Top TEFL courses compared

About Top TEFL courses compared

TEFL courses occupy an odd corner of online learning. The certificate is short to finish, the fees are modest, and the real differences between providers hide in places a price comparison rarely reaches. This ranking lines up 14 providers of TEFL certification courses on the trade-offs that matter at the point of purchase. Two things decide most of the order. The first is the fee you pay to enter. Starting prices in this ranking sit at €29 at the cheapest end and reach €1,650 at the top, with €188.38 in the middle. The second is what arrives with that fee: whether the exam fee is bundled, whether a practicum is part of the package, which accrediting body stands behind the certificate, and whether you can study entirely online or attend in person as well. Prices here are the introductory course fees each provider publishes, kept apart from renewal pricing so the two are never conflated. Course length barely separates the field, since 120 hours is the norm and 170 hours is the most any entry runs. What does separate them is accreditation, classroom access and refund cover. Job support and tutor support are standard, appearing in 100% and 100% of entries.

How we picked

Every entry was scored from published material rather than from a trial. Course pages, price pages, terms and conditions and legal notices supplied the entry fee, the refund window, course hours, delivery mode, support channels and any named accrediting body. Where a provider states a qualification level, that level is carried through as a fact rather than judged or reweighted. The score has parts. Cost carries 40%, offers carry 40% and trust carries 20%. Cost covers the published entry fee and where it sits against the rest of the field. Offers cover what that fee brings: bundled exam fees, practicum availability, completion windows, job support and study mode. Trust covers accreditation, the named legal entity, the length of the money-back promise and how many support channels a student can actually reach. Partners would be listed first in a ranking built this way. Partners that serve your country are listed first in this ranking, then the rest by score. Labels are computed rather than chosen by hand: the top-pick label marks the highest-scoring entry and the highest-course-hours label marks the longest programme in the field. Nothing here rests on personal experience, and no entry is credited for anything it does not publish. Where a detail is absent from a provider's own pages, no assumption is filled in for it, and a missing detail is never counted as a weakness.

Our top picks

1. 1. The TEFL Institute

   The TEFL Institute earns its place near the top of this ranking by pairing an accredited certificate with one of the field's lower entry fees. Its TEFL course costs $40, covers 120 hours online, carries accreditation, includes the exam fee and comes with a 14 day refund window. Support is the broadest here, email, phone and help centre, so phone, help centre and community access are all open, and the provider recruits across GB, US and CA. Completion at 2 to 4 weeks suits candidates who want the certificate quickly. The gap is practical rather than financial: a practicum is not part of this course. Oxford TEFL, ranked next, includes a practicum and in-person study, at an entry fee of €1,650.

   • Price from: $40
   • Certificate fee: $0
   • Free tier: No

   Pros

   • The exam fee is included in the course price, so there is no separate exam payment to budget for on top of tuition.
   • The advanced TEFL course runs 120 hours of study, with a completion pace of 2 to 4 weeks for anyone planning a study schedule.
   • Support runs on email, phone and help centre, so a phone line and a help centre sit alongside email during the course.
   • It sells across GB, US and CA, so the certificate is aimed at a wide international market rather than a single country.

   Cons

   • There is no free tier, so the only no-cost option is the test TEFL course that runs 3 days.
   • The certification carries no practicum, so supervised classroom practice has to be arranged outside the programme.
   • A free trial length of 3 days places The TEFL Institute low on that measure among the brands compared here.
   • The entry price of $40 sits above DRCertifications at $19.99, so the cheapest starting figure sits elsewhere.

2. 3. International TEFL and TESOL Training: best for top-pick

   International TEFL and TESOL Training leads this ranking because it pairs a mid-range entry fee with something most rivals here do not offer: a certificate course that runs online and in person. The TEFL course covers 120 hours at a Level 4 standard, with tutor support and job support included, and the team answers on email, phone and a help centre. That mix of study modes, fee and support reach is why it carries the top-pick label. Weigh two points against it. A practicum is not part of this course, so anyone needing supervised classroom hours should look further down the list. The refund promise is 3 days, among the shortest windows in this ranking. TEFL Global, ranked next, charges £169.50 with a longer promise but awards a lower qualification level and answers by email alone.

