Advance your career with the Trinity DipTESOL course. Register for our free live seminar
Advance your career with the Trinity DipTESOL course. Register for our free live seminar
Gain this advanced qualification with the leading course provider worldwide. Move into other areas of ELT and apply for some of the best jobs. Now available fully online.
The Diploma in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (Trinity DipTESOL) is equivalent to a Cambridge DELTA and is an internationally respected, prestigious qualification for experienced teachers of ESOL/EFL. In contrast to the Cambridge DELTA, the Trinity DipTESOL provides more of a focus on phonology and the option to base your projects on your own particular context.
It is ideal if you are looking for the next step in your ELT career and you are ready to gain an advanced qualification in ELT which will impress employers worldwide. The Trinity DipTESOL will transform your teaching and help you move into roles such as examiner, coursebook writer, teacher trainer or school manager.
Even if you are working full-time, the flexible format of this course means it can be integrated into your busy life.
Since 1998, we have trained over 800 teachers on the Trinity DipTESOL course and become the world’s leading course provider. We are chosen by British Council centres and partners all over the world, including in Egypt, India, Hong Kong, Jordan, Mauritius, Morocco, Myanmar, Spain and Tunisia, as well as individuals looking for a high-quality and effective DipTESOL course.
Due to the extensive experience we have delivering this course, we have a deep understanding of the needs of the course participants, and the course content is updated regularly so that it remains fresh and relevant. We offer a unique level of personalised support to help ensure that participants stay on track, and assessments are passed.
Our carefully selected, world-class team of tutors are well-known in the TEFL industry. They come from a variety of different fields within ELT and so will be able to pass on to you their vast amounts of knowledge that they have accumulated over the years. Our Course Director, Andréia Zakime, and our course tutors, will be by your side from day one. We will get to know your goals, and your unique challenges, so that we can guide you towards passing the course successfully and enjoying the experience of learning.
Train with us, and we will help you reach your full potential and advance your career in ELT.
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ADVANCE YOUR CAREER
with the Trinity DipTESOL course!
Limited places available
The Trinity Diploma in TESOL is for English Language teachers (including primary and secondary school teachers) who:
You must have a first degree (any discipline) or equivalent. An equivalent qualification would be one that shows evidence of sustained academic study, potentially enabling you to cope successfully with the requirements of the diploma.
You must have two years of full-time ESOL teaching experience at the time of interview, the minimum for a year’s experience normally being at least 15 hours per week over 32 weeks. The minimum amount of teaching required for entry is therefore 960 hours of which 75% of these hours must be with classes.
The experience can be with any age group or teaching context (e.g., online or face-to-face).
We can also consider applicants who have acquired at least 960 hours of experience over a longer period (i.e., part-time teachers), but two years is still the minimum. It is not possible to meet this requirement by teaching 960 hours over a shorter period.
You should not have taken more than a year’s break from ESOL teaching prior to interview.
If you do not meet these requirements, we recommend our CELTA course.
Due to the demands of the course, we ask that applicants have a C2 level of English.
You do not need a certification to prove your English level.
However, we have included a table below showing what score would be required to achieve a C2 level of English on different exams:
| Cambridge C1 Advanced | Cambridge C2 Proficiency | Cambridge IELTS | TOEFL iBT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade A and no less than 200 in any paper | Grade A, B or C and no less than 200 in any paper | Overall band score 8.5 and no less than 8.0 in any skill | Overall score 115 and no less than 27 in any skill |
Your English level will be assessed throughout the application process.
Wherever you are in the world, you can gain the Trinity DipTESOL qualification.
