TEFL Jobs in Laos
Make a positive impact and see the world with our exciting TEFL jobs.
Volunteer teaching in Laos offers a remarkable opportunity to make a lasting impact while embarking on an exciting adventure. By sharing your knowledge and passion, you can empower young minds, improve educational opportunities, and contribute to the development of this enchanting nation. Beyond the rewarding experience of teaching, Laos itself is a country of incredible beauty and cultural richness, waiting to be explored. From the awe-inspiring UNESCO World Heritage city of Luang Prabang to the mystical temples scattered across the lush landscapes, Laos captivates with its serene charm. Immerse yourself in the warm hospitality of the locals, indulge in delectable cuisine, and discover hidden gems along the mighty Mekong River. With its tranquil pace of life, breathtaking scenery, and fascinating traditions, Laos promises an extraordinary journey of self-discovery!
The gentlest way into a classroom in Asia
Laos isn't a salary market and doesn't pretend to be. What it offers is a short, fully supported volunteer placement in Luang Prabang, a UNESCO town of temples, monks and the Mekong, where tourism is growing faster than anyone's English and your lessons make an obvious, immediate difference. Housing, meals, training and your TEFL certificate are all included, so it's the easiest first step abroad we place people in, and one of the best-loved.
- Luang Prabang
- Vientiane
- Vang Vieng
- Pakse
- Savannakhet
What you need to teach English in Laos
For the volunteer programme, the bar is the lowest of any country on our site. For a paid job at one of Vientiane's international schools it's the same as anywhere else: a degree, a TEFL and, usually, experience. Most people do the first to get to the second.
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A TEFL certificate
A 120-hour TEFL is included in the volunteer programme, so you can arrive without one. You'll be teaching conversational English to lively mixed-ability classes of children and young adults, often with little shared language, and the training is what gets you through week one. Paid schools want a certificate before they'll interview you.
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A degree only for paid roles
Volunteers don't need one: fluent English and the patience to work with young learners are what count. International schools, bilingual schools and language centres in Vientiane require a bachelor's degree for the work permit.
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The right visa for your stay
Placements of one to twelve weeks run on a tourist visa, which most nationalities get on arrival or online for 30 days and can extend in-country. The programme briefs you on exactly what to apply for. Paid jobs need an employer-sponsored work permit, which is straightforward once a school has offered you a contract.
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Fluent English and an easy-going temperament
Native and near-native speakers are welcome, and no nationality is excluded. Laos runs on its own clock, plans change, and the heat and the pace can catch people out. Couples and friends can apply together, and start dates run through the year.
Visa rules change and Laos updates its e-visa list periodically, so check with our team before booking flights. If a school asks for legalised documents, see our guide on how to legalise your TEFL certificate.
Which TEFL course should you take for Laos?
If you're joining the volunteer programme, the 120-hour course is already in the package and you don't need to buy one. The heavier qualifications are worth it if you want to arrive with practice hours behind you, or if Laos is the first stop before a paid contract in Thailand, Vietnam or China, where the better schools ask for more.
120hr Professional TEFL
£99
Comes free with the Laos volunteer placement, so only buy it separately if you're applying to schools directly. Covers the essentials and meets the minimum most Asian employers set.
- Bundled with the Laos placement
- Finish in 2–4 weeks
- Lifetime access to materials
170hr Combined TEFL
£279
Includes 20 hours of assessed practice with real ESL learners. Lao classrooms are full of children and novice monks with very little English, and the teachers who arrive having already managed a room are the ones who enjoy week one rather than survive it.
- Confidence for low-level, mixed classes
- Practice hours paid schools ask about
- Free lesson plan bundle included
168hr Level 5 TEFL
£269
Ofqual-regulated and awarded by TQUK. More than Laos needs on its own, but the right choice if you're targeting Vientiane's international schools or plan to move on to a higher-paying market once you've got Lao classroom time on your CV.
- Regulated, not just accredited
- Opens international and bilingual schools
- Travels with you to any market
Most Luang Prabang placements involve children aged 10 and up alongside teenagers and young adults, but some schools take younger pupils. The Early Childhood Education course (£15) is a small add-on for the youngest ones. Or compare every package side by side.
What to expect teaching English in Laos
Pay and package
The volunteer placement is a covered stay rather than a job; you pay a programme fee and your living costs are handled. Paid work exists, mainly in Vientiane, at modest local rates.