   • Certification type: Tefl
   • Price from: $249
   • Course hours: 120 hours

   Pros

   • The TEFL and TESOL Certification Course carries 120 hours, which ranks the brand 8 of 53 brands on course hours.
   • Tutor support and job support come with the course, and help is reachable through email, phone and help centre.
   • Entry fees of $249 sit well below Oxford TEFL, whose Cambridge CELTA course lists €1,650.
   • Delivery covers online and in person, so the certificate suits distance learners and classroom cohorts alike.

   Cons

   • The course carries no practicum, so none of the 120 hours involve supervised classroom teaching.
   • The money-back window runs 3 days, tighter than the 14-day median across the market.
   • Price from sits at 44 of 87, and entry fees of $249 are above TEFL Global's £169.50 and The TEFL Institute's $205.

3. 4. TEFL Global

   TEFL Global sits near the front of this ranking on price and refund terms. Its TEFL course runs 120 hours online, includes the exam fee, and costs £169.50, backed by a 14 day money-back window, tutor support and job support. Completion is set at 6 to 12 weeks, which lets part-time candidates spread the modules without a fixed deadline. Two things mark where it stops. The certificate is awarded at a Level 3 standard, below the level the entry above awards, and a practicum is not included in the course. Support runs on email only, leaving no phone or help centre route once you are enrolled. The TEFL Institute, ranked next, adds accreditation, a wider support mix and an entry fee of $40.

   • Certification type: Tefl
   • Price from: £169.50
   • Course hours: 120 hours

   Pros

   • Fees of £169.50 come in under $205 and $249.
   • The 120 hour course carries tutor support, job support and an included exam fee as standard.
   • Completion fits a 6 to 12 weeks window, so the certificate can be finished inside one term.
   • A 14 day money back window gives a short trial of the course format.

   Cons

   • Support runs on email only, so there is no chat or phone line for quick questions.
   • There is no practicum on the course, so classroom practice has to be arranged separately.
   • Delivery is online only, so there is no classroom format to attend.
   • The qualification is Level 3, so it points at classroom teaching rather than a regulated assistant route.

4. 5. Oxford TEFL

   Oxford TEFL is in this ranking because it is where classroom experience matters as much as the certificate. Its TEFL course includes a practicum, runs both online and in person, includes the exam fee, and offers support across email, chat and phone. The trade-off is cost and pacing. The entry fee of €1,650 on this course is the highest in this ranking, and the completion window of 4 to 14 weeks is the widest, so the course suits candidates who can absorb both a larger outlay and a longer schedule. Tutor support and job support are included. Premier TEFL, ranked next, also includes a practicum and is accredited, but at an entry fee of €29 on its course and a shorter window of 3 to 6 weeks.

   • Certification type: Tefl
   • Price from: €1,650
   • Course hours: 120 hours

   Pros

   • The exam fee is included in the €1,650 price, so the advertised figure covers assessment as well as the 120 hours of study.
   • A practicum is built into the course, where 71.4% of TEFL courses in this ranking have no classroom practice at all.
   • Tutor support and job support are both included, and queries reach the team by email, chat and phone.
   • Study can be taken either way, since delivery covers online and in person.
   • The provider has traded since 1998 under the named entity OXFORD TEFL, S.L..

   Cons

   • It is the highest priced of the compared courses: €1,650 against £169.50 at TEFL Global, $205 at The TEFL Institute and $249 at International TEFL and TESOL Training.
   • A price from position of 73 out of 87 brands places it in the costlier part of the field.
   • The €1,650 fee covers 120 hours in a single course purchase, so it suits candidates who can commit the budget up front.
   • Completion runs 4 to 14 weeks, so anyone chasing a fast route to a first classroom pays for that timeline in advance.

5. 6. Premier TEFL

   Premier TEFL holds a high place in this ranking on what its entry fee brings. The TEFL course costs €29, which puts it at the bottom of this ranking's price range, and still carries accreditation at a Level 5 standard, with a practicum included, tutor support and job support, and a 14 day refund window. Completion at 3 to 6 weeks keeps the pace brisk for full-time candidates. Worth noting on the other side: study is online only, and support runs on email and phone, with no help centre or community space listed. TEFL.org, ranked next, is accredited too, states the exam fee as included, and adds help centre and community access, at £151.60 on its course.

