All you need to know about TEFL certification to teach English abroad

How good are you with the English language?

On a scale of beginner, intermediate, and fluent, where would you say you rank?

If you can beat your chest and say “fluent,” then I’d tell you you’ve got one of the most in-demand skills in the world right now.

With your skill, you can start earning as high as $1000+/month by simply teaching remotely from the comfort of your home or travelling to a country where your skill is needed.

To secure some of these jobs, you don’t even need to have any college degree or qualifications.

All you need is your English proficiency skills and a certificate in TEFL!

What is a certificate in TEFL? You ask.

That’s what you’re here to find out.

What is a certificate in TEFL?

TEFL is an acronym for “Teaching English as a Foreign Language.” And a certificate in TEFL is, therefore, a qualification that enables you to Teach English as a Foreign Language to people whose first language is not English.

Normally, this would mean people from every corner of the world – Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, Southern America, etc.

A certificate in TEFL permits you to teach both the young and old, individuals and business minds, male and female, and everyone who’s interested in brushing up their English.

Do you need a TEFL certificate to teach English abroad?

In the not-too-distant past, it was possible to secure English teaching jobs abroad without having a certificate in TEFL.

In those days, there were huge demands for English teachers, but only a small number of capable teachers were available. As such, most schools abroad had to bend their rules to accommodate teachers that didn’t have certificates in TEFL so that there would be enough supply to meet the demand.

These days, however, things have changed.

Without a TEFL certificate, it’s almost impossible that you’ll find an English teaching job abroad.

Nowadays, most language institutes require that teachers first present their TEFL certificates – which they’ve gotten from a reputable provider like Premier TEFL – before they can be considered for any English teaching position at all.

How do you get a TEFL certificate?

You get a TEFL certificate after enrolling, completing, and passing a TEFL online course organized by a reputable TEFL course provider.

From the statement above, you can note the following:

— You have to ensure you’re enrolling in a reputable TEFL course providing platform.

— You have to complete the program

— And you have to pass the course

The most difficult of the three is finding a reputable TEFL course online provider to enroll with.

Luckily for you, you don’t have to stress yourself looking for one because providers like Premier TEFL have got you covered.

How do you take a TEFL course?

A TEFL course can come in any of the following forms.

— Platform: As an online TEFL course, an on-site course, or a combination of the two.

— Duration: As a 4-week intensive course or a weekend or week-long course

— Location: As a course, you take at home or in the country where you want to teach

— Structure: As a full time or part-time TEFL course

The most important thing when looking for a course to get that all-important TEFL certificate is to do your research and make an informed choice.

What do you need to do a TEFL course?

Generally speaking, most providers require that you’re at least 18 years old and have sufficient educational qualifications to gain entry to higher education. No problem if you have no college degree.

If you are a non-native speaker of English, you will be asked to demonstrate that you boast a high level of English language skills.

This is usually done by asking you to complete a language awareness or language assessment task.

CELTA and Trinity Cert TESOL

The most widely recognized and accepted entry-level TEFL certificates are the CELTA and TESOL. Employers who only accept CELTA and TESOL certification may state this in job adverts.

A large number of TEFL course providers offer courses of similar quality, duration, and content to the CELTA and TESOL, and these are almost as widely accepted by employers, who may state that they require “CELTA, TESOL or equivalent” or something similar.

How much does it cost to take a TEFL course?

Generally, on-site TEFL courses cost between $50 and $1500.

But online courses are relatively cheaper because they don’t require the physical presence of tutors or the running costs of a class environment. On platforms like Premier TEFL, you can find courses for as low as $15, and you can find courses in the region of $300 and more.