Online TEFL Certification Course

Learn how to teach English as a foreign language with the most thorough and interactive TEFL certification course that you can get without physically being in a classroom for 4 weeks. The 170-hour online TEFL course is a fully interactive, collegiate level course, taught by a university-level professor. From day one, you will be fully engaged, not only with the professor, but also with fellow students in the course.

Through a series of TEFL course readings, tasks, peer participation, essays, and a final thematic unit, students will develop all the skills necessary to be a confident, well-resourced, professional teacher, whatever your background.

You’ll get everything you need to open the door to thousands of paid jobs teaching English abroad.

This course will qualify you to not only for Greenheart Travel teach abroad programs, but for teaching positions all around the world: Teach in Asia, Europe, Latin America, or the Middle East!

• 11 Week course, 12-15 hours per week
• Internationally accredited by TQUK
• 170 Hour TEFL Certification
  • 150 hours of online coursework
  • 20 hours of student teaching*
• Interactive online TEFL class with a university professor
• Class sizes limited to 20 students
• 3 Main Components:
  • Teaching Methodology
  • Language Acquisition
  • Student Teaching (Practicum)
• Lifetime job search guidance

*20 hours of student teaching are now required to teach in the public schools in Korea. Read about which TEFL Certification you should choose if you are applying to teach in Korea here.

Have questions for a program manager? Email us at travelapplications@greenheart.org

Online courses begin every other Monday and run for 11 weeks.

Please note, it will take 4-6 weeks to get your accredited certificate upon successful completion of the course. Before that point, you will receive a digital certificate via email. Please let us know if you need assistance in choosing your course date! Space is limited and classes do fill in advance. Contact us for additional course dates.

Native English speakers with a high school diploma are academically eligible to join the course. Non-native speakers are also eligible, but must submit a written essay and engage in an interview to assess their level of English proficiency. If you have any questions regarding eligibility, please contact Greenheart Travel at 888-ABROAD-1 and we’d be able to assist you with all of your questions regarding TEFL Certification and teaching English abroad.

Please note that many countries have age, degree, and language requirements for their teaching positions and work permits. Greenheart Travel is happy to talk with anyone planning to take a TEFL course about realistic teaching opportunities abroad.

Tuition: $1,449

Your Certification Put to Work:

• Qualify for paid English teaching positions worldwide
• Lifetime job guidance
• 200 page ESL job search manual
• ESL School Directory (approx. 8,000 schools worldwide)
• Meets the strict requirements to teach in South Korea with EPIK (Korea application fee is waived for anyone who takes a course through Greenheart Travel)

Greenheart Travel is proud to provide the highest quality online TEFL courses available.  With these courses, we know you will be a confident and prepared teacher when you decide to move abroad.

As an alumnus of the Greenheart Travel Online TEFL certification course, you will receive:

• A highly accredited TEFL certification upon completion of the course
• $100 alumni discount off any future Greenheart Travel programs
• Lifetime job placement assistance for jobs worldwide
• Community of other TEFL  graduates who are teaching all over the world
• Community of other Greenheart Travel teachers to reach out to for tips and advice abroad
• Access to Greenheart Grants to establish community service projects at home or abroad
• Waived Teach in South Korea Program Application fee

The term “practicum” refers to required practice teaching, observation and/or tutoring that you must complete in an ESL or EFL classroom setting to earn your accredited TEFL certification.

The 20 required practicum hours allow each student to gain first-hand experience teaching English and working with real ESL students, whether it is in an actual classroom setting, or by tutoring a non-native speaker privately. At least 6 of the 20 hours must be completed via teaching or tutoring. A 20-hour practicum exceeds the base industry requirement for practice teaching.

We encourage our students to complete these hours while they are still enrolled in the course to allow them to immediately practice what they are learning in the online class.

Completing your Teaching Practicum

Students typically complete their TEFL practice teaching and observation in their home community or wherever they are living when they are taking our 170-hour online TEFL/TESOL certification course.

As a TEFL student, you will arrange your TEFL practicum on your own, but assistance and guidance will be provided. Basically, you must spend 20 hours in a live ESL learning environment observing an ESL class, and/or practice teaching and tutoring ESL students in some capacity.

Opportunities to complete your TEFL practicum and practice teaching can typically be arranged in your community in these types of venues, which often offer ESL classes:

• Community centers
• Community colleges
• Language schools
• Local organizations that provide services to recent refugees or immigrants
• Faith-based groups that offer ESL classes
• Libraries

Once the TEFL practice teaching hours have been completed, the student provides an evaluation form, timesheet and one-page summary of their experience to the Student Affairs Department.

To accommodate those who do have a busy schedule, all students are given an automatic 60-day extension from the end of their class to complete their practicum. For example, for a course running from January 31 – April 15, all students have an additional 60 days from April 15 to complete their practicum.