   • Price from: €29
   • Certificate fee: €0
   • Free tier: No

   Pros

   • The certificate fee of €0 means the certificate itself adds no extra charge.
   • The 120 hours online bundle is priced from €29, below the €44.59 typical in this group.
   • Tutor support and job support come with the bundle, and assessments are part of the course.
   • A 14 days money back period gives a decent window to decide.
   • It is accredited by Ofqual and DEAC and recognised for Ofqual credit, and the qualification sits at Level 5.

   Cons

   • The free tier is no, so there is no free version of the material to sample before paying.
   • The free trial runs 3 days, short against the 14 days.
   • Support runs on email and phone only, with no chat or community option.
   • Course access lasts 6 months, and the money back period ranks at 68 of 159.

6. 7. TEFL.org

   TEFL.org sits in the middle of this ranking as a steady, fully online option with an accredited certificate. Its TEFL course costs £151.60, includes the exam fee, carries accreditation, and comes with a 14 day refund window plus tutor support and job support. The provider operates in GB, US and IE, so candidates outside those markets should read the enrolment terms first. Completion is the slowest pace here at 10 to 12 weeks, which suits part-time learners and is the main reason it does not climb higher. A practicum is not part of this course, and support runs on email, help centre and community, with no phone line listed. The TEFL Institute, ranked next, is quicker at 2 to 4 weeks and adds phone support, at an entry fee of $205.

   • Price from: £151.60
   • Certificate fee: £0
   • Free tier: Yes

   Pros

   • Certificate fee of £0, so the qualification adds no cost beyond the course, and the fee ranks 1 of 47 across the brands compared.
   • Tutor support, job support and assessments are all part of the paid course.
   • Certificate types listed are completion and professional, covering completion and professional awards.
   • Based in GB and trading since 2008, with GB, US and IE among the markets served.

   Cons

   • No practicum, so anyone who needs supervised classroom hours alongside the theory has to look elsewhere.
   • Offline download is not available, which matters for anyone revising without a reliable connection.
   • Support runs through email, help centre and community, so no phone channel appears in the list.
   • Entry fees of £151.60 sit well above DRCertifications at $19.99 and Academy for Health and Fitness at £25.

7. 8. The TEFL Institute

   Placed here in this ranking, The TEFL Institute shares a legal entity with the entry ranked third and a similar shape: an online TEFL course, tutor support, job support and a refund window of 14 days. Its entry fee is $205 for 120 hours at a Level 3 standard, and completion is quick at 2 to 4 weeks. The practical limits are a narrow support mix and no classroom element: support runs on email and phone, and a practicum is not included in this course. ITTT, ranked next, enters at the same price of $249 on its course but adds a practicum, in-person study and a chat channel, in exchange for a 3 day refund window.

   • Certification type: Tefl
   • Price from: $205
   • Course hours: 120 hours

   Pros

   • Certificate fees come to €0, so the award adds nothing to the course price
   • The course runs 120 hours with assessments included, at a Level 3 qualification level
   • Job support comes with the certificate, which matters more to new teachers than course hours alone
   • Money-back cover runs 14 days, matching the median in this category
   • Entry fees of $205 sit below International TEFL and TESOL Training at $249

   Cons

   • The course carries no practicum, so anyone needing observed classroom teaching has to look at a provider that includes it
   • Price from $205 puts the budget floor well above TEFL Global at £169.50
   • Course access lasts 6 months, which is short for anyone spreading study around full-time work
   • Support runs on email and phone only, with no live chat or community for quick questions

8. 9. ITTT

   ITTT appears in this ranking because it holds the entry fee of $249 on its course and adds elements the entry ranked above leaves out. The TEFL course covers 120 hours, runs online and in person, includes a practicum and is awarded at a ITTT Level 4 standard, with tutor support, job support and email, chat, phone and help centre access through email, chat and phone. Completion at 6 to 8 weeks suits candidates who want classroom contact inside a short schedule. The catch is the refund promise: 3 days, among the tightest in this ranking, so an early exit costs the fee quickly. The TEFL Academy, ranked next, is accredited and carries a longer window, at €72 for an online course.

