The simple answer is, we just don't know! Recruiters offering the best opportunities with the most competitive packages are now asking for Level 5 TEFL qualifications. All regulated Level 5 courses are 150hrs+ in length. We have never seen a single employer ask for more than 168hrs of TEFL training. A Level 5 TEFL Diploma is the gold standard of TEFL qualifications, therefore we only offer this option for our Level 5 students. We know that navigating your way through the TEFL web of courses is very confusing. This is why we try to keep it simple, giving you exactly what you need to get the best jobs around the world!

The Level 3 and Level 5 versions of our TEFL course lead to accredited qualifications awarded by Qualifi (a UK-government-recognised awarding body), and are regulated by Ofqual (UK-government department). The Level 3 and Level 5 versions of our TEFL course are also DEAC (US Department of Education-recognised) approved as meeting the criteria for Approved Quality Curriculum (AQC) status. AQC is a quality assurance scheme that guarantees our courses have been peer-reviewed and meet strict standards and requirements (AQC status is separate from accreditation, the qualifications are accredited in the UK and are recognised internationally, including in the US).

Qualifi is an Ofqual (The Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation, a UK government department) regulated awarding body. Qualifi have robust quality assurance systems and procedures in place which all course providers must successfully pass in order to offer their accredited qualifications. You can find out more about Qualifi on their website: https://qualifi.net

The Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual) regulates qualifications, examinations and assessments in England and vocational qualifications in Northern Ireland.

Ofqual is a non-ministerial UK government department.

You can verify our qualifications on the Ofqual Register of Regulated Qualifications:

Level 3 here,
Level 5 here.

Ofqual recognise Awarding Organisations like Qualifi and regulate qualifications like ours. An Ofqual regulated TEFL qualification will be recognised worldwide and is highly respected by employers.

AQC (Approved Quality Curriculum) is a quality assurance scheme operated by the DEAC. The scheme guarantees our courses have been peer-reviewed and meet strict standards and requirements. The Distance Education Accrediting Commission was founded in 1926 and is US Department of Education recognised. DEAC's goal is to ensure a high standard of educational quality in the distance education institutions it approves. The  Level 3 & 5 versions of our TEFL course are DEAC-approved as meeting the criteria for Approved Quality Curriculum (AQC) status (AQC approval is separate from accreditation, the qualifications are accredited in the UK and are recognised internationally, including in the US). You can find out more about the AQC scheme here: https://www.aqcreview.org/approved-providers/

When you hear about “levels” this refers to the UK government’s framework for qualifications. This framework allows learners studying UK government regulated qualifications to understand where their qualification sits in comparison to other qualifications. A regulated Level 5 qualification means that Ofqual (UK government), have approved the qualification to be at a recognised level of achievement. Our Level 5 TEFL Diploma (168hrs) is the same level as the following qualifications: a diploma of higher education (DipHE), a foundation degree and the CELTA and Trinity CertTESOL qualifications.

A TEFL Diploma is simply a slightly higher level of qualification than a "Certificate". It means you will have completed a more in-depth TEFL course.

A regulated qualification means that it is officially recognised by government and sits on the Ofqual Register of Regulated Qualifications. You can verify our qualifications on the Ofqual Register of Regulated Qualifications: Level 3 here, Level 5 here.  

Any qualification that is officially recognised by the UK government will sit on the Ofqual Register of Regulated Qualifications. Make sure to ask your course provider to provide a link to the register for their qualification. You can verify our qualifications on the Ofqual Register of Regulated Qualifications: Level 3 here, Level 5 here.  

Choosing to study a regulated qualification is your guarantee of quality. Course providers offering regulated qualifications must comply with very tough quality assurance rules and procedures. This ensures that:

• The staff delivering and assisting students are suitably qualified
• The course provider has the resources to effectively deliver the qualification
• The course itself effectively teaches and assesses the qualifications aims
• The contents of the course have been written and designed by industry professionals and peer reviewed
• The feedback and grades given to learners is fair, moderated and meets modern academic standards
• Officially regulated by the UK government, therefore the qualification will be internationally recognised by schools, employers, foreign embassies and governments of most other countries.

You may see cheap TEFL courses advertised online that claim to be a “level”, such as “Level 5 140-Hour TEFL Course” (often advertised on daily deal websites), unfortunately these courses are not the level they claim to be and are highly misleading. The level of a course tells learners where the qualification sits on the UK’s Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF).  If a course is not listed on the Register of Regulated Qualifications, then it is not really a level at all. You can find our qualification on the register here. Make sure you ask any TEFL training provider that claims to be offering a “level” of TEFL course to provide a link to the Register of Regulated Qualifications. If they cannot provide this, then the qualification is not the level they claim it to be and will not be accepted by foreign embassies and employers.

TEFL and TESOL are both acronyms for teaching English to non-native English speakers. Both acronyms can be used to describe qualifications which certify you to teach English as a foreign language. To a large extent, "TEFL" and "TESOL" are used interchangeably.

• TEFL - Teaching English as a Foreign Language
• TESOL - Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages