Online TEFL Course FAQs


TEFL Boot Camp’s
Online TEFL Certificate FAQs

Everything you Need to Know

[Click on the Question Link to go to each Answer]

Question #1:
Is an Online TEFL Certification the right program for me?

Question #2:
When is the TEFL Boot Camp Certificate definitely NOT for me?

Question #3:
Are TEFL Boot Camp’s programs recognized internationally?

Question #4:
Why are the courses so low priced?

Question #5:
Can I be sure of good quality in the course?

Question #6:

How is TEFL Boot Camp’s guarantee better or different than the others?

Question#7:
Why TEFL Boot Camp versus other online certificates?

Question#8:
How does the course work?

Question #9:
What are the examinations and projects like?

Question#10:
How do I find and land a job teaching English abroad?

Question #11:
Can you guarantee me a job?

Question #12:
When do I get my TEFL Certificate if I pass the course?

Question #13:
Does TEFL Boot Camp offer a tutoring option?

Question #14:
What about an Observed Teaching Practice option?


Is an Online TEFL Certification the right program for me?

In an ideal world, everyone would take a residential in-classroom four-week TEFL training course. But not everyone can afford to take the time off work and the heavy expense of such programs. An online course is right for you if you are on a budget and if you can not stop working to take a full time course.

Online courses are also useful as you can access them 24/7 and you can study at your own pace, spending more time on issues that you think are important and less on those that you easily master.  Many people take these courses while they are teaching abroad to help them improve their skills.

An online TEFL Certification course is right for you if you want to learn some good basic skills for teaching English and the ability to deliver knowledge and skills for which your students have paid. An online course is right for you if you wish to show potential employers that you are interested in doing TEFL correctly and are willing to spend a little time and money picking up the skills to help their students.

Online courses are an excellent way to get your feet wet and explore whether you might like to head overseas to Teach English and see a bit of the world.


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When is an Online TEFL Certificate definitely NOT for me?

You should not take an online certificate course if you intend to teach in Europe, Indonesia or anywhere that a full-time in-classroom certification is usually preferred.

You should not take an online course to qualify for any teaching position that requires a full-time in-classroom course.

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Are TEFL Boot Camp’s TEFL Certificate programs recognized internationally?

Yes, of course! Our certifications are regularly accepted around the world. The majority of our graduates work in China, Korea and Japan, the world’s three largest EFL job markets, where their TEFL certificates help them land the best jobs.

While there is no one international authority that approves TEFL training, we participate with several international organizations and subscribe to their standards.

TEFL Boot Camp is also an institutional member of the College of Teachers (UK), an organization whose Code of Practice promotes professional behaviour for Members of The College. Central to the Code are respect for the individuality of the learner, and recognition of the collaborative nature of the profession of learning and teaching. The College extends its Membership to individuals and institutions that share the aim of advancing the interests of education and strive to support improvements in standards of teaching and learning.

TEFL Boot Camp is also an institutional member of the International Association of Teachers of English as a Foreign Language (IATEFL).

TEFL Boot Camp has been offering online TEFL training since 2006 with well over 150,000 students from around the world studying our program online (see our statistics chart here – it opens in a new window).

All that said, the very best illustration of the international recognition of TEFL Boot Camp is the international nature of our students. Click on the map below to see a large graphic of all the countries of our recent students. What else could speak so clearly of the international nature of TEFL Boot Camp?


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Why are the courses low priced?

We believe good quality training does not have to be expensive and should be accessible to people who want to learn and/or to improve their teaching skills.

TEFL Boot Camp’s TEFL Certificate courses are low priced as we do not have expensive web designers on staff (you can quickly see our simple design), nor do we hire expensive marketing people to fill your inbox daily with SPAM offering “free” specials and “today only” sales and “half-price” reductions in the cost of our courses. We keep our prices where they are which is as low as we can possibly get them. We don’t have false “sales” or surprise “50% Off” days.

We also don’t hire marketing staff to try to sell you on the idea of of teaching and living abroad and exploring the world. It is a magnificent lifestyle, but it is not the right thing for everyone and only you know if it is what fits your life best. Teaching is real work, not a 24-hour party as some TEFL marketers would tell you. But it is enjoyable and rewarding work that does let you see the world as you do it.

Notice also that we don’t charge you extra fees for materials or even for mailing your certificate to you. The only “extra” you can buy is express/courier mail service.


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Can I be sure of good quality in the courses?

A good portion of the content of the 60-hour course can already be seen right here on the website. You can judge for yourself if you feel that it cuts to the heart of the matter and tells you what you need to know. Read our webpages, listen to the free podcasts and watch the videos and judge for yourself.

We are proud to say that our writers and tutors are experienced EFL teachers with a minimum of a Masters degree in Education, Post Graduate Certificates in Education (PGCE) with a TEFL specialty and we have all worked abroad continuously since at least 1992 as EFL teachers and teacher-trainers with experience in at least two to five countries for two to twelve years in each. We are published authors as well, so we have all been at this for a while. Do you notice that other Online TEFL Certification courses usually make no mention of their course developers qualifications and experience?

You won’t usually find the level of training, education and experience of our course trainers and tutors anywhere else.

Finally, don’t forget our 100% money-back no-questions-asked guarantee. If you are not happy with the course, simply ask for a refund. It’s that easy.


