upon successful completion of our 4-week TEFL course, you will receive a certificate which is recognised worldwide. Destination TEFL Bali’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 – this is the case in Indonesia. 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. Should you not have a bachelor’s degree, we can assist with job placement in Cambodia 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).
Interested in teaching in Thailand, Vietnam or Indonesia after the course in Indonesia?
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. NOTE: South Africans also require a
TOEIC or IELTS score at NES level to teach in Thailand. Non-degree holders can be placed in
Cambodia.
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 the beaches and interior of Bali, including day or overnight trips on the weekend. Our training centre and accommodation options are centrally located conveniently for evenings out.
  • An open mind and sense of humour!
  • Your ORIGINAL degree and transcripts, authenticated, a requirement for the work
    permit.
  • Your prepared CV/resumé, and we’ll assist you in tweaking it for the local job market
    in Indonesia.
  • 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
    Indonesia. 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
    Indonesia 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 Bali, 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 Bali, Indonesia.
  • Be fully vaccinated against covid-19.

Course Dates

Bali Full Onsite Course Dates
08 January 2024 to 01 February 2024
05 February 2024 to 29 February 2024
04 March 2024 to 28 March 2024
15 April 2024 to 09 May 2024
13 May 2024 to 06 June 2024
10 June 2024 to 04 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
Bali 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 TEFL/TESOL course schedule in Bali, Indonesia

The schedule over the 4 weeks in Bali will include classroom sessions cultural immersion trips and days off. (This timetable may change as required by the course director). Class times are usually from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, but may be different depending on teaching practicums and other factors. Additional work such as resourcing for your classes and the lesson planning will need to be done either as teamwork or individually after hours.

The first two weeks are mostly input sessions on the techniques, strategies and theories, to prepare you for your teacher pracs.

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