• Quality Education

Vietnam English Teaching Volunteers

location
2 - 12 weeks  ·  Age 18 - 50+
rating  Outstanding 4.9  · 
  Verified by Volunteer World
  Excellent response rate
Volunteer project with the highest quality. This project sets unprecedented standards in quality - an unparalleled level of excellence.

Highlights

  • 75% of volunteers are 17-22 years old
  • Gain teaching experience within a supported network
  • Enhance future opportunities for students in Vietnam
  • Learn about traditional Vietnamese ways of living
  • Taste some of Southeast Asia’s most delicious dishes

Especially good for

Age 18+
Singles
Groups

About the program

Teach English in Vietnam where you can bring new ideas to the classroom and help students at schools and community classes improve their English.

As a volunteer teaching English in Vietnam with PMGY, you will work to encourage students to develop skills that will help them to achieve their future goals. Conversing with fluent, native English speakers greatly improves their language skills, essential for future employment. This project ...

About the program

As a volunteer teaching English in Vietnam with PMGY, you will work to encourage students to develop skills that will help them to achieve their future goals. Conversing with fluent, native English speakers greatly improves their language skills, essential for future employment. This project provides the perfect opportunity for international volunteers to teach English in Vietnam, putting their leadership skills into practice across schools and communities in Hanoi.
BACKGROUND TO THE TEACHING PROGRAM
Education is becoming an increasingly important issue in Vietnam. Traditionally, agriculture has provided jobs for the masses, but this sector’s growth has plummeted. Nowadays, international commercial trade governs the Vietnamese economy, especially in major cities such as Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. This economic shift has created a greater demand for skilled labour and a workforce that is multilingual. In such circumstances, English is frequently the main language required.
In recent years, access to primary and secondary education has risen significantly, and schools have received increased levels of funding. Furthermore, there is a greater focus on physical, psychological, social and emotional growth, alongside general educational achievement. English language training was introduced into the national curriculum in 2010. This follows continued recognition from the government for the importance of the ability to speak English to young people.
PMGY supports a range of educational establishments and classes, from government high schools to universities and education classes for the local community. The aim of our teachers in Vietnam is to create an environment that encourages students to practice their English and improve their confidence. We encourage volunteers in Vietnam participants to keep the lessons fun. Being creative to make the lessons interesting will encourage the students to engage and improve their confidence.
TEACHING VOLUNTEER PLACEMENT EXAMPLES
Community & University Classes - Alongside our work with schools in Hanoi, our volunteers in Vietnam contribute to a number of community classes. These take place within the local community and nearby Universities. There are typically four different levels of classes per Community/University setting. Each class will attend two sessions per week. Every day, volunteers will engage in two classes: one morning, and one afternoon. The first hour of the lesson will typically focus on learning and understanding English vocabulary and phrases. The second hour tends to concentrate on putting this into practice.
The community classes are attended by high school and university students wishing to improve their English. Unfortunately, these individuals cannot afford private tuition. Most of the students come from rural areas and move to the city to attend university. The aim of the classes is to create a fun and interactive environment for the class participants to practice their English. On average 5-20 people attend each class.
High Schools - The main school we support is Nguyen Tat Thanh (NTT) project. NTT is a secondary school (11-18 years of age), home to over 2,500 students. English language skills are of growing importance at the school. However, the local teachers tend to focus on teaching listening, reading and writing skills, rather than focussing on communication skills. This is often because this is an area they are limited in themselves.
NTT is fairly well-resourced, but the school cannot afford to hire enough native speaking English staff. Furthermore, with large class sizes, it is difficult for teachers to give students the individual attention they need. Therefore, English speaking volunteers make an invaluable contribution to the school's ambition to improve the English of their students. There may also be the chance to help with sports classes: badminton, basketball, football and volleyball are the main sports taught. If willing, as a volunteer teaching English in Vietnam, you can also spend time helping improve the English of the teaching staff. This helps bring about long term development at the school.
Circus and Vaudeville College - The Vietnam Circus and Variety Arts College was established in 1961. The college is a centre for creating, staging, and experimenting with new, modern circus acts while also preserving and restoring traditional circus acts. Currently, the program is the only training institution for professional circus performers in the whole of South East Asia. Most students who attend the project are aged from 12-17 years of age.
