I really enjoyed this 4 week program in Cusco, Peru. Sean is a wonderful teacher and I learned so much in a short amount of time. It is an intensive course, but I still had time to enjoy the city. There were many opportunities to teach in front of real students even from the first week of the course. I felt very prepared for the last week when I taught in an actual classroom. Maximo Nivel is a great company as well. The facilities are nice and there are fun activities every week like salsa dancing and cooking classes. I stayed with a host family and had an amazing experience with the family and the other travelers staying in the house!

Sean was amazing! I feel prepared to move forward in my ESL career confidently since dedicating a month to this certificate. His guidance, feedback, and consistent encouragement pushed me to grow in ways I didn’t expect. I not only gained practical tools for the classroom, but also a stronger sense of purpose as an educator. This experience has reshaped how I view teaching, and I’m excited to bring these skills into my future ESL roles.

Maximo Nivel offers the opportunity to take a hybrid course, with two weeks in person and two weeks online at your own pace, or four weeks in person. I chose Cusco, Peru for its proximity to Machu Picchu and Maximo Nivel’s mini adventure program. I also wanted to be immersed in the Spanish Language. I chose a personal room accommodation with a host family. This allowed me to live in the community and learn how to get around Cusco. Maximo Nivel’s staff puts your safety as a priority. They are always available for support. Traveling solo in a new part of the world, these were things I really appreciated. The TEFL program was excellent. The online curriculum was easy to navigate and informative. My instructor, Sean Barter, was an excellent teacher. I received clear instruction and helpful feedback. The hands on practical teaching was invaluable for preparing me to teach English as a Foreign Language.

I highly recommend the TEFL course with Maximo Nivel in Cusco to anyone considering teaching English abroad. The program is exceptionally well-organized and offers a comprehensive mix of theory and practical application. Sean Barter and the entire Maximo Nivel team are professional, trustworthy, and genuinely committed to the success of their student teachers. Their hands-on approach, constructive feedback, and supportive environment make it an ideal place to train. You’ll leave feeling confident, prepared, and inspired.

I am incredibly happy I chose complete my TEFL at Maximo. I not only learned so much, but was able to practice and receive feedback while completing the course. Christina was one of the best teachers I have ever had, in any type of school. The amount of care and thoughtfulness she puts not only into her lesson plans, but into her students was immeasurable. Christina always did, and continues to care about my growth and offers support emotionally and professionally. I don’t think I would’ve been properly prepared to teach in a foreign country without her and Maximo’s guidance. Everyone from my teachers, the international staff and academic staff played a positive role in my pursuit to be TEFL certified.

I have never taken a course or class where I applied everything that I was learning. It has been a good experience. I feel that I am prepared to teach an English class. The practical teaching was very helpful to make the idea of teaching a class not seem so daunting. I really enjoyed getting to teach adults and help people learn as I learned myself.

We practiced the techniques that we were being taught, as well as preparing for future jobs through job hunting advice that was helpful. Understanding the world ESL program and what they look like in different countries was helpful.

As an educator with many years of practical and academic experience in education, I highly recommend the Maximo Nivel TEFL program in Cusco, Peru. The course was rigorous and serious. But my classmates and I received a lot of support from the instructors, Sean and Christina. There was a good balance between seat work, where we learned the theory, and practical work (mini-lessons and classroom teaching) where we practiced what we had been taught. Besides the content, the program (and instructors) build a strong community among my classmates that added to the learning. I would recommend the program without qualification.

I have been in the ESL field for many years and joined this four-week in-class course with this amazing instructor. The TEFL-ers came from different countries and different backgrounds. Our instructor was fun and full of knowledge and he guided us gently on a road full of exciting techniques to improve our STT in our classrooms. I've always had a great rapport with my students, but now I have learned to increase my STT to a higher level and the results are amazing. My students love the new techniques I've learned and I feel proud and happy after each class! Well done Maximo, and thank you for making me a better teacher!