Studying at The TEFL Institute: courses, access time, money-back promise and cashback
The TEFL Institute sells online courses that qualify you to teach English as a foreign language. Nothing is shipped, so the questions that count are different from a normal shop: which countries it works for, how long you have access, what the money-back promise covers, how the tests work and what the certificate means for visas and jobs. The points below come from the shop's homepage and its list of frequently asked questions.
Who it is for and where it works
The site has a country menu with the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, South Africa, India, Australia, New Zealand, China, Russia, Germany, France, Spain, the Netherlands, Vietnam, the United Arab Emirates, Italy, Poland, Thailand and Turkey. The courses are online and in English, so you can study from home anywhere. The shop recommends a good level of English, about C1, and offers an English level test on the site. The Institute says you do not need a degree for the certificate itself. Some countries do require a bachelor's degree for a work visa, among them China, Japan, the UAE, Vietnam and South Korea, so check the visa rules of your target country before you pay.
Courses and how long they take
The range includes a 120 hour Advanced TEFL course, a 240 hour Master course, Level 5 diplomas with 180 and 300 hours, hybrid diplomas with a virtual practicum, short specialist courses and a free 3-day trial course. The shop says the 180 hour Level 5 diploma is regulated by Ofqual, and that the Institute itself is accredited by ACDL. As a rule you have six months to finish, with an extension possible on request. Fast-tracked accredited courses take around six weeks on average, the 180 hour diploma around twelve weeks.
Tests are online. For accredited courses you need 80 percent per module, and retests are free. The 180 hour diploma has a full pass mark and open questions that an assessor checks, and a third failed attempt on long answers can mean a fee. The 10 hour methodologies course runs on Zoom over two days of five hours with a class of up to twelve people.
Payment and money back
Several courses can be paid in two interest-free instalments, and the shop advertises a 14 day money-back guarantee. The checkout shows which payment methods you can use. The certificate comes as a PDF with every accredited course. A hard copy costs extra for printing and postage, which matters if a visa office asks for paper. The employer verification page lets schools check a certificate.
| At a glance | The TEFL Institute |
|---|---|
| Format | Online, no shipping |
| Access | Six months, extension possible |
| Money back | 14 day guarantee |
| Certificate | PDF included, hard copy costs extra shipping |
| Support | [email protected] |
Using cashback
Open the The TEFL Institute page at daily cashback, where the current rate (7.5%) and the offers we check every day are listed. Press the shop button there, then choose your course and pay as usual. In your free account the cashback shows as open and becomes confirmed once the Institute has reported the order, normally after the guarantee period. A refund reduces the amount.
Practical tips
- Decide first where you want to teach. A 120 hour course is the common minimum for online work, while a Level 5 diploma is advised for competitive markets such as the UAE.
- Start the trial course before you buy a bigger one.
- Keep other cashback and voucher sites closed while you order, since a later click can replace the first one.
As of October 2026. The shop can change its terms, so check the details at checkout.