TEFL Certification Costs & Fees: How to Budget

So, you’re ready to take the exciting leap into a new life abroad, teaching English as a foreign language. Good for you… you’re going to love it! 

But, as the old saying goes, “fail to prepare… prepare to fail.” TEFL may be your ticket to ride, your passport to the world, but when it comes to launching a career as an English teacher overseas, planning is everything.

And it all starts with money. Get to know the precise costs of a TEFL course and all the living expenses that come with it and you’ll give yourself the best foundation to a happy life overseas.

How to budget for a TEFL course

TEFL certification costs

So, how much does a TEFL certificate cost? Well, There are lots of different factors that influence TEFL course fees Here are just a few:

• Location: The prices of an in-person TEFL course depends on where the school is based. It stands to reason that teaching centres in big European cities will cost more than those in somewhere like Thailand, for instance. 
• Type of course: TEFL courses can be in-person, online or a mix of the two, with in-person courses typically more expensive than online TEFL.
• When you book: Some TEFL academies offer an early bird course discount and other special offers.
• Course length: This can range from 120 hours to over 300, taking place over as little as four weeks (intensive) to 12 weeks or more (part time). The more study hours, the more expensive the course. We recommended avoiding any TEFL courses offering less than 120 hours of study.
• Accreditation: TEFL courses are accredited by select organisations who are official providers internationally recognised qualifications such as Trinity CertTESOL and CELTA. The higher the reputation, the better the quality and the more the course will cost. Be aware of dubious accreditations! It’s always worth doing your research and checking out reviews on websites like TEFL Course Review to make sure a course’s accreditations are genuine. 

Course extras

As well as the TEFL courses fees, you’ll also have to budget for all those little extras. Some TEFL courses include them as part of the price of the course. It’s always important to know exactly what your TEFL fee includes and what extras you have to pay for.

Extra costs could include:

• Examination and certificate fees
• Accommodation costs – many TEFL schools offer an accommodation service
• Course workbooks and other materials
• Visa service
• Post-graduation support
• Social activities

At TEFL Iberia, all of the above are included in the price of the course, making it easier for you to budget.

Visa and documentation fees

If you’re moving from outside the EU to teach TEFL in Spain, for example, you’ll need to obtain a student visa. You’ll also have to obtain documents as part of your visa application, which can include extra fees. These can include criminal background checks, medical certificates and medical insurance. 

At TEFL Iberia, our dedicated Student Visa Programme is designed to make the whole process as easy as possible. We give you detailed guidance on how to gather all your documents you need and how to budget accordingly. Then we help you apply for your visa. And we’re experts, with a 96% success rate in processing student visas.  

Travel costs

A big part of your budget, travel costs can vary a lot depending on where you’re coming from and where you’re going to. If you’re leaving the USA to teach TEFL in Spain, for example, find ways to save money with cheap flight finders like Skyscanner and keep an eye out for special flight deals for students. Also, do your research into the best money-saving hacks when booking flights. 

Living expenses

Again, this can vary a lot depending on where you’re studying and your typical lifestyle. Big cities will be more expensive of course, but if you do your research not only can you get an understanding how much you’ll need to budget for, but you’ll also be able to be smarter with your money. We provide our students with a detailed breakdown of living expenses in Barcelona, for example, so they know what to expect when they arrive.

When it comes to budgeting for cost of living when studying TEFL, here’s what you need to consider:

• Accommodation: Are you going to live it up in a private penthouse in the heart of the city or share a fun, affordable apartment with like-minded students? Your TEFL school might provide an accommodation service to help you find your perfect home from home without breaking the bank.
• Travel: Do your research into travel around the city where you’ll be based. What’s the public transportation system like? Is the campus walkable from where you’ll be living? You should be able to find out your average weekly travel costs and budget accordingly. 
• Food: Consider how much daily food will cost, both in terms of buying groceries and eating out. Numbeo is a great tool when it comes to comparing food costs per country.
• Entertainment: Budgeting for fun… that’s a tricky one for sure. But you can get close with a little forethought. What do you like to do in your down time? Whether it’s sinking beers at a terrace bar as the sun goes down or a night at the theatre, do your research into local prices for a better insight into how much you’ll spend on letting your hair down outside the TEFL classroom.

What can you do with a TEFL certificate?

Graduating with a TEFL certificate is your passport to the world! Wherever you choose to study, completing an internationally recognised TEFL course means you can teach English across borders. And English is in high demand across the globe, so the world is your oyster! 

You’ll have countless career paths available to you. They include:

Work in a language academy

Teach English to adults or children in the best language academies and TEFL schools, either in the place you studied or elsewhere in the world.

Work in a local school or college

Work in the community in which you studied, putting your skills to good use as you help local kids or young adults gain a valuable life skill.

Teach business classes

The language of international business, English-speaking skills are in-demand at companies and startups all over the world. You’ll have the option of teaching in-house lessons to business employees, especially in major startup hubs. 

Tutor or teach privately

Go solo and set your own schedule and prices as a freelance professional English teacher.

Find work online

You can also offer your skills to a wider audience with online lessons, either as a side gig complementing your in-person lessons or as a full-time profession.

Want to find out more about teaching English abroad? Contact TEFL Iberia today!