With support from the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, the college has grown in various fields. To date, the college has trained over 40 courses of circus performers and individuals working in the arts. Through many international missions, the college has conducted numerous short-term training sessions and long-term training courses, to enhance the skills, techniques and teaching expertise of neighbouring countries. The college has contributed to the founding of many circus troupes at home and abroad.
The students at the school are required to combine their training and performance commitments with academic endeavour. Therefore, they combine their practice time in the gymnasium with studying in the classroom. With students from the college often travelling and competing in international events, improving their English language skills is of great benefit. As a volunteer teaching English in Vietnam, you will assist students in enhancing their proficiency in English. Most importantly, developing interactive tasks focussing on improving their communication skills.
By fostering a positive and interactive learning environment, international volunteers will help inspire students to become more confident with the English language. As a volunteer in Vietnam, you will make lesson plans and prepare materials before each class. Such lessons will cover a variety of English topics. Volunteers are encouraged to lead class-based activities which focus on building the speaking and listening skills of the students. The students are typically excited to learn from international participants so be sure to bring lots of energy to this project. A local team member will also support volunteers to manage the students during the class.
OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER TEACHING IN VIETNAM
Return Airport Transfer - Your return airport transfer is not included in your Program Fee. Our local team can help arrange onward transfers to the airport or an alternative destination from the volunteer accommodation. Making specific arrangements once in Vietnam provides more flexibility as plans can often change and participants may be on similar flight plans. Alternatively, a more common and cheaper method is to use a ridesharing app. Participants can often be travelling across their final few days and therefore are not necessarily heading back to the airport directly from our accommodation. The costs depend on your method of transport and your final destination. This can often be split across multiple participants if you are travelling with someone else on the program.
Experience - For the English Teaching program, teaching experience is not essential as the mere presence of a native English speaker is invaluable. As long as you are creative, determined and resourceful you can have a constructive impact on the development of the children’s education.
TEFL Course - We encourage volunteers to prepare as much as possible for their teaching program overseas. You can make the most out of your time by completing our convenient, inexpensive and international accredited 60 hour Online TEFL Course. The cost of this course is only 150 USD.
Resources - On the teach English in Vietnam project, resources can be very limited. Volunteers are recommended to bring materials to the project each day to maximise their productivity and day to day involvement. It is therefore important for volunteers to prepare well in advance to get the most out of their teaching English project experience.
Project Availability - When you participate in your volunteer work in Vietnam, your project location will be dictated based on the greatest need at the time. Where possible, the local team will place participants on their preferred project, when this has been noted within their application. However, this cannot be guaranteed in any case, and participants must be open to working in any location.
During June and July, most schools in Vietnam and universities will be on summer vacation. During this time, volunteers on Vietnam English teaching program will be placed within one of our community classes or a summer camp. Each summer camp lasts around 2 weeks within a relatively relaxed and casual setting. In these cases, there are usually three levels of students, with each level taught separately: Primary, Middle School and High School. Every group receives ten lessons, one each day over a period of two weeks (Monday to Friday).
Weekends - Your project work in Vietnam runs from Monday-Thursday and weekends are free (Friday-Sunday). You are welcome to relax and hang out at the volunteer accommodation, but most participants will use this time to travel and explore the country. As a result, you can check out our Vietnam Weekend Travel Guide for top tips on how to spend your weekend. For those who wish to stay in Hanoi on Friday, you are encouraged to continue your participation in the project as usual.

Typical day

As a volunteer work in Vietnam, you will be responsible for preparing and leading your own activities within the lessons. Depending on the volunteer project location you may be required to follow a curriculum. Communication with the local teachers and staff is therefore key, ensuring they can ...

Typical day

As a volunteer work in Vietnam, you will be responsible for preparing and leading your own activities within the lessons. Depending on the volunteer project location you may be required to follow a curriculum. Communication with the local teachers and staff is therefore key, ensuring they can support you with the lessons and activities you prepare.

