Teach in Thailand
Knowledge Hub FAQs

Yes for all paid teaching roles. The Thai Ministry of Labour and Ministry of Education legally require a physical, unlaminated Bachelor degree in any field to issue a Non-B visa and Digital Work Permit. Candidates without a degree can explore our free volunteer residency instead.

Read complete credential standards in our Visa and Work Permit Guide.

Standard public and Northern partner schools pay 30,000 to 36,000 THB net monthly. Private schools or Bangkok English Programs pay 40,000+ THB net, but Bangkok partner schools require two years of verified teaching in Thailand first.

Review real living expense breakdowns in our Salary and Savings Guide.

No. KET charges $0 in placement fees. Partner schools employ teachers directly and fund our staffing services. You never pay a recruitment charge to secure a contract.

Explore verified openings in our Paid Teaching Jobs Hub.

Salary is paid on the 10th of each month for days worked during the previous month. It is pro-rata in month 1 if you teach October days. If your teaching starts in November, your first paycheck arrives on 10 December.

From around month 2 or 3, 3,000 THB per month is held, capped at 15,000 THB total. When you finish your contract, the entire held amount is returned on your final payday alongside your last salary.

The teacher pays rent. KET helps you find and inspect a private, air-conditioned studio apartment near your school before arrival. Rent in Northern provinces typically ranges from 3,000 to 8,000 THB per month (Sukhothai averages 3,500 to 6,000 THB).

New teachers can start immediately in Sukhothai or Chiang Mai, as well as partner schools across Tak, Lampang, and Phetchabun.

No. KET partner English Program and bilingual schools in Bangkok strictly require a minimum of two years of verified teaching experience in Thailand first. New teachers start in our Northern network.

Review the capital career pathway on our Teach in Bangkok Transfer Track.

Yes. Non-native speakers holding a Bachelor degree and demonstrating verified C1+ English proficiency (IELTS 6.5+ or TOEIC 860+) are eligible for paid placement and Non-B visa support.

To apply, submit your details at /apply-now and review your introduction video guidelines at /intro-video.

The orientation fee is 400 USD, settled on Sunday in cash as 13,000 THB. It includes Saturday morning pickup from Bangkok Mo Chit 2, 5 hotel nights in Sukhothai in a private AC room checking out Thursday morning, training meals, a permanent 5G Thai SIM card, classroom preparation, and an escort to your school.

Read the full itinerary on the Sukhothai Orientation Week Guide.

For October 2026, pickups are on Saturday 10, 17, and 24 October 2026 at Mo Chit 2 Bus Terminal in Bangkok at 08:00 AM. For the May 2027 cycle, the first pickup is Saturday 17 April 2027.

Teachers who have taught in Thailand before can test out at HQ. Take the culture and teaching test: pass and skip the 5-night orientation to go straight to your apartment. Fail and complete the full week.

Bring your physical original Bachelor degree certificate, sealed official transcripts, home country police clearance, valid passport, and digital arrival confirmation (TDAC). Never laminate original academic certificates.

No. KET does not sell or run an accredited TEFL certification course. Any recognized 120-hour TEFL certificate is accepted. KET provides the practical 14-day classroom training and school practicum in Sukhothai.

It is a 14-day hands-on induction combining one week of classroom methodology with one week of live teaching practice in real Thai partner schools, providing an official KET staffing reference.

Review schedule details on our TEFL Practicum Page.

Yes. Standalone practicum cohorts are available during active semester months for educators who already hold jobs elsewhere or only need verified classroom teaching hours.

Yes. Our skills-based community volunteer residency is open to participants aged 18+ without a degree. It is unpaid and does not involve a paid work permit.

Zero. Volunteering with KET is completely free with no program or placement fees. Volunteers only pay for their personal living expenses and food.

Email Matthew John directly at matthew@kids-english.org with your target dates and skills, or review our Volunteer Residency Page.

Your hiring partner school is your legal employer on contract. KET coordinates the paperwork, prepares school sponsorship letters and WP-3 style files, and walks you through the visa and work permit steps.

Read the full process in our Visa and Work Permit Guide.

Embassy fees for a single-entry Non-B visa vary by location, typically ranging from $50 to $200 USD. In-country visa extensions at provincial immigration cost 1,900 THB.

See fee details on the Visa and Work Permit Guide.

If you enter Thailand on a tourist entry or visa exemption while your school papers are finalized, a planned consular visit to the Thai Embassy in Vientiane or Consulate in Savannakhet, Laos is the established route to obtain your initial 90-day Non-B visa.

Review Route B on the Visa and Work Permit Guide.

No. A 120-hour TEFL is recommended by schools and useful for classroom confidence, but it is not a statutory Ministry of Labour requirement for visa issuance. Thai law requires a physical, unlaminated Bachelor degree.

Credential rules are covered in the Visa and Work Permit Guide.

The paper TM.6 form is obsolete. Foreign arrivals must register their free Thailand Digital Arrival Card online at tdac.immigration.go.th between 48 and 72 hours before boarding their flight.

Arrival steps are listed in the Visa and Work Permit Guide.

Every 90 continuous days spent in Thailand, you confirm your current residential address with Thai Immigration. This can be submitted online or in person at your provincial office.

Compliance details are in the Visa and Work Permit Guide.

Thai school directors review dozens of paper resumes every week. A short 45 to 60 second video lets them hear your English pronunciation, see your warm classroom presence, and verify that you present yourself professionally.

Follow the filming blueprint on our Teacher Intro Video Guide.

First, submit your application at /apply-now. Then upload your video to YouTube as unlisted or to Google Drive with link sharing turned on, and email the link to placement@kids-english.org.

Full submission steps are on /intro-video.