TEFL Certification
The Definitive Guide
TEFL Cost
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How Much Does TEFL Certification Cost?
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When you decide to head to China to work, you are making a huge jump from your Western world to a foreign culture. However, you are also taking a jump from education in the Western world to a new culture. That’s what makes the Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) certificate so important. This will help prepare you mentally as well as though practice and education on what to expect when it comes to teaching abroad. While there is a TEFL certificate cost to factor in, you’ll find the benefits to easily outweigh the cost of the course. Here’s what you should know.
The Types of TEFL Certificates
When you’re wondering “how much does it cost to get a TEFL certificate?”, the type of course is going to play a role in the final fees. Here are the main options that you can consider when determining your options for taking a TEFL course, in-class, online, and a hybrid.
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In-Class TEFL Course:
When you are looking at an in-class TEFL course (think of a standard classroom as a community college or other institution), you’re going to be paying anywhere from $1, 500-$5, 000 depending on your country.
During these courses, you’ll be splitting your time between classic lectures and book learning, and then practice teaching as well. This is exactly as it sounds: in-class experience either with your classmates playing the role of your “students” or in actual classrooms of English learners where a moderator will check to see how you are handling the classrooms. While intimidating, this is intended to give you plenty of practice in interacting with English learners.
Cost of In-Class TEFL Course
Tuition for in-class TEFL courses in North America run between $2,200 and $2,800, while they are between $1,500 and $2,100 in Latin America. Europe has a few options that fall under $2,000, but they also have TEFL courses that cost upwards of $5,000 or more.
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Online TEFL Course:
An online TEFL course, as the name suggests, is an entire certification done remotely online. The lectures and class work will be done through video lectures (pre-recorded or live, depending) and you can do this from your own home (or anywhere else you want to do it).
When it comes to practice time in classes with English learners, you’ll be paired up with trained mentors in video chats at set times and in set amounts to give you the practicing time that you need as part of the program.
Cost of Online TEFL Course
The online courses are more affordable, which is great for anyone who cannot afford hefty tuition payments now or in the future. No one needs to worry about practicing interacting with anyone during their online classes, as there are often mentors available to video chat at scheduled times.
Online Course Pricing Comparison
Depending on your own pace, you can get the TEFL certificate from online course from 4 weeks to 8 weeks
| Institution | Course Duration | Price | Price Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| International TEFL Academy | 170 hours | $1399 | High |
| University of Toronto | 120 hours | $1165 | High |
| i-o-i | 120 hours | $499 | Medium |
| My TEFL | 120 hours | $299 | Medium ~ Low |
| ITTT | 120 hours | $235 | Medium ~ Low |
The in-class options are pricier with a cost of a couple thousand dollars, but everyone must remember that they can get more hands-on experience in a classroom setting.
On the other hand, the online classes are often cheaper with a cost of a few hundred dollars.
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Combined Course:
This combines the in-class training with online training and can be effective in those that like the convenience of in-class learning or monitoring, but also an online component for remote access. These will vary in what is in-class versus online, but are a common selection for those that want to have a combined approach.
The price of the program that you choose is going to vary depending on how many in-person resources are used. That’s why online TEFL courses do tend to be cheaper overall. As far as timing most range from 120-170 hours and can be completed in as short a time as 4-8 weeks. The pace is often set by your use of in-person or online training and even the kind of TEFL certification schedule that you choose.
While prices vary, be wary of those that are priced extremely high (it may be a higher level of certification that you don’t need) or extremely low (they may not be from an accredited institution, which should be one of the first details that you check out). Since this certification is a critical stepping stone, go only with trusted and fact-checked providers of TEFL certification courses.
Is Getting a TEFL Certificate Worth it?
One of the details that native English speakers forget is that learning English is challenging when it’s a foreign language. Since English speakers learned the language as babies, they’re unable to remember learning it and, therefore, aren’t the best people to teach the language! That’s where the TEFL classes come in.
These courses will focus on helping learners of all ages understand the basic building blocks English and you’ll be able to use your education in teaching English as well as natively speaking English to form a cohesive learning experience for those looking to learn. Why not make the teaching easier for yourself by getting this easily accessible certificate to help guide you? It’s designed specifically for this purpose.
The certification is a one-time thing that doesn’t have to be upgraded (unless you choose to do so for more opportunities within a specific ESL field). It’s just an upfront fee to consider when budgeting.
Is teaching ESL abroad a worth-pursuing career?
If you’re looking at these certification courses for the first time and feeling apprehensive about the time and financial implications, take a look at what you’ll be getting your time and effort. You’ll have all of the expertise and certification that you need to effectively teach English as a Second Language (ESL) in China as well as any other spot in which you want to try. Since ESL is one of the most in-demand careers in China, you’ll be able to enjoy a secure earning and also get to help students learn a foreign language in a safe and supportive environment.
If you are someone who loves to travel, teaching ESL is a great way to enjoy some income and also make sure that you are satisfying your travel bug needs at the same time! Popular amongst young professionals and growing more in-demand by the day in China, it’s a great career to consider when you want something different.
So, how much does a TEFL certificate cost? It costs a small one-time fee (depending on the class that you take) and it will open up the door to an ESL abroad career. When teaching ESL is what you want to do, the TEFL certificate is the building block to focus on. Without question, it will be worth the investment in the long term. You just need to absorb it now and then enjoy all of the benefits it will bring you in everything from travel to education. The right TEFL certification course is the first step to a long and happy career teaching ESL!
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