How To Get TEFL Certified: Everything You Need to Know

TEFL certification is a qualification which allows you to teach English as a foreign language abroad or online. It can be considered similar to a teaching degree, except that it is a short, intensive course.

This is not to say that it’s a walk in the park, because it certainly isn’t. A good TEFL course prepares you for the classroom from ground zero. You don’t need any teaching qualifications or experience to do a TEFL course because it will teach you everything you need to know.

It’s possible to take a TEFL course online or in-person. These days, online TEFL courses are considered on a par with in-person TEFL courses, so which type of course you choose depends on you. 

Online TEFL courses are conducted entirely over the internet, while in-person courses involve attending physical classes at a designated location. 

Online courses typically utilise video lectures, reading materials, interactive exercises, and online assessments, whereas in-person courses involve face-to-face instruction, group activities, and direct interaction with instructors and peers.

There are more TEFL course providers than you can shake a stick at, so you’re sure to find the right fit for you.

But deciding which TEFL course is right for you can be quite a headache. Since you’re spending your valuable time and hard-earned cash on whichever course you choose, it’s understandable that you want to be sure you are making the right choice.

So how do you know which is the right TEFL course for you?

If you’re studying or working, you might want the flexibility of an online course, which you can complete in your own time, at your own pace, wherever you might be. 

If you have regular free time, you might want to do a full-time face-to-face course and get qualified as soon as humanly possible!

Above all, you want a TEFL course that is accredited (by official accrediting bodies!), reputable and internationally recognised.

A TEFL course of at least 120 hours is the gold standard when it comes to TEFL certification, but these days a Level 5 course is preferred. 

Note that many TEFL employers prefer their teachers to have had some sort of teaching experience. In a TEFL course, even an online TEFL course, this means doing a practical component which involves teaching English to students. 

If you take the Level 5 168-hour Combined Course with The TEFL Academy, you will do a 10-hour Classroom Teaching Practice TEFL course alongside the online theoretical course. Or you can choose our Level 5 40-hour Observed Teaching Practice Course, which is done online – a first of its kind!

Lucky for us, getting a TEFL certification is as easy as 1, 2, uh, 3, 4, 5!

All it takes is a few simple steps to take you from a regular Joe to a teaching superstar. Let’s break it down.

1. Research and choose a TEFL course

Do your due diligence and check out the different options of TEFL course available to you. Consider whether you want to do a TEFL course online, in-person or a combination of both. 

Find a TEFL course provider who has your best interests at heart. They should be accredited by legitimate accrediting bodies and internationally recognised. They should be reputable and testimonials of the courses should be easily found online.

Graduates of TEFL courses are excellent litmus tests of the quality of a TEFL course. Read online reviews and student stories to find out what they have the say about a particular course. After all, they’re the most qualified to comment on the course. 

2. Meet TEFL certification requirements

Once you have found the TEFL course of your dreams, make sure you meet all the requirements for it.

To do a TEFL course with The TEFL Academy, you:

• need to be at least 18 years of age,
• should be a native English speaker, or
• have an English level of Advanced (C1) or higher, and
• have a can-do attitude and a zest for life!

Okay, that last one is optional – but helpful!

3. Enrol and complete the coursework

Now it’s time to get stuck in!

Make sure you have a quiet space in which to complete your coursework. It should have good lighting and be free from noise and distractions (we’re looking at you, TikTok!). 

Carve out some time you can dedicate to studying. Doing a TEFL course requires a lot of concentration, reading, taking notes and doing assessments and completing assignments. 

We’ll be honest here, a TEFL course can be hard work. There is a lot of information to take in and a lot to get your head around. It is, after all, a higher qualification, so you need to dedicate time and energy to your course.

Note that if you ever feel overwhelmed with your coursework or are struggling with a concept or assignment, reach out to other students on the course or contact your tutors or support team for help. 

The trainers and tutors at The TEFL Academy are all qualified, experienced TEFL teachers themselves. They know exactly what you are going through, and they are familiar with the coursework. And they are just a click away!

4. Gain teaching experience

Teaching experience is an important part of your TEFL certification. 

But how can you get teaching experience before you’re qualified? Yes, it’s that familiar catch-22 situation.

With a TEFL course with The TEFL Academy, you gain teaching experience by completing the practical component of the course. Our Level 5 TEFL course includes a 10-hour Classroom Teaching Practice course in 96 locations around the world which will give you the teaching experience you need. 