As an English teacher on this Vietnam volunteer program, you must be proactive in taking the lead around the topic. Our local team will be on hand to guide you as you plan your lessons. They will give you an idea of what former volunteers have taught and what students wish to learn. We will also give you ideas on what activities you can implement when teaching. To teach English in Vietnam, there is no requirement to have taught before. Where possible our local team aims to segment the group the students relative to their ability and level of English. This helps to improve the structure and productivity of the classes.

Whilst each project is different, the typical working hours for a volunteer teaching English abroad are 8am to 6pm Monday to Thursday. In school settings, volunteers will be expected to teach up to four classes per day. Typically on the volunteer abroad programs, two classes will be taught in the morning and the same in the afternoon. Each class lasts approximately 45 minutes, with a 10 minute break between two consecutive classes. Lunch is taken between the morning and afternoon sessions. With up to 50 children in one class, experience and confidence are great skills to have and develop. Volunteers must also be flexible, creative and show determination to succeed!

The university and community classes both follow a similar structure. Volunteers who teach English in Vietnam will lead two classes per day - one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Each class will last 2 hours (4 hours total per day). In general, volunteers will be at the project from 9am-4pm each day, with an extended lunch break. Volunteers will teach 4 different classes each week. For all teaching projects, Fridays are usually not spent at the project and are instead used to prepare lessons for the following week.

Local transport to and from the project each day is included in your Program Fee. Most placements are located within a 1 hour commute of the Volunteer House. Volunteers will either be provided with a bus pass in-country or be reimbursed their travel fares on a weekly basis. The bus station is around a 10 minute walk from the Volunteer House. The local team will travel with you on the first day to introduce you to your placement.

Free-time activities

PMGY volunteers are based in a quiet, friendly neighbourhood approximately 45 minutes from the Old Quarter of Hanoi. There is everything you need within walking distance of the Volunteer House: ATMs, supermarkets, laundrettes, chemists, as well as some great cafes and local bars.
High-octane Hanoi is ...

Free-time activities

PMGY volunteers are based in a quiet, friendly neighbourhood approximately 45 minutes from the Old Quarter of Hanoi. There is everything you need within walking distance of the Volunteer House: ATMs, supermarkets, laundrettes, chemists, as well as some great cafes and local bars.
High-octane Hanoi is a feast for the senses. The first thing that hits you is the sound of swarms of buzzing motorbikes followed swiftly by the amazing wafts and tastes of incredible street food found throughout the city. Full of distinctive character as well as a confident buzz, Hanoi is now considered a pretty cool city.
For many, simply being in Hanoi and soaking up the atmosphere is entertainment in itself but there are many fascinating places for you to visit whilst you’re not volunteering both in the city and further afield.

Requirements

Requirements

Minimum Age: 18 years

In order to join the program you need to be at least 18 years old on the program start date. There might be exemptions if you can provide the permission of your legal guardian(s) or if your are accompanied by your parents.

Language Skills

You need to speak English (intermediate level)

Criminal Background Check

required

Nationality Restrictions

No restrictions. Helping hands from all over the world are welcome.

Other Skills

You should also be physically fit, as volunteering overseas can be quite strenuous. If you have any medical/mental health conditions that may affect your participation overseas then these must be declared to us during your online application.

Time Commitment

Your helping hand will be required on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 09:00 - 14:00

What's Included

What's Included

Services by Plan My Gap Year

  • Accommodation 
  • Meals (Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner)
  • Airport Pick Up
  • Public Transport To/From Project
  • In-Country Orientation
  • 24 Hour Support

Airport Pickup at Noi Bai International Airport

You should arrive into Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi (airport code HAN) on the Wednesday. The airport pickup is available 24 hours. On arrival a member of our local team will be at the waiting area for you holding a sign with your name on it. They will drive you straight to the Volunteer House in Hanoi where you can relax and settle in. This journey takes around 45 minutes depending on traffic. 

