TEFL or CELTA?

Posted by Erin Mackenzie - 10:58 on 09 March 2011

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TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) or CELTA (Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults)?

Whether a TEFL or CELTA qualification is the better option for you entirely depends on your situation. It’s not as simple as one being better than the other. Here is a basic run-through of the differences between each and what to consider when deciding what qualification is best for you.

A CELTA course is advisable, usually necessary, for work in colleges and universities and for people who are looking to make EFL teaching their career, but a TEFL qualification is a good starting point and more appropriate for those who are looking to work abroad for a shorter amount of time. If you have never done any EFL teaching a weekend TEFL course can be a great way of determining whether it’s right for you without committing yourself to spending quite a lot of money and putting an entire month aside.

Unlike CELTA courses, which are run as part of the University of Cambridge, there is not a single independent accrediting body which governs what courses run by TEFL providers should contain. However, TEFL providers can be accredited by a number of bodies and TEFL Scotland is currently accredited by four separate bodies including the SQA (Scottish Qualifications Authority). For more information on TEFL Scotland accreditation click here.

One of the biggest differences between the CELTA and TEFL is the length of time it can take to get your qualification. You can get your first TEFL Scotland qualification in a single weekend (20 hours) but a CELTA course runs full-time for four or five weeks. There is also a significant difference in prices with a CELTA course costing over £1000 and a 100-hour TEFL certificate costing £329 with TEFL Scotland, for example.

A good TEFL course provider should have independent accreditation, international recognition and good connections to help you find work once you get your qualification. Find out more about TEFL Scotland here.
 

Your Comments

Comment by claire mcburnie at 20:25 on 16 May 2011.
Hi I was wondering if I could apply for the teaching job in Turkey and I was wondering how I would go about it?
Comment by Amy at 10:39 on 20 May 2011.
Hi Claire, we aren't currently recruiting for Turkey at the moment but our TEFL contacts directory has contact details for employers there. Both the directory and our vacancies are exclusively for TEFL Scotland students so you need to have one of our certificates to apply for those jobs.
Comment by Clare K at 15:28 on 27 March 2012.
Hi, have you started recruiting for jobs in UK yet? Edinburgh in particular?
Comment by Kiva Richard (TEFL Advisor) at 17:10 on 11 April 2012.
Hi Clare, we are currently advertising for some positions in the UK. Have a look at our online TEFL Jobs Centre where you can search for jobs. You can also sign up to our TEFL Jobs Newsletter so that you won't miss out on any new vacancies.
Comment by ROY MORTON at 11:03 on 25 July 2012.
Hi there, looking to get some further info on TEFL course. My name is Roy, 23 years old, work in social care in the NHS, I do support working with people who have substance misuse problems. Looking to travel and see the world in the near future, definitely interested in TEFL. What would be the best enroads for me to get started. Regards
Comment by Kiva Richard (TEFL Advisor) at 12:59 on 26 July 2012.
Hi Roy, that's great to hear you are interested in TEFL. If you like you can give us a call on 0800 9 888 200 and speak to one of our customer advisors who will tell you all about our TEFL courses and how you can get started. Generally we recommend taking at least 120 hours of TEFL training as this is a requirement for many TEFL Jobs around the world. Feel free to get in touch for more information.
Comment by Ridwaan at 23:54 on 20 December 2012.
Hi, my aim is to go to the Arab countries so which course should i do? The TEFL advanced course (i have already completed the standard 2 day course) or the CELTA course. I really appreciate your advice. kind regards Ridwaan
Comment by Alana at 14:22 on 28 December 2012.
Hi Ridwaan. It really depends. In Arab countries, generally you will need to be very highly qualified. The more highly you are qualified, then the higher your salary can be. If you want to obtain the best chance of securing work we'd recommend perhaps more TEFL training followed by CELTA training (if it is perhaps your long-term plan to live and work in the Far East). If you want you can call our team of experts on 0800 9 888 200 and they'll be happy to talk you through your options.
Comment by Shamir at 17:42 on 27 April 2013.
Hi, I was interesting to do part1 and 2 of the TEFL course but I don't have any university degree will I still get a job in any country abroad in Asia or others? Thanks
Comment by nada at 12:46 on 03 May 2013.
Hi I am looking to live and work in Qatar. Could you advise which qualification would be best suited for me? I have no experience as of yet.
Comment by Alana at 11:19 on 22 May 2013.
Hi there. Thanks for getting in touch. The best thing to do would be to call our TEFL Experts on 01349 800 600 and they'll be able to talk you through the opportunities available and which course might be best for you.

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