- Volunteer programme: accommodation, meals, airport transfer, training, in-country support and a 120hr TEFL included
- Placements from 1 to 12 weeks, so it fits a summer, a gap or a career break
- Language centres and bilingual schools: US$800–1,500 a month
- International schools: US$1,500–3,000+ for licensed teachers
- Living costs among the lowest in Asia; a meal is a pound or two
- Flights and visa fees are yours
Where you might teach
Luang Prabang is where the volunteer work is; Vientiane is where the paid jobs are. There is very little in between.
- Community and temple schools in Luang Prabang — children, teenagers and novice monks
- Young adults heading into tourism and hospitality, who need spoken English fast
- Language centres in Vientiane — evenings and weekends, adults and teens
- Bilingual and international schools in Vientiane — degree and licence expected
- Universities and NGO projects — occasional, for experienced teachers
Getting hired
The volunteer programme takes rolling applications; paid schools mostly hire people who are already in the country.
- Apply online, short interview, then choose your start date and length
- Arrivals through the year; school holidays in April and around the Lao New Year
- Orientation on arrival before you meet your class
- Paid schools recruit August to September and January, often in person
- Lao classroom time is a strong reference for Thailand and Vietnam afterwards
| City | Climate | What it's like | Teaching |
|---|---|---|---|
| Luang Prabang | Warm, cool nights Nov–Feb, wet Jun–Sep | UNESCO old town of temples, French villas and the Mekong; night market, waterfalls, monks at dawn | Our volunteer placements; community and temple schools |
| Vientiane | Hot and humid, wet season May–Oct | The sleepiest capital in Asia: riverside cafés, temples, a growing expat scene, Thailand across the bridge | All the paid work: language centres, bilingual and international schools |
| Vang Vieng | Warm, cooler in the hills | Limestone karsts, caves, kayaking and a backpacker town that has cleaned up its act | Occasional volunteer and hostel-based tutoring |
| Pakse and the south | Hot, wet summers | Bolaven Plateau coffee, waterfalls and the 4,000 Islands on the Mekong | NGO and community projects, few formal jobs |
| Savannakhet | Hot and dry | Quiet river town with French colonial streets and almost no foreigners | Occasional language-centre posts |
Teaching in Laos: your questions answered
Can I get a paid English teaching job in Laos?
Yes, but the market is small and almost entirely in Vientiane. Language centres and bilingual schools pay around US$800–1,500 a month and international schools more, and nearly all of them hire people who are already in the country with a degree, a TEFL and some experience. Most teachers use the volunteer placement to get that experience, then either stay on or move to Thailand or Vietnam.
How does the volunteer programme work?
You choose a placement of one to twelve weeks in Luang Prabang, teaching conversational English to children, teenagers and young adults in community and temple schools. Accommodation, meals, airport transfer, training, in-country support and a 120-hour TEFL certificate are included in the programme fee. See the Laos volunteer teaching programme for dates and prices.
Do I need a degree or experience?
Not to volunteer. Fluent English, a TEFL (included) and a genuine interest in the students are what matter, and prior experience with children helps but isn't required. Paid schools in Vientiane want a degree for the work permit and usually a year or two of teaching.
Can I live on nothing while I'm there?
Close to it. Your room and meals are covered and Luang Prabang is cheap, so the money you bring goes on weekend trips, the night market and the occasional beer by the Mekong. Budget for the programme fee, flights and visa before you go; nobody saves money in Laos.
Do I need to speak Lao?
No, and your students will speak very little English, which is the point. Lessons are taught in English with plenty of gesture, pictures and games, and you'll pick up greetings and numbers quickly. Older Lao often speak some French; Thai is widely understood.
Is Laos safe?
Laos is one of the safest, friendliest countries in Southeast Asia and Luang Prabang is a small, quiet town where volunteers are a familiar sight. The usual sense applies on roads and rivers, and unexploded ordnance is a real hazard in rural areas off marked paths, so stick to the tracks when you travel. The in-country team is on hand throughout.
What should I wear and how should I behave?
Laos is Buddhist and conservative. Women teachers wear a sinh, the traditional Lao skirt, in school, and men wear long trousers; shoulders and knees are covered at temples. You'll be taught the etiquette for novice monks in your class, including that women don't touch or hand things directly to them. It's easy once shown.
What comes after Laos?
A certificate, a reference and documented classroom hours in a demanding environment. Thailand is an overnight train away and hires year-round; Vietnam and Cambodia are next door. A lot of our Laos volunteers go straight on to a paid contract in one of them, and we help with the next step.
Ready for Luang Prabang?
Your TEFL certificate is included in the placement, so the only step is to apply. Pick your dates, have a short chat with our team, and we'll sort your school, your room and your arrival.
Teaching in Laos?
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