Every acronym, explained once

The glossary

Three groups: what the acronyms mean, what the money words mean and what the job-ad phrases promise. Every term has its own link, so you can send it to whoever asked.

The acronyms

ESL

English as a Second Language — learning English while living in a country where it's the main language, like a Brazilian student taking classes in Canada.

For your job hunt: ESL is the catch-all label for any English teaching. It rarely changes the requirements, so read it as “teaching English” and move on.

EFL

English as a Foreign Language — the same subject in the opposite setting: learning English at home, where it isn't the everyday language. English classes in Seoul are EFL.

For your job hunt: online teaching is almost all EFL, whatever the ad calls it. Don't let the label steer your applications.

TEFL

Teaching English as a Foreign Language. The name covers both the job and the 120 hour certificate most employers ask for.

For your job hunt: this is the certificate people mean when they say “get certified” — the standard entry ticket for teaching abroad or online. We compared accredited 120 hour TEFL courses on price and acceptance.

TESOL

Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages — the umbrella term that covers ESL and EFL together, at home and abroad.

For your job hunt: job ads use TESOL and TEFL interchangeably. If a school asks for “TESOL certification”, your 120 hour TEFL certificate satisfies it.

CELTA

The Cambridge certificate for teaching English to adults. Observed teaching practice with real students and real assessment. Check the fee with the centre that runs the course.

For your job hunt: it's the priciest and most respected name, and it's rarely required for online work. Buy it for an in-person career, not for a marketplace profile.

DELTA

The Cambridge diploma for experienced teachers — the level above CELTA.

For your job hunt: you don't need it to get hired. It pays off later, for director-of-studies roles and the top pay bands.

EAL

English as an Additional Language — the term schools in the UK, Canada and Australia use for pupils who speak another language at home.

For your job hunt: it appears in in-person school jobs, not online ads. Skip past it unless you're moving into a classroom career.

ELL

English Language Learner — the American school-system word for the student being taught.

For your job hunt: it describes learners, not jobs or certificates. You'll meet it in curriculum materials more often than in job ads.

The money terms

Advertised rate vs take-home

Of the 57 programmes we track, 11 publish a fixed advertised rate, 3 advertise pay per minute, lesson or month rather than per hour, one carries a recorded tutor asking range and 16 have no published rate recorded. 25 contain earlier estimates whose figures are withheld. The published USD hourly ranges in this directory run from USD 6.50 to USD 40 an hour, before any applicable commission or payout deduction. These are listed rates, not typical earnings.

The advertised rate is the number in the job ad. Take-home is what reaches your account after commission, conversion fees and payout costs.

For your job hunt: plan around the second number, not the first. Our hourly rate calculator does the subtraction for you.

Commission

Across the 57 programmes we track, 11 have no platform commission recorded, 5 have fixed commission and 3 have sliding commission. Two have fees that vary by lesson type. Commission is not published for 34 programmes; 2 carry reported, not platform-published, fees.

The cut a marketplace keeps from what the student pays — commonly 15 to 33% on sites where you set your own rate, often shrinking as you teach more lessons.

For your job hunt: a USD 25 rate on a 30% commission is USD 17.50. Run that subtraction before you celebrate any rate — the hourly rate calculator builds it in.

Trial lesson

Of the 57 programmes on our board, only Preply has a trial fee recorded in this directory — tutors keep nothing for a trial lesson on that platform. The other 56 programmes have no trial fee recorded here. That does not establish whether a trial is paid.

A short first class, often discounted or free, so a student can decide whether to book you.

For your job hunt: many marketplaces pay less — or nothing — for trials, and pay full rate only once the student subscribes. Check the pay rules before you fill a week with them.

Peak hours

The slots when demand is highest: usually evenings and weekends in your students' time zone.

For your job hunt: your realistic weekly hours come from peak slots, not from the hours you're nominally available. Count peak hours when you set numbers in the hourly rate calculator.

Cancellation policy

The written rules for who gets paid when a class is cancelled late — by you, the school or the student.

