Become a CELTA Certified Language Teacher
What is CELTA?
(Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults)
CELTA (Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults) is an initial teacher training qualification for teaching English as a second or foreign language (ESL and EFL). It is the most accepted certificate for English language teachers worldwide, administered by the University of Cambridge, one of the most prestigious universities in the world. It is recognised as a Level 5 Qualification by the British Curriculum Authority so it follows an authorised syllabus.
If you have no or little teaching experience, this four-week high-quality teaching course will open the door for you to start a rewarding career in teaching and provide you with endless opportunities to travel, experience other cultures, learn different languages and work with colleagues from all over the world.
CELTA is designed for candidates with little or no previous English language teaching experience. It will enable you to begin working in a variety of ESL teaching contexts around the world.
CELTA is great for recent graduates, people who are changing career, or teachers who want to gain a formal qualification and may want to progress to qualifications such as the DELTA (Diploma in English Language Teaching to Adults). CELTA is a certificate recognised worldwide, your passport to a rewarding new career.
With CELTA, you show that you:
- Have gained the essential knowledge and principles of effective English teaching.
- Have developed a range of practical skills for teaching English to adult learners.
- Have demonstrated your ability to apply your learning in a real teaching context.
Reasons to choose CELTA:
- Choose from over 300 centres in 70 countries.
- Get expert training and feedback on your teaching skills.
- The 120-hour course builds a strong foundation in English language teaching.
- Regulated by Ofqual at level 5 on the Qualifications and Credit Framework and given premium product endorsement by NEAS in Australia.
How you will be assessed:
You will be assessed throughout the course and there is no final examination. The two types of assessment are:
- Teaching Practice: You will teach for a total of 6 hours, working with adult classes at a minimum of two levels of ability. Assessment is based on your overall performance.
- Written Assignments: You will complete four written assignments (each 750–1,000 words). These focus on:
- Analysing and responding to adult learner needs
- Analysing language for teaching purposes
- Teaching language skills
- Reflecting on classroom teaching.
Application Overview
To apply for the courses we need to follow the procedure set out by Cambridge English, as follows:
Entry requirements:
Candidates must be at least 18 years old at the start of the course. (It is generally recommended that candidates should be aged 20 or over, but candidates aged between 18 and 20 can be accepted at the center’s discretion.) They must have a standard of education which would allow entrance to higher education in their country. They must have an awareness of language and a competence in English, both written and spoken (CEFR C1+ / IELTS 7.5) that enables them to undertake the course and teach a range of levels and a competence in English both written and spoken that enables them to undertake the course and prepare for teaching a range of levels. They must also have the potential to develop into effective teachers.
How to apply?
To apply please fill in the online application form.
The pre-interview task
The pre-interview task is meant to give both you and us a first impression if the CELTA is a suitable course for you. The pre-interview task tests the following:
- Meaning and form of language
- Describing language
- Contextualising language
- Lexis and phonology
If your pre-course task is weak this may prevent you from being accepted on the course. However, places on the course are not based solely on this.
The interview:
Once your task has been approved, you will be invited for an interview, preferably face to face but it is possible to have the interview by phone or skype if you are abroad.
The interviewer will be interested in your fluency and language learning background, as well as your motivation to take the course, and how you will cope with giving and, of course, getting feedback. Assuming you are applying for the full-time course, we will also want to know if you have cleared your agenda for the full month of the course.
Moreover, the interview is also an opportunity for you to ask any questions or queries you may have about the course.
We will inform you at the end of the interview if you are accepted for the course and give you tips on how to prepare.
After the interview:
To reserve a place on the course, you are asked to pay a deposit of €200. The remainder of the fee has to be paid full in 4 weeks before the start of the course. Applicants applying less than six weeks before the course are required to pay the fees on acceptance. We will accept late applications if there are still places on the course.
Please note: Wherever possible, correspondence with prospective course candidates is carried out by email.
Please note: We will accept the application form and pre-interview task you may already have completed for a CELTA course at another Cambridge approved CELTA centre. We would like to have a brief chat with you but a second application and interview will not be necessary, provided that another approved CELTA centre has accepted you and you send us your application and the letter of acceptance.
How to prepare for the course?
Our pre-course task
Once you have been accepted, we will provide you with a pre-course task. This task will introduce you to and prepare you for some of the key topics that will be introduced on the course and will take you about 8-10 hours to complete. You will not be graded on your answers but the preparation will be of great benefit to you during the course, especially if you are following a full-time CELTA course with little time for extensive reading.
Brushing up your language awareness
Be aware that the CELTA course itself is NOT a grammar course. We focus, among other things, on how to teach grammar. If you feel you need to brush-up on your language awareness, or have been advised to do so during the interview, we will give you free access to an online grammar course from Cambridge English, which has been specially designed for starting teachers and CELTA candidates.
CELTA Schedule:
To apply please fill in your details and submit the online form. Once we have received and assessed the application, we will contact you to arrange a time for the interview.
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