I will be moving to LoS permanently in October by which time I will have completed my TEFL or CELTA diploma. I have the following qualifications:

Diploma of Higher Education in Psychology (2 years full time) from the University of Wales

Diploma in Management Studies from Kingston University

City and Guilds training for trainers

Diploma in Brief Strategic Therapy

I have 5 years experience teaching in a skills centre for drug users and have been a free lance trainer for several years.

Now according to what I have read the fact that I do not have a degree means I will not be able to teach legally. Is there a legal way around this?

I know I could go back to college and get a degree but that is not going to happen and I don't want to work illegally.

Is the degree an absolute or is there a "qualifications equivalent to" clause as I actually want to teach and will not be doing it just for money or because I can't do anything else.

I will be moving to LoS permanently in October by which time I will have completed my TEFL or CELTA diploma. I have the following qualifications:

Diploma of Higher Education in Psychology (2 years full time) from the University of Wales

Diploma in Management Studies from Kingston University

City and Guilds training for trainers

Diploma in Brief Strategic Therapy

I have 5 years experience teaching in a skills centre for drug users and have been a free lance trainer for several years.

Now according to what I have read the fact that I do not have a degree means I will not be able to teach legally. Is there a legal way around this?

I know I could go back to college and get a degree but that is not going to happen and I don't want to work illegally.

Is the degree an absolute or is there a "qualifications equivalent to" clause as I actually want to teach and will not be doing it just for money or because I can't do anything else.

There are no absolutes in Thailand. Anything is possible. Sometimes they hire people less qualified than you, to teach.

Some employers and ministerial officers require a real bachelor's degree; some don't. There are people without degrees who have jobs, teaching licenses, work permits, work visas, etc. And people who have degrees and don't have any of those other things.

All other things being equal, which they never are, most employers will pick the most qualified applicant, and you will be competing with applicants who are more qualified or less so, than you.

Please browse through our pinned topic at the top of the Teaching forum, "Questions About Qualifications." Eventually we'll probably merge this thread with the other one, but for now, let's leave it where people can respond.

Good luck.

Where I work, you cannot get hired (not our requirement--but the Ministry of Education), without a Bachelor's Degree. People who were previously employed and don't have a degree are OK and they can continue, however, no new teachers will be accepted without a degree.

It is getting tougher and tougher on people who don't at least have a bachelor's.

British HNDs (Higher national Diploma 2 years post 18 years of age) are accepted if presented with evidence of teacher training in many provinces. Certainly they are in CM so your 2 yr Diploma from a university probably would be as well.

All things are possible, be dynamic and have a look around. You'll be right.

British HNDs (Higher national Diploma 2 years post 18 years of age) are accepted if presented with evidence of teacher training in many provinces. Certainly they are in CM so your 2 yr Diploma from a university probably would be as well.

Got me thinkin'

Hi loaded, and this is still the case with all the hoohar about the new regs??? I'm currently finishing a HND via distance learning and although I'm gonna do a top-up degree ASAP afterwards, want to do a CELTA in between and ideally get out to LOS if I can do so in a legit fashion, preferably Chiang Mai as I've got some mates up that-a-way (As a super newbie I presume CM is Chiang Mai). Would a CELTA alone with no work experience suffice as teacher training do you think???

British HNDs (Higher national Diploma 2 years post 18 years of age) are accepted if presented with evidence of teacher training in many provinces. Certainly they are in CM so your 2 yr Diploma from a university probably would be as well.

Got me thinkin'

Hi loaded, and this is still the case with all the hoohar about the new regs??? I'm currently finishing a HND via distance learning and although I'm gonna do a top-up degree ASAP afterwards, want to do a CELTA in between and ideally get out to LOS if I can do so in a legit fashion, preferably Chiang Mai as I've got some mates up that-a-way (As a super newbie I presume CM is Chiang Mai). Would a CELTA alone with no work experience suffice as teacher training do you think???

I just pm'd you with some specific examples.

Definitely come to CM (Chiang Mai) as it's far more liveable than Bangkok or Nahon Nowhere. Experience is preferable but Thai employers tend to only read qualifications ie CELTA or a TEFL would be enough.

Super trooper!

Thanks a bunch Loaded, theres no chance I'm gonna knowingly work illegally...but from everything I've read it seems it just happens that way due to red tape.

Best get used to it, Mai pen rai and all that.