Choose from two ways to take the Trinity DipTESOL course:
| Blended OptionStudy phase: Online | Fully Online OptionStudy phase: Online |
Study phase | In both cases, the 6-month study phase is completed online via Moodle with weekly live lessons held via Zoom. Once you have completed the study phase, you will be eligible to register for the Trinity assessments (units 1–4). These assessments can be taken in any order (see “Assessment Dates” below. | |
Unit 1 | Regardless of which option you choose, this 3-hour written exam is the only unit which must be completed face-to-face. You can sit the exam at any institution, as long as they can provide a quiet room and an invigilator for the duration of the exam. Many candidates choose to take the unit 1 exam at the school where they are currently working. | |
Unit 2 | In both cases, you will receive tutor supervision online via Moodle. When you finish your projects, they are submitted via email. | |
Unit 3 | In both cases, the 30-minute phonology interview is held online via Zoom. | |
Unit 4 | If you would like to complete your teaching practice face-to-face, you have a couple of options:
| If you would like to complete your teaching practice online, you have a couple of options:
|
Six months of online training with a group of fellow candidates and our team of tutors. Most of the work during this phase is asynchronous, so you can log into the course throughout the week to suit your own schedule.
Over the six months, you will complete 18 week-long modules (and some rest weeks in between) with different tutors depending on their area of expertise (e.g., Phonology, Lexis, etc.).
For each module, you will:
Read journal articles and watch videos
Collaborate with other candidates in the Moodle forum
Attend a 45-minute live lesson via Zoom (these will be recorded if you are unable to attend)
Complete an assignment with tutor feedback. These assignments will be marked according to Trinity’s criteria so that you can track your progress.
In total, you will complete around 300 hours of online study and support during this phase (50 hours per month).
Start in January, April, or October.
Our goal is to provide a course which is dynamic and practical and meets the needs of the participants, so your work in our virtual classroom will be backed up with tasks which get you to apply ideas in your own teaching context.
With a team of highly experienced and qualified tutors, the online modules will help you to deepen your theoretical knowledge and practical skills while preparing for the four Trinity assessments (see “What is the assessment phase like?“).
Once you have successfully completed the study phase, you will be eligible to register for the Trinity assessments (units 1–4):
Unit 1: Written Paper (face-to-face at any institution)
Unit 2: The Portfolio (online)
Unit 3: Phonology Interview (online)
Unit 4: Teaching Practice (online OR face-to-face)
These assessments can be completed in any order, and at your own pace:
Minimum: 1 year (6 months study phase + 6 months to complete the Trinity assessments)
Maximum: 3 years (6 months study phase + 2.5 years to complete the Trinity assessments)
For more information on the four units, see “How will I be assessed?” and “Assessment Dates” below.
There are several ways that you can complete the teaching practice (unit 4):
| Online | Face-to-face / Remote | |
| Teach your own students | Teach your own students online via Zoom. | Teach your own face-to-face class remotely and livestream it via Zoom. |
| Oxford TEFL supplies the students | Oxford TEFL supplies adult students for you to teach online via Zoom. | Oxford TEFL supplies adult students for you to teach face-to-face at one of our centres in Barcelona, Cádiz, or Hong Kong. |
Regardless of which option you choose, you will receive live support from our tutors (lesson plan discussions and post-lesson feedback). There are both part-time and full-time options available and various options for dates (see “Assessment Dates” section below).
Because unit 3 (the phonology interview) and unit 4 (the teaching practice) require a live examiner, candidates must register for both units at the same time—it is not possible to register for each unit separately.
The teaching practice will be held over 4 weeks (full-time) or 14 weeks (part-time). Each day, you will either be teaching or observing another teacher. The phonology interview will take place in the final week.
The timetabled sessions are held Monday–Friday over four weeks. The full-time option is very intensive—you can expect to spend a total of 40–50 hours per week.
Due to the high workload, you will need to clear your schedule. Candidates who have other commitments during the four weeks are less likely to pass their assessments.
| Sample timetable for DipTESOL Units 3 and 4 (Full-Time) The schedule below is only intended to be used as a guideline—your session will be different. | |
| Meets Monday–Friday over four weeks | |
| 9:50–10:00 | Pre-lesson discussion with tutor |
| 10:05–11:05 | Assessed teaching OR unassessed teaching OR peer observation* |
| 11:10–12:10 | Assessed teaching OR unassessed teaching OR peer observation* |
| 12:10–13:20 | Post-lesson interviews and feedback |
| 13:20–14:30 | Break |
| 14:30–15:00 | Lesson plan discussion with tutor |
| +15 hours/week** (asynchronous) | Independent work: writing lesson plans, lesson evaluations, and teaching practice journal |
*For the full-time option, trainees normally teach one or two assessed lessons per week (five assessed lessons in total). If you are teaching supply students, you will also need to teach some unassessed lessons (to meet students, get to know the group, etc.).