If you begin teaching English abroad prior to the end of your course, any teaching hours you engage in can be applied towards your TEFL practicum requirement. However, please note that you will not receive your certificate until your practicum hours have been completed. If you need your TEFL certificate to qualify for your position, you will need to complete your practicum hours before you begin teaching English abroad.

All students and graduates of the 170 hour online TEFL course receive lifetime job search guidance to find paid jobs teaching English abroad. This includes — but is not limited to — the following:

1. Greenheart Travel Teach Abroad programs – if you meet the other program requirements, obtaining a TEFL certificate will qualify you for any of our excellent Teach Abroad programs. You’ll receive step-by-step assistance and support from your application to the end of your program. This is a great option for anyone who wants a little bit more structure, support, and community in their teach abroad experience.
2. Personal guidance from an experienced Job Search Advisor – Expert Job Search Advisors are available to speak with you and correspond by email to address all of your questions and to assist you with every aspect of your job search from writing your resume/CV and cover letter, to coaching you on the interview process in different job markets, to helping you assess which destinations might be the best fit for you based on your preferences and qualifications.
3. ESL job search manual: All graduates of the online course receive a manual detailing all relevant information for major job markets around the world, including hiring seasons, academic standards, and the interview process as well as templates for resumes and cover letters. This manual also incorporates extensive listings of online resources, including nearly 100 ESL international job boards listing thousands of teaching opportunities around the world.
4. ESL worldwide school directory: We will send you a directory of approximately 8,000 schools worldwide that you can contact directly regarding employment opportunities.

How do I know if this course is right for me?

You should take this course if you:

• want the highest quality online course available
• need in-person teaching practicum hours (necessary for Teaching in South Korea)*
• do not have the time or the money to attend full time, in-person course
• need a flexible course schedule to fit around your work or school hours
• are seeking the best accreditation from an independent accrediting body
• decide on quality rather than price alone because you realize that you are investing in your education and your future
• understand that a highly qualified, experienced instructor, an exceptional curriculum and excellent accreditation are absolute necessities in TESOL / TEFL Certification training

*20 hours of student teaching are now required to teach in the public schools in Korea

Is this course accredited and internationally recognized?

Yes! Please read more about the accreditation here.

Who teaches this course?

The 170-Hour Online TEFL Certification course is taught by university-level professors who must hold at least a Master’s Degree (most will hold a Ph.D.) in teaching English as a foreign language or a related field. All instructors also have extensive professional teaching and training experience.

Any TEFL school that offers a class taught by someone with less than an MA (or DELTA, which is professionally acceptable abroad) is not providing the quality of instruction necessary to teach a university-level TEFL class and the course will not be accredited.

About the Online Virtual Classroom

Our online TEFL course is conducted in a virtual online learning environment, hosted by Moodle.com, one of the worldwide leaders of online distance learning. There is no software to download, and as long as you have an Internet connection, your entire course content is accessible. The course itself is very user-friendly and easy to navigate. Students do not need to be computer experts to take the course; they just need a very basic knowledge of web browsing.

I prefer not to learn online. Are there any other options?

Yes! If taking a course online is not for you, we offer several in-person courses. We offer 4 week courses in Chicago, Costa Rica, South Korea, Prague, Barcelona, Vietnam, and Thailand. These courses are full time.

What content does the course cover?

• Pre-Course Grammar Module
• Role of the Teacher
• Creating a Student-Centered Classroom
• Cultural Sensitivity
• Methods & Approaches
• Lesson Planning
• Grammar & Lexis
• Listening & Reading
• Speaking & Writing
• Visual Aids & Technology
• Course Design
• Thematic Unit Task

What kind of time commitment should I expect for this course?

Expect to spend 8-12 hours a week on coursework, and while it is interactive, the course is not taught in real-time so you do not have to log in at particular times or on particular days of the week. You complete your coursework on your own schedule at your own convenience and as long as you meet your weekly deadlines for your assignments, you will be in good shape.

Have questions or want to talk to a program manager? Set up a time to have a phone call below.

1. Start Your Application Here (Approximately 5 Minutes): Greenheart Travel Application. This first step includes things like your name, address and chosen start date and should take around 5 minutes to complete. Once complete, you will receive a link to a digital Terms and Conditions form.

2. Sign the Terms and Conditions Document (Approximately 10 Minutes): These are our basic policies like cancellation policies, deferral policies, etc.

3. Fill out your Registration Form (Approximately 10 Minutes): Fill out a simple form to formally register for your course.

4. Submit your $600 Payment (Approximately 5 Minutes): A payment is required in order to apply for the program and is subtracted from your total program fee.

6. You’re accepted! Woohoo! We will review your application and let you know within 1-2 weeks if you’ve been accepted.

6. Balance: Your remaining tuition balance will be due 6 weeks prior to your course start date.