Which TEFL course is best for me?
Five quick questions - the same ones our tutors ask new teachers - and you'll have a recommendation in under two minutes.
What's the goal?
Any teaching experience?
How much study time can you give it?
How long do you see yourself teaching?
Where do you want to stand in the job queue?
Prefer to read? The five questions, explained in full · or compare all three courses side by side.
How to choose a TEFL course (the short version)
Three questions decide it. Where are you starting from? Complete beginners need the 120-hour foundation; qualified teachers need a named specialism, not repeated hours. What will employers in your target market screen for? "TEFL 120 hours" is the universal minimum; competitive markets and better-paid shortlists reward Level 4–5 depth. How serious is the plan? A gap-year adventure and a career change deserve different investments - and every course here upgrades later without repeating work, so you can't paint yourself into a corner.
Whichever you pick: every Global English course is ACTDEC-accredited, marked by a personal tutor, verifiable by any employer online, and covered by a 14-day money-back guarantee. See what real graduates say on our reviews page.
120 vs 150 vs 250 hour TEFL courses
| Course | Hours | Level | Choose it if |
|---|---|---|---|
| 120-hour TEFL / TESOL course | 120 | 3 | You need the standard first certificate |
| 150-hour Advanced TEFL / TESOL | 150 | 4 | You want to stand out from a 120-hour minimum |
| 250-hour Level 5 TEFL / TESOL | 250 | 5 | Teaching is a long-term career plan |
Which TEFL course should a complete beginner take?
The 120-hour Level 3 certificate is the industry-standard first qualification: it passes every "TEFL required" screen for online platforms and jobs abroad, and it teaches the lesson-planning and classroom skills your first months depend on.
When is the Level 5 (250-hour) course worth it?
When teaching is a career plan rather than an experiment: competitive markets, better-paid shortlists and long-term progression all reward the deeper qualification - and starting at Level 5 costs less than upgrading later.
I already have a TEFL certificate - what should I take?
A specialist course that names a skill: business English, exam preparation, young learners or teaching practice. Employers shortlist named capabilities, not repeated hours.
Is this quiz's recommendation binding?
No - it's a starting point built from the questions employers and our tutors actually ask. Every course carries a 14-day money-back guarantee, so a wrong guess costs nothing.