And if you’re unable to do the practical component face-to-face, you can do the Level 5 40-hour Observed Teaching Practice course, which is done 100% online – a first of its kind! 

5. Receive your certification

Now that you have teaching experience and a solid foundation in the theory of teaching English as a foreign language, you’re ready to conquer the world!

Once you have successfully completed your TEFL course, you’ll receive your TEFL certificate either online or in the mail. 

This is your ticket to start applying for jobs. Whether you want to teach tots in Thailand or university in Uruguay, your TEFL certification is key to finding the TEFL job of your dreams.

The cost of a TEFL certification varies wildly from course to course.

If you look on GroupOn or other daily deal sites, you could even find a TEFL course for as little as $20! 

But don’t be tempted! These qualifications are usually nothing more than a cup of coffee and a chat with a teacher who worked illegally in China four decades ago. They will do nothing to help you get a TEFL job – which is kinda the whole point of getting a TEFL certification, isn’t it?

While you shouldn’t have to sell a kidney to afford a TEFL course, you can expect to pay more than the cost of a McDonald’s burger. 

Face-to-face courses can be as much as $2,500, while online courses are generally around $500.

A level 5 TEFL 168-hour Combined TEFL Course with The TEFL Academy costs $850.

Plus, we regularly have specials or discounts to make our prices even more attractive – sometimes as much as 60% off!

A TEFL course should be no less than 120 hours. A Level 3 course with The TEFL Academy is 120 hours while our Level 5 course is 168 hours. Theoretically that’s the total time it will take you to complete the course. 

But we all have lives to lead, don’t we? 

If you’re working part-time or full-time you might only have time to do your coursework in the evenings and on weekends.  If you’re a student on vacation or in-between jobs, then you can dedicate as much time as you want to your course and get it done as fast as you can. 

With The TEFL Academy you have 6 months’ access to your course, which gives you the freedom to complete your course in your own time at your own pace.

Usually, yes. 

Legislation in some countries requires a teacher to authenticate their TEFL/TESOL certificate in order to issue a work visa. 

All documents must be legalised in the country in which they were issued. This means that all worldwide students who studied The TEFL Academy’s TEFL course must get their certificate legalised in the UK.

Legalising your certificate takes a few steps. First, take your certificate to be certified (notarised). This means the copies are signed and stamped as copies of a genuine document. In some countries, you can only have your documents notarised by a Notary Public. In other countries, a lawyer, bank, doctor or accountant can do this for you.

Then, send off the certified copies of your document to the relevant government department. They will attach a stamped official certificate called an apostille to each document and send them back to you. Your documents are now legalised.

Other documents you may need to legalise are your degree and a criminal check. 

Legalising your certificates is not something you need to worry about now. When you are applying for jobs, you will find out exactly what documents you need and which need to be legalised. 

If you need any help legalising your certificate, you can email us on [email protected] and we’ll give you a helping hand.

The TEFL Academy courses are accredited both in the UK and the US. They are the equivalent to a diploma of higher education, a foundation degree and the CELTA and Trinity CertTESOL qualifications.

Our courses are regulated by Ofqal (a UK government department), awarded by Qualifi (a UK government-recognized awarding body), and DEAC-approved as meeting the criteria for Approved Curriculum Quality status. The DEAC is a U.S. Department of Education National Accreditor.

All of our trainers are qualified TEFL teachers. They are not just teachers, or travellers – they are TEFL teachers. They have worked all around the world in a range of teaching contexts. They have done the TEFL course, planned the lessons, taught the classes. They have walked the walk, talked the talk, and lived the life. 

As a result, they have first-hand knowledge of what it takes to do a TEFL course, and what it means to be a TEFL teacher and live the TEFL life. There are no better people to help you through this process than our team.

We have dedicated tutors who will respond to any queries you may have within 24 hours – and probably a lot quicker. We understand that doing an online course can be lonely and we realise the importance of support. Online courses can be daunting if you feel like you won’t have anyone to chat to you about your problems, which is exactly why our tutors are here, to make sure you never feel like you’re stuck.

We’re affordable and very good value for money when you consider the quality of the course. We take TEFL seriously and our TEFL certificates are serious qualifications.

And finally, because our students say you should! Take a look at our reviews and testimonials to see what our graduates have to say about us. 

READ MORE:

How Much Does TEFL/TESOL Certification Cost?