All TEFL Courses & Certifications UK

The TEFL Academy is one of the leading TEFL course providers in the UK. We are regulated by Ofqual, accredited by Qualifi, and approved by the DEAC. The TEFL Academy has won awards for the Top TEFL Course in 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022! We have sent over 200,000 graduates into the classroom. We have placed over 10,000 interns and volunteers in teaching positions. We have the highest average review ratings of any TEFL course provider on all the major review aggregator websites, but you don’t have to take our word for it. Check out some online reviews for yourselves and see what our alumni have to say.

TEFL courses are, without a doubt, worth it. They are intensive, comprehensive courses which prepare you to teach in the EFL classroom. At the same time, teaching English gives you transferable skills which you can take with you in whichever direction you can go.  With a TEFL qualification, you are not restricted to teaching: you can train teachers, write, blog, manage a school - the opportunities are endless. A TEFL course is not just a gateway to employment, a TEFL qualification is a ticket to a life you’ve always dreamed of, living and working wherever you want, with as much flexibility as your heart desires. Even better, a TEFL qualification is for life - it ever expires!

In terms of length, your TEFL course should be at least 120 hours long. This is the standard length for TEFL courses and is the minimum accepted by TEFL employees. It might seem like 120 hours is a bit short to fully equip you with the skills needed to teach English as a foreign language, but don’t be fooled: a TEFL course is comprehensive to say the least. If you are wondering, should I do a Level 3 or a Level 5 TEFL course? Then the answer is: it depends. TEFL teachers who only want to teach privately, online or in a volunteer position can take a Level 3 TEFL course, but TEFL teachers who want to qualify for long-term, better-paid teaching jobs should do a Level 5 course. While both courses allow you to teach, a Level 5 provides you with a better understanding of the intricacies of teaching English as a Foreign Language, so preparing you more for the classroom. A Combined Level 5 TEFL qualification, or an online-only Level 5 TEFL qualification is preferred by many EFL employers for this reason.

To do a TEFL course all you need is to be a fluent English speaker and at least 16 years of age. Having a degree is not a requirement to do a TEFL course, nor is it a requirement to get a job as a TEFL teacher.

Any qualification can be challenging to achieve, but the way a TEFL course is structured is to ensure you pass. What this means is that you are given support and guidance throughout the course. Many people also ask, can you fail a TEFL course? Failing a TEFL course is possible, but more likely due to absenteeism or plagiarism.

There is no single accrediting organisation for TEFL courses. Each TEFL course must be assessed on its own merits and judged according to the accrediting bodies which support it. And don’t worry, these days an online TEFL certification is considered equal to a face-to-face TEFL course - but, of course, this depends on the quality of the courses in question. The TEFL Academy is regulated by Ofqual, awarded by Qualifi and approved by the DEAC. We’re not shy about our accreditation; you can find out more here. 

The TEFL Academy offers online courses and combination courses.   Both the Level 3 120-hour and the Level 5 168-hour course are available as online options.   The TEFL Academy also offers a Level 5 40-hour Observed Teaching Practice Course - a first of its kind. If you are already TEFL-qualified, you can do one of our 30-hour Top-Up courses, choosing between Teaching Business English, Teaching Young Learners, and Teaching Online & 1:1.

Our Level 5 168-hour Combined TEFL Course is a combination of online learning and face-to-face instruction. The in-class component consists of 10 hours of classroom instruction in one of our TEFL course locations. In the UK we have nine TEFL course locations:

• Belfast
• Birmingham
• Brighton
• Bristol
• Edinburgh
• Glasgow
• Leeds
• London
• Newcastle

Let us rephrase the question: Where would you like to teach? Because a TEFL certification opens up doors all over the world, with a TEFL-qualification you can teach wherever you want.

The only requirement to do a TEFL certificate is that you are a fluent English speaker. You don’t need a degree to do a TEFL course. Similarly, you don’t need a degree to teach English as a foreign language. However, some countries require you to have a degree (in any subject) for visa purposes. Many countries are happy with just a TEFL qualification - and you can always teach online.

A TEFL course with The TEFL Academy costs between £300 and £750. If you want to ask, are cheap TEFL courses worth it? Then we’re going to have to say no. A cheap-as-chips TEFL certificate is often not worth the paper it’s printed on. Considering a TEFL course is an investment of your time and money, as well as an investment in your future, investing in a TEFL qualification which is worth it is, well, worth it.

This depends on your circumstances. If you’re thinking of volunteer teaching or working in a short-term position, such as on a summer camp, then a Level 3 TEFL certificate is perfectly adequate. It will prepare you for the TEFL classroom by equipping you with all the skills and knowledge you will need. If you are thinking of teaching in a long-term teaching position, or if you’d prefer a well-paid job, then you should do a Level 5 certificate. A combined Level 5 TEFL course or an online-only Level 5 TEFL course is more of an investment in terms of time and money, but it is definitely worth it.