There are many different acronyms that are used when referring to teaching English. Broadly speaking, TEFL, TESOL and TESL are terms used to describe the teaching of the English language to students who are not native English speakers.

Some acronyms are used more commonly in different parts of the world.

TEFL – stands for Teaching English as a Foreign Language, and it's most commonly used in Europe and Asia.
TESOL – stands for Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, more commonly used in US, Canada and Australia.
TESL – stands for Teaching English as a Second Language.
TEFL, TESOL and TESL are used when describing a professional certification in the field of English language teaching.
TEFL and TESOL are geared toward teaching English in non-English speaking countries.
TESL is geared toward teaching English in English-speaking countries.

These terms are often used interchangeably, but there are some differences between the two approaches to teaching English.

EFL stands for English as a Foreign Language. This refers to teaching English in a country where English is not the first language.

ESL stands for English as a Second Language. This refers to teaching English in a country where English is the first language. ESL is a term very commonly used in the US, Canada and Australia. Here the primary goal is to help the individual to cope in the new society where they are now living.

No, TEFL Cambridge Limited is an accredited TEFL training provider and is not linked to the University of Cambridge or Cambridge ESOL. Our courses are geared for use in non-native English speaking countries and can be used to work all over the world. If you are unsure about which type of TEFL course best suits your needs, contact our team and we'll be happy to help you.

No you don't. You need to be fluent in English, both written and spoken. Having a CAE level
(Cambridge Advanced English) will be sufficient. You can take your test here.

You don't need any previous experience or qualifications to do the TEFL Cambridge course.

Our course is designed for people over the age of 18, but anyone can enrol for the course. If you are under 18, you just need to be aware that even if you complete the course successfully, most jobs require a minimum age of 18.

No you don't. However it also depends on where you would like to go to teach. When you see 'degree holder' stated under job requirements, this can be due to a government regulation or employer preference. For example, in countries such as South Korea and Japan it is a government regulation for all those who wish to teach English to have a university degree. This is required to obtain a work visa. There are many other countries, however, that will welcome you if you don't have a degree such as China, Argentina or Russia. You just need to have a TEFL certificate.

If you have any doubts or require further information feel free to contact us.

The full range of TEFL Cambridge training courses are independently accredited by ACCREDITAT. You can confirm this by visiting the ACCREDITAT website. TEFL Cambridge certification will be issued with the ACCREDITAT logo and course graduates can also obtain a second certificate stating their qualification from ACCREDITAT. Taking an accredited TEFL course offers reassurance to you and potential employers that you’ve undertaken a course that has been assessed for quality, consistency and high standards.

No. Once you register on our website you will receive an activation email with a link. You need to click the link to activate your training account and to be able to log in and start your course. If you are not ready to start, you can wait for up to one year before clicking the activation link.

You will have 90 days of study time to complete the course from the moment you activate your account.

Normally our students finish the 140-hour course within 10 weeks. As a guideline, studying around 2 hours per day should be sufficient. As this is an online course, you will have total freedom to study at your own pace. This means that you will have full control over how fast or slowly you progress through your course.

Our customer support team will be happy to answer any questions you may have during your course or on completion of your course.

If you have specific questions about the course content we will put you in contact with a course tutor for assistance either by email or by phone.

To contact us and to find our working hours, please click here.

In order to complete the course you need to make sure you have a good broadband internet connection.

Our course materials work for PCs, laptops and Macs. We recommend a fast web browser such as Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox, which you can download free of charge from the internet. The last version of Adobe Flash Player is also necessary and you will need to have Adobe Reader, both of which are downloadable from the Adobe website without charge.

Our courses are not compatible with iPhone or iPad, and if you have a tablet please make sure you have Flash Player.

All our courses are online and all materials that are required for you to complete the course will be provided as soon as you activate your account.

There are resources available in our TEFL shop that you can purchase for your own benefit and teacher development (they are not required to complete the course). You will find them very useful when you complete the course and the grammar guide, for example, can be a handy resource during the course. See more information on the resources by clicking the links below.

A Guide To TEFL Job Hunting
The Grammar Guide
Lesson Plan Pack
Professional Teacher's Career Guide
Ready to Roll! 30 Preparation-Free Activities

For promotional prices and special offers on resources, contact us.

Yes, you can extend your study time at any time. Please also note that none of your work will be lost if your course expires, everything in your account will simply freeze until you extend your access time.

When you register on our website, remember to activate your account only when you are ready to start because your study time begins from the moment you click the link to activate your account. Once your study time is activated, there is no function to stop the clock or put your course on hold.

The time allocated to complete your TEFL course is 90 days, if you need more study time to finish your training, you will need to purchase an extension.

Study time extensions can be purchased online from the Secretary section of the virtual campus or you can contact Customer Care for assistance in choosing the best value extension option for your needs.

