How to Find Well Paid Teaching Jobs in Bolivia ??

Written by Premier TEFL Published 1 February 2015 ~3 min read

Teaching jobs are a great way to travel the world on a salary and experience new cultures. Bolivia is one of the most unique landlocked South American countries with a very diverse population, in spite of having only 10 million inhabitants. The official language is Spanish, but in total there are 30-34 different indigenous languages in the country, including Aymara and Quechua. From the 10 million inhabitants, 60% are claiming indigenous heritage. Imagine how much cultural richness is locked in one small country and how amazing would be to live in the midst of it all! Since Bolivia is experiencing a growing economy and tourism, the demand for English teachers is also rising. There are plenty of job opportunities, from government sponsored volunteer roles to short term public school contracts. Although volunteer roles are unpaid and most of them even charge a fee to take part in their program, there are some fairly paid teaching jobs in language institutions and public schools. Read on to find out how to find the best paid teaching internships in Bolivia.

Teaching Internships And Living in Bolivia

Unlike many other Latin countries that have a laid back working culture, in Bolivia you can expect a formal environment. Students will address you by your last name. The dress code is also very formal, but punctuality is still as uncertain as in any other Latin country – never expect a meeting to start on time. Most teaching jobs in Bolivia are low paid, and the majority of internships are volunteer roles with government sponsored organisations. For paid teaching internships you expect to earn around $400 to $600 per month. However, the great benefit is that most contracts are short term, which is ideal for a traveller. Even if you only break-even with your salary in Bolivia, you will still gain amazing experience, both professionally and culturally. The cost of living usually equals a teacher’s salary, at around $400 to $600 per month. Most teaching jobs don’t cover accommodation costs, so you will have to sort that out on your own.

How to Find Better Paid Teaching Jobs In Bolivia

Since pay is definitely a point of discussion for teaching internships in Bolivia, here are some tips on how to find better paid TEFL jobs:

Get a TEFL qualification – it is essential if you want to work for higher institutions and get paid a good salary
Work in the capital, La Paz, or other large cities such as Santa Cruz, Oruro, Cochabamba and El Alto
Offer private tutoring lessons – a great way to earn on top of your teacher’s salary
Get an understanding of the local language – speaking some Spanish can help you find jobs in international and public schools

How To Get Prepared For Teaching Internships

Start with a TEFL certificate, which is quintessential if you want to work for a respectable institution and earn a good salary. You can easily get qualified with one of the accredited TEFL courses from Premier TEFL. As soon as you are fully qualified to teach English as a foreign language, start looking for teaching jobs in Bolivia. Premier TEFL have an up to date job board, with lots of current opportunities that you can check out here. Please note that to work in Bolivia you need to enter with a ‘purpose Visa’. If you simply travel there as a tourist you can’t just change the visa, you will need to leave the country and return again. Finding a teaching internship before you travel to Bolivia will make this process easier. Whether you choose a volunteer role in the rural sides of Bolivia or paid teaching jobs in the main cities, there is so much culture and beauty waiting for you in this South American gem.