I volunteered through IVHQ to teach English to local children in Bali, Indonesia for 12 weeks. It has been a truly life-changing experience. Teaching English to children without knowing their native language has been a challenging but rewarding experience. Seeing the children's excitement as they learn to read, write, and speak a new language makes all the challenges worth it. This experience has completely changed my perspective on life. Some of the children even use the money their hardworking parents give them to buy snacks for their teachers. Each child's family only earns about $200-400 a month, yet they have such big hearts filled with compassion and gratitude for others. Their selfless giving inspires me to do the same. If you’re hesitant just realize this is a once in a life opportunity. It’s in your hands to make a true difference in others life’s and your own.
Teaching Volunteer Program in Bali - Ubud
Purpose
Start dates
Duration
Volunteer hours
Age
Accommodation
Who is going?
Group video calls
Once you have secured your place, join regular video calls to meet your Program Manager and other volunteers before your trip.
This program is ideal for:
Project details
Excited to teach in Bali - Ubud? International Volunteer HQ’s Teaching project places volunteers in after-school classes where they can gain experience as teachers while helping to improve English language education in the local community. Balinese students are keen to learn from fluent speakers of English as it leads to opportunities for further education and opens up job possibilities in Ubud’s thriving tourism industry.
What to expect and how you'll make an impact
Workers who can speak English well are in high demand in the booming tourism industry in Bali. Because of this, locals are keen to learn and value the opportunity to learn from and speak with a fluent or native speaker. The better their English skills, the more likely they are to get a better job and be able to support themselves and their families.
As a teaching volunteer you’ll be running after-school English classes for elementary students. You may teach with another volunteer or by yourself and get creative with your lesson planning. Using games, sport, music and art are great ways to engage children. There is an informal curriculum and examples of the work of past volunteers that you can use to help plan your lessons.
Day-to-day teaching volunteer work varies, but generally consists of:
- Teaching English to elementary school students
- Providing pronunciation and language guidance
- Lesson planning
- Setting up educational games and activities
Important dates to note for 2025:
- 3rd of March to the 7th of March 2025 - School Exams: During this time, the standard volunteer work is not available. Volunteers instead participate in the Childcare project.
- 21st of April to the 2nd of May 2025 - During this time, the standard volunteer work is not available. Volunteers instead participate in cleaning, repairs and renovation activities in local schools for approximately 4 hours a day and have the remainder of their time free to enjoy the festivities.
- 19th of May to the 24th of May 2025 - School Exams: During this time, the standard volunteer work is not available. Volunteers instead participate in the Childcare project.
- 6th of October to the 10th of October 2025 - School Exams: During this time, the standard volunteer work is not available. Volunteers instead participate in the Childcare project.
- 17th of November to the 28th of November - During this time, the standard volunteer work is not available. Volunteers instead participate in cleaning, repairs and renovation activities in local schools for approximately 4 hours a day and have the remainder of their time free to enjoy the festivities.
- 1st of December to the 5th of December 2025 - School Exams: During this time, the standard volunteer work is not available. Volunteers instead participate in the Childcare project.
Why do Teaching volunteering in Ubud with IVHQ?
When you volunteer to teach English in Bali - Ubud, you’ll be helping out the local community while also developing personally and professionally by:
- Improving access to education in Bali - Ubud
- Helping students learn English
- Getting experience teaching English
- Developing your communication skills
- Gaining teaching abroad experience
- Immersing yourself fully in Balinese life
- Exploring Ubud’s rich culture and natural environment
Volunteer requirements
- All volunteers must obtain the C6B Social Cultural Visa to join the program, regardless of nationality or duration of stay in Indonesia. This visa is not included in your program fee and typically takes up to 15 working days to process. We will provide you with instructions on how to apply once you have registered for your program. You may need to provide a copy of your passport, a color passport photo, bank statements, and flight details.
- An exception to the above applies if a volunteer will be in Indonesia for less than 30 days and opts to participate in the Introduction Week, Adventure week, or the Yoga and Meditation Week, along with one or two weeks of volunteering. In this scenario, the volunteer can join with a tourist visa, which can be obtained upon arrival, for most nationalities.
- To respect the local culture and customs in Bali, volunteers should be aware that they’re unable to have anything obstructing their face while at their volunteer placement.
- Volunteers under the age of 16 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian to participate in this program
- Volunteers aged 16 or 17 on their program start date are required to provide IVHQ with parental consent in order to participate on the program, and may be asked to provide additional document to the local team.
- 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
Are you eligible to volunteer?
Submit a free application so we can confirm your eligibility and check availability for your preferred dates.
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Who is going?
Group video calls
Once you have secured your place, join regular video calls to meet your Program Manager and other volunteers before your trip.
