TEFL Certification with Guaranteed Job Placement in Costa Rica

I had an incredible time in Manuel Antonio and thoroughly enjoyed the TEFL course! The staff at Maximo were very helpful and always prepared to answer any questions I had. The course is intense! You do have to put in work outside the classroom, so do keep this in mind when choosing a programme. This being said, I had an excellent TEFL trainer who was extremely supportive and delivered the content in a fun and engaging way. I would highly recommend the course for anyone who wants to teach English abroad, or even those who just want to learn a new skill.

Manuel Antonio
I was pleasantly surprised at how academic and professional this course was. As an elementary teacher for the past 6 years, I wasn't expecting to learn as much as I did! We had a balanced schedule that gave us time to complete assignments and lesson plans, and lots of class time where we learned and could practice our new skills. We had an amazing trainer who knew her stuff and shared many insights as to what a TEFL teacher entails. This course is definitely beneficial whether you are an elementary/high school teacher who has newcomers at various levels of english in your classrooms back home, or you are wanting to teach English abroad.

I absolutely loved my TEFL course with Maximo Nivel. The company makes arriving in Costa Rica very stress free as they help you get to Manuel Antonio and find accommodation, perfect for first time or solo travelers. Taking this course in Manuel Antonio was a wonderful experience as it is truly one of the most beautiful places that I have ever been. No shortage of beautiful hikes, as well as a lovely beach. The TEFL trainer Jackie was absolutely wonderful, she brought so much energy to the classroom, always working hard to find fun and creative way to teach. She was always available to answer any questions that we had whether it was about grammar, jobs, or just life in Costa Rica. She was incredibly helpful and I am so grateful for her support. I cannot recommend this course enough, I feel very prepared to teach English.

The Maximo Nivel TEFL Course was an amazing experience! I highly recommend doing this course in person at one of the Maximo Nivel sites. The instructor, Jackie, was extremely knowledgeable, reliable, and hilarious. The course is designed in an extremely effective way. You learn the theory of how to teach English effectively, and also the specific teaching strategies and methods to use to be most successful. You get the opportunity to practice these teaching strategies by teaching classes of real students, both in person and online. You receive tons of feedback on your teaching, which helped me improve my teaching and increase my confidence in front of the classroom. You leave the course with all the materials you need to work as an English teacher, whether it be for a company, or independently. I got bachelors degree in teaching, but this course prepared me more for teaching than any other class I have taken. This course was absolutely worth the time, money, and work!

Maximo Nivel in Manuel Antonio was absolutely amazing! The TEFL course itself was an intense experience, but the teaching was incredible and I felt supported throughout! The centre itself was great, all the staff are super friendly and keen to help you in any way they can. There are fun and inclusive activities on throughout the week, and Manuel Antonio is fantastic in itself! The work was hard but we had plenty of time to relax and explore the area, the centre also partner with a tour agency so it was really easy to book tours, such as white water rafting! Would 100% recommend Maximo to anyone and everyone!

Hola! I compeleted the TEFL course with Maximo Nivel in October and I am so glad I pursued this opportunity. The course is challenging in the absolute best way, and I could not have asked for a better location. Jackie was my TEFL trainer and all I can say is WOW - she is amazing! She is so incredibly talented at what she does; it's truly inspiring to watch her teach and connect with every student. The staff at this location are so kind and supportive. It was amazing to watch all us learn so much and grow into great teacher - definitely a once in a lifetime experience you don't want to miss out on!

I finished my TEFL course at maximo Nivel in Manuel Antonio two weeks ago and have only positive things to say about the entire program.

Firstly, my housing situation was wonderful. I did the host family option and was set up in an awesome lady’s house. She was lovely and was also a professional chef who ran cooking classes at the school so every meal she made was absolutely delicious. The house was very clean and just a short walk away from the bus stop which took me right outside the institute. My “host mom,” as we call it, demonstrated such patience with me as I came to Costa Rica speaking no English at all. She cleaned the house very often and she was always lenient when I would have to have breakfast/ dinner at a different time due to schooling conflicts.

Next up, the institute itself has the most beautiful scenery and view that I have ever seen at a school. Learning in an environment like this manages to keep the students motivated even when the course got very stressful and difficult. It was also right next door to some awesome cheap places to get food during the day. I probably ate at the 1000 colones pizza place right next door at least 20 times during my one month course. The open concept layout created such a warm and welcoming environment and made the work not seem like work at all. The many dogs that would be constantly walking around the institute was an awesome bonus.

It was incredible having such awesome workers in the school who were constantly checking in to make sure we were doing well and had everything we needed to be successful. Karen, DJ, and Valeria were some of the kindest people I’ve met so far in Costa Rica and that is saying a lot considering how friendly everyone is here. I felt extremely supported by the staff here and they helped me with everything I needed.

Starting this program as a 20 year old, I was extremely nervous to come as I thought I wouldn’t be able to connect with my classmates because of the age differences. That is honestly hilarious to think about that now because this group has become my second family. There is a 30 year age gap between me and the oldest person in the class, but I created such a deep and special bond with each and every one of my classmates, many of who I know I’ll be friends with for life. I’m currently travelling through South America with two of my friends that I made in the class. I seriously could not have asked for a better group of people to spend every moment of this month with. We laughed together, struggled together, partied together, and I watched every single person turn into a wonderful ESL teacher in such a short time period. My advice to anyone debating getting TEFL certified with maximo… you’re never too young, and you’re never too old to do this program. Everyone shares the same goal and you’ll all come out as best friends in the end.

The last and most important person I would like to discuss is my incredible TEFL trainer, Jackie. Jackie finds a way to keep 11 adults motivated and engaged in a classroom for 7 hours a day when the sunny, beautiful beach is just minutes away. She is kind, caring, sweet, intelligent, motivating, fun, hardworking, passionate, committed, and every other adjective that describes a perfect teacher. She teaches in the same way that she teaches us to teach in our ESL classrooms, so we’re constantly engaged to good habits and she managed to turn us all into teachers in one month. She is certainly loud and intense at times, but it is always in the best interest of her students. She truly cares about us so much and created a very warm and friendly environment for us all to grow as friends, as teachers, and as people overall. Anyone who has the privilege of getting TEFL certified from Jackie is in for a real treat.

Thank you for everything Maximo🎉🎉🎉

Just recently graduated from Maximo Manuel Antonio, and had such an incredible experience! Felt so lucky to have met such an amazing group of like-minded people doing the course, which I felt really added to the experience. The course itself was a lot more challenging than I'd initially thought, but thoroughly enjoyed the challenge and made it all the more fulfilling to graduate! The school has an incredible view, which I never got tired of. The staff were super friendly and helpful - and our TEFL Trainer Jackie was insane, couldn't have done the course without her patience, guidance and constant encouragement, her can-do attitude got us all through it 100% :)