Online TEFL Courses

Accredited 120-hour certificates and Ofqual-regulated Level 5 TEFL qualifications, compared.

An online TEFL course trains you to teach English as a foreign language without attending a classroom. You study at your own pace, complete assessed work, and finish with a certificate you can show employers abroad or online. This page compares the online TEFL courses we offer, explains what each one is for, and sets out exactly how they are accredited or regulated so you can check it yourself.

Short version: if you want a widely requested starting qualification, the 120-hour course is the usual benchmark. If you want a qualification that sits on a government register, is assessed to a defined level and tends to be asked for by more selective employers, choose an Ofqual-regulated Level 5 diploma.

View the 120-hour course · View the Level 5 diploma · Try 3 days free

Compare our online TEFL courses

Course	Hours	Status	Typical completion time	Format	Assessment	Best for	Price
120 Hour Advanced TEFL Course	120	Accredited	2 to 4 weeks, with 6 months of access	100% online, self-paced	Multiple-choice quiz at the end of each of the 10 modules, 80% pass mark	First qualification; language schools and online platforms that ask for 120 hours	See current price
180 Hour Level 5 TEFL Diploma	180 guided learning hours, 38 credits	Ofqual-regulated Level 5 qualification awarded by Highfield Qualifications, qualification number 610/1571/4	2 to 4 weeks, with 6 months of access	100% online	A test at the end of each of the 11 modules, with multiple-choice and open-ended questions checked by the assessment team	Employers who ask for Level 5, more competitive markets, career changers	See current price
240 Hour Level 5 TEFL Diploma with 2 specialist courses	240 (180 Level 5 plus 2 x 30-hour specialist courses)	Level 5 element Ofqual regulated, qualification number 610/1571/4	6 months of access	100% online	As Level 5, plus end-of-module tests on the specialist courses with an 80% pass mark	Teachers who want IELTS and TOEIC exam preparation alongside the diploma	See current price
190 Hour Hybrid Level 5 TEFL Diploma	190 (180 Level 5 plus a 10-hour virtual course)	Level 5 element Ofqual regulated, qualification number 610/1571/4	9 to 12 weeks, with 6 months of access	Online study plus live teaching practice over Zoom	As Level 5, plus peer-to-peer teaching practice with live tutor feedback	Learners who want observed teaching practice	See current price
300 Hour Level 5 Advanced TEFL Diploma	300 guided learning hours, 54 credits	Ofqual-regulated Level 5 qualification awarded by Highfield Qualifications, qualification number 610/1573/8	6 to 8 weeks, with 6 months of access	100% online	Multiple-choice and open-ended answers, 100% pass mark	The most comprehensive option; includes 60-hour Level 5 awards in Teaching Business English and Teaching Online and One-to-One	See current price

Prices change with offers. The price shown at checkout is the one that applies.

Accredited or regulated: what the words mean

“Accredited” and “Ofqual regulated” are not the same thing, and it is worth knowing the difference before you pay for any course.

Accredited means an independent organisation has reviewed a course provider or a course against its own standards. Accreditation bodies are private organisations, so the value depends on who they are and what they check. The accreditations that apply to our 120-hour course are listed, with links to each body’s own register, on the 120-hour course page.
Ofqual regulated means the qualification itself is awarded by an awarding organisation that Ofqual recognises, and it sits on the public Register of Regulated Qualifications at a stated level and size. Ofqual regulates qualifications and awarding organisations, not course providers, so look up the qualification number. Our Level 5 diplomas are awarded by Highfield Qualifications, an Ofqual-regulated awarding organisation. The 180-hour diploma is qualification number 610/1571/4 and the 300-hour advanced diploma is qualification number 610/1573/8.
Level 5 refers to the level on the Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF). For the background, see our explainers on what Ofqual regulated actually means, the RQF and awarding bodies.

How studying online works

Learning format

Courses are delivered through our online learning platform and app, with 24/7 access from a laptop, tablet or phone. The 120-hour course is split into ten modules covering learner needs, grammar and teaching terminology, planning your syllabus and lessons, teaching grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation, teaching reading and listening, teaching writing and speaking, English for specific purposes, and moving from learning to earning. The 180-hour Level 5 diploma covers the principles of teaching grammar, vocabulary, receptive and productive skills, pronunciation and phonology, teaching aids and materials, lesson planning and classroom management, and teaching adults and young learners, for both online and face-to-face settings.

