Want to teach English abroad in 2026 and beyond, and looking for a high-quality level 5 TEFL/TESOL course? This blog post focuses on the 3 BEST TEFL/TESOL courses for people who want to teach abroad long-term or work in competitive regions.
I’m Jamie, an ESL teacher from the US, who loves testing out TEFL/TESOL courses. I completed my CELTA course in person while abroad in Australia, the International TEFL Academy course part-time online, and tested out an online Trinity CertTESOL course through the provider EBC.
In this post, I’ll share the pros and cons of each course and how to choose which course is the best fit for your teaching goals.
This blog contains affiliate/referral links. If you choose to make a purchase or apply through one of my links, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. This helps me continue to create free content for teachers. Thank you!
Post Contents
What is a Level 5 TEFL/TESOL Course?
While a level 3 TEFL/TESOL course is typically 120 hours and is a basic intro to how to teach ESL, a level 5 course goes into more depth. A high-quality level 5 course includes assignments, tutor feedback, and a teaching practicum. All of these courses are properly accredited for teaching abroad and online.
The best and most widely accepted level 5 TEFL/TESOL courses are:
Trinity CertTESOL
Cambridge CELTA
International TEFL Academy
While other companies may claim that their courses are “a level 5 CELTA equivalent course,” this is usually just marketing speak. They usually attach random numbers of hours, like 180, 250, 300, etc., by including several mini-courses along with a level 3 course. Do not fall for this trap if you are serious about teaching abroad. These courses are not as widely accepted as the three courses above.
While the lower price of other brands’ “level 5 courses” may be appealing, it’s usually not worth it if you want to teach abroad long-term or work in competitive regions. The courses mentioned in this blog post are all $1,500+, depending on the provider. I personally believe the investment is worth it if you are looking for the best TEFL/TESOL course.
Non-native speakers: If you want to take any of these three courses, you’ll be required to prove a C1 Advanced or greater level of English with evidence from an official English exam like IELTS, TOEFL, etc.
Best TEFL/TESOL Certificate #1: Trinity CertTESOL
The Trinity Certificate in TESOL (CertTESOL) is a professional teaching qualification awarded by Trinity College London. It’s widely accepted around the world and includes a teaching practicum with tutor feedback, input lessons, assignments, and if you do your course through the official provider EBC, you’ll also get lifetime job placement assistance with their network of partner schools abroad and online.
CertTESOL Pros
- Self-reflection: CertTESOL is less structured than CELTA and focuses on helping trainee teachers reflect on their thoughts and teaching.
- Practical training: Real teaching skills, such as classroom management, lesson planning, and techniques for different learner levels. Input sessions are highly relevant to teaching ESL and are suited for beginners as well as teachers with some previous experience.
- Observed teaching practice: The teaching practicum is set up for you, and you’ll get lots of feedback from your tutors. You’ll get the chance to teach both kids and adults who are learning ESL.
- Job search assistance: Depending on the course provider, you may receive job search assistance (I recommend the official provider EBC)
Cons
- Heavy workload: If you take the full-time course, the workload is quite intense, so you’ll need to take it when you aren’t working or studying.
- Not all providers offer the online format: If you prefer to take the course online, some providers only offer the CertTESOL course in person.
- Fewer providers than CELTA: Fewer institutions offer CertTESOL when compared with CELTA.
Learn more about Trinity CertTESOL by filling out the form to get a free TEFL Teacher Starter Pack PDF or to start your application for EBC’s Trinity CertTESOL course.
Best TEFL/TESOL Certificate #2: CELTA
CELTA is the Cambridge English brand TEFL/TESOL course. It is the most well-known certificate for teaching ESL and, along with CertTESOL, is seen as the gold standard. CELTA and CertTESOL are very similar courses in my experience. However, CELTA focuses on teaching adults, whereas CertTESOL is for teaching both kids and adults.
Pros
- Teaching practicum: An observed teaching practicum with feedback from tutors and peers is set up for you. You’ll work with two different levels of real students.
- International recognition: Accepted by employers worldwide, especially in competitive markets like Europe and the Middle East.