For your job hunt: a fair policy cuts both ways; if you are the only one ever penalised, that is a red flag. Work through it item by item with our contract checklist.

No-show

A booked student who doesn't arrive for class.

For your job hunt: good contracts still pay you, usually 50 to 100% of the lesson fee. If the contract is silent on no-shows, expect to sit in an empty classroom unpaid — get it in writing via the contract checklist.

Conversion fee

The charge for turning one currency into another when a platform pays you, typically 0.5 to 4% of every payout.

For your job hunt: on USD 2,000 a month, the wrong payout rail can quietly cost USD 50 or more. Our getting-paid guide compares PayPal, Wise and Payoneer on exactly this.

The job-ad terms

Standing opening / evergreen listing

All 57 programmes on our board are evergreen listings, and 55 are currently accepting applications or running a waitlist.

A job ad that stays up all year because the company is always hiring — not a single vacancy that will close.

For your job hunt: apply whenever you're ready; there's no “position filled”. Our listing policy requires these ads to say so.

Featured listing

A planned paid placement for a named vacancy, shown with a visible Sponsored label. Paid placement is not available today.

For your job hunt: paid placement is not our endorsement — every listing meets the same listing rules before it goes up, featured or not.

Guaranteed hours

A promise that the school will provide a minimum number of paid hours each week.

For your job hunt: “guaranteed” only counts if the number is written into the contract, with compensation when the school falls short. Otherwise it's marketing — the contract checklist shows the exact line to demand.

Demo lesson

A short observed class, five to fifteen minutes, that schools use to score you before hiring.

For your job hunt: evaluators score the same handful of things every time, and you can prepare for all of them — our demo lesson and interview guide gives you the five minute formula.

Background check

A check of your identity, criminal record and sometimes your degree. Standard for fixed-rate schools, and normally paid for by the school.

For your job hunt: a “background check fee” charged to you is a scam signal. We don't list fee-charging schools — that's rule one of our listing policy.

Non-native friendly

A school that hires on English skill and qualifications, not on passport or birthplace.

For your job hunt: most major platforms qualify; a couple still don't. We checked twelve platforms against their application pages as of September 2026 — see who actually hires non-native teachers.

Degree requirement

On the 57 programmes we track, 25 require a degree and 25 do not. Check the pay basis, lesson length and other requirements on each programme.

A degree requirement means the school will not consider applicants without a bachelor's degree or higher. Some schools accept any field; others want education or English specifically.

Ask before you sign: Does the requirement apply to all applicants, or only to those from certain countries? Some schools waive the degree for experienced teachers or TEFL holders.

TEFL certificate requirement

Across our 57 programmes, 22 require a TEFL or teaching certificate and 29 do not. Set-your-rate marketplaces like Preply and italki typically require no certificate at all.

A TEFL certificate requirement means the school expects at least a 120 hour teaching certificate before you can apply. The requirement is usually separate from — and sometimes in addition to — a degree.

Ask before you sign: Does the school accept any accredited 120 hour TEFL, or must it be from a specific provider? Some schools have a shortlist of accepted providers; most do not.

Native English speaker requirement

Of the 57 programmes we track, 12 restrict hiring to native English speakers only, and 40 hire on English skill and qualifications regardless of birthplace.

A native-speaker requirement means the school only hires teachers whose first language is English, usually based on passport country — not on fluency, accent or qualifications.

Ask before you sign: Is the requirement a hard filter or a preference? Some schools say "native speaker preferred" in marketing but accept non-native applicants who pass their screening.

More money terms

Sliding / tiered commission

A commission that shrinks as you teach more hours. Preply's structure: 33% (0–49 paid hours) to 25% (50–199) to 22% (200–399) to 18% floor (400+).

For your job hunt: sliding commission rewards consistency, but the band resets monthly on some platforms and is lifetime on others. Read the exact reset rule before you plan around the lower rate.

Pay cycle

How often the platform releases your earnings: daily, weekly, every two weeks or monthly. Engoo pays weekly, Preply every two weeks, Outschool weekly and Magic Ears monthly.

