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Paid TEFL internships abroad

Qualify with an accredited Global English TESOL course, then step straight into a structured, supported teaching placement abroad - salary, visa help and someone on the ground when you need them. We’re building our internship programmes now with vetted local partners. Register your interest and you’ll be the first to hear when places open.

Choose your destination

We’re starting with the three destinations our graduates ask about most. Each page explains what a typical internship looks like there - salary, semester dates, requirements - so you can plan honestly before anything goes on sale.

Thailand - the classic first placement Vietnam - the best-paid internships in Asia South Korea - salary plus free accommodation

How a TEFL internship works

  1. Qualify online first. You complete an accredited 120-hour Global English TEFL/TESOL course from home, with a personal tutor - the qualification schools and visa offices expect.
  2. Get matched to a placement. A vetted local partner matches you to a school and handles the paperwork trail for your visa and work permit.
  3. Arrive to an orientation, not an airport. Internships start with an in-country orientation - culture, classroom practice, survival language - alongside your intake group.
  4. Teach a paid semester with support. You teach a full school term (typically 4–5 months), earn a local salary, and have in-country support throughout.

Am I eligible?

Exact requirements vary by country, but for most paid internships in Asia you’ll need:

  • A bachelor’s degree in any subject (required for a work permit in Thailand and South Korea - some routes elsewhere don’t need one)
  • A 120-hour TEFL/TESOL certificate - our accredited courses qualify
  • Fluent English (a passport from the UK, Ireland, USA, Canada, Australia, NZ or South Africa makes visas simplest)
  • A clean criminal record check
  • No teaching experience - that’s the point of an internship

Why register with Global English?

Since 1997 we’ve trained over 8,900 teachers, and we’ve watched internship marketing get louder and vaguer. We’re doing it the other way round: we only launch a destination once we’ve personally vetted the local partner who’ll meet you at the airport - the school network, the visa process, the support you get when something goes wrong at 9pm on a Tuesday. Registering your interest costs nothing and commits you to nothing; it just puts you at the front of the queue, and helps us prioritise the destinations people actually want.

Internship FAQs

Are TEFL internships really paid?
Yes - the established programmes in Asia pay a local teaching salary (typically around 30,000–35,000 THB/month in Thailand, more in Vietnam and South Korea). It’s a comfortable local wage, not a Western one: interns live well and travel, but don’t usually save much.
Do I need teaching experience?
No. Internships are designed as a first teaching job: you qualify with a 120-hour TEFL course, get an orientation on arrival, and teach with in-country support.
Do I need a degree?
For Thailand and South Korea, yes - a bachelor’s in any subject is required for the work permit. If you don’t have one, register your interest anyway and tell us: it directly shapes whether we add a non-degree destination such as Cambodia.
When can I apply, and what will it cost?
We haven’t launched yet - we’re finalising on-the-ground partners now, and we won’t take money for a programme before it’s real. Comparable programmes charge roughly £500–£800 including support and orientation. Register your interest and you’ll get first access (and honest pricing) when places open.
Can I start my TEFL course now?
Yes - and it’s the one part you can genuinely get ahead on, because every internship requires a 120-hour certificate. Compare our accredited online courses.

Register your interest

Tell us where you’d like to teach and when you could go. You’ll hear from us before internship places are announced anywhere else.

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Registering your interest doesn’t commit you to anything. The information you provide will be used in accordance with our privacy policy.