To contact us please click here.

No, there is no final exam. All assessments are completed online and you will be continually assessed when completing the activities throughout the course. You will gain your TEFL certificate when you pass and complete all the units of the course with a minimum score of 55%.

All your exams will be online and included in your modules. When you complete the tasks you will receive a mark. Your final score will be the average for all units. To gain your certificate at the end, you need to pass all units with a minimum average score of 55% and you need to save all the pages in your coursework. This does not mean you need save the pages to a file. Very simply, at the bottom of each page there is a 'save and continue' box which you need to click on, which shows that you have read the content on the page.

Your final percentage will equate to one of the following certificate levels which will appear on your certificate as:
Pass: 55%-64%
Pass Plus: 65%- 74%
Merit: 75%- 84%
Distinction: 85%

The Cambridge ESOL Teaching Knowledge Test (TKT) is an accredited, internationally recognised teaching qualification that will give you a score of 1-4 from the Cambridge ESOL examining body.

By completing one of our comprehensive online TEFL courses you are fully prepared to sit the Cambridge ESOL Teaching Knowledge Test (TKT). The TKT focuses on the teaching knowledge that is required by teachers of primary, secondary or adult learners of English, anywhere in the world. Taking the Cambridge ESOL TKT can increase your confidence as an English teacher and enhance your TEFL job employability. The TKT is an excellent addition to your TEFL certificate and will enhance your job prospects, potential earnings and overall confidence.

Our courses (Scholar Level 3, Level 4 and Level 5) will prepare you to take the TKT exam. You can sit Cambridge ESOL exams at one of over 2,700 authorised test centres worldwide. To arrange your exam, simply contact a test centre directly. You'll find your nearest centre at the following link: http://cambridgeesolcentres.org/centres/teaching/index.do. You can read more about the TKT exam here: http://www.cambridgeenglish.org/exams-and-qualifications/tkt/

No. Completing our TEFL course will qualify you to teach English as a Foreign Language and you don't have to sit the TKT exam to be able to apply for jobs. Taking the Cambridge ESOL TKT is optional, although many people take the exam as it is an excellent addition to your TEFL certificate and will enhance your job prospects, potential earnings and overall confidence.

Once you've chosen the most suitable training course for your needs, you can register directly online by completing all sections on the booking form and processing your course fee payment. Select your course and book here.

To enrol on one of our 20-hour Specialist Modules, click here.

To register and purchase your course, click BUY NOW and you will be directed to complete the booking form. Complete the form with your details and accept our terms and conditions, click NEXT and you will be taken to the payment page where you can complete your purchase.

If you need any advice or information you're very welcome to contact us.

To check if there are any promotions available please contact us; we run exciting offers on our training courses from time to time.

When you successfully complete your course with a minimum pass rate of 55% you will be able to apply for your certificate in the Secretary section of the virtual campus. Within 2 - 3 working days your certificate application will be approved and you will be issued with the pdf copy of your certificate.

To check our Terms & Conditions click here.

Yes, you will always be able to log into your account on the TEFL Cambridge website. Within your virtual campus you will be able to download your TEFL certificate as well as access a number of other services. Students have 90 days to complete all components of their online training course, if more time is required study extensions can be purchased from the Secretary section. After the study time expiry date has passed, only the course modules will be inaccessible. For students who wish to review their learning after the course has been successfully completed, a course material subscription is available.

When you cone to apply for TEFL jobs abroad after completing your course you may be asked to have your certificate Apostilled or notarised. Apostille stamping is a process of document verification that is completed by the Dept of Foreign Affairs / Embassy of a particular country. The process is straightforward and steps of how to organise an Apostille stamp can be found online. A Notary Public is usually a practicing solicitor who is registered as a public officer offering notarisation. A notarised document is a copy of a document that is certified to be a true copy of the original and signed by a Notary Public.
Having a document Apostilled or notarised is often requested as part of the process of gaining an English teaching job abroad. It's not something to be concerned about and many TEFL teachers have completed these steps before you. Remember not to delay this process, give yourself plenty of time to complete the paperwork so that your job application process is as stress free as possible.

Yes, all printed certificates ordered from TEFL Cambridge have the our logo embossed in the card. An embossed stamp on your certificate allows employers to identify that your TEFL certificate is a genuine copy and is authentic.

A transcript of your course will include a full list of all of the modules that you've undertaken during your TEFL course and the percentage mark obtained in each. This document is available as a downloadable pdf and can be used when applying for TEFL jobs. It is useful for anyone who would like to show the breakdown of modules covered in their course. Course transcripts are not required by all employers however many course graduates like to order a transcript to complement their certificate. To order a course transcript, visit your TEFL training account and click on the Secretary section.