12 life-changing benefits of taking a TEFL course

Teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL) has the potential to be truly transformational. Every year, many people embark on an epic adventure to teach English abroad. It’s an experience that can change your life in so many ways.

There are a whole host of TEFL certification benefits, both in terms of career development and enriching your own life experiences while evolving as a person.

1. Gain valuable teaching skills

A foundational TEFL course will give you the skills and abilities you need to enter a classroom. From essential technical knowledge to soft skills such as communication, creativity and time management, you’ll graduate with the perfect platform to launch your career as a TEFL teacher. 

2. Boost your confidence

Passing a TEFL course will infuse you with a confidence you didn’t even know you were capable of having! It’s something TEFL Iberia graduates always tell us – they can’t believe how the nerves disappear, replaced by the confidence to lead a classroom with their own distinctive teaching style. And all this gained within the space of a four-week course! 

3. Enrich other people’s lives

It’s hard to convey the feeling you get from genuinely making an impact in the lives of others. Many of our students sign up for a TEFL course as a passport to see the world. Which is totally fine! But we’ve seen it time and time again… those people who didn’t expect to be swept up in the power of sharing knowledge and seeing how beautiful it can be to inform and inspire. Giving people the skills to improve their lives makes us better people. And isn’t that what the world needs right now? 

4. Make new friends

What can be better than embarking on the adventure of a lifetime? Sharing it with others!

One of the best things about taking a TEFL course abroad is that you learn alongside like-minded people who are sharing this life-changing journey. They’re just as nervous and excited as you are. And sharing this intense experience makes it easier to form long-lasting friendships. In fact, many of our graduates stay in touch after their course, helping them settle into the city in style.

5. Immerse yourself in different cultures

Moving abroad can be daunting. But one of the best ways to settle in and immerse yourself in a new culture is as a student studying TEFL. While you study to become a teacher, you’ll gradually integrate yourself into the local culture, enjoying organised cultural immersions in the form of evenings out and day trips. Once you’ve found your feet you can begin to explore local life in all its glory. For our TEFL students, life in Barcelona never gets boring – there’s always something new to discover about the local culture!

6. Understand English at a deeper level

If you’re a native English speaker, or even if you’re not, there are most likely elements of the language you take for granted. Learning to be a TEFL teacher and then teaching others will open up your mind to a world of technical knowledge, giving you a new-found appreciation for the English language and language learning in general. 

7. Learn a new language

Teaching English abroad gives you a great chance to learn a new language yourself. Learning a language while living in the country where the language is spoken is far easier than learning it from afar. If you’re studying TEFL in Spain, take advantage of this by signing up to a Spanish course. An added benefit is that you’ll put yourself in the shoes of your future students, helping you to better understand their learning journey.

8. Get visa assistance

You know the saying “You’ve got to buy the ticket to take the ride?” Well, don’t even think of buying the ticket until you’ve got a visa. 

Depending on the country you’re looking to study in, securing the right paperwork and navigating visa bureaucracy can be very tricky. However, many of the best TEFL course providers offer dedicated student visa programmes, helping students gather documents and apply for that all-important student visa, which you’ll need to study, live and work in the country the course is based in.

9. Gain a qualification that never expires

A TEFL certificate is a gift that keeps on giving. In return for a one-off fee (or even a payment plan) you arm yourself with a qualification for life. Whether you launch a career teaching TEFL and start a new life in a new country, travel the world while evolving your teaching skills or simply take a gap year teaching, you’ll have a qualification that you can use to get a TEFL job at any point in your life. How’s that for return on investment?

10. Get help finding a job

The best TEFL course providers offer extensive post-course preparation and support to give you the best launch pad for a career teaching English abroad. Qualifying as a TEFL teacher will also open doors to the location you studied in, making it easier to find work teaching English in language academies, schools or in local businesses. Plus, with the likes of CV workshops and comprehensive interview preparation, you’ll be job-ready as you launch your career in TEFL.

11. Land better-paid jobs

Being TEFL-certified is a mark of quality. It shows employers that you have the necessary skill set to teach at a high level. This hallmark enables you to command a higher salary. The likes of private language academies will pay a pretty penny for teachers with a TEFL certificate, even new TEFL teachers. So, get qualified and start earning!

12. Travel the world while you earn

A TEFL certificate is a one-way ticket to ride. Pass the course and the world is your oyster – you can literally teach English anywhere in the world! From Spain to South Korea, Costa Rica to Croatia, you have the freedom to explore the world and earn as you travel, embarking on the kind of experience you can’t put a price on.

Are you ready to take the first steps of a life-changing adventure? Get in touch with TEFL Iberia today.