This certificate has opened new doors for my future.

I found CIEE's TEFL course to be extremely helpful in preparing me for my time teaching overseas. The course was well-designed and easy to follow. My instructor was easily available to help answer questions, and gave excellent advice every time we spoke. The online platform made it easy to keep in touch with my classmates throughout the course, and the exercises that we completed together really helped to make these "online identities" feel like friends (starting with the very first assignment, Two Truths and a Lie, where we broke the ice). I particularly appreciated the course's instruction on the science of learning and the benefits of teaching and exploring new languages (everything from "It's useful in the job market" to "Understanding a language helps one understand a different culture"). Reminders like these made the less-exciting lessons feel worth it.

The course that I took was designed to be 120 hours online (or maybe 130?). This equates to about one hour a lesson. In most cases, I spent a bit more time than that to complete each segment; I was really aiming for a "Pass with Distinction," however, which could explain my slower pace. Make no mistake, the course is a significant time commitment--I would not have been able to take it while I was still studying at my university.

CIEE has successfully placed me with a school in Shanghai; however I am not yet there and this is my first foreign placement, so I cannot speak on the exact usefulness of my TEFL certification just yet! I will say that, after receiving my certificate and exploring the employment options that it affords me, the course seems to more than pay for itself. With this certificate from CIEE, I am able to teach in a myriad different countries. The opportunities seem endless! China is on the horizon, but receiving this certificate has inspired me to think beyond the next year and consider exploring different corners of the world... something that I would not have considered prior to learning about all that this certification course allows me to do. These opportunities, paired with the easy user experience and helpful guidance that I received from CIEE's TEFL instructors, make the course one of the best investments I have placed in myself. I would highly recommend it to those who are looking to become TEFL certified.