- Structured course: Assignments and teaching practice are consistent across centers, with clear expectations and assessment criteria.
- Extensive feedback: Provides detailed, standardized feedback from tutors and peers.
Cons
- Time-intensive: Like CertTESOL, CELTA courses are intense and require a free schedule if you are taking the full-time version. I took a part-time CELTA course while working at the same time, and it was challenging.
- Significant workload: Heavy lesson planning and strict deadlines.
- Little to no job search assistance: Job support depends on the individual CELTA center. My center didn’t offer any job search assistance, which is disappointing when paying so much for the course.
- Focus on adults: Not ideal if you aim to teach children. In my course, we only talked about teaching kids for one day out of the entire 11 weeks.
Use the tool from the official website to find a CELTA course near you.
Best TEFL/TESOL Certificate #3: International TEFL Academy
International TEFL Academy (ITA) is a popular level 5 course provider offering courses online as well as abroad in select locations around the world. They are known for their lifetime job search assistance and are the closest online TEFL/TESOL course provider to CELTA/CertTESOL, in my opinion.
Pros
- A variety of assignments: In my 11-week course, we had one assignment each week, including reports on a sample learner, lesson planning, and reflections on our teaching practice.
- Flexible formats: Available online as a full-time or part-time course, or you can travel and take your course abroad. If you take the course online, it’s self-paced, unlike CELTA and International TEFL Academy.
- Job support: Lifetime job search guidance, including working with an advisor, free country guides, and alumni Facebook groups help make the job search less daunting.
Cons
- No standardized practicum feedback: No structured feedback process like you’d get in a CELTA or Trinity CertTESOL, so the quality of feedback depends on the mentor you find. You also need to set up your own teaching practicum.
- Platform issues: The platform is difficult to navigate when compared with other online TEFL/TESOL courses I have taken.
- Not as well-recognized: CertTESOL and CELTA are much more well-known and recognized in the TEFL industry.
- Lack of communication with peers: While there are peer-to-peer forums as part of this course, there isn’t much communication between trainee teachers when compared with CELTA and CertTESOL.
Which is the Best TEFL/TESOL Certificate for You?
Choosing the best TEFL/TESOL certificate will depend on your teaching goals. Here’s the breakdown:
Go for Trinity CertTESOL if you want …
a globally accepted qualification
to learn how to teach both kids and adults
job search assistance included
less structure and more self-reflection
a teaching practicum that is set up for you
to teach in competitive countries
Click here to apply to a CertTESOL course
Choose CELTA if you want …
a globally accepted qualification
to learn how to teach adults
a structured and rigorous course
a teaching practicum that is set up for you
to teach in competitive countries
Choose International TEFL Academy you want …
to learn how to teach both kids and adults
job search assistance included
a more flexible course (no set hours to log in)
to set up your own practicum
Click here to get started with International TEFL Academy at a discount
Final Thoughts
Choosing one of the best TEFL TESOL certificates is one of the greatest investments you can make. Whether you pick CertTESOL, CELTA, or the International TEFL Academy, you can be confident that you’ll gain solid training and international recognition. The right choice depends on your goals and preferred learning format.
If you need more guidance in choosing a course, download my free TEFL/TESOL Course Guide for my in-depth reviews, recommendations, and exclusive discount codes.
Happy teaching!
Jamie
Frequently Asked Questions
Question: How long does a TEFL/TESOL certification last?
Answer: Certificates are usually valid for life.
Question: Is CELTA better than a TEFL or TESOL certificate?
Answer: CELTA is the Cambridge brand of TEFL/TESOL certificate. It’s the most widely-recognized certificate and is similar to CertTESOL. CELTA focuses on teaching ESL to adults.
Question: Which certificate is better for teaching abroad?
Question: How long does it take to complete a TEFL or TESOL certificate?
Answer: Completion time varies by course format. CELTA, CertTESOL, and International TEFL Academy typically last 4-5 weeks full-time or 10-11 weeks part-time. Meanwhile, cheaper online courses can be completed in as few as 1 or 2 weeks, but you usually have 6 months of access.
