Quick answer: To get started in TEFL as a career changer, first decide where you want to teach, then choose an accredited TEFL/TESOL course that matches that destination, and finally make the move and find work – online or abroad. The whole process can take as little as a few weeks: courses run from short weekend qualifications (around £150) up to advanced 250-hour diplomas, and there are thousands of jobs advertised worldwide every month. Here's the three-step route in full.
Bored with your current job? Feel like you are spinning your wheels? Or perhaps you are thinking of a career change. TEFL/TESOL could be the answer...
Wouldn't it be great to pull up a chair at a cafe somewhere in the world and enjoy the surroundings of a new and exciting location? Or watch the sun set on a beautiful beach as you prepare to go out into the city for dinner? Well, thousands of new TEFL/TESOL teachers do this every year. And there is no reason why you can't be next.
So if you are bored, tired or just want a change, there are three steps to making the change come true for you. This guide is written with career changers in mind; if you are an absolute beginner, you may also like our step-by-step TEFL guide for beginners.
How to get started in TEFL: the three steps
- Choose your destination. Find a map of the world and think about where you'd like to live – it doesn't have to be forever, and with the right qualification you can move from one country to the next. Having a place in mind gives you something to focus on as you plan.
- Choose the right course and set your budget. TEFL courses come in all shapes and sizes and cost from a few pounds to over £1,000. Match the course to your destination: a short weekend course may be enough for volunteering, while established markets reward a longer, accredited online course.
- Make the move and find work. This is the big jump – packing up and getting on the plane, or setting up to teach online. There are as many as 20,000 new TEFL positions offered around the world each month, so find work through job boards, TEFL sites, or speculative drop-ins once you arrive.
Step 1: Where do you want to teach?
Now think about where you might like to live. Remember, it doesn't have to be forever. You could move from one country to the next with the right qualification. Perhaps it is a destination you have always wanted to go to, or a country you used to visit on holiday, maybe that lovely Greek island you went to years ago...
Yes, that's the view I visualised when I set off on my first journey. However, I ended up in Mexico City, which wasn't quite the same. Could be I boarded the wrong flight and fell asleep, something similar to this poor traveller, who wanted to catch a flight to Turkey but was put on a train to Torquay after asking directions at Paddington.
But I enjoyed the Mexican experience and it was my first step working around the world. Once you have a place in mind, you have something to focus on and this will help you as you begin to make your plans. But how do you get from where you are today to your dream destination? And how will you manage to make ends meet when you get there? Well, this is where the TEFL or TESOL course comes in.
Step 2: Which course should a career changer choose?
Choosing the right TEFL/TESOL course and setting your budget matters. TEFL courses come in all shapes and sizes (and cost from a few £££ to over £1000, depending on what you choose). The course you decide upon should be a good fit for your ideal destination. There is no point doing something quickly and cheaply if you get there only to find you can't get work; equally, spending lots on an expensive course may be a bad investment if you only plan to stay a short while.
As a general rule, if you are volunteering in continents such as Africa, Asia or South America, you should be able to get by with a short weekend or 3 day TEFL course. It is a good way to dip your toe in the water, get a paper qualification, and off you go. Prices start at £224.
Alternatively, if you are heading for a more established destination, such as Western Europe, Japan or other countries with a more mainstream TEFL industry, you'll want more. An online course, providing it is accredited by an independent professional body, can help you get where you want to go. These are customisable, so you can add specialisms such as teaching business English, young learners or online teaching. They go deeper into theory, methodology and grammar, so you'll be more confident in front of the class. The 120-hour TESOL Premier is our most popular option for this.
If you work best in a group, you might consider a 4-week CELTA course, which gives you theory and methodology plus 6–8 hours of teaching practice with ‘live’ students. Budget up to £900. Our blog on online TEFL vs CELTA compares the two in detail. We've also listed the top TEFL/TESOL destinations with recommendations for what course works best for each country. Watch out for places like Japan, Korea and increasingly Thailand, which require their teachers to hold a degree.
What does getting started cost and how long does it take?
| Route | Typical course cost | Time to qualify | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weekend / short course | From £150–£250 | A weekend to a few weeks | Volunteering, a taster |
| Accredited online 120-hour | Low hundreds of £ | About 6–10 weeks part-time | Most jobs abroad and online |
| Advanced / Professional (150–250 hr) | Mid to upper hundreds of £ | 2–4 months part-time | Competitive markets, higher pay |
| CELTA / Trinity CertTESOL | Around £900–£1,500 | 4–5 weeks full-time | UK/English-speaking language schools |
Step 3: How do you find your first job?
Making the move and finding work is the final step. You can put a pin in your map and buy your TEFL/TESOL course from the seat you are sitting in, all in the next five minutes. But actually packing up and getting on the plane is the big jump. Don't be dissuaded – now is the chance to realise your dream.
There are lots of jobs out there – as many as 20,000 new TEFL positions are offered around the world each month. Here's how to go about it:
a) Finding TEFL work from the comfort of your armchair. Nowadays arranging a TEFL job starts with a Google search for EFL jobs, our own TEFL jobs board, or one of the specific TEFL job websites. Probably the biggest is tefl.com, which has a wide range of positions. For a full walkthrough, read how to find a TEFL position overseas.
b) In situ. Many TEFL jobs simply don’t get advertised, especially in places where teacher-travellers pass through dropping in CVs. Like me when I started, many people find work by speculative drop-ins, as Jennifer Cross describes for Barcelona. In more off-the-beaten-track places you'll need to be persistent – see the advice from James O'Connor and Shaz Rahman on teaching English in Finland. A strong TEFL CV helps in both cases.
I hope you found this helpful and, like me, many years later you can still be doing what you love, wherever you decide to travel!
William Bradridge
Getting started in TEFL: FAQs
How long does it take to become a TEFL teacher?
You can qualify in as little as a weekend for a short course, but most people take an accredited 120-hour online course and finish in about 6–10 weeks studying part-time. Add a few weeks for job applications and interviews, and a career changer can realistically go from decision to first paid lesson in two to three months.
Can I change career to TEFL at 40 or older?
Absolutely. There is no upper age limit on taking a TEFL course or teaching English, and mature career changers are valued for their reliability and life experience. Online teaching is especially popular with people making a later-life switch – see our guide to TESOL for retirees and mature learners for where older teachers are most in demand.
What does getting started in TEFL cost in total?
Your main cost is the course: from around £150 for a short taster to the low hundreds for an accredited 120-hour course, or up to £1,500 for a CELTA. Beyond that, budget for a visa and flights if you're going abroad; if you teach online you can start from home with just a laptop and your certificate.