Accommodation

On the Vietnam volunteer program, you will live in our Volunteer House. Our accommodation is based within a quiet and friendly neighbourhood of Hanoi, approximately a 45 minute bus journey from the Old Quarter of Hanoi (the main tourist area). There are a number of restaurants, convenience stores and ATMs only a walk from the Volunteer House. Our Vietnam volunteer programs are also located in various locations around the city.
As a volunteer in Vietnam, you will be living with other international volunteers. The Volunteer House is large, basic but comfortable. Bedrooms conform to a single-sex dorm-style setup, with up to 8 people per room. Air-conditioning is available in each room and individuals will be provided with the bed linen. During the winter months, participants are recommended to bring additional bedding, such as a sleeping bag. Each bedroom in the Volunteer House has its own shared bathroom, with a western-style toilet and shower. Hot water at the accommodation is provided in the winter months only. There is some, but limited hanging space in each room.
There is free Wi-Fi within certain areas of the house, including the main communal area. This can be intermittent, therefore volunteers in Vietnam are also recommended to purchase a local SIM card in-country to use with an unlocked mobile phone. There is a large designated communal area within the Volunteer House where volunteers can relax and socialise. Within the accommodation, there are two washing machines that can be used free of charge, and participants can purchase detergent cheaply from shops nearby. Alternatively, there are laundry services around the neighbourhood, available for a reasonable price.
Each volunteer will be provided with a locker to keep valuable items. Volunteers are asked to pay a deposit of 50,000 VND or 5 USD for the locker key which can be reclaimed at the end of your program. However, volunteers are encouraged to only bring essential items during their volunteer work in Vietnam. There is fridge space within the accommodation for volunteers to cool items they need to keep chilled. Please note that power cuts are fairly commonplace in Vietnam although they tend not to last more than a couple of hours.
Each volunteer is provided with a house key (subject to a deposit of 5 USD) so the house is accessible at all time and to ensure general volunteer safety. We also have a member of staff (usually a nanny or an intern from the local team) present in the house overnight. Please note if you arrive late in the evening on the arrival day at our Volunteer House, it is likely our local team will not be present and you will meet them the following day.
Most of our volunteer projects in Vietnam are not within walking distance of the Volunteer House. In these cases, you will need to travel to and from the volunteer placement each day. The local team will introduce you to different options during your orientation. Most participants will reach their project via public bus.

Food & Beverages

During your volunteer trip to Vietnam, you’ll be provided with three meals a day, except on Saturdays when meals are not served. Meals will be traditional Vietnamese dishes – this means a lot of rice! All food will be nutritious and freshly cooked. Free drinking water is available 24/7.
For breakfast, you can expect fruit, toast and tea/coffee. Some of the volunteer opportunities will provide you with lunch. This is usually the case for volunteers that have longer travel times to and from the project and it is not possible for them to return to the Volunteer House. In these cases, lunch is either provided at the project or you can take lunch at a nearby cafe. In the latter circumstance, the local team will reimburse you up to 40,000 VND. When lunch is taken at the Volunteer House, the dish is usually always a Vietnamese dish, which will include soup, rice, vegetables and sometimes meat or fish.
Dinner is served at the Volunteer House. Generally speaking, meals are served in the early evenings and usually divided into equal portions by the nannies to ensure everyone gets an equal amount. You can expect a variety of dishes, so there will be always something to suit even the fussiest eaters! A typical meal will have pork, fish, beef or chicken and tofu or egg and at least two different kinds of vegetable dishes, along with rice and soup. On an ad-hoc basis, our team also serve a western meal – our volunteers always appreciate this. Meals at the Volunteer House are usually served in buffet format so participants are recommended to eat as soon as the food is ready to avoid food going cold quickly.
If you fancy eating out there are plenty of cafes and local amenities in the surrounding area or you can take a bus or taxi into the main tourist area, the Old Quarter, in the city of Hanoi.

Internet Access

Good access at the project site

What's NOT included?

What's NOT included?

