Teaching English Volunteering in Cambodia - Battambang
Want to Teach English in Asia? Battambang, Cambodia is an awesome place to volunteer as a teacher! International Volunteer HQ’s Teaching English project is based in local schools and after school programs in the Battambang region. This is an excellent opportunity to gain experience as a teacher, share your English language skills and add something meaningful to your resume! Learning English gives local children and teens the opportunity to continue with further education and start a career in Cambodia’s rapidly expanding tourism and hospitality industries.
Highlights:
- Programs start every first and third Monday of the month
- Affordable fees from $430 for 2 weeks
- Includes accommodation, meals, airport pick up, orientation and 24/7 support
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Help local children improve their English language skills
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Explore Cambodia’s history and temples
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Stay with other volunteers in beautiful Battambang
Key information
This program is ideal for:
What to expect and how you'll make an impact
The general level of education in Cambodia is considerably lower than other countries, leading to a high level of poverty and unemployment, and many families not being able to afford an education. For Cambodians, being able to speak English is a highly valued skill which helps widen their range of employment options in the thriving tourism industry.
As an IVHQ Teaching English volunteer in Battambang, you’ll be teaching young people aged between 5 and 18 years old, at a school compound in the Battambang Province.
Volunteers will teach English in the morning and afternoon. In the evening, volunteers will teach English to local children in extra community classes in the school compound for those children looking to further improve their language skills. You will be working alongside the local volunteer teachers.
During the placement orientation, volunteers are provided with a curriculum that the local volunteer teachers and IVHQ volunteers follow.
Want to teach English somewhere else in Cambodia? Check out our alternative Teaching English volunteer program in Siem Reap, the province that’s home to the famous temples of Angkor Wat.
Why do Teaching English volunteering in Battambang with IVHQ?
As a Teaching English volunteer in Battambang you’ll be adding value to the local community, while also developing personally and professionally by:
- Helping improve access to education in Battambang
- Giving students the chance to speak with a fluent English speaker
- Developing your communication skills
- Gaining teaching experience abroad
- Immersing yourself fully in the Khmer culture
- Learning about Cambodia’s history
Volunteer requirements
- Volunteers under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian to participate in this program
- All volunteers aged 13+ are required to provide a criminal background check to IVHQ prior to departure. Those aged 13-17, if unable to obtain a criminal background check, can provide two character reference letters instead
- All volunteers are required to have adequate volunteer travel insurance
- All volunteers must speak fluent English.
Are you eligible to volunteer?
Submit a free application so we can confirm your eligibility and check availability for your preferred dates.
Apply For FreeNot sure which program to join?
Cambodia photo gallery
Academic course credit
Gain course credit from your college or university and meet your academic requirements when completing a volunteer abroad program with International Volunteer HQ!
Learn about course credit
Recommended online TEFL course
We encourage volunteers on IVHQ’s Teaching and Childcare projects to come prepared by completing some relevant training, such as a Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) course. Although formal teaching qualifications are not required on these projects as volunteers are supported by local staff, taking a TEFL course enables you to gain more from the experience. Visit our Online TEFL Course page to learn how to gain an internationally recognized TEFL certification at a discounted rate.
Get TEFL certified online”Despite applying to an IVHQ program, IVHQ constantly kept in touch with me to guide me through the preparation process and made me feel quite well-prepared for the trip! This experience helped me grow as a person (I feel more confident about stepping out of my comfort zone), as well as grow in my career (I was reminded once again of why I decided to become ...” read more
Sunmyung, Australian, 24
Read reviews from Teaching English volunteers in Battambang
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Location
In the heart of Southeast Asia, Cambodia is a country full of beauty and tragedy. As well as an abundance of beautiful beaches and temples there are many reminders of the history of genocide and civil war that left Cambodia one of the least developed countries in the world. In Phnom Penh there are numerous places where you can learn about what happened, including the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum or Choeung Ek Genocidal Centre. It is important to be informed about these poignant events in order to gain a better understanding and deeper respect for the Cambodian people and their culture.
As an IVHQ volunteer in Cambodia you could be based at placements in the capital city of Phnom Penh, the remote city of Battambang, or by the impressive temples of Siem Reap.
Arrival and orientation
The program orientation begins on the first and third Monday of the month and volunteers need to arrive in Siem Reap any time on the Sunday before orientation. After you have registered for the program, please book your flights to arrive at the Siem Reap International Airport (REP). Your airport pick-up is included in your Program Fee.
When you arrive, you will be greeted at the airport by a member of the local team and taken to the volunteer accommodation in Siem Reap. Your accommodation is covered by your Program Fee and includes the Sunday night before your program orientation.
If you are traveling in Cambodia prior to your volunteer program, the local team can pick you up on Sunday from any hostel or hotel in Siem Reap.
Orientation is hosted by our Cambodia team at the volunteer house in Siem Reap. Orientation begins on the morning of your chosen start date and covers everything you need to know for your volunteer program in Cambodia – an introduction to Cambodia, its culture and customs, rules and expectations, safety, travel opportunities and an introduction to your project and placement. The orientation will also give you a chance to meet other volunteers and swap contact details for weekend travel and socializing.
