Teaching in Cambodia

Ancient temples, a genuinely accessible market, and a history worth understanding with real care — a complete guide for South African teachers, with Reading, Video, and Audio.

No Degree

Route Available

Split Shifts

Kids AM / Adults PM

Angkor Wat

World's Largest Temple

What's In This Guide

Reading — culture, food, landmarks, the job market, and a note on Cambodia's history
Video Script — “First Impressions,” following a South African teacher's arrival
Debate Audio — two hosts weighing whether Cambodia is the right fit for you

Watch — Teaching in Cambodia

Listen — Debate Audio: Cambodia

0:00 / 12:07

Reading — Cambodia at a glance

Quick Facts

Phnom Penh (capital) and Siem Reap (gateway to Angkor) are the main teaching hubs
One of the few markets in Asia genuinely open to teachers without a university degree
South Africans are broadly welcomed alongside the US, UK, Canada, Australia, Ireland, and New Zealand

Greeting & Daily Life

The sampeah — palms pressed together, a slight bow, height varying with the other person's status or age — is Cambodia's traditional greeting, used much like Thailand's wai. Genuine warmth toward foreigners is broadly the norm, and modest dress is expected, especially near temples.

“Cambodia greets new teachers with genuine warmth, and a market that's noticeably more open than its neighbours — one of the few places in the region where a university degree isn't the gatekeeper it is elsewhere.”
FROM THE VIDEO SCRIPT

A Note on History, Handled With Care

Cambodia's 20th-century history, including the Khmer Rouge period, is a genuinely significant and painful part of the country's story. It's not a topic for casual conversation or curiosity — approach it with real sensitivity, and let Cambodian colleagues or friends raise it themselves if and when they choose to, rather than initiating the subject yourself.

Food

Amok — a steamed curry, often fish, in banana leaf, widely considered Cambodia's national dish
Nom Banh Chok — rice noodles with a fish-based green curry sauce, a beloved breakfast staple
Street food culture is genuine and central to daily life, especially in Phnom Penh

Landmarks & Things to See

Angkor Wat — the world's largest religious monument, and Cambodia's defining landmark
Bayon Temple & Ta Prohm — the serene stone faces of Bayon, and Ta Prohm's famous tree-root ruins
Tonlé Sap Lake — Southeast Asia's largest freshwater lake, home to floating villages
Kampot — a riverside town known for its pepper plantations and relaxed pace

Life as a Teacher: The Split-Shift Reality

Language centre schedules genuinely revolve around two shifts:

MORNING SHIFT

Children's classes, typically before the school day or early afternoon.

EVENING SHIFT

Adult learners, after their own work day ends.

A TEFL certificate is the practical minimum, and Cambodia remains one of the few Asian markets where a university degree isn't strictly required by many language centres — a genuine point of access for career-changers. Working on a tourist visa is illegal; confirm your employer arranges the correct work permit and visa before you start.

The Teacher's Toolkit: Finding the Work

TEFL Org Jobs Centre

A dedicated jobs board with current Cambodia listings.

Serious Teachers

An ESL/EFL job board covering language centre positions across the country.

Go Overseas & Dave's ESL Café

General teach-abroad boards that regularly list Cambodia-based roles.

Local Facebook Groups

A genuinely common, active channel for language centre openings in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap.

Rules: Do's & Don'ts

✓ DO

✗ DON'T

Return the sampeah when it's offered to you

Raise Khmer Rouge history casually or out of curiosity — handle it with real care

Dress modestly, especially near temples and religious sites

Assume a degree is required everywhere — many centres genuinely don't ask for one

Confirm your employer arranges a genuine work permit and visa

Work on a tourist visa — it is illegal and carries real risk

Let Cambodian colleagues lead if the country's history comes up

Touch anyone's head, including a child's — considered disrespectful

Video Script — “FIRST IMPRESSIONS”

[SCENE: KAGISO, a South African teacher, arrives in Siem Reap, the silhouette of Angkor Wat's towers visible in the distance as the sun begins to set.]

NARRATOR (V.O.):

Cambodia greets new teachers with genuine warmth, and a market that's noticeably more open than its neighbours — one of the few places in the region where a university degree isn't the gatekeeper it is elsewhere.

KAGISO (taking in the view):

I didn't expect to see the temples before I even unpacked.

[SCENE: At his new language centre, Kagiso greets his Cambodian colleagues with a sampeah, palms pressed together, receiving warm smiles in return.]

NARRATOR (V.O.):

The sampeah is Cambodia's traditional greeting — genuinely appreciated when returned, even imperfectly, by a new foreign teacher.

[SCENE: Kagiso's daily schedule unfolds on screen — morning classes full of young children, then a break, then an evening class of tired but engaged adult students.]

NARRATOR (V.O.):

Split shifts are the real rhythm of teaching here — children in the morning, working adults in the evening. It takes some adjusting to, but it's the standard shape of the job.

[SCENE: Over lunch, a Cambodian colleague gently begins to share a story about her grandparents' generation, and Kagiso listens quietly, without pressing for more than she offers.]

NARRATOR (V.O.):

Cambodia's 20th-century history is genuinely significant, and genuinely painful for many families. It's not something to bring up out of curiosity — the right approach is simply to listen, with care, if someone chooses to share it themselves.

[SCENE: Weekend — Kagiso stands before the sprawling stone faces of Bayon Temple, utterly still, taking in the scale of it.]

NARRATOR (V.O.):

And once the rhythm of split shifts settles in, Cambodia offers a teacher something genuinely rare — one of Asia's most accessible teaching markets, layered alongside some of the most extraordinary ancient history anywhere on earth.

Debate Audio — “IS CAMBODIA RIGHT FOR YOU?”

Hosts: ONALERONA (weighing the lack of a degree requirement) and REFILWE (has taught in Cambodia, makes the case for it)

ONALERONA

I keep hearing Cambodia doesn't actually require a degree. Is that too good to be true?

REFILWE

Genuinely not — it's one of the real reasons Cambodia stands out in the region. Plenty of language centres will hire a TEFL-certified teacher without a degree, which opens the door for a lot of people other Asian markets would turn away.

ONALERONA

What's the actual day-to-day like?

REFILWE

Split shifts, honestly — children in the morning, adults in the evening, once their own work day ends. It's a genuine rhythm you adjust to fast.

ONALERONA

And the visa side of things?

REFILWE

Make sure your employer sorts a real work permit. Working on a tourist visa is illegal here, and it's a genuine risk not worth taking, however common it might seem.

ONALERONA

What's the one cultural thing that needs real care?

REFILWE

Cambodia's history, without question. The Khmer Rouge period is genuinely significant and painful for many families — it's not a topic to raise casually. Let colleagues share it if and when they choose to, and listen with real care when they do.

ONALERONA

So, worth it overall?

REFILWE

Genuinely, yes — one of the most accessible teaching markets in Asia, paired with some of the most extraordinary ancient history on the continent. Just go in with real respect for the history, and the visa situation properly sorted.

The Cambodian Equation

Cambodia rewards teachers who bring both genuine accessibility-seeking pragmatism and genuine cultural care in equal measure — a real entry point for career-changers, alongside a history that deserves to be approached with real respect. Go in with both, and Cambodia offers one of the warmest, most historically extraordinary teaching markets in the region.

Ready to Teach in Cambodia?

Browse current openings and apply for a position through our Job Portal.

→ APPLY FOR A POSITION IN CAMBODIA