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The number of expats moving to Phnom Penh is on the rise, and so is the demand for quality international schools for their children.
These days, just about every school in Cambodia calls themselves an “International School”. It can be hard to separate the wheat from the chaff. How can you tell the difference between a real international school and an English school in Phnom Penh masquerading as one?
Stevo and I taught and managed at schools in Phnom Penh, Cambodia from 2015-2018. While we won’t claim to know everything, we have a good pulse on the reputations of the schools in the city and can share what we do know. From our experience and what we have heard from our network of friends, these are the best international schools in Phnom Penh.
Likewise, if you are a teacher and looking to work for an international school in Phnom Penh, these are some of the best.
You may also be interested in these articles:
- What Does It Cost to Live in Phnom Penh, Cambodia?
- How to Find a Job Teaching English in Cambodia
- Things To Do in Phnom Penh, Cambodia
- Unique Accommodation in Cambodia
Early Years/Daycare Schools in Phnom Penh
Canadian International School Phnom Penh (English and French Programs)
Forest Hill Montessori School (English)
Gecko Garden Preschool (English)
Sambo Tots (English)
The Giving Tree School (English, French)
East-West International School (English and Khmer)
Northbridge International School Cambodia (English)
Southbridge International School Cambodia (English)
Combi Plaza (popular with expat families from Japan)
DK Schoolhouse (English)
Primary Schools in Phnom Penh
iCan International School (English)
Canadian International School Phnom Penh (French and English)
International School of Phnom Penh (ISPP) (English)
The Giving Tree School (English)
East-West International School (English and Khmer)
Northbridge International School Cambodia (English)
Southbridge International School Cambodia (English)
Japanese School of Phnom Penh (Japanese)
DK Schoolhouse (English)
Middle Schools in Phnom Penh
iCan International School (English)
Canadian International School Phnom Penh (English and French)
International School of Phnom Penh (ISPP)(English)
Northbridge International School Cambodia (English)
Southbridge International School Cambodia (English)
Japanese School of Phnom Penh (Japanese)
High Schools in Phnom Penh
International School of Phnom Penh (ISPP) (English)
East-West International School (English and Khmer)
Northbridge International School Cambodia (English)
If you have any questions about specific schools we will do our best to answer them. You can send an email to Jen (at) TwoCanTravel (dot) com.
If you are a school interested in advertising on our website, please email Jen (at) twocantravel.com
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Hey guys, you have a great website with some invaluable information here. Thumbs up! I am about to start a 180 hour TEFL course with i-to-i TEFL. When that is done, I will line up a bunch of job interviews and fly to Phnom Penh in August. A guy i was speaking to online said international schools will not hire you wihout a bachelors degree, and that made me worry a little as i was under the impression that a degree was not needed at most schools. Like you’ve pointed out, all of these schools seem to be ‘international’ these days. I just need to find out if legitimate international schools will hire a native english speaker without a degree. Thank you so much, and keep up the great work!
Jonathan 🙂
Thanks Jonathon! Most legitimate international schools do require their teachers to have a bachelor’s degree. That said, having a TEFL will definitely help. If you have teaching experience or other skills in specific areas that will help too. I’d recommend checking out the websites of international school in Phnom Penh to see what their requirements are for teachers. It’s a good idea to set up a few interviews at schools ahead of time, but know that once you are in Phnom Penh you’ll have an easier time of getting more interviews since schools often prefer finding teachers who are already in country. I hope that helps! Best of luck with the rest of your course and your move! Feel free to reach out with any other questions 🙂
Greetings! I am an Indian. I have 5 years experience as an english teacher from a low income Indian high school and also have a 120 hour tefl certification. Do the international schools in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap employ non native teachers? What are the chances of these schools replying to our job application and inviting us for for an interview despite knowing the fact that we are still not in Cambodia? Would love to know the name of some middle schools and high schools in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap who would happily employ a non native teacher. May I also know some private language centre who would normally employ a non native teacher? Thanks alot.