   • Price from: $249
   • Free tier: No
   • Money-back period: 3 days

   Pros

   • The TEFL certification course at 120 hours bundles a practicum, tutor support and job support into fees of $249.
   • Certificate types span completion, professional and university credit, and 2 university partners open routes beyond a completion certificate.
   • Offline download is supported and assessments are included, so study continues on a slow connection and coursework is part of the price.
   • Delivery covers online and in person, and access lasts 6 months, which leaves room for a course that runs 6 to 8 weeks.

   Cons

   • The money back guarantee covers 3 days, against a 14 day median across the site, so a change of mind has very little room.
   • There is no free tier, which means fees of $249 come before any sense of whether the course suits you.
   • The entry price ranks 172 of 220, which places the starting figure toward the expensive end of the field.
   • Subjects are limited to languages, so the platform cannot serve a reader after a business, coding or design catalogue.

9. 10. The TEFL Academy

   The TEFL Academy is a mid-priced accredited course with a short schedule, which is why it sits in this ranking. Its TEFL course costs €72, runs 120 hours online, includes the exam fee and carries accreditation, with tutor support, job support and a 14 day refund window. Completion at 3 to 5 weeks is among the fastest here, and support runs on email, phone and help centre. Limits worth naming: a practicum is not part of the package, and the listed markets, AU, CA and IE, are narrower than the reach of the entry ranked above, GB, US and CA. International TEFL Academy, ranked next, runs the longest programme in this ranking and adds in-person study, at a far higher fee.

   • Price from: €72
   • Free tier: No
   • Money-back period: 14 days

   Pros

   • The exam fee is included and tutor support is yes, so €72 covers assessment and the certificate instead of billing extras later
   • Money back of 14 days matches the site median of 14 days, so the guarantee is standard rather than thin
   • The Level 3 qualification carries ofqual and deac accreditation, which a plain completion note would not
   • A single purchase at €72 suits buyers who have no use for a broad subscription catalogue

   Cons

   • Access lasts 6 months, so the fee buys a study window rather than a library you can return to
   • The €72 entry price sits above the site median of €35.08, so the cheapest route in the field is elsewhere
   • Practicum is no, so the 120 hours are study hours with no classroom placement attached
   • Free tier is no, while Hotmart opens at $0 for anyone who wants to look before paying

What to look for

Entry fee rather than instalment size

Starting fees sit at €29 at the bottom of this ranking's range and €1,650 at the top, with €188.38 in the middle and €104.72 and €317.02 marking the lower and upper quartiles. Currencies differ across the field, so convert before comparing numbers.

What the entry fee bundles

Exam fee inclusion sits at 100% across this ranking, so assessment costs are normally folded into the advertised fee. Treat any provider charging a separate assessment charge as the exception, and read the fee page rather than a cached quote.

Whether classroom hours are included

Only 28.6% of entries include a practicum, making supervised classroom hours the sharpest dividing line here. Candidates targeting classroom jobs should start from those entries; everyone else can weigh the cheaper online-only courses.

Length of the money-back promise

Refund windows sit at 14 days for a typical entry, with 14 days at the upper mark and 2 days at the shortest. The spread is wide enough to matter if you fund the course across several months or need time to decide after starting.

Named accrediting body

Accreditation carries the trust share of the score. DEAC appears in 71.4% of entries and Ofqual in 57.1%, often alongside a higher qualification level. Check which body is named on the certificate page rather than relying on a marketing summary.

Online only or classroom too

Online study is universal at 100%, but only 28.6% of entries add an in-person route. If attending a classroom matters, that single filter narrows the field faster than any price comparison.

Frequently asked questions

Providers compared head to head

• International TEFL Academy vs Teach Away
• International TEFL Academy vs Bridge
• International TEFL Academy vs i-to-i

The data behind this ranking

All data and the CSV