Although you are expected to fly into Siem Reap, as this is where the program orientation is held, your placement may be based elsewhere; either Siem Reap, Phnom Penh or Battambang. After your time on the program ends, you can either fly out of Siem Reap or Phnom Penh, although please note that your transportation back to the relevant airport is at your own expense.
Volunteer schedule example
First Day
On your first day of volunteering, you will be escorted to your placement by a local coordinator and introduced to the placement staff you will be working with.
Weekdays - A typical volunteer day might be:
| 7:00 AM | Breakfast in the volunteer house or with your host family |
| 9:00 AM | Volunteer leaves home and travels to the project to begin work |
| 12:00 - 2:00 PM | Lunch break. In Cambodia all workplaces have a lunch break for about 2 hours. Some start earlier, some later. During this lunch break you are welcome to stay at your placement. Some placements will offer you food. |
| 2:00 - 5:00 PM | Work at the project usually ends. You are free to travel home, sightsee or do some shopping. |
| 7:00 PM | Dinner in the volunteer house or with the host family. |
Weekends
Cambodia is packed with a vast range of things to do and see in your free time. In the modern capital city of Phnom Penh you can visit the king’s official residence, The Royal Palace, and the famous Silver Pagoda, check out the huge art-deco market, cruise along the Mekong or learn about Cambodia’s devastating history at one of the many museums.
The tourist hub of Siem Reap is home to Angkor Wat, a collection of temples that together form the largest religious monument in the world. There are many hotels, resorts, markets and museums, and nearby is a lake with floating villages, a national park featuring waterfalls, rivers and Cambodia’s largest reclining Buddha.
During the long public holidays in April, September and November, you may also wish to travel further afield to Laos, Vietnam or Thailand.
Accommodation and WiFi
The accommodation in Battambang is a community guesthouse which is located in the heart of Battambang. Volunteers can expect to share a room with up to two other volunteers of the same gender. Electricity, running water, a western bathroom can be expected. There is no WiFi in the rooms; however, WiFi will be available in the dining area.
Meals
Volunteers in Cambodia are provided with three meals a day which are served in the volunteer house. Breakfast generally consists of seasonal fruit and bread with a variety of spreads such as; peanut butter and jam.
Lunch and dinner is usually rice or noodles with fried vegetables and meat. These meals include a wide range of dishes consisting of rice, vegetables and meat with sweet, salty, bitter and sour flavors. Volunteers on the Animal Care project should expect a packed vegan lunch.
If you have any special dietary requirements, please let the team know when you apply for the program so arrangements can be made.
Pricing
Duration |
Program FeeDue 30 days before you start, or within 48 hours if you register inside of 30 days. Covers the cost of hosting you.
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|---|---|
| 2 weeks | $430 Equivalent to $31/day |
| 3 weeks | $565 Equivalent to $27/day |
| 4 weeks | $680 Equivalent to $24/day |
| 5 weeks | $795 Equivalent to $23/day |
| 6 weeks | $910 Equivalent to $22/day |
| 8 weeks | $1,140 Equivalent to $20/day |
| 10 weeks | $1,370 Equivalent to $20/day |
| 12 weeks | $1,595 Equivalent to $19/day |
| 16 weeks | $2,035 Equivalent to $18/day |
| 20 weeks | $2,475 Equivalent to $18/day |
| 24 weeks | $2,915 Equivalent to $17/day |
- Accommodation
- Meals
- 24/7 in-country support
- In-country program orientation
- Pre-departure support from your Program Manager
- Airport pick-up
- Personalized preparation tools, guides and check lists
- Access to IVHQ’s preferred insurance and flights partners
- Certificate of International Volunteer Service
Learn more about what's included in your IVHQ Registration Fee and Program Fee.
- All programs attract a Registration Fee of US$329 (approximately $329) in addition to the Program Fee. This covers all pre-departure support services.
- A 5% international banking fee is added at point of payment.
- The Animal Care project has an extra cost of US$10 per week to cover the resources that the local team donate to the placements, i.e. food and snacks, while the Medical project has a separate fees table (please see the Cambodia Medical project page) to cover the support you receive from the hospital staff.
- Additional things to budget for include: Visa, flights, travel insurance (mandatory), vaccinations, criminal background check, public transport to and from your placement each day and return to the airport when your program finishes.
- Recommended spending money: Volunteers in Cambodia generally find US$50-80 per week to be sufficient for expenses.
Check what's required to visit Cambodia
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Safety and support
IVHQ follows best practice and industry-leading health and safety procedures, which are regularly reviewed and optimized as part of the B Corporation recertification.
- All volunteers encouraged to complete our interactive pre-departure training.
- All local teams trained on best practice volunteer management & First Aid.
- All IVHQ programs are required to adhere to IVHQ's Risk Management Policy.
- All volunteers have access to 24/7 in-country support from our local team.
Essential country information
| Capital | Phnom Penh |
| Population | 16.49 million |
| Languages | Khmer |
| Currency | Cambodian Riel (KHR) |
| Time zone | UTC+07:00 |
Weather and climate
Cambodia has two distinct seasons. The rainy season, which runs from May to October, can see temperatures drop to 22°C (71.6°F) and is generally accompanied by high humidity. The dry season lasts from November to April and temperatures can rise up to 40°C (104°F ) around April.
