If you have ever considered becoming a qualified English as a foreign language teacher you will have likely seen various TEFL, TESOL, Cambridge Celta or Trinity CertTESOL courses on offer and perhaps become confused by which course is the best option for you.
Which qualification are TEFL employers looking for?
If you delve deeper into your research, you will discover that around 75% of job adverts request either the Cambridge CELTA or Trinity CertTESOL qualification. This is because employers regard these internationally-recognised courses as high-quality teacher training courses which prepare graduates very well for stepping into any online or offline classroom. Having a Cambridge CELTA or Trinity CertTESOL qualification is one of the best ways you can get started in TEFL and improve your chances of finding some of the best positions out there. In fact, our careers advisor states that:
“Our graduates regularly receive a higher hourly rate than those who have taken courses which are not accredited by Trinity or Cambridge.” Justin McCarty
How do the courses compare?
Although very similar, we have put together a table of comparisons so that you can see how they compare: Online/ face to face Cambridge Celta or Trinity CertTESOL?
| Questions: | Trinity CertTESOL | Cambridge Celta |
| Is the certificate internationally recognized? | Yes | Yes |
| Who is it accredited by? | Trinity College London | Cambridge English Language Assessment |
| How long is the course? | Various options available | Various options available |
| How many contact hours are required? | 120-134 hours | 120-134 hours |
| Do I need to be a native speaker to join the course? | No | No |
| What is the minimum level of English required? | C1.2 | C1.2 |
| What classes will I be trained to teach? | Adults and young learners | Adults and young learners |
| How many observed hours will I teach? | 6 minimum | 6 minimum |
| How will I be assessed? | Observed teaching, projects, grammar exam | Observed teaching, four assignments |
| What are the components of the course? | Unit 1: Teaching Skills | Unit 1: Learners and teachers and the teaching and learning context |
| Unit 2: Language Awareness | Unit 2: Language Analysis and awareness | |
| Unit 3: The Learner Profile | Unit 3: Language Skills: reading, listening, speaking and writing | |
| Unit 4: The Materials Assignment (assessed by a Trinity Moderator) | Unit 4: Planning and resources for different contexts | |
| Unit 5: Unknown Language (5-50 minute lessons) | Unit 5: Developing teaching skills and professionalism | |
| What are the entry requirements? | To take a Cert. TESOL you should: | To take a Celta applicants should: |
| Be aged 18+ | Be aged 18+ | |
| Have a university degree or a standard of education equivalent to that which is required for higher education | Have a university degree or a standard of education equivalent to that which is required for higher education | |
| Have a good level of language awareness and spoken and written English | Have a good level of language awareness and spoken and written English | |
| How much is the course? | Course prices vary. | Course prices vary. |
In addition to the above, Cambridge Celta and Trinity CertTESOL trainers hold at least Trinity DipTESOL /Cambridge DELTA qualification and are qualified to train TEFL teachers, as well as teach English. They offer expertise in the world of TESOL/TEFL, as well as support and experience.
So, which course should I choose?
You can be sure that whichever course you choose, you will be taking the right step towards a rewarding career teaching English anywhere in the world.
How can I enrol in a CELTA course?
If you would like to take the next step to becoming a qualified English as a foreign language teacher, you may be interested to know that we can now offer the CELTA course 100% online. Find out what our graduates say about the course here, here and here and watch our FAQs video here.
Wherever you are in the world, you can now gain your Cambridge Celta qualification and train with the world’s most popular online CELTA course provider. Find out more about our 4-week or 14-week 100% Online CELTA course or get in touch to find out more.
All of our courses are 100% paper-free