How long does it take to get a TESOL certificate?

This common question is not easy to answer as it depends on the individual TESOL course you decide to sign up for. There are many different options to choose from, whether it is an online course, an in-class course, or a course that blends the two study methods. Each study method has a variety of courses and each one comes with its own average completion time. By choosing ITTT as your TESOL course provider you will have access to a wide range of courses with varying lengths, level of difficulty, and study method, which means you should certainly find something to suit your individual situation.

Which TESOL course can be completed the fastest?

In general, TESOL courses are classified by how many hours they take to complete on average. A quick online search will reveal a wide range of courses starting from around 50 hours or even less. This level of course can potentially be completed in as little as a week if you are able to study on a full-time basis. However, it is important to be aware that short-form qualifications of less than 100 hours of study are widely seen by employers as less than a full TESOL certification. These shorter courses are typically designed for people who want to teach in a voluntary capacity, rather than in a mainstream classroom environment. If you plan to apply for full-time paid jobs then you should look at a TESOL certificate that requires at least 100 hours of study.

One of the most popular courses offered by ITTT is the 120-hour TESOL certification course, which covers all the most important skills and knowledge required by all new teachers when they first start out in the classroom. If you don’t have too many other commitments and you are ready to put in a lot of study, it is possible to complete this course option in as little as two weeks. However, the 120-hour course generally takes between six and eight weeks to complete on average.

What about an in-class TESOL course?

By their very nature, online TESOL courses are self-study options which means the length of study is totally down to the individual trainee. In contrast, in-class TESOL courses require you to attend a training center where you will find a fixed timetable of study waiting for you. If you choose an in-class course with ITTT you will need to attend one of our professional training centers for four weeks, during which you will receive instruction from our trainers on a variety of teaching theory subjects. You will also spend plenty of time planning and delivering teaching practice sessions with real English language students in a genuine ESL classroom. By the end of the course you should be more than ready to start applying for local teaching jobs or vacant positions anywhere else in the world that catches your imagination.

What about specialized and advanced TESOL courses?

Both online and in-class TESOL courses are great options if you are looking to get your teaching career off the ground. However, you might also want to look at some other additional course options that can further widen your job prospects. ITTT has a range of specialized TESOL courses that are designed to build on your existing skills and knowledge without requiring a lot of time to complete. Our 60-hour specialized courses in Teaching English to Young Learners (CTEYL), Teaching Business English (CTBE), and Teaching English Online (CTEO) can all potentially be completed in less than a week if you are fully committed to studying every day. The average completion time for our specialized course options is about four weeks.

If you are looking for an advanced-level certification, our Diploma in TESOL course is a great choice as it will add some serious weight to your existing CV/resume. With this qualification you should find you are able to apply for higher-end positions that often include greater responsibility and a larger paycheck. The diploma is a 250-hour course, although it is actually 370 hours if you also first complete the 120-hour TESOL certification course that is included in the overall price. By including an initial entry-level course into the course fee, we have ensured that the Diploma in TESOL is open to anyone regardless of their background or level of experience. The average completion time for our diploma course is around eight months, although it is possible to finish it in about a month if you are very keen to get through it.

What is the maximum time limit for completing a TESOL course?

While our in-class TESOL courses come with a fixed timetable of four weeks, all our online options are flexible which allows you to plan your own timetable depending on the amount of spare time you have for study and how motivated you are to get the course done. However, we believe there should be as little pressure on our trainees as possible which is why we allow up to six months to complete any of our online courses. The only exception is the Diploma in TESOL which has a maximum time limit of one year from the day you start. No matter which type of course you sign up for, you should find there is plenty of time to work through all the contents without feeling rushed or pressurized.