For your job hunt: a long pay cycle matters for cash flow when you're starting. With a 30 day cycle you may be teaching 4 weeks before your first dollar lands. The getting-paid guide shows typical cycles per platform.

Payout rail

The service that moves money from the platform to your bank — PayPal, Payoneer, Wise, or direct bank transfer. Each charges its own fees and conversion markup.

For your job hunt: Wise and direct bank are usually cheapest (0.4 to 1% in total). PayPal and Payoneer add 2 to 4% on top of the exchange rate. The getting-paid comparison runs the same numbers on USD 2,000 a month.

Holdback / payment hold

A delay between the lesson and the payout, usually 3 to 14 days, to absorb student refunds and disputes. Outschool holds 7 days; Preply holds 4 days; some group-class platforms hold 30 days.

For your job hunt: a holdback is normal, not predatory. A holdback with no clear release date is a red flag — push for the timeline in writing.

Trial lesson pay

The pay and fees for an introductory lesson may differ from regular lessons. Preply retains the full new student trial fee. italki’s recorded policy charges no commission on trial lessons. Check the current terms for the lesson you offer.

For your job hunt: trial pay is where the real commission rate hides. If a marketplace advertises "25% commission" but pays nothing on trials, the real rate on your first 50 hours is much higher. Read the trial rules before filling your week with them.

Bonus structure

Extra pay the platform offers for hitting goals — completion bonus, attendance bonus, peak-hour bonus, new-student bonus, holiday bonus. Some marketplaces run booking or first-lesson bonuses; check current terms.

For your job hunt: bonuses are real money but they change frequently and are often geo-restricted. Check the current bonus page on the platform before counting on it.

Effective hourly rate

Your real take-home after commission, conversion fees, taxes and unpaid prep time. The number that actually reaches your bank divided by the number of paid hours you worked.

For your job hunt: this is the only number that matters. A USD 25 advertised rate can work out at USD 14 an hour after all deductions. Use the hourly rate calculator to get your real number before signing up.

Minimum payout threshold

The smallest balance you must accumulate before the platform will release funds. PayPal typically has none; Payoneer has a USD 50 minimum on some platforms; direct bank varies.

For your job hunt: a high minimum combined with a low hourly rate means you wait weeks to actually receive money. Pair this with pay cycle and you've got your real cash-flow picture.

Classroom and methodology terms

K-12

Kindergarten through 12th grade — students aged 5 to 18. The dominant market for kids-focused platforms such as Outschool, Novakid, Magic Ears and Brighterly.

For your job hunt: if you like working with kids, K-12 is where the work is. Adults and business English are a smaller, more specialised market.

CEFR (A1–C2)

The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. Six levels from beginner (A1) to mastery (C2). Most online platforms loosely group students into A1 to A2 (beginner), B1 to B2 (intermediate) and C1 to C2 (advanced).

For your job hunt: if a job ad mentions "B2 minimum", that means the student can already handle most everyday English. A1–A2 students need simpler vocabulary, slower pace, more visuals. Choose your student level based on how much scaffolding you enjoy.

IELTS / TOEFL / TOEIC

The three big English-proficiency tests. IELTS is British and accepted in the UK, Australia, New Zealand and Canada for immigration. TOEFL is American and accepted at US universities. TOEIC is business-focused, common in Japanese and Korean corporate training.

For your job hunt: test-prep teachers can charge USD 30 to 80 an hour because the student has a specific goal and a deadline. It requires familiarity with the test format, not just English skill — a separate 20 to 40 hour TEFL or TESOL course usually pays for itself in your first month.

Cambridge English (B2 First, C1 Advanced, C2 Proficiency)

The Cambridge suite of English exams — B2 First (FCE), C1 Advanced (CAE), C2 Proficiency (CPE), plus the B1 Preliminary. Accepted in the UK and Europe for university admission and some jobs.

For your job hunt: Cambridge-prep students are often in Europe or Latin America. Teaching C1 Advanced content is a niche specialty; if you've passed CAE yourself, the rate ceiling is high.

