Long-Term Program

The Vietnam Long-Term program offers volunteers a diverse range of experiences, from teaching English to high-ranking district officials in a rural community along the Mekong river; or, organizing a film club for university students in the bustling capital of Hanoi.

There is an enormous need for native speaking English teachers to help train students, teachers, and community leaders. As such, all VIA volunteers in Vietnam currently teach English in some capacity. Our partners recognize the need for VIA teachers, who not only help improve students' and faculty's English skills, but also foster cross-cultural understanding in the classroom and their communities.

Everytime you step into the classroom, students will greet you with a chorus of "Good morning, teacher!" Students are enthusiastic learners and teachers are deeply revered in Vietnam.

English Teaching (ET) Positions: ET volunteers in Vietnam currently teach at schools, colleges, and universities in the following places: the Mekong Delta, Nha Trang, Dalat, Hue, and Hanoi.

ET volunteers teach English conversation, reading, writing, journalism, business communication or literature. Almost all volunteers lead extra-curricular campus activities such as regular film nights or a campus English club. ET volunteers teach a maximum of 16 hours a week and may receive four hours of Vietnamese instruction depending on the partner institution.

English Teaching/English Resource (ET/ER) Positions: In addition to teaching English, ET/ER volunteers assist Vietnamese students or researchers improve their English language skills so they may apply for scholarships, study abroad, or develop professionally. These volunteers help with editing, tutoring, or advising, while concurrently teaching English classes. ET/ER posts are at An Giang Dong Thap Alliance for the Prevention of Trafficking (ADAPT) and the Center for Agricultural Research and Ecological Studies (CARES). These posts require special qualifications. Read more about these posts on the Post Descriptions page.

Living Arrangements: In small cities, partner institutions provide accommodations in on-campus guesthouses or in private homes. Typical accommodations consist of a room or house with private bath and space for a hot plate, or sometimes, a shared kitchen. In Hanoi, most volunteers receive a housing stipend and are responsible for finding their own housing, usually a room with a Vietnamese family or in a shared house with other volunteers. Volunteers buy food daily at the local market to cook their meals, or eat meals at local food stalls or in small restuarants. Transportation is by bicycle - most partner institutions provide a bicycle for volunteers. Commuting from home to school may take anywhere from a few minutes on foot to a half-hour by bicycle each way. Some volunteers in Hanoi purchase or rent a motorbike with their own funds.