TEFL is the acronym for teaching English as a foreign language or, simply, English language instruction for non-native speakers. It is sometimes also known as TESOL (teaching English to speakers of other languages) or TESL (teaching English as a second language).

Being a TEFL teacher means teaching the English language to adults and/or children whose first language is not English. This can occur either within the state school system or, more privately, at a language school or with a tutor.

TEFL instruction can be delivered face-to-face, like in a classroom, or online to/from anywhere in the world, either one-to-one or in a group. Students can learn the language generally and/or look to increase their English-language vocabulary for a specific purpose, such as learning business English.

TEFL and TESOL are both acronyms for teaching English to non-native English speakers. Both acronyms can be used to describe qualifications which certify you to teach English as a foreign language. To a large extent, "TEFL" and "TESOL" are used interchangeably.

• TEFL - Teaching English as a Foreign Language
• TESOL - Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages

Our TEFL jobs are open to anyone who has a recognised Level 3 or Level 5 TEFL qualification. This means that as soon as you graduate from The TEFL Academy, you can start applying for teaching jobs abroad. New jobs are posted daily!

Our TEFL internships are open to anyone who has enrolled on our Level 3 or Level 5 courses and meets the requirements listed for each opportunity. An internship is the ideal way to kick-start your TEFL career whilst receiving a higher level of support than standard TEFL jobs. They are a good way to bridge the gap between qualifying and starting a more formal teaching role.

Our voluntary TEFL positions are a great way to get started with TEFL, helping you to gain valuable experience whilst helping others and receiving additional support. They are open to anyone who has enrolled on our Level 3 or Level 5 courses and meets the requirements listed for each opportunity.

With so much choice and such a vast amount of conflicting information available on the Internet it can be difficult for potential TEFL course students to make the correct choice.

The most internationally recognised TEFL courses lead to a level 5 qualification, which is the same level as the CELTA/Trinity CertTESOL. The minimum entry requirement for most well paid jobs, with the best packages, is a level 5 TEFL qualification. The level 5 version of our course leads to a Level 5 TEFL Diploma (168 hours), it's regulated by Ofqual (UK government department) and awarded by Qualifi, a UK government recognised awarding body.

A TEFL Diploma is simply a slightly higher level of qualification than a "Certificate". It will help your CV/Resume stand out against other applicants for TEFL jobs. Our Diploma is the highest Level 5 Diploma available, so courses advertised as an "Advanced Diploma" are equal to our qualification.

If you are looking for an introduction to TEFL and plan to look for casual work teaching English, such as volunteering, teaching whilst backpacking and some online teaching roles, then we recommend you choose a level 3 course. The level 3 version of our course leads to a Level 3 TEFL Certificate (120hrs).

We know that navigating your way through the TEFL web of courses is very confusing. This is why we try to keep it simple, giving you exactly what you need to get the best jobs around the world!