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What is the difference between CELTA, TEFL, TESL and TESOL?

The CELTA certificate is the most widely recognised English language teaching certificate in the world and is internationally recognised and accredited by the University of Cambridge. The CELTA certificate is awarded after successful completion of the CELTA course. Many other so-called ‘TEFL certificates’, whether achievable online or face-to-face, are often not monitored or unaccredited by large, independent organisations. Then, once you get out into the workforce, you’ll find that it’s not a globally recognised course.

TESL, TEFL, TESOL, it’s all the same… TESL, TEFL and TESOL are all generic terms.

TEFL is not the name of any one specific course, in fact, it’s a concept. It stands for ‘Teaching English as a Foreign Language’ and is often found written in many other variations such as TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) or TESL (Teaching English as a Second Language)

You will also come across ESL (English as a Second Language) and EFL (English as a Foreign Language) when looking into teaching English to people who have a different language as their first language

Remember CELTA, however, is ‘the’ TEFL qualification, and it’s what most employers are looking for when they request it on their job advertisements. Candidates take CELTA courses because the CELTA is the most highly recognised TEFL course in the world. This is a certificate that is sought by reputable employers in English language schools around the world. Find out more about the CELTA here.

What are the entry requirements for the CELTA?

In terms of the basic entry requirements for the CELTA course, these are that you are over 18 (although most schools prefer that you are at least 20 years old), have enough education to enter higher education (i.e. a high school diploma, A-levels or equivalent) and that you can show a native or near-native grasp of the English language (i.e. a strong C1 or IELTS 7.5). You would not need to have previous teaching experience to take the CELTA. Your English level will be tested through the application process (which is free), in the initial application, the pre-interview task and then the interview with the course tutor at your chosen location.

Officially, you don’t need a university degree to take the CELTA. Candidates who have completed education, such as secondary school, that would allow them to embark on a university degree are eligible.

You can also take our eligibility test (www.studycelta.com/am-i-eligible) to check if you can apply for a CELTA course.

How are the online CELTA and the face-to-face CELTA different?

The only difference between the online CELTA and the face-to-face CELTA is the format in which you take the course. The online CELTA has exactly the same content, with the format allowing you to take it from home.  For the face-to-face CELTA you will need to be physically present in the location where you are taking the course.

The online CELTA holds exactly the same weight as a face-to-face course. On the CELTA certificate that you would receive after successfully completing the CELTA, there would be no mention of the course being online. The Teaching Practice will also be done online with a class of students from around the world. For the face-to-face CELTA the Teaching Practice will be done in a physical classroom. The certificate that you receive after successfully completing the CELTA is exactly the same whether you have done an online CELTA or a face-to-face CELTA.

See the course dates, times, fees and more information on all online CELTA course details as well as applying via our online CELTA dates page. Through this page you can also see information on which days of the week you will need to be available for with regard to the different courses.

What is the difference between a full-time (intensive) and a part-time CELTA?

The full-time (intensive) CELTA course is four to six weeks, while the part-time CELTA course can vary between seven weeks to around 24 weeks part-time study.

The full-time CELTA will allow you to get qualified in a relatively short period of time, but will rely on a full-time commitment to the course. Your time available for external interests and commitments will be very limited, and it is strongly advised that you are not working at all during the period of the course. It is usually a four-week, weekday, nine-to-five intensive course, with significant additional work outside of these hours.

The part-time CELTA is taken at a more relaxed pace and this allows you to continue with some other commitments (e.g. work, family, friends). However, the course will still require a significant level of commitment and dedication. The teaching practice element will be the time you MUST be available for. This for example, could consist of with two afternoons a week and half a day on Saturday morning.

What is the DELTA?

The University of Cambridge DELTA course is a diploma designed for experienced and qualified English teachers who want to take the next step in their career; whether it be to director of studies, teacher trainer, course book publisher, or even just a better-rounded instructor.

It’s broken down into three modules, the first of which includes an exam, the third a written assignment, and the second a continuously assessed combination of classwork, tasks and teaching practice.

The DELTA is a higher English language teaching qualification for experienced teachers, to help them move into senior teaching or directorial roles, or hone their skills as a teacher. It is also a key step in becoming a teacher trainer (e.g. a CELTA tutor). The DELTA approximates to a Master’s level in terms of content.

What are the entry requirements for the DELTA?

The entry criteria for taking the DELTA are that you:

• Have some formal, certificated ELT training (e.g. a CELTA)
• Have an equivalent of 1 year of full-time English teaching experience (i.e. 1,200 hours) in the last 5 years
• Have a level of English good enough to teach at a range of levels – you should have an equivalent English level of high C1 on the CEFR. For non-native speakers, you will not need certification of your English level as your English level will be assessed through the (free) application process.
• Have a range of teaching experience involving work in different teaching contexts
• Have experience of teaching learners at different language levels and ages.

You could be accepted onto DELTA course without an existing teaching qualification (e.g. CELTA) if you are able to show that you would be likely to successfully complete a course. You could demonstrate this via successful previous examples of study.

If you match the above criteria, you are eligible to take the DELTA.

Please note that acceptance onto a DELTA module is at the discretion of the DELTA course tutor at your chosen location.

You can also take our DELTA eligibility test