What qualifications do I need to take a TEFL course?

To take a TEFL course, the most important assets we ask for are enthusiasm, motivation and determination. Taking a TEFL course requires commitment from you, so you need to be prepared to put aside some time to work through the course properly, and if you have no desire to learn you will find it difficult and boring – but this would apply to any course you would take. With the right attitude, we promise you’ll learn all you need to become a great TEFL teacher and have loads of fun along the way.

Some TEFL course providers will ask for the equivalent of A-levels or a high school graduation certificate, and some may even ask for a degree; but we don’t feel this is necessary. A specific TEFL qualification and teaching experience is much more important than what grades you got during your studies! A degree of high school qualification doesn’t tell us if you have the potential to be a great TEFL teacher or not; so we don’t ask for yours.

However, it is important that you are aware of potential issues you may have in finding work without a degree even once you’re TEFL qualified; so if you don’t have one, you need to keep an open mind about where you’d like your teaching adventure to go. In many countries, it’s actually law that you need a degree in order to obtain a visa to work there (for example, in China) so without one you would really struggle to find paid work. That said, there are plenty of countries that don’t require a degree (just the TEFL qualification) – so make sure to do some thorough research and don’t get disheartened!

View all our TEFL courses here and find all our TEFL Travel options here.