**This is only an estimate. The amount of time spent on independent work will vary.
The timetabled sessions are held twice per week (e.g., Mon/Wed) over 14 weeks. You can expect to spend about 10–15 hours per week.
| Sample timetable for DipTESOL Units 3 and 4 (Part-Time) The schedule below is only intended to be used as a guideline—your session will be different. | |
| Meets twice per week (e.g., Mondays and Wednesdays) over 14 weeks | |
| 11:50–12:00 | Pre-lesson discussion with tutor |
| 12:05–13:05 | Assessed teaching OR unassessed teaching OR peer observation* |
| 13:10–14:10 | Assessed teaching OR unassessed teaching OR peer observation* |
| 14:10–15:20 | Post-lesson interviews and feedback |
| 15:20–16:30 | Break |
| 16:30–17:00 | Lesson plan discussion with tutor |
| +5 hours/week** (asynchronous) | Independent work: writing lesson plans, lesson evaluations, and teaching practice journal |
*For the part-time option, trainees normally teach one assessed lesson every 2–3 weeks (five assessed lessons in total). If you are teaching supply students, you will also need to teach some unassessed lessons (to meet students, get to know the group, etc.).
**This is only an estimate. The amount of time spent on independent work will vary.
Once you have completed the study phase and passed the Trinity assessments, you will be awarded the Trinity DipTESOL. This is an internationally recognised professional qualification for English Language Teaching. Many UK universities are now offering credits and/or exemptions on their MA and other courses for those who have obtained their Trinity DipTESOL qualification.
This qualification opens doors to other areas of the ELT profession. Our graduates have gone on to become:
Unit 1 – Written Paper
A 3-hour written exam consisting of a grammar section and two sections with essay questions about teaching and learning. This can be taken at any institution, as long as they can provide a quiet room and an invigilator for the duration of the exam. Many candidates choose to sit the exam at the school where they are currently working. The exam is offered three times per year: in May, August and November.
Unit 2 – The Portfolio
A coursework portfolio including three action research projects. The projects involve observation of other experienced teachers, reflection on your own teaching and a research project, where you collect data. Work on the portfolio will be completed during a 3-month course, with self-access materials and tutor support. These projects are submitted via email.
Unit 3 – Phonology Interview
In this 30-minute interview with a Trinity examiner, you will deliver a short presentation on a pronunciation activity you have designed and delivered, transcribe a short utterance into phonemic script and have a discussion of the theory and practice of phonology. This unit is taken together alongside unit 4 (the teaching practice).
Unit 4 – Teaching Practice
Five one-hour assessed lessons, each preceded by a discussion of your lesson plan (5 minutes) and followed by a post-lesson discussion with the examiner (20 minutes). Four lessons are assessed by Oxford TEFL tutors, the fifth by a Trinity examiner. You can teach your own students, or Oxford TEFL can supply the students for your observed lessons. This unit is taken together alongside unit 3 (the phonology interview).
Our team of Trinity DipTESOL trainers are experts in their field and qualified to a minimum of DELTA / DipTESOL level, which means they are qualified to train teachers of English. They offer support every step of the way throughout your course and are active contributors to the TEFL industry.
Oxford TEFL graduate discount: €100!
€400 EUR deposit to reserve your place + €2,300 EUR to be paid before the course begins.
€2,700 EUR*
€400 EUR deposit to reserve your place + 3 instalments of €800 EUR.
Course Starts | 13th Jan 2025 | 7th April 2025 | 13th October 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
Deposit (€400) by | 8rd Jan 2025 | 2nd Apr 2025 | 8th Oct 2025 |
1st Instalment (€800) by | 13th Feb 2025 | 7th May 2025 | 13th Nov 2025 |
2nd Instalment (€800) by | 13th Apr 2025 | 7th July 2025 | 13th Jan 2026 |
3rd Instalment (€800) by | 13th Jun 2025 | 7th Sept 2025 | 13th Mar 2026 |
€2,800 EUR*
$10,000 HKD deposit to reserve your place.
