Teach English in Cambodia
No degree required. Join one of the most welcoming classrooms in Asia — Cambodian students are warm, the country is affordable, and a high school diploma is enough to get hired. 3,000+ teachers placed since 2007.
Change your life — and others' — through teaching abroad.
Bring meaning and fulfilment by developing your leadership, teaching, and organisation skills. Let others be grateful for your contribution, while you grow in ways you never expected.
"Cambodia surprises every teacher who picks it. People go thinking it's a budget option — they leave saying it was the best year of their twenties.
What's special is the kids. After everything Cambodia has been through, the warmth in those classrooms is something else. And because you don't need a degree, this is one of the few proper paid teaching programs in Asia open to people without one.
Phnom Penh is also one of the easier cities to live in — small enough to know, big enough to keep you entertained, and within a short flight of all of Southeast Asia."
What's included in the Cambodia program
Everything you need to land safely in a paid teaching role in Phnom Penh.
120-hour accredited TESOL course
Held at our Thailand training centre, then you transfer to Cambodia for orientation and placement. No degree required.
$800–$1,600 / month + savings of $300–$500
Non-degree pays $800–$1,500. Degree holders earn $1,000–$1,600. Cambodia's cost of living means most of it stays in your bank.
Full visa & work permit support
Tourist or Business visa depending on placement timing. Bring $700 cash for immigration as proof of funds at the airport.
Phnom Penh placement
Most placements are in the capital. We also have school contacts in Siem Reap, Battambang, and a few other regional centres.
Week by week, what your TESOL course looks like
Mapped out so you know exactly what you're walking into.
Cambodia orientation
Temple visit, walking tour, museum, S21/Killing Fields visit, welcome dinner, teaching practicum. Heavy and beautiful in equal measure.
Methodology & planning
Modern TEFL methodology, classroom management, grammar from the learner's view. Your first lesson plans and micro-lessons.
Live teaching
Specialist modules in young learners and online teaching. Real classroom hours with feedback in the same session.
Final practice + placement
Final observed teaching. CV, video and interview prep. Job contacts shared. Onward to Cambodia for placement.
Everything we include in your Cambodia program
We handle the friction so you can focus on the work.
Thousands of people sent abroad
Here are some of their stories — straight from teachers who lived it.
Sound like your kind of place?
Tell us you're interested and we'll send the full program PDF.
Why Cambodia
Cambodia is the only Southeast Asian program where you don't need a degree. Phnom Penh is small enough to feel like home within a month, demand for English teachers is steady, and the surrounding region — Siem Reap, Vietnam, Thailand — is all within a few hours.
What teaching in Cambodia is really like
Cambodia's teaching market is built on private and international schools, mostly in Phnom Penh. You teach kids ages 4 to 18, often with multiple subjects in English (homeroom-style), to classes of 15–25 students.
Hours are 40–45 a week (20–30 teaching) with two days off (not always back-to-back). Some schools have Saturday classes. All public holidays are off.
The standout feature: warmth. Cambodian students bring an openness that gets remarked on by every teacher we send. After what the country has been through in living memory, every classroom feels like a small act of rebuilding.
Cities we place teachers in
Most placements are in Phnom Penh. We also place in Siem Reap, Battambang, Krong Poipet and Serei Saophoan.
Most placements are here. Compact, walkable in parts, with a strong expat scene and great food. The city most teachers default to.
Smaller, cooler, with Angkor Wat on your doorstep. Slower pace, fewer placements, but a beautiful base for a year.
Battambang, Krong Poipet, Serei Saophoan. Smaller cohorts, lower rents, deeper community.
This could be you in a few months.
We'll walk you through every step — visa, flights, accommodation, and landing your first teaching job.
What it really costs to live in Cambodia
Honest numbers on what teachers spend and what they save.
Studio in Phnom Penh. Outside the centre is cheaper; centre is closer to schools and weekends.
Local food is incredibly cheap. Khmer-style barbecue, street noodles, and a cold beer for under $5.
Tuk-tuks and motorbikes. PassApp / Grab on demand. Some teachers buy a small motorbike second-hand.
Strong savings even on a non-degree salary. The cost of living is one of the lowest in any TEFL Heaven program.
We tell you this upfront — the ones who plan for it love their first year.
You'll arrive on either a Tourist Visa or Business Visa depending on whether you're pre-placed. Either way, bring $700 in cash for immigration as proof of funds — this isn't optional, it's been the rule since late 2024.
We recommend arriving with around $1,300 USD for the Placement Program, or $1,600 for the In-class TESOL + Placement combo. That covers rent deposits, transport, and the bridge to your first paycheck.
If you don't have a degree, your salary band is $800–$1,500/mo. Plan for the lower end for your first 3 months — schools start you on entry rates and bump you as you prove yourself.
What life is really like as a teacher in Cambodia
Cambodia rewards teachers who lean in. The expat scene is small enough that you'll know everyone within a month. The food scene is underrated. And weekends are for Angkor Wat, Sihanoukville's beaches, Kampot's pepper farms, or a $30 flight to Saigon or Bangkok.
Phnom Penh has a riverside, a quieter pace, and a sense of space compared to its big-city neighbours. Many teachers find it the easiest Asian city to settle into.