Duration and study time

Every course comes with six months of access. Most learners finish faster: the typical completion times shown on our course pages are two to four weeks for the 120-hour and 180-hour courses, six to eight weeks for the 300-hour diploma and nine to twelve weeks for the 190-hour hybrid diploma. Extensions are available if you need more time: course extensions.

Tutor support

All courses include personal online TEFL tutor support. On the Level 5 diplomas, the open-ended answers are checked by our assessment team, who give feedback if an answer needs to be changed. On the 190-hour hybrid diploma, the live teaching practice workshops are led by a DELTA-qualified teacher trainer.

Assessment

The 120-hour course is assessed through a multiple-choice quiz at the end of each module with a pass mark of 80%; retests are free. The 180-hour Level 5 diploma has a test at the end of each of its 11 modules, with multiple-choice questions corrected instantly and open-ended questions checked by the assessment team, and the Level 5 pass mark is 100%. There is no exam hall and no in-person attendance required for the fully online options.

Payment

You can pay in full, or split the cost of a Level 5 diploma into two interest-free payments. The Level 5 diplomas come with a 14-day money-back guarantee, as shown on our TEFL courses page.

What you can do with an online TEFL qualification

A TEFL qualification is what most language schools, online platforms and teaching programmes ask for, alongside requirements you cannot change with a course, such as your passport, degree status and the visa rules of the country. A course improves your options; it does not decide them on its own. We do not guarantee a job, and nobody honestly can.

Teach English online: employers worldwide generally expect at least 120 hours of TEFL training, and some platforms also ask for a degree or teaching experience. See teaching English online from the UK.
Teach English abroad: requirements vary by country. See requirements by country.
Career support: every course includes lifetime access to our TEFL jobs platform, and our job placement assistance covers finding and applying for teaching positions, guidance on visas and work permits, and help developing your CV. See TEFL jobs.

Which online TEFL course should I choose?

Testing the water or on a tight budget? Start with the 120-hour course.
Applying to selective employers, or want a regulated qualification? Choose the 180-hour Level 5 diploma.
Want exam preparation skills alongside Level 5? The 240-hour package adds 30-hour IELTS and TOEIC specialist courses.
Want observed teaching practice? The 190-hour hybrid diploma adds a live practicum over Zoom.
Not sure? Compare everything on our TEFL courses page or request a callback.

Online TEFL course FAQs

Is an online TEFL course as good as a classroom course?

For most language-school and online-platform jobs, employers look at the hours, the accreditation or regulation, and whether the course included assessed work, not whether you studied online. Some employers value observed teaching practice, which is why we offer the 190-hour hybrid option with a live teaching practicum.

How long does an online TEFL course take?

It depends on the course and how much time you can give it. The typical completion times shown on our course pages are two to four weeks for the 120-hour and 180-hour courses, six to eight weeks for the 300-hour diploma and nine to twelve weeks for the 190-hour hybrid diploma. Every course comes with six months of access.

Do I need a degree to take a TEFL course?

No degree is needed to enrol. The 120-hour course page recommends that you are aged 17 or over with English at around C1 level. Some countries and employers require a degree to hire you, which is separate from the course.

Is the TEFL Institute’s Level 5 really Ofqual regulated?

Yes. The 180-hour diploma is the Highfield Level 5 Diploma in TEFL, qualification number 610/1571/4, and the 300-hour diploma is qualification number 610/1573/8. Highfield Qualifications is an Ofqual-regulated awarding organisation, and you can check both numbers on the Ofqual Register.

How much does an online TEFL course cost?

Prices change with offers, so each course page shows the current price and the price at checkout is the one that applies. For what drives TEFL course prices across the market, see our guide to how much a TEFL course costs.

Will I get a job after my course?

We cannot promise a job. What we can do is make sure you have the qualification employers ask for, give you lifetime access to our TEFL jobs platform, and offer job placement assistance with finding and applying for teaching positions, guidance on visas and work permits, and help developing your CV. Your chances also depend on your passport, degree, timing and flexibility on location.