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How is TEFL Boot Camp’s guarantee different from the others?

Ours is a REAL guarantee. Truly the best in the industry.

If you are at any point during the first 60 days of your course unhappy with the program you have purchased, simply send us an email and ask for a full refund. That’s it. That’s all you need to do.

Our Simple Guarantee

A few other certificate programs offer vaguely similar guarantees, but first you must call and talk to their marketing people who will try to talk you out of it. It’s an uncomfortable situation at best. Other programs make you jump through difficult hoops to get a refund. We just want to know you like the quality of our training and we won’t confuse it with other issues.

None of these diversions at TEFL Boot Camp. Just send an email and it is done.
We’ll give you your money back with a smile.

We want to minimize the risk for you because we think we have a great program that you will truly benefit from.

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Why TEFL Boot Camp versus other online certificates?

We strive to offer the best content with more supplementary materials (our eBook library, podcasts and videos) at the lowest price anywhere. If that is not true, you can rely on our guarantee.

We are not a PASS/FAIL type of program. We believe in learning and will help you succeed with our courses. If you submit any material that is not up to standard, we will let you know exactly what the problem is, where to find the information you need to fix it and tell you how to fix it and ask you to resubmit it. We want you to succeed and will do everything we can to make that happen.

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How does the course work?

When you sign up for the course, you will receive complete written instructions for the course. We strive to keep the course simple in design so you will have no problems studying the course and preparing yourself for a good teaching position overseas.

Because TEFL Boot Camp has long offered TEFL training, a large portion of the core program is already online on this website, free for anyone to read and study. Add to the online content the information you will receive with our eBook library, Podcast library and Video Training, and you have a well rounded course designed for self-study.

Though this is a self-study course, we encourage questions and are willing to help students who have any difficulty. There is no extra charge for tutoring.

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What are the examination and projects like?

The examination is an open book exam, so you have the ability to look through the course material and develop sound answers. It is in the same way that skilled teachers look through their resources to build a good lesson. They don’t just show up at school and try to talk their way through a lesson. You are given ten days to complete the examination. Plenty of time to go back and review material you are unsure about.

The projects are assigned lesson plans in specific topic areas. To pass the course you must submit well-written lessons in the requested areas. We offer a ten-point checklist for you to use to be sure you have all the bases covered.

We allow you an opportunity to rework your submitted examination and projects if they are not up to standard initially.

Our examinations and projects are NOT easy, but not particularly difficult either.

We will expect you to submit material that your future employers will be happy to see.
We don’t think you would want anything less.

Good lesson plans, written by you, can be the basis of your portfolio when applying for a job or even the basis for your demonstration lesson if you should be asked to give one.


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How do I find and land a job teaching English abroad?

As part of your course with TEFL Boot Camp, you will be given a copy of “Teaching English Abroad: What you Must Know for an Effective EFL Job Search”. This eBook will detail for you some of the most common mistakes made by people applying to work overseas. There are significant differences in how you should present your resume/CV, for example. There are big cultural and legal differences in what information you should provide to a potential employer. Things that if overlooked will often land your resume/CV in the trash bin.

Some online courses offer job placement assistance, but generally you pay for it with a much higher cost course. There is no free lunch.

Tens of thousands of people are working abroad teaching English. The great majority landed their own job and it is not a particularly difficult task. Excellent websites such as Dave’s ESL with an International Jobs List, Korea Jobs List and China Jobs List make it easy. Contact a school directly or use a recruiter.

** Never pay a recruiter for anything. They get paid by the school for finding you. Yes, you are that much in demand!**

Another good jobs website is TEFL.com. Go to these jobs websites and look around a bit. You will find literally hundreds (if not thousands) of jobs open right now. It is worth spending a few hours just cruising those websites learning just how possible a new life abroad can be.

TEFL Boot Camp’s Certificate programs also provide you with the eBook, “Seven Secrets of Success Abroad” which will help you learn to deal with cultural differences and to understand your employer better.


Can you guarantee me a job?

Of course not. No one can. And if they do, you will pay for the privilege in terms of lower wages than you would have otherwise obtained. One thing we will guarantee is that obtaining a good TEFL certificate demonstrates to your potential employer that you are serious enough about the job to have put some time and money into improving your skills. That says a lot.

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When do I get my TEFL Certificate?

To keep costs down, we mail your certificate to you via regular airmail within two business days of your completion of the course. That means it can reach you probably within three to four weeks anywhere in the world. If you wish to have your certificate express mailed to you, there is an extra charge of US$60-80, depending on where you want it sent. As soon as you complete the course we email to you a scan of your certificate. That is what you really need to start your job search and you will have it almost immediately.

Does TEFL Boot Camp offer a tutoring option?

Yes, and there is nothing extra to pay. Most people find the design of our courses easy to follow and understand. Our FREE tutors are accessible anytime you need help.

What about an Observed Teaching Practice option?

TEFL Boot Camp can work with you to obtain observed teaching practice (OTP) in your home community. If you are currently teaching, it is even easier. Your OTP hours will be noted on your certification. Use our Spam-Free contact form to inquire about your OTP options. There is no extra charge for working with us to arrange observed teaching practice for you.

 

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