Choosing a TEFL course

A TEFL certificate is often the first thing you buy, and the easiest place to waste money. Check these four things before you pay.

1. Hours. Most employers that ask for a TEFL certificate expect at least 120 hours. A short weekend certificate rarely counts.
2. Teaching practice. The best-known courses (for example CELTA and Trinity CertTESOL) include teaching real learners while a trainer watches and gives feedback. Schools value that more than an online-only course.
3. Accreditation. There is no single official TEFL accreditor. When a course says “internationally accredited”, ask who accredits it, then look that body up yourself: is it independent, or owned by the company selling the course?
4. Refunds and the real price. Read the refund policy before you pay. A “90% off” countdown that never ends is the normal price. Ask what extras cost: certificate posting, extensions, “job support”.

A “guaranteed job” is not a guarantee unless it says, in writing, which schools, which countries, which visa and what pay.