If you’ve decided that 2023 is your year for making a change then now is the time to strike! An exciting new TEFL career is waiting for you. How do you make a start? By becoming TEFL qualified! With our interactive, self-paced online courses, it’s easier than ever. Don’t put it off any longer, start researching the best TEFL course for you for 2023! 

Once you’re TEFL qualified, there are many opportunities waiting for you. Whether you want to teach in your own country, move to an exciting new country or teach online. There are lots of interesting job offers out there for TEFL qualified teachers. The world of teaching English is always changing so there is something for everyone!

How to pick a TEFL course?

To pick the best TEFL course, you need to consider whether it is the right fit for your needs based. What’s right for one person might not work for another. However, there are some key aspects that you should look out for when you are looking for a TEFL course:

1. Accreditation

This is one of the most important things to check when picking the best TEFL course for you. Accreditation means that the course is officially recognised by an awarding body. Your potential employer can verify this and check you have undertaken proper training. If you haven’t and the course is not accredited, then it won’t be seen as worth anything.

To check if a course is accredited, you can look on your TEFL provider’s website and verify the awarding body and the number. You should then be able to go to the awarding organisation’s website and verify it there. If you’re not sure if you can find this information, just email the provider. They will provide you with it. If they are unwilling to give you this information, then it’s a red flag and likely that the course is not accredited!

All of the courses at the TEFL Institute are accredited, and you can find this information on our website. Our Level 5 courses are also awarded by Highfield. Your employers can verify this on the website or check with us.

2. Support available

Most online TEFL courses are self-study meaning that you access the courses as and when you want to. You then study at your own pace and progress through the modules. You are also responsible for completing any quizzes and assessments in the time frame provided. This is a big advantage so that you can fit your course in around your existing commitments and get TEFL qualified in no time! However independent you may be in your studies, it’s always a big benefit to have academic support available to you in case you need to ask any questions. It can sometimes be overwhelming to organise what you need to study so having access to support is key here.

We have Tutor Support available for all courses where you can ask any questions you have about the course content, assessments or even TEFL in general. You can also attend a live Zoom session with a qualified assessor if you prefer to get your questions asked face-to-face!

If you need more support, you can join our student Discord network where you can chat with other learners! Just because you are studying online doesn’t mean you can’t get to know your study peers! You can also reach out there and ask our assessors any questions you have! We have many different networks of support available for our learners, making the study process even easier! You are never alone studying your TEFL course!

3. Who are your assessors?

The people who are helping you and marking your coursework matter too! They should be qualified people who have TEFL experience! Our assessors are all Master’s/ Delta level qualified. and have many years’ teaching experience in TEFL including face-to-face teaching abroad, online teaching volunteering and running their own teaching businesses! Our assessors have experience as TEFL teachers, teacher trainers and official examiners! Between them our assessors have taught all over the world from Ecuador to Thailand! This means that not only do they have the highest level of knowledge about teaching English but they also have solid practical knowledge. All of this will add to you having the best TEFL course experience!

4. Certificate costs 

It’s normal that there may be an extra charge at the end of your course to get a certificate or get a hard copy of your PDF certificate. The benefit of studying with the TEFL Institute is that all of your certificates, both digital and hard copy, are included in your course for free! This means that there are no extra certificate fees waiting for you! 

If you’re ready to take the TEFL plunge with us, then check out some of our top courses below so you can be sure you are taking the best TEFL course for your future career!

180 HOUR LEVEL 5 TEFL DIPLOMA

Our 180-hour Level 5 Diploma award is a new, exciting course that will put you right at the front of the TEFL job market. Our Diploma course is a fully comprehensive course which will give you a solid foundation in TEFL. The course is self-study and features a range of interactive lessons to make the learning fun! You’ll have six months to access the course at your own pace. Which means you can fit the course in around your other commitments- what could be easier than that?!

Our course covers everything from grammar to teaching activities as well as how to prepare your own lesson plans for your classes. There is also an online focus so you can learn how traditional classroom teaching compares to online teaching, giving you that extra knowledge to get started in the virtual classroom too! Our Level 5 Diploma has been created by our expert developers and you will be working with our top-qualified assessors.

The benefit of the Level 5 Diploma is that it is the best TEFL course to make your CV stand out. Our government-regulated course will show your potential employer that you have undertaken the best possible training! Not to mention that your certificates are included for free – what’s not to love about this course!?

300 HOUR LEVEL 5 TEFL ADVANCED DIPLOMA

If you like the sound of the Level 5 Diploma course but feel like you want to challenge yourself even more, then check out our Level 5 Advanced Diploma! This course comprises not only the fundamental 180-hour course but also additional Level 5 specialist courses giving you the full TEFL package.

Once you start teaching, it’s always a good idea to get into a more niche area of teaching. This not only increases your earning potential but shows your employer that you can undertake other types of classes! That’s why the Advanced Diploma is the best choice for you if you are looking to get qualified and also expand your subject area knowledge straight away!

We have lots of great specialist courses you can choose from; from Teaching Business English to Teaching English in Other Subjects, we’ve got something for everyone! You will study two of these specialist courses in addition to the 180-hour main course. Of course, your certificates are included for free in your course so you will receive your Advanced Diploma at the end of your course at no extra cost!

The Advanced Diploma is a great way to cover a wide range of areas. It will make your CV stand out from the TEFL pile. You can choose the courses which interest you or ones that you think will help you when it comes to applying for TEFL jobs. Both our Diploma and Advanced Diploma courses are accredited by Highfield. This means you can be sure you are investing your money in a valid, high-quality course.

In Conclusion

Whatever course you choose, you have to ensure it’s the right option for you. It’s never too early to start thinking about where you want to go with your TEFL qualification. If you have some ideas, you can decide more easily which course would be best suited for your needs. Other factors to consider are your level of English, prior experience and your educational background.

If you feel inspired to make some TEFL progress in 2023 and finally start that TEFL course you’ve been thinking of. Then check out the wide range of courses we have available. We have courses for students of all ages and backgrounds. So there are no excuses to put it off any longer!  If you’re unsure about the best TEFL course for you, then speak to a member of our team who will guide you and help you achieve your TEFL dreams in no time!