Loved it! Worth the fee, not a scam in any way.

I taught English in Budapest through CETP this year and had a really great time! Great deal if you’re a non-EU citizen with no prior connections to Hungary, who wants to teach English in Europe and make the most out of your TEFL certificate.

There are many pay-for-placement programs out there, but CETP is not one of those. The program fee of $2500 includes:
- Your housing paid upfront. In Budapest, housing for a year would usually cost more than the total program fee, and you don’t have to do the work yourself signing a lease.
- Your immigration work. This alone is worth it, as going through Hungarian bureaucracy as a non-EU citizen without speaking the language is virtually impossible. You’d probably end up paying hundreds of dollars for a third-party service anyway.
- A week-long orientation
- A Facebook group
- A little community of other teachers
- Support from Hajni, a woman works as your go-to person in Hungary for any issues (medical, personal, and otherwise), and Mary, who is the American director.
- Etc.

CETP itself is an agency that acts as a middleman between you and your school + the Hungarian government, so your experience can vary based on the school you are hired for.

But most people are satisfied and many even come back for multiple years. Just keep your expectations realistic. Some things to note:

- Don’t expect 5-star accommodations
- Understand that the job you get won’t be glamorous or high-paying like teaching in Asia.
- You’ll have to budget if you want to travel.
- You may not have air conditioning or other luxuries.
- CETP isn’t there to care for you, and you do have to be kind of self-reliant and have some grit during your time abroad.
- If you live in Budapest, you will definitely not live in the city center unless you maybe pay extra, but public transportation is very good.
- Cultural tensions may exist, as in some Hungarian co-teachers and colleagues can be difficult to work with.
- With regards to living in Hungary, the culture and attitude is very different from the U.S. and if you’re not mindful, this can be draining. At banks and offices, service is very slow and there is no sense of efficiency. Hungarians can also come off as negative and pessimistic compared to Americans and even Western Europeans (but they’re great once you get to know them!).
- Bring some savings with you.
- Although I was paid right away, a few people from other schools didn't get their first check until November (three months of pay at once). Bring savings or a credit card with a high limit, or ask your school director ahead of time for pay details.

As long as you note these things and have a positive, resilient attitude, you should enjoy yourself. From my experience, the few people who were dissatisfied with the program usually didn’t keep one or more these things in mind, but even of those few, most adapted.

Overall, I’d highly recommend CETP!