Program Reviews

I found the International TEFL Academy simply by searching for teaching ESL abroad opportunities online. I came across multiple different schools that offered similar opportunities but decided to go with the Internaitonal TEFL Academy because of their outstanding reviews and all of the feedback their past students left in form of comments or video. They seemed like a company that would take care of you and help you along during the entire process, both of which are extremely important when dealing with teaching in a different country. The class was a 4 week instensive course where we were provided a multitude of different teaching examples and materials. After a week of the course we began our student teaching which is what I believe really set this particular course apart from others offered. This way we were able to do hands on learning and work directly with real students in Costa Rica. Therefore we could better understand what it would be like working with ESL students and teaching in a different country, and we were there to experience it all in person. It was because of the student teaching during the course that I felt prepared enough to go teach directly after I graduated the course. I started applying for jobs during the third week of the course where I simply used the list of ESL schools around the area supplied by the TEFL Academy. The amazing instructors for the course reviewed my cover letter and resume and afterward I simply sent both out to the schools I had an interest in. I currently work for a school named Idiomas Mundiales located in Barva, right outside of Heredia. It has been the most amazing experience of my life. I graduated college right before I made the plunge and moved to Costa Rica to begin the course. I had known that I didn't want to go directly into a desk job and saw the opportunities that teaching ESL would provide, and it has far exceeded any expectations I had prior to the experience. It is very challenging moving to a different country and teaching ESL. Everything is different, and you need to become accostumed to a completely different culture which is no easy task. However, I felt so comfortable because the TEFL Academy means it when they say they are there for you even after the course ends. They're there to support you through the hard times and there to smile with you through the good. I have fallen in love with teaching ESL and being in Costa Rica has made me grow as a person in ways I wouldn't have been able to unless I had gone through this experience. So to any contemplating going abroad and teaching ESL, I highly highly encourage you to do as I did. Go outside of your comfort zone and experience the beautiful world around you. You will never regret an adventure like this.

My favorite part about working with International TEFL Academy was my advisor, Jessie. She was so helpful and always very willing to answer any question I had. I am now currently teaching in Seoul, South Korea, which is where Jessie also taught. Having an advisor who has experienced teaching in the same location I was planning on going to was great! She gave me a lot of helpful tips and recomendations of things I should do when I arrived. I still keep in touch with Jessie to this day! I could never imagine working with any other academy to get my TEFL certification!

I was having trouble figuring out where I wanted to do my program. Doug helped me on the phone.. he asked me some questions, I asked him about 400 more and we narrowed it down to 3 places. Costa Rica was one of them... and happened to be a country I had wanted to visit since forever ago. It was decided.
Once I was put in touch with Costa Rica TESOL, I had a million more questions and Georgia helped me through all of it. She booked everything. My transport from the airport to my rental house (which was awesome. Piamonte.)
I had to take a bus every morning from Piamonte to the school... but that was easy. Sometimes I was late, so take the early bus if you want to be on time.
The course seemed intimidating at first. And then we were supposed to teach real students almost right away. This was scary to all of us... but, in hindsight, its so much better this way. You overcome the fear. And then you truly see if this is something you want to do. With lots and lots of praise from your fellow students and the course teachers, you'll succeed. I suggest using the resources as much as you can. Being resourceful goes a looonng way in this country. Be smart.
Towards the conclusion of the course, they found me jobs. I went to interviews... but I ended up moving out to the beach and teaching here at a small private school. And I teach the parents of the students after school. Once you have your TEFL certification, you can really teach anywhere you want.

I chose International TEFL Academy because I was already in the Heredia area and wanted to find a way to stay there. I decided that English teaching sounded like a good option, so I did a quick google search and realized that the best school in Costa Rica was a 10 minute bus ride away from my house! I signed up for the next available class online in just a few minutes, and waited for the date to roll around.

The class was much harder than I expected it to be, but it was worth it. The schedule was intense, but the pressure created a family environment with my fellow students and our teachers. We saw each other every day, lesson planned, ate lunch, went to festival, and taught together for four weeks. I still talk to two of my classmates regularly, and have the others on Facebook. I know that the others keep in contact as well, because I can see their Facebook interactions! hah!
Aside from making great friends, I learned a lot in this course. It was literally a crash course in TEFL for me, as I decided to take it on a whim. However, I felt completely prepared to teach English by the end of the four weeks. We focused a lot on the grammar concepts, which I really liked. As native speakers, we don't realize why we say things the way we do, so it was nice to have a review. This made it easier to teach the material to my students. We also focused on real-world teaching experience, which I loved. I was super nervous before every class, but once class started I sailed through it. The variety of ages and levels presented in our student demographics helped me to learn which group I prefer to teach.

I'm now in Granda, Nicaragua, working as a TEFL teacher with over 250 kids in two different schools. I have twenty classes a week, and it's a bit like living in a tornado -- you never know what will come flying at you next. My coworkers have taken other TEFL courses, but none of them felt as prepared as I did to teach in the especially challenging Latin American public school system. I'm thankful that I happened to be in the right place at the right time and received a wonderful TEFL education.

I found International TEFL Academy by complete chance and I am inclined to believe it was destiny. It was the perfect opportunity to fall onto my lap as I graduated from university, and within days I had signed up for my online TEFL credential program. I started it in July and moved to the Czech Republic in September to complete the class from abroad! I was really desperate to move back to Europe after living in Sweden as an exchange student, and International TEFL Academy made this possibility a reality.