Flight Tickets

The nearest airport is Noi Bai International Airport (HAN) in Hanoi. We assist you to find cheap flights to Vietnam. FIND CHEAP FLIGHTS

Travel Insurance

Going abroad is an adventure and it is always best to be prepared. Sudden illness or injury, cancellation or theft - a travel insurance for Vietnam provides security and is a plus to have. GET A QUOTE

Vaccines

If you are intending to volunteer in Vietnam you should seek medical advice before starting your social journey. Check your required vaccinations for Vietnam. VACCINE CHECKER

Details on arrival

This program starts on the 1st & 3rd Wednesday of every month

Availability
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Program fees

2 weeks (min. stay) 680€
3 weeks 829€
4 weeks 978€
6 weeks 1,276€
8 weeks 1,649€
10 weeks 1,948€
12 weeks (max. stay) 2,246€
Average fees 263€/week

Program fees

263€ per week 2 - 12 weeks Age 18 - 50+

Payment methods

Visa Master Card Maestro American Express PayPal

NO CREDIT CARD FEES

Duration

2 - 12 weeks

Deposit

The deposit is simply to reserve your volunteer placement. Payments are handled by PayPal, our trusted global payment provider. If you don't have a PayPal account, you can also pay using a credit card.

Final Payment

Your final payment will be agreed with Plan My Gap Year during the application process. Common solutions are either via bank transfer or a cash payment at the project site.

Meet your organization

Plan My Gap Year

Outstanding 4.9 rating (1434 reviews)

Agency - founded in 2011

Verified by Volunteer World

  Excellent response rate

Coordinated by

Josh

Spoken languages: English

About the project

Plan My Gap Year is an award-winning international volunteer placement organisation based in the UK.

Meet your organization

Plan My Gap Year is an award-winning international volunteer placement organisation based in the UK. We provide safe, affordable, need-driven volunteer programmes from 1 to 24 weeks in 11 countries worldwide.

A LITTLE BIT ABOUT US…

Founded by volunteers for volunteers, Plan My Gap Year works with local communities in the developing world towards long-term sustainable goals. We know there is no better way to travel and make a positive impact on the world.

We work extremely hard to ensure that our opportunities are affordable for everyone who wants to make a difference. So fees are 100% transparent, something our volunteers really appreciate.

Plan My Gap Year structured programmes create the perfect platform for you to see the world, meet like-minded people and engage in meaningful volunteer work. We have teams in the UK and in our host destinations who will support you 24/7 throughout your time with us. Furthermore, every project on our network is regularly risk-assessed by our UK team to ensure our set up is safe and that our volunteers are making a positive impact.

There is also a great social element to our programmes. Plan My Gap Year puts you in touch with all your fellow volunteers via Facebook before you set off. Our projects receive volunteers from around the world throughout the year, so even if you’re travelling solo, you’re going to meet heaps of people along the way. Plus you’ll have plenty of opportunity to travel the country with your newfound travel buddies – it’s all part of the PMGY experience!

So if you’re thinking of doing something a bit different on your next trip abroad, then why not drop us a line and find out what extraordinary things you could be doing.

AFFORDABLE & TRANSPARENT FEES

Our aim is to make our programmes accessible to motivated travellers irrespective of their financial capacity. Plan My Gap Year focuses on providing the core requirements of a volunteer programme: safety, structure and sustainability.

We are 100% transparent with our fees. That way you know exactly how much of your money goes towards the local community.

Compared to the large majority of volunteer organisations out there, even most charities and not-for-profits, PMGY’s opportunities are significantly cheaper. Furthermore, as our reviews will testify, our support service and structured programmes are second to none.

SAFETY & RISK MANAGEMENT

Your safety is our top priority. All of Plan My Gap Years' programmes have been personally inspected and vetted by the PMGY team – which is not an industry standard by any means. We carry out independent risk assessments on an annual basis and our local teams constantly review the safety precautions we implement. This includes regular staff and safety appraisals.

 Our local teams are made up of highly experienced volunteer coordinators. They have hosted international volunteers for many years and are prepared to react in the unlikely event of an emergency. Whatever the problem, big or small, our local teams are available around the clock.

