Course research
Choose a TEFL course for the roles you want
Start with the qualification required by your target employer. Compare the exact course, the work you are assessed on, the tutor support, how it is delivered and the total price today, before you pay.
Record the employer’s requirement
Read the requirements on a live job listing before you choose a provider. Record any stated course hours, teaching practice, named award, assessment or delivery format. A course length on its own does not mean an employer accepts it.
Identify the exact qualification
Record the full course and award name, provider and awarding organisation. If a provider claims regulation or external accreditation, look up the organisation’s own record of that course and check what it covers. Check whether the claim applies to the provider, the specific course or the qualification.
A provider’s marketing and a regulator’s approval are different claims. Do not read a logo, or a course’s number of hours, as proof of either.
Compare the practical terms
- What work is assessed, and how is feedback given?
- Is teaching practice included, and what does it involve?
- Who provides tutor support, and when is it available?
- What are the access period, schedule and completion rules?
- What is the total current price, including assessment, certificate and delivery charges?
- What are the refund, extension and cancellation terms?
Ask when acceptance is unclear
Send the exact course details to the employer and ask whether the course meets the requirement for that role. Keep the answer with your application notes. Do not assume a provider’s acceptance claim, a provisional award or a more expensive course guarantees approval, a higher rate or work.