With so many TEFL courses out there, we’ve picked five of the best in the UK to help you teach English at home or abroad.
(Photo: Steveriot via Flickr/ CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 )
A TEFL course can be your ticket to working abroad or earning extra income from home. But with so many courses to choose from, the options can feel overwhelming. While some offer quick weekend certifications, others include personalised learning, live workshops and lifelong access to job boards. The key is finding an accredited provider that matches your goals—especially as most employers require a minimum Level 3 TEFL qualification. To help you make the right call, we’ve reviewed five of the best TEFL courses available in the UK, comparing them on price, content, support and long-term teaching prospects.
The TEFL Institute
The TEFL Institute UK delivers fully regulated training, from the 120‑hour industry-standard certificate to Level 5 Diplomas, ideal whether you’re new to teaching or seeking advanced credentials. All primary courses are accredited to ensure global recognition among employers. Delivered online with round-the-clock access and enriched by live workshops and specialist modules (such as Business English and online teaching), the Institute also offers dedicated tutor support, career coaching and job placement aid. Graduates consistently rate it highly, citing course quality, real‑world prep and responsive student service .
Premier TEFL
TEFL UK offers comprehensive training with courses ranging from 120-hours to 240-hours. All programmes cover the key components required to jump-start a teaching career, such as lesson planning, classroom management and grammar. Courses also include helpful bonus materials, like lesson planning ebooks. Students can choose from online-only or combined courses, which include 20 hours of in-classroom experience where students can put theory into practice. There’s also an excellent job placement service featuring thousands of jobs across the world, as well as remote opportunities too.
St Giles International
With a 70-year history of teaching, St Giles International is one of the best-established English language teaching schools in the UK. It’s an excellent option for those looking to complete a CELTA, a specific TEFL qualification which is accredited by Ofqual and awarded by Cambridge ESOL, part of the University of Cambridge. Courses are available online but the school is best suited to those who prefer face-to-face learning. Students can choose to attend classes in Bloomsbury or Highgate in London, Eastbourne, Cambridge and Brighton. The school is accredited by the British Council and offers a 120-hour teaching course, with additional opportunities for teaching practice.
Book at Stgiles-international.com
The TEFL Org
The TEFL Org offers students access to a wide variety of self-paced online courses, as well as regular two-day classroom courses in the UK, Ireland and Spain. Its best-selling course is the 120-hour premier online course, but it also offers a highly reputed Level 5 TEFL course, which offers a more comprehensive teaching program for students seeking higher salaries. Costs for all courses include a personal online tutor who acts as your main point of contact for advice and assistance. Students also receive lifetime access to the school’s job board, which offers free TEFL jobs advice as well as exclusive vacancies. Unlike many other providers, the certificate is included in the package too.
i-to-i TEFL
Founded in 1994, i-to-i is one of the UK’s longest-running TEFL providers, with over 210,000 graduates worldwide. Their courses range from the 120‑hour Level 3 certificate to comprehensive Level 5 Diplomas (180‑, 300‑, and 420‑hour options), fully regulated and recognised globally. Delivered through flexible online modules with expert tutor support, i-to-i also offers classroom options across the UK. Students benefit from personal job guidance, lifetime access to a jobs board and speciality modules in online teaching, business English, or Young Learners. Their courses boast a 99 % pass rate.