As part of our commitment to your safety, we keep in constant communication with local embassies and the Foreign & Commonwealth Office to ensure we can identify potentially dangerous situations and act upon them immediately. Our UK team are available 24/7 to assist volunteers and their families.

TRAINING & SUPPORT

We support our volunteers every step of the way. Before you go we will provide you with a detailed Volunteer Handbook, which will guide you through how to prepare for your trip. This Handbook contains literally everything you need to know – from what to pack, to how to obtain a visa, to local language guides.

Our experienced UK team are always available to provide assistance. Plan My Gap Year is always available to answer our questions and support you in anyway we can. 

On arrival, a member of our in-country team will collect you from the airport and help you settle in. Your orientation course will teach you everything you need to know about the country, how to stay safe and what to expect from your upcoming volunteer experience. 

Our local team are on-call 24/7. Whether you’ve lost your passport or just want some help in planning a weekend trip, our friendly in-country coordinators provide that safety net to ensure you are well looked after.

RESPONSIBLE TRAVEL

Plan My Gap Years' responsibility is not limited to our travellers but also the projects we support. That is why all our volunteers must provide a Criminal Background Check before they travel.

It is essential that our projects are need-driven and sustainable. We work closely with our local partners to ensure that our volunteers are contributing to bring about long-term development.

PERSONAL TOUCH

We really know our programmes. Our UK team have stayed in the accommodation, volunteered at the projects and met the volunteers. We carefully assess each application we receive so that your personality and skills are suited to the project. Whatever your query, you can feel assured that you will be speaking to someone who can tell you exactly what to expect.

HAVING FUN

One of the best aspects of volunteering is meeting some amazing like-minded people. We place over 2,000 volunteers every year so wherever and whenever you go, you have the peace of mind in knowing you will be living and working alongside other PMGY volunteers. In many of our destinations, we run our own Volunteer House accommodation, which ensures all volunteers live together, and therefore guaranteeing a strong social element. In addition, our local team are always there to help you plan any independent travel or give you some tips for what to do at the weekend.

1434 reviews · rating4.9

Adrien Bourlet rating5

2024 at Vietnam English Teaching Volunteers

The PMGY Vietnam program was very well-organized. I participated in the English Teaching project for a month, and it was immensely rewarding to see the students' enthusiasm. The children were eager to learn, and the local staff were always available to assist and provided valuable guidance ...
Adrià Lara rating5

2024 at Vietnam English Teaching Volunteers

The experience with the kids at the school makes me feel more concious about the Vietnam´s culture and their people. The volunteering was amazing, all the staff was always with you and they help you all the time in case you had any problem. Also I would like to thanks HÀ, the coordinator of the ...
Anna-Amalia Michel rating5

2024 at Vietnam English Teaching Volunteers

I did the Teaching Program in Vietnam, Hanoi and had a really amazing time. One of the best 4 Weeks in my life. At all times I felt completely safe and in good hands. I met amazing people over the 4 weeks, volunteers and also local staff. Everyone is just so incredibly kind and open-hearted. I was ...
Lucy Hanson-Wilcock rating5

2024 at Vietnam English Teaching Volunteers

Absolutely incredible experience!! The people I worked with were the kindest, and the staff at CSDS were a credit to their organisation. Their dedication to the happiness and wellbeing of the volunteers was ...
Patricia Palesova rating5

2023 at Vietnam English Teaching Volunteers

I would highly recommend doing volunteer work through a programe like pmgy. I absolutely enjoyed my time in Vietnam as an english teaching volunteer, met the best people and I have wonderful memories to look back on now. Most projects are from Mon-Thursday, so Fridays and the Weekends are free and ...
Anastazia Johnson rating5

2023 at Vietnam English Teaching Volunteers

I felt supported all the way through my journey with PlanMyGapYear. The communication with personnel before leaving for my trip, throughout my volunteer experience and after my trip was all very helpful and everyone at PlanMyGapYear were very quick to respond if I ever had a query. I would recommend ...

Location

Asia > South East Asia > Vietnam > Hanoi

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Volunteer Abroad  >  Education  >  English Teaching in Vietnam
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