$10,000 HKD before starting the study phase.
$10,000 HKD before starting the assessment phase.
$30,000 HKD*
*Please note: Aside from the Trinity DipTESOL course fees, the following will also have to be paid in order to complete the course:
Required Books — There are 6 books you’ll be required to have in order to complete the course. Diploma Reading List
Some of those who take our Trinity DipTESOL courses are partially/fully financed by their schools, usually in return for a commitment to stay on with them after graduation. You may wish to ask your employer about any funding for development available.
Once you have completed the study phase, you can register for the Trinity assessments.
The assessments can be completed in any order.
You must complete the study phase before you can register for the unit 1 exam.
This assessment must be completed in person—there is no online option. The exam can be taken at any institution, as long as they can provide a quiet room and an invigilator for the duration of the exam. Many trainees choose to sit their exams at the school where they are currently working.
When registration starts, we will email you to ask if/where you would like to take the exam.
Unit 1 Exam Dates | Registration Starts | Registration Deadline |
|---|---|---|
Friday, 16th May 2025 | Monday, 3rd March 2025 | Friday, 28th March 2025 |
Friday, 8th Aug 2025 | Monday, 2nd June 2025 | Friday, 27th June 2025 |
Friday, 21st Nov 2025 | Monday, 8th Sept 2025 | Friday, 3rd Oct 2025 |
You must complete the study phase before you can start the unit 2 course.
Unit 2 is very much about developing your autonomy as a researcher in ELT. The Unit 2 course is a three-month programme that will help you plan and advance three projects on weekly basis. You will receive guidance, reading materials, and written tasks through Moodle, attend regular live events, and get individual feedback on your progress. Then you will work independently on completing your projects while staying connected to your tutor and coursemates via our VLE, seeking advice as needed.
How long it takes to complete the projects will depend on you, but course participants tend to aim for about 6 to 9 months from when they start the projects. You have the flexibility.
When registration starts, we will email you to ask if you would like to enrol in the unit 2 course.
Unit 2 Course | Registration Starts | Registration Deadline |
|---|---|---|
January – March 2025 | Monday, 9th Dec 2024 | Friday, 20th Dec 2024 |
April – June 2025 | Monday, 17th Mar 2025 | Friday, 28th Mar 2025 |
July – September 2025 | Monday, 16th Jun 2025 | Friday, 27th June 2025 |
October – December 2025 | Monday, 15th Sep 2025 | Friday, 26th Sep 2025 |
You must complete the study phase before you can register for units 3 and 4.
Because units 3 and 4 require a live examiner, candidates must register for both units at the same time—it is not possible to complete each unit separately.
When registration starts, we will email you to ask if/where you would like to attend.
Location(s) | Format | Dates | Registration Starts | Registration Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Online/Remote | 4 weeks, full-time (Mon-Fri) | 6th – 31st Jan 2025 | Mon,11th Nov 2024 | Fri, 6th Dec 2024 |
Hong Kong OR Online/Remote | 4 weeks, full-time (Mon-Fri) | 7th July –1st Aug 2025 | Mon, 12th May 2025 | Fri, 6th June 2025 |
Barcelona OR Hong Kong OR Online/Remote | 4 weeks, full-time (Mon-Fri) | 4th – 29th Aug 2025 | Mon, 9th June 2025 | Fri, 4th July 2025 |
Online/Remote | 14 weeks, part-time (Mon/Wed) | 15th Sept – 17th Dec 2025 | Mon, 21st July 2025 | Fri, 15th Aug 2025 |
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Oxford TEFL will use the information on this form to be in touch with you and to provide updates and marketing news according to our Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe any time by clicking the link in the footer of any email. We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By subscribing to this form, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to mailchimp for processing in accordance with their Privacy Policy.
Meet Rubens, one of our expert tutors, as he answers some of the most common questions about the Trinity DipTESOL course . Find out why this course is a great step in your ELT career.
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