What kinds of teaching jobs can I get with a TEFL certification?

What kinds of teaching jobs can I get with a TEFL certification?

If you’re looking into applying for overseas teaching jobs, whether they’re English as a Second Language (ESL) positions or roles for experienced teachers, you will undoubtedly come across something called a Teaching English as a Foreign Language, or TEFL certification. And as a result, you’re probably wondering if earning a TEFL qualification is something you should do.

Regardless of other qualifications and experiences you’ve accumulated, a TEFL certification is always a powerful addition to your resume. It will give you priority over other candidates who may be equally qualified otherwise and it will fast track you through your application process with Teach Away if you choose to apply through the University of Toronto TEFL program. Further, it will differentiate you from competition in the eyes of principals and hiring staff around the globe. Even when a TEFL qualification is not required, it is always noted.

Want to find out your earning potential teaching anywhere in the world? Get a decent idea of what you can expect with the help of our free teach abroad salary calculator!

Now, here’s how a TEFL qualification applies to you depending on your other qualifications and experience:


Bachelor’s degree + TEFL certificate

These are the minimum preferred qualifications for any teaching jobs abroad. If you don’t have a teaching license and are seeking an overseas teaching job, you should have both a bachelor’s degree and a TEFL certificate. With these under your belt, you may be lucky enough to find ESL teaching jobs in countries such as China, Japan, and Korea.

Bachelor’s degree + teaching license + TEFL certificate

With these qualifications, you will be qualified for plenty of teaching positions in countries all around the world. Although your TEFL certification cannot replace years of experience, it can be the difference maker between you and a licensed teacher with the same or similar teaching experience. Your TEFL certificate will be beneficial both when your resume gets in the hands of a Teach Away placement coordinator and again when it reaches the principal overseas in charge of hiring.

Bachelor’s degree + teaching license + 5 or more years teaching experience + TEFL certificate

In addition to positions requiring under 5 years of experience, a degree, teaching license, and five or more years of classroom experience tend to be the baseline for higher paying teaching positions. Among these are often high paying openings in the United Arab Emirates in cities such as Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Adding a TEFL qualification distinguishes the candidate from others with similar experience at both the Teach Away recruitment level and at the hiring level. Expect more interviews when you add TEFL to your resume.

Here’s a little more about TEFL that applies to everyone:

Make this the year you qualify to teach abroad. To learn more and compare our courses, click here.

11 comments

What kinds of teaching jobs can I get with a TEFL Qualification? it is very useful, I

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Allene Goldenman
I’m from Nigeria and I’ve my license as a teacher. I’ve a Bachelor of Arts degre in Education / English. I wish to know if my getting a TEFL certification can qualify me to teach English abroad in locations like China, Kuwait and the UAE.
Richie_uk
Please I want to know the email address , telephone number and address for your affiliate ; TEFL Institute in Ghana. I also want to know their start dates for in person training for the remainder of this year .How do I book to reserve a training place for myself? Thank you ! !
Esther Cole
Hello Esther, thank you for your comment! The TEFL Online course is 100% online and we do not have affiliate institutes in other countries. If you would like to enroll in the course, you may do so at anytime via our website. We currently have students enrolled in the course from all over the world, including Ghana, who are completing the course comfortably their home country. You can register to start our course by paying the enrollment fee to join, here: https://teflonline.teachaway.com/enroll/ If you have any questions please email us at teflonline@teachaway.com Best, Christie
Christie Van Tol
Hello Geraldine, a Teaching English as a Foreign Language, TEFL, certificate is designed to certify you to teach ESL in countries where English is not the first language, in a foreign classroom environment. You will, however, find a lot of the concepts and pedagogy to be transferable to classrooms in native English speaking countries. To determine the ESL teaching qualification that will best compliment your existing education and experience I would suggest browsing online jobs boards, such as Teach Away’s: https://www.teachaway.com/teaching-jobs-abroad, to determine exactly what type of qualifications employers are looking for abroad. To determine the qualifications sought by academies in the Canada and Australia you will need to conduct more personal outside Teach Away’s network, and may find this article helpful: https://teflonline.teachaway.com/2014/04/whats-difference-tefl-tesl-tesol/ With previous teaching experience you are likely to be a sought after candidate locally and abroad. If you have any further questions please contact us at teflonline@teachaway.com Best, Christie.
Christie Van Tol

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