Hi Rohit,
Some schools do hire non-native teachers however I don’t know exactly which ones. Since you have experience as a teacher and a 120-hour TEFL certificate, that will certainly make you stand out when you apply! I recommend reaching out to the schools that you are interested in directly either through their website, by email, or on Facebook to find out what requirements they have for teachers. Best of luck to you! -Jen
Heh thanks for all the useful inforation on this site. Are there any purely ESL jobs available in Cambodia – by that I mean not teaching In a school necessarily but rather in private academies. My personal scenario is I have been teaching ESL in Spain for the last 15 years- and though lots of the time tht has been with kids English classes were nearly always extra curricular. I never finished my degree – it was a long time ago and – silly question do schools normally ask for a copy – as I have a diploma (3rd year of degree course) but I have no idea where the certificate is.
Hi! You’re welcome, glad you found it helpful 🙂 There is a school called ACE that focuses on ESL, though I think they might require teachers to have a CELTA certificate. I believe AIS and Aii are two other ESL schools in Phnom Penh. There might be ESL jobs at the larger private schools like Northbridge and ISPP or at the universities. Often you will need to show documentation of your degrees or certificates, but copies are usually fine. Best of luck on your job hunt!
Hi,
ACE conduct the CELTA courses, but it is not a requirement if you want to apply for a job there. Although, the rate per hour is quite appetizing and probably the highest in Cambodia, a major requirement is to have a university degree, not necessarily English teaching related, but any.
That’s good to know. Our friends who worked there before said they required a CELTA, but sounds like that’s not the case now. Thanks for sharing!
I am a 60 year old NES male from America, and I am looking to move to Phnom Penh in July of this year. I have a BA, a TEFL cert, and 5 years experience teaching ESL to children, and adults. I have lived in China for the last 3 years, and taught at a university. I spent two years teaching young learners in Thailand. I can no longer live in China because of my age.
You said in your article that schools prefer women for the young learners. I am very good with teens and adults, and I think a middle school or high school would be great. I would gladly consider a university, as I have had my best teaching experiences at the Chinese universities. Any advise on schools, and the best places to live so as not to be far from work? Thanks.
Hi Russell,
Thanks for your questions.
If you are interested in teaching at Universities or with older children/young adults you can check out Build Bright University, Royal Phnom Penh University, and The Australian Center for Education (ACE). You can find a full list of Universities in Cambodia on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_universities_in_Cambodia
I suggest reaching out to schools by email first to see if they are hiring and what their teacher requirements are. As strange as it may sound, you can also reach out to schools on Facebook messenger if they don’t respond by email. A lot of business is done on Facebook in Cambodia.
Depending on where you end up working you can decide where in Phnom Penh you want to live. We are putting out more content soon about neighborhoods in Phnom Penh and how to find a place to live.
I hope that helps. Best of luck to you in your move!
Cheers,
Jen
Hi,
I really want to teach in Cambodia. I am from Ghana and i want to know how I can get a teaching job there. I have my degree and 120 hours TEFL certificate. Kindly assist me.
Hi Emmanuel,
Our best recommendation is to have a look at the websites of the schools you want to teach for and see what their requirements are. You can apply to work at most international schools from abroad via email now. April is a good time to start applying as most schools will be looking for teachers for the next school year. Good luck!
Hi- Thank you so much for the information. I am looked at the links for high school aged students but it seems as if the schools only go through middle school. I have a son who is entering 10th grade. Can you let me know what international high schools are highly recommended?
Hi Katie. ISPP and Northbridge are the most highly regarded international high schools in Phnom Penh.
Thanks a bunch! This article as well as a few others have helped. I’m now here in PP, passively sorting things out, and was planning to start my teaching job hunt today. I am African American, and I understand a somewhat preference in schools choosing teachers, BUT I also understand that its the nature of the beast. If you have a list of those foreign-run schools, that would be awesome.
Thanks LD! Of the schools I’ve listed I’m not 100% sure which are foreign run, but a majority do have foreign managers who do the hiring. I would start checking out school websites to see who to send your resume and any other necessary info in to. Best of luck to you on the job hunt!
Is there an age limit for teachers? I have over 45 years in the field of education. I have taught from PreK up to 9th grade; all subject matter and of course English. I worked in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Yemen, England, Indonesia, Thailand, Turkey and in a few of the States. I had also been an administrator, director, senior master and supervisor. I have all of my credentials to prove my education.
Hi Benianmino! It depends on the school, but I don’t think there is typically an age limit. We know people in their 60s who are teaching here. Especially given your experience and credentials I think you will find something!