Can you teach English abroad while your degree is still in progress?

Why 'in progress' usually doesn't satisfy a visa

Work visas that require a bachelor's degree are checking for a completed, issued qualification — an official certificate (or in some cases a verified degree letter from the university) — not proof you're currently enrolled or a transcript showing partial completion. A letter saying 'expected to graduate in [month]' is rarely sufficient on its own for the visa stage, even if a school is happy to interview you in advance.

This is a common and understandable point of confusion, because schools themselves are sometimes willing to offer a position contingent on graduation, while the visa office still needs the finished document before it will actually approve anything.

What you can usefully do before graduating

Getting your accredited TEFL certificate now is genuinely useful, since it has no dependency on your degree status and doesn't expire in a way that matters here. You can also research schools, build a shortlist, and even interview in some cases, with the understanding that your official start will follow your graduation and document issuance.

If you want to start earning and teaching sooner, no-degree-required destinations are worth researching properly now, since they sidestep the whole issue — you can begin while your degree is still finishing, understanding pay is typically lower (often starting around $1,300+) than degree-required markets.

The gap between graduation and certificate issuance

Many students don't realise there's often a real gap — sometimes weeks, sometimes longer — between finishing your final exams and the university formally issuing your degree certificate, which is the document embassies usually want to see. If you're on a tight schedule, ask your registrar's office directly when the certificate (not the graduation ceremony date) will be available, and plan your visa timeline around that, not the ceremony.