Bali photo gallery
What recent volunteers said about their IVHQ experience
This was the best thing I have ever done in my life! The whole experience was quite amazing and I would without hesitation go back again to Bali or anywhere else around the world and volunteer with IVHQ. I tried many things that were completely out of my comfort zone and found that I now have more confidence to do more and to do another adventure with IVHQ. Great online support and also local team who looked after us and guided us - cannot fault at all. I made so many incredible memories and wonderful new friends - volunteering can be for all ages - go do it!
This was an amazing experience and exceeded my expectations. I expected some hurdles but wanted to give my all, so I tried to prepare myself as much as possible through research and completing TEFL and an International Volunteering Certificate. This did assist in the preparation and contributed to me having an incredible time that went seamlessly.
I also discovered that age is no barrier - so whatever age or stage you are at - If it is what you want to do, it is the right time - so just do it. You will not regret it!
I really enjoyed participating to this program. Giving English classes to a 4th grade class in Bali was an unforgettable experience. Thank you for everything!
From this experience I gained patience, to be creative, confidence to speak in front of people in public and definitely a lot of knowledge about the culture in Bali.
I would say just do it. I was scared to go volunteering to a country I had never been to, engaging with people I did not know and grounding myself in a culture that was not comfortable to me. However I embraced the uncomfortable and made friends both with the people there, with the people that came with me and with Bali. My time teaching has been one of the best.
To read all reviews, visit our reviews page.
Academic course credit
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 creditRecommended online TEFL course
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 onlineLocation
Location
Set among lush rice paddies and ancient temples, IVHQ’s Ubud program will send you back in time. The 14 villages that make up the historical town of Ubud have streets lined with statues and ornate temples that ooze old-world charm. Ubud is also known for its artistic flair, with countless art galleries, artists’ workshops, craft shops and markets to explore.
Arrival and orientation
The Bali volunteer program orientation begins every Monday and volunteers need to arrive in Bali on the Sunday before orientation.
After you have registered for the program, please book your flights to arrive at the Ngurah Rai International Airport, also known as Denpasar International Airport (DPS). Your airport pick-up is included in your Program Fee. We recommend that volunteers under the age of 18 travel internationally with a notarized letter from their parents to support their documentation.
When you arrive, you will be greeted at the airport by a member of the local team and taken to the volunteer accommodation. Your accommodation is covered by your program fee and includes the night before your program orientation.
If you are in Bali prior to your volunteer program, we can arrange for you to be picked up in Ubud or Denpasar on the day before your program orientation.
It is important to note that due to high capacity during the period from May 27th to September 7th, 2024, the local team requests that volunteers only arrive on Sundays to receive an airport pick-up. As the volunteer house cannot accommodate additional nights for early arrivals before Sunday. If you happen to arrive earlier, you are welcome to arrange your own accommodation until Sunday when you can meet the local team at alternative pick-up locations. This also applies after the program, as check-out is scheduled for Saturday.
There are two options for orientation for the Bali - Ubud Program:
1-day Orientation:
The 1-day orientation begins on your selected start date and covers everything you need to know for your volunteer program. You will have an introduction to the IVHQ Bali - Ubud Program and the local staff, Indonesian customs, rules, expectations, and safety. This will be followed by a project-specific meeting with the project preparation you’ll need to complete for the following day. Volunteers on the Turtle Conservation project choosing this option will need to arrive into Denpasar International Airport (DPS) on the Sunday before 1pm. As you will be transferred straight to Nusa Penida for your one-day orientation the following day.
5-day Introduction Week:
The second option is Introduction Week, hosted by our Bali team in Ubud. The Introduction Week begins on the morning of your chosen start date and runs for the first five days of your stay. It is an awesome way to kickstart your volunteer abroad experience and it covers everything you need to know for your volunteer program in Bali, plus you’ll learn more about the culture and get to tick off a must-do Bali experiences! The Introduction Week will also give you a chance to meet other volunteers and swap contact details for weekend travel and socializing.
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
While volunteer schedules depend on the particular projects and placements, a typical day might look like this:
| 8:00 AM | Breakfast at the volunteer house |
| 9:00 AM | Volunteers spend 1 to 2 hours planning for their projects. |
| 12:00 PM | Lunch |
| 1:00 PM | Volunteers head to their placements. |
| 5:00 PM | Work at the project usually ends. Volunteers are free to travel back to their accommodation, go sightseeing, or do some shopping. |
| 5:00 - 6:30 PM | Dinner at the volunteer house. |
Weekends
Whether you’re into arts and crafts, ancient history, exploring nature or after an adrenaline rush, there’s plenty to satisfy you in and around Ubud. You can fill your weekends with statues, museums and temples, hiking to the summit of Mt Batur, seeing waterfalls, snorkeling, white-water rafting, art galleries, shopping at markets or visiting small farms and rice paddies.
