By now, we all must have read about TEFL courses, what it stands for, how it works and how it will help you live your life king size. But first things first, how much will you have to invest to get TEFL certified?
TEFL stands for Teaching English as a Foreign language, it is a certification that validates a candidate to be eligible to teach English abroad. This certificate qualifies a candidate for teaching jobs, imparts the skills required, adds a star in the resume with higher rewards. The course can be completed in a few weeks to almost a year, some part-time courses are also available. Coming back to the important point, the cost of TEFL certification depends on various factors such as:
- Course provider
- Hours
- Instructors
- Medium of certification
How do they affect the cost of your certification?
Course provider: As we all know there are plenty of TEFL programs available, online as well as offline. You all must have noticed a huge difference among their prices, but why does this happen? TEFL courses that are offered by well-established and accredited training centers are more expensive than courses offered by institutions with no accreditation, then why are accredited institutions have an edge over institutions with no accreditation? Because an accredited TEFL certification course will give you assurance that you’re getting into a quality training program.
Hours: The more time you take, the more resources you will be using, which means more TEFL hours = a higher cost. At least 120 hours of TEFL training is one of the basic requirements, and courses with a coursework of less than 120 hours are considered more introductory-level and are less expensive. But most importantly many recruiters might reject a candidate having less than 120 hours of training.
Instructors: The quality and quantity of guidance provided in the program also affects the cost of the certification. Courses that have negligible or no involvement of Instructors, meaning the candidate has to study on their own by taking quizzes are less expensive. Whereas courses that offer instructor involvement are costlier.
Medium of certification: A candidate can opt to get the certification either through onsite at home or abroad, online or even hybrid programs.
Here is a detailed breakdown of how the medium of TEFL certification affects the price you pay:
1. ONLINE:
It is one of the most affordable ways to get TEFL certified, online certificates are accepted by most language schools and institutions around the globe and most importantly, online programs are far more flexible and convenient. You can learn, develop and access new opportunities from the comforts of your home without missing any deadlines.
Online TEFL courses range from $150 to $1500. The average 120-hour online TEFL course with an instructor comes in the range of around $300-$600.
2. ONSITE AT HOME:
Getting TEFL certification from your home country will save you a lot of extra time and money spent on travel, food and lodging. Candidates who are usually confused about the country they wish to work in, are the one who opt for getting their certification from their home country.
Onsite programs taught generally range around $1,500 to $2,500. They require four weeks of dedication and you are all set to go.
3. ON SITE ABROAD:
Getting certification from abroad might seem expensive, but in reality, it is generally less expensive than your expectations. Tuition and lodging expenses depend on your choice of region, but there are many TEFL programs which include housing facilities. Though you will still have to meet some traveling and other overhead expenses, getting certification from abroad can help a candidate to secure jobs and make contacts even before completing your course.
Abroad programs range around $1000 to $2000.
4. HYBRID:
Hybrid programs are a combination of self-study and in-person training. The duration of a Hybrid program is generally 4 weeks including online instructions and training, and live classroom practicum.
Hybrid courses range from $300 to $1000.
With the variety of options being offered, we all can find the best programs that are friendly to our pockets. But while choosing, do not let the cost of the program be the sole factor affecting your choice. You should always consider factors such as curriculum, quality of training and instructors, post certification counselling, accreditation, all of which can help you grab a well-paying job right after completing your course.
