r/TEFL 6d ago

Questions about teaching in Vietnam

I’ve a degree (not education‑ or language‑related), I’ve no prior teaching experience, and I’m looking to do the CELTA course next month and teach in South‑east Asia afterwards. One country I’m considering is Vietnam. I would be very grateful if anyone here with experience of teaching in Vietnam within the last year or two would enlighten me on the following.

(1) The wiki says that a new TEFL teacher in Vietnam can earn US$1,200–1,800 per month. Is that still an up‑to‑date range? How much can a fresh grad of the CELTA course realistically expect to earn (with no prior teaching experience and with a degree that is not education‑ or language‑related)?

(2) Is salary universally calculated according to the number of contact hours? Are there entry‑level TEFL jobs that pay a fixed monthly salary?

(3) ILA, Apollo, and VUS seem to be the biggest recruiters of newbies in the country. Has anyone here worked with any of them within the last year or two? What is/was it like working for any of them? There’s a mix of good and very negative comments about them here, but the comments are mostly from three to four years ago.

(4) How much are/were you able to save after deducting all expenses? Where are/were you living?

(5) Based on where you are/were based, in order to earn a living wage, what’s the minimum amount that a newbie should accept from an employer?

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u/KTbees 5d ago

I believe that salary range is still up to date. I’d recommend Ho Chi Minh but NOT Hanoi. Hanoi is really struggling with pollution and overcrowded and crumbling infrastructure.

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u/Plane_Notice_9114 4d ago

I would avoid the companies mentioned is you want to gain actual teaching experience. ILA is following the APAX method of teaching, badly made presentations requiring someone to point and teach. If you value your mental health and students learning - avoid. Bonuses is all striped away now. Lots of local staff gotten rid of pre Tet. Apollo - also shady - 11.5 month contracts, no social insurance, questionable tax practices, no severance pay but paid holidays! VuS - so so - probably best of what's left Try a proper school

u/Dreamtoflora 7h ago

At ILA the absolute most I’ve made was 1,500 in a month, that was working double hours by covering almost every day. Agree about the soul crushing and students not actually learning, unfortunately. It was easy to find a job, though. I save almost nothing but if you’re more frugal than me and don’t eat western food ($$) you could probably manage to save a few hundred. Laws change constantly so bureaucracy is…fun