Ubud’s central location also makes it easy to get to other places in Bali like the capital city of Denpasar and the glorious beaches and villages that line the southern coast - all less than an hour away by taxi.
Accommodation and WiFi
You’ll be staying in a volunteer house, located about 15 minutes’ drive from central Ubud. The volunteer houses are set in small villages, which it’s a great way to see typical Balinese life.
Living conditions are comfortable and all volunteer houses have fans in the bedrooms. Volunteers can expect to share a dormitory-style room with up to seven other volunteers. These bedrooms are separated by gender. The bathroom is shared with a hot water shower and western toilets. There is a large outdoor dining area for volunteers to socialise and enjoy their meals together.
WiFi is available at the volunteer accommodation and there are great internet cafes in Ubud if you would like to access a higher speed connection.
Each volunteer house has a security guard at night and there is 10:30pm curfew every night at the volunteer accommodation, please be considerate and reduce noise.
If you wish to arrive a day earlier than your recommended arrival date or spend a few extra nights after finishing your program, we can arrange extra nights of accommodation for you at AU$121 per person per night, including meals, subject to availability. You will be able to book extra nights via your profile after you register.
Private room upgrades starting from AU$305 per room per week. These are subject to availability and once you have registered you will be able to request an upgrade. These are located a 3 - 5 minutes walk outside from the main centre.
Meals
Volunteers are served mainly Balinese style dishes and should expect light vegetarian meals like:
- Rice, fresh vegetables and occasionally tempeh/tofu
- Nasi goreng (fried rice and vegetables - often considered as the national dish)
- Mie goreng (fried noodles and vegetables)
- Gado gado (mixed vegetables with a satay sauce)
Western meals may be served during the week. Breakfast can include fresh fruit, toast, and eggs. Tea, coffee, and toast will be available throughout the day. Purified drinking water is also available in the volunteer house; we do not recommend that you drink the tap water.
On weekdays you’ll get three meals a day, but during the weekend only breakfast and dinner are provided. If volunteers wish to eat out in Ubud, there are a large number of restaurants to suit all tastes and budgets.
If you have special dietary requirements, please let us know when you apply so that we can make arrangements for you. However, you should not expect to eat as you normally do at home and need to be as flexible as possible. We will do our best to see that you are well taken care of.
Pricing
Spots are limited. For a Registration Fee of just US$299 (approximately AU$505) you secure your spot and unlock all our preparation and training tools.
You don't need to worry about paying your Program Fee until you get closer to your start date.
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.
|
|---|---|
| 1 week | $395 Equivalent to $56/day |
| 2 weeks | $577 Equivalent to $41/day |
| 3 weeks | $759 Equivalent to $36/day |
| 4 weeks | $946 Equivalent to $34/day |
| 5 weeks | $1,123 Equivalent to $32/day |
| 6 weeks | $1,280 Equivalent to $30/day |
| 8 weeks | $1,589 Equivalent to $28/day |
| 10 weeks | $1,898 Equivalent to $27/day |
| 12 weeks | $2,207 Equivalent to $26/day |
- All programs attract a Registration Fee of US$299 (approximately AU$505) in addition to the Program Fee. This covers all pre-departure support services.
- A 5% international banking fee is added at point of payment.
- Recommended spending money: Volunteers in Bali - Ubud generally find US$80-100 per week to be sufficient for expenses.
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Airport pick-up
- Transport to and from your volunteer project
- Accommodation
- 24/7 in-country support
- In-country program orientation
- Pre-departure support from your Program Manager
- Personalised preparation tools, guides and check lists
- Access to IVHQ’s preferred insurance and flights partners
- Discounts on travel and tour add-ons
- Certificate of International Volunteer Service
Learn more about what's included in your IVHQ Registration Fee and Program Fee.
- Return to the airport when your program finishes
- Flights
- Visa (if required), travel insurance (mandatory), vaccinations, criminal background check.
- Personal spending money for snacks, laundry, public transportation, drinks and leisure activities during your free time.
Popular add-ons & experiences in Ubud
Take your volunteer experience to the next level with these popular add-ons and experiences. Explore your options below and learn how to book them once you've been accepted onto the IVHQ Ubud program.
Are you ready for an action-packed week filled with adventure and unforgettable experiences in Bali?
Ready to unlock a deeper connection between mind, body, and spirit?
Learn more about the Balinese culture and tick off some must-do Bali experiences.
Check what's required to visit Bali
Safety and support
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
Essential country information
| Capital | Denpasar |
| Population | 4.22 million |
| Languages | Bahasa Indonesia |
| Currency | Indonesia Rupiah (IDR) |
| Time zone | UTC+08:00 |
Weather and climate
Bali has a tropical climate with year-round warm weather and an average temperature of 30°C (86°F). High humidity can be expected during the wet season from October to April. The dry season is between the months of May and September and has the lowest humidity.
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