Cambodia is the program for teachers without a degree. Most of Asia is closed to you without one — Cambodia opens that door, and the teaching market is real, not a backpacker scheme. The schools are professional, the contracts are honoured, and the kids will surprise you.
"It's 7:30 on a Tuesday morning. You're on a tuk-tuk through Phnom Penh, the riverside still cool, your breakfast iced coffee already in hand. Your homeroom class is mixed ages — they'll greet you with a chorus of 'good morning teacher' that never gets old. By 4pm you're back at your apartment, fan on, lesson notes for tomorrow already half-written. Friday means a $40 flight to Saigon."
A Tuesday in month sixTEFL Heaven vs doing it alone
An honest look at your three options for getting into a Cambodian classroom.
- ✕No accredited TEFL certificate
- ✕No live teaching practice
- ✕Find your own school in Phnom Penh
- ✕Navigate the $700 cash rule alone
- ✕Arrival in Phnom Penh = on your own
- ✕Support when things go wrong: none
- ~120-hour online cert
- ✕No live teaching practice
- ✕No visa support
- ✕No job guarantee
- ~Forum access / generic advice
- ✕No in-country team
- ✓120-hour accredited TESOL certificate
- ✓Real classroom teaching practice
- ✓Full visa & work permit guidance
- ✓Guaranteed placement (lifetime guarantee for degree holders)
- ✓Airport pickup + cohort community from day one
- ✓17 years of in-country experience behind you
What you get that a standalone Phnom Penh school can't give you
The Cambodia course is run via our trusted in-country partners — and the TESOL component is delivered at our Thailand training centre. Behind it: a family-run global network built since 2007, with placements across Czechia, Japan, Spain, Vietnam, Mexico and more.
If Cambodia is your first teaching year but not your last, we've already placed your next move. And if things go sideways, you've got a team you know, not a reception desk.
Teachers who pick Cambodia tend to be…
✓ This fits
Without a degree, or fine with starting at the lower end of the salary band. Comfortable with hot weather, simpler infrastructure, and a smaller expat scene. Drawn to a country with deep history and warm people. Want a low cost of living and Southeast Asia on the doorstep.
✗ Pick a different program
You want maximum savings (Vietnam or South Korea pay better). You need a polished big-city scene (Bangkok or Saigon are bigger). You want public schools and weekends-only (Thailand fits better). You can't handle hot weather and chaotic traffic.
2026 start dates
Cambodia placements run year-round, with the best windows being the start of new school semesters. Apply ~3 months ahead so we have time for visa, work permit prep, and pre-placement.
3 cohorts cancelled this year · book Apr 27 or earlier dates fill
Best intakes for a fresh school year are August and January. Tell us when you want to land in Phnom Penh and we'll work backwards through visa and prep.
FAQ
Do I really not need a degree?
Correct — Cambodia accepts a high school diploma as the minimum. Native English proficiency is required as a placement-relevant teaching skill, plus a 120-hour accredited TEFL/TESOL/CELTA. Non-degree salaries start at $800/month minimum (April 2026 rule).
What's the salary really like?
Non-degree: $800–$1,500/month. Degree holders: $1,000–$1,600/month. Most teachers save $300–$500/month after rent. Tax is around 10% — some schools cover it for you.
How much money should I bring for the first month?
About $1,300 USD for the Placement Program, or $1,600 for the TESOL + Placement combo. Plus the $700 immigration cash rule — non-negotiable since late 2024.
How does the visa work?
Pre-placed teachers get a Business Visa via their school ($42, 1–5 days). Non-pre-placed teachers arrive on a Tourist Visa ($37, 1–5 days) and do a visa run after accepting placement. Either way: bring $700 USD cash at immigration.
Where will I live during and after the course?
TESOL course housing in Thailand is ฿5,000 shared / ฿10,000 private per month. Cambodia orientation week is $8/night dorm or $25/night private. After placement: $200–$400/month rent, with first month + 1 month deposit upfront. We help you find your long-term place.
Can I bring a partner, kids or pets?
No — Cambodia placements don't accommodate family dependents on this program. Pets are also not allowed.
What about non-native English speakers?
EU passport holders may apply with C1 English (intro video required). Native English proficiency is the placement-relevant skill; we'll tell you honestly within a day what's possible.
Are tattoos okay?
Small visible tattoos are usually fine — tell us at signup. We assess case by case.
Is the lifetime placement guarantee for everyone?
Lifetime guarantee applies to degree holders only. Non-degree graduates still get full placement support during their first year and access to our network — we just can't guarantee placement at every destination later in your career.
What's not included in the program?
Flights, medical insurance, visa fees, daily living costs, long-term housing (we help you find it), and bank account setup fees. We'll send you a full itemised breakdown when you enquire.
The Cambodia Full Program PDF
When you enquire, we'll send you the full Cambodia program PDF — start dates, what's included, arrival logistics, the $700 cash rule, monthly salary + cost breakdown, and a sample week in the classroom. Sent straight to your inbox.
Send me the Cambodia details →Our team handles Cambodia enquiries
Replies within 24 hours — usually same day. We'll be honest with you about whether the non-degree route fits, and what realistic earnings look like.
Let's get you teaching in Cambodia.
We'll walk you through the next steps — start date, visa prep, the cash rule, flights, and everything else. Takes about 10 minutes.
No pressure, no commitment — we'll just answer your questions.
— Mike Maitland, Bangkok