Business English

English for working professionals — meetings, presentations, emails, negotiation vocabulary. Often taught 1:1 to executives who need a specific outcome.

For your job hunt: business English often uses tutor-set prices, and this directory does not publish a typical hourly wage for italki or Verbling. It requires domain familiarity. If you've worked in finance, law, medicine, or tech, that background is your competitive edge.

IELTS band (0 to 9)

An IELTS band score describes assessed English proficiency on a scale from 0 to 9.

For your job hunt: A strong personal score does not establish teaching skill or a market pay rate. Show suitable lesson materials and accurate knowledge of the assessment criteria.

Young learners

Students aged 4 to 12. Different from teens — shorter attention spans, more visual learning, more game-based lessons, parents observe and evaluate.

For your job hunt: young learner platforms (Outschool, Novakid, Magic Ears, Brighterly) have stricter demo lessons and lesson-plan requirements than adult platforms. The work is more structured but also more repetitive — good if you like routine, harder if you prefer variety.

CLIL

Content and Language Integrated Learning — teaching a subject (science, history) in English, common in European bilingual schools.

For your job hunt: CLIL is mostly an in-person European school term. You'll see it in European job ads, rarely in online platforms.

EAP

English for Academic Purposes prepares learners for study in English, including reading research, writing essays and following lectures.

For your job hunt: Check the role for required qualifications and experience with academic writing or study skills. A higher degree does not always mean higher pay.

ESP

English for Specific Purposes focuses on the communication needed in a particular profession or activity.

For your job hunt: Relevant professional knowledge can help you design lessons. Explain what you can teach and check the employer’s requirements; specialist work has no universal pay premium.

L1 / L2

L1 means a learner’s first language; L2 is a language being learned.

For your job hunt: If you can use a learner’s first language to explain difficult ideas, describe that skill accurately in your profile. It does not establish a higher rate.

Lesson plan

A lesson plan sets out the learning aim, activities, materials and ways to check understanding.

For your job hunt: Ask whether planning time is paid and record how long preparation actually takes. Reusable lesson plan templates can help you organise it.

Platform contract terms

Self-employed / independent contractor

A teacher who invoices a platform or learners directly instead of being employed by them. Whether a teaching engagement counts as self-employment depends on the facts and on the rules where you work.

For your job hunt: Read how the listing describes the engagement (employee, contractor, freelance) and keep the platform agreement. Start at tax basics and ask your own tax office about tax, business-registration or employment-status rules.

Platform fee

A platform fee is an amount the marketplace retains from the student payment. It may depend on completed teaching hours, lesson type or another stated rule.

For your job hunt: Check the applicable fee for each lesson and any separate payout or currency conversion charges. Our platform directory distinguishes published terms from unknown fees.

Non-compete / exclusivity

An exclusivity or noncompete clause may restrict other teaching work. Its effect and enforceability depend on the contract and applicable law.

For your job hunt: Check which work, locations and time periods the clause covers. Get appropriate advice if it could restrict your livelihood; there is no universally reasonable duration.

IP rights (lesson content)

Intellectual property terms describe who owns teaching materials and what others may do with them.

For your job hunt: Read the clauses on ownership, licences, recordings and reuse before uploading your materials. A licence to use a lesson and a transfer of ownership are different arrangements.

Termination clause

A termination clause explains how either party may end the agreement and any notice requirements.

For your job hunt: Check the notice, cancellation charges and circumstances allowing immediate termination. Assess the actual contract rather than assuming a standard notice period.

Payment on termination

These terms explain how payment for work already completed is handled when an agreement ends.

For your job hunt: Check the payment date, any disputed amounts and how to obtain your records. Keep copies of completed lessons and the agreed payment terms.

GDPR / data privacy

The GDPR is an EU data protection law. Whether it applies depends on the processing and territorial scope of the law.

For your job hunt: Check how the service uses learner details and lesson recordings, who can access them, and how privacy requests are handled. A privacy policy alone does not prove compliance.