The most important part of what they offer, in my opinion, is the amazing support and HUGE body of resources for students to take advantage of.

They will NOT do it for you, nor should they. But for anyone who has a mind of their own and puts out even minimal effort into their life and direction, ITA will be there to provide a wealth of information and encouragement for you.

The online course has its limitations, however- because you do not have the practical aspect of teaching a lesson plan you prepared, or seeing how others present theirs. Because I had previous teaching experience (not in English, though) I felt like this was an acceptable compromise for me, and once I began teaching English abroad I found myself able to adjust. If you are insecure in your teaching abilities, have no experience whatsoever, or are a very hands on learner, maybe the online course isn't best for you- but it worked splendidly for me (and allowed me to continue with my internship and part time job at the same time).

I also really appreciate that the support and guidance I referred to is for a lifetime. This is incredible as I plan to spend some years moving around and teaching abroad after the Czech Republic, so to be able to recieve help, ideas, and guidance is really a relief.
Can't recommend ITA enough!

Overall, I've loved my experience with International TEFL Academy. The team is friendly, knowledgeable, and very responsive! It's been well over a year since I first signed up with ITA's online course, and I'm still receiving great feedback and information from them whenever I have questions or concerns. You can tell that they are passionate about their work, and helping others achieve their teaching and travel goals.
Although ITA's online course is the most cost-effective, I would encourage everyone to complete an on-site certification if possible. The classes are more rigorous and informative, and the hands-on experience is invaluable. Additionally, you'll be able to join the community within your destination and feel more confident in setting out on your own teach abroad journey.

Getting my TEFL certification through International TEFL Academy was the best decision in regard to furthering my teaching opportunities. Prior to attending ITA, I had been teaching in South Korea where TEFL certification isn't required. I realized how much I love teaching and wanted to keep doing it while experiencing new cultures. I signed up for the program and was contacted by a pre-admissions advisor. Turns out my advisor had also taught in Korea, so we had a lot to talk about. He was extremely helpful with answering all of my questions. Even though I was on the other side of the world, I felt totally prepared for the class. ITA sent a pre-course email with further information about the course, where to find the books, and some suggestions on where to stay if you're from out of town. Once the class started, it was a lot of work. I was at school 10 to 11 hours a day (sometimes by choice), and then I would go home to finish quizzes or other homework. Even though it was a lot of work in a very short time, I never felt overwhelmed. The students in my class were supportive and encouraging, the teachers offered assistance in every way possible, and even my advisor gave some suggestions on where to go/what to do to de-stress. Once a week during the course, we had mini seminars on different topics; resume writing, teaching in Asia, teaching in Latin America, teaching in Europe and the Middle East. These seminars sparked my interest in new countries I'd never considered. The advisors leading the seminars have a wealth of knowledge to share. They can tell you about the different visa options, where to go if you want to teach children/adults/both, salary ranges for each country, volunteer options abroad, and more. I couldn't have asked for a better experience. I still stay in touch with some of the students from my class, and we often reminisce about our time in Chicago. Though it was a tough four weeks, it was a rewarding experience that I would do over again in a heartbeat.

I can honestly say that enrolling with ITA has changed the course of my life for the better. I was unsure as to which program would benefit me the most in my future, and I am super glad I decided upon the 190-minute in class practicum ITA offers.

Not only did it prepare me for teaching abroad, but the teaching staff, recruiting staff and everyone involved was kind and helpful along the way. I never felt uncomfortable or lost throughout the course, and found it to be a welcomed challenge.

The alumni program is also great; I've met some super great friends here in Korea that I otherwise wouldn't have known - all through the ITA alumni program!

Overall, I highly recommend anyone thinking of obtaining an internationally recognized TEFL certification to immediately start considering enrolling with ITA.

ITA's pre-enrollment was extremely helpful in providing me everything I needed to pick the best certification. The course over-qualified me to teach English abroad as well. If I could add anything to the company, it would be to hire someone in each market who can serve as a link between the companies or schools and teaching candidates.

I had already graduated from a university and had made up my mind to teach English in South Korea. I wanted to cover all bases and get a TEFL Certificate. I researched extensively online and found International TEFL Academy. Their website was the easiest to navigate for me and they had a lot of information on the website. I signed up for the one month intensive in-class course in Chicago because I had a friend I could live with there (Chicago is about 7 hours from my town) and I prefer speaking directly with my teachers/peers.

The teachers in Chicago were excellent and I got so much out of each class. We were able to teach actual ESL students (they got courses for free and we got practice teaching) with supervision from the instructors. The instructors AND the staff went over how to apply to different places (depending on the country) and since I already knew where I wanted to go, I signed up with a recruiter (Teach ESL Korea) and they lined up interviews for me. I had about five interviews and afterward had a choice of which school (I had chosen private schools) I wanted.

Everything was pretty straight forward and I would wholeheartedly recommend ITA to anyone wanting to teach English abroad.

I had experiences in Korea that I would not have had anywhere else. I extended my contract and after that was finished, traveled South East Asia with coworkers/friends I had made. I am in the process of applying to grad school and will definitely use my experiences working abroad towards grad school and eventually a career in study/work abroad programs.