Who can take TESOL courses?
TESOL courses are accessible to a wide range of people who aspire to teach English as a Second Language. Eligibility for TESOL courses primarily requires a strong desire to teach and a commitment to learning. While specific prerequisites can vary by provider, generally, there are no stringent educational requirements. This makes TESOL courses suitable for college students, current educators looking to specialize in ESL, and individuals seeking a career change. ITTT's TESOL courses are designed to be inclusive, welcoming prospective teachers from diverse backgrounds. No prior teaching experience or specific degree is needed, ensuring that anyone with an interest in teaching English abroad can enroll and benefit from these comprehensive courses.
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Are English language skills important?
Are academic qualifications important?
Are there any other restrictions?
Are English language skills important?
It almost goes without saying that the most important attribute required when taking a TESOL course is a solid understanding of the English language. However, it is certainly not necessary to be a native English speaker as there are plenty of employers around the world who are happy to employ non-native speakers with a TESOL qualification. As long as you are fluent in written and spoken English, you are welcome to join any of our courses.
Is attitude important?
When it comes to taking a TESOL course the most important attributes needed by a trainee are enthusiasm, motivation and determination. These are necessary as a TESOL course is a serious undertaking that should not be taken lightly as it requires a considerable amount of time and effort to ensure a successful conclusion. However, if you are fully committed to a new career as an ESL teacher, you should have little trouble completing all the necessary tasks and finding a suitable job to get your teaching journey underway.
Are academic qualifications important?
Although there are some countries where a degree is required to be eligible for a work permit, there are plenty more that have no requirements regarding a teacher's educational background. Equally, at ITTT we have no restrictions on trainees when it comes to previous qualifications as we know that it has no real bearing on an individual's ability to become a successful ESL teacher. All we ask is that you are fluent in English and willing to put in the hard work required to complete your chosen course.
Is age important?
Some employers or government departments have an upper age limit that applies to foreign ESL teachers when applying for a work permit. However, there are no such restrictions in place in the vast majority of countries that are popular with TESOL qualified teachers. Because of this, we have no upper age limit when it comes to our TESOL certification courses. The only stipulation we have is a minimum age of 18 years when starting a course. Over the years people of all ages have taken our TESOL courses and gone on to have successful careers within the ESL business.
Are there any other restrictions?
Although we have very few restrictions on our TESOL courses, trainees should be aware of the requirements set out by some individual countries and employers when it comes to working legally as an ESL teacher. One important area to be aware of is in relation to degrees. Some countries have laws in place that restrict work permits or overseas visas to people who possess a degree. Although this can be frustrating for the thousands of TESOL qualified teachers who do not have this qualification, it does not have to be a huge problem as there are a large number of great teaching destinations worldwide that do not have this requirement.
One other possible restriction to be aware of is that some countries also restrict visas for foreign teachers to people from certain English speaking countries. The best approach is to check the visa situation on government websites of any of the countries that you would like to live and work in. If your top choice is not possible, no problem, as there are always plenty of great destinations for you to choose from that only require a TESOL certificate in order to be eligible.
