The short answer
For most online ESL companies, the three certificates do the same job: they show you have trained to teach English. Listings usually name them together ("TEFL/TESOL/CELTA") as alternatives. Of the 380 companies in the directory, 116 (31%) mention a TEFL, TESOL, TESL or CELTA certificate somewhere in their saved listing. 17 of those name all three.
How often each certificate is named
| Certificate | Companies that mention it | Share of all companies |
|---|---|---|
| TEFL | 92 | 24% |
| TESOL | 38 | 10% |
| CELTA | 34 | 9% |
A mention can mean "required", "preferred" or "one of these is accepted". Always read the qualifications on each company page.
What each one is
- TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) and TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) are general names. Many providers offer them, and hours and quality vary.
- CELTA is the Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages from Cambridge English. Cambridge says all CELTA courses include at least 120 hours of study (Cambridge English CELTA page).
Which should you get for online teaching?
Look at the companies you actually want to apply to. Most listings in the directory accept any of the three, so a TEFL or TESOL certificate meets the requirement for most of them. 2 of the 34 listings that name CELTA don't also mention TEFL, TESL or TESOL. If you are a non-native speaker, 59 of the companies that mention a certificate are also listed as hiring non-native speakers.
Browse the filterable lists: companies that ask for TEFL, TESOL or CELTA, TESOL-accepted jobs, and the no-degree list.
Companies that name CELTA
- LingoAce review Not confirmed · Degree, Experience
- Palfish review $13/hr · No degree required, TESOL, CELTA, Experience
- JoyLinkABC review $15/hr · TESOL, CELTA, Experience
- LingoStar review $24/hr · Degree, TESOL, CELTA, Experience
- PEAK LEAP review $20/hr · Degree, TESOL, CELTA, Experience
- AOLI review $16/hr · TESOL, CELTA, Experience
- MaxTalk review $14/hr · Degree, TESOL, CELTA, Experience
- Hong Kong Xiaoci Technology review $22/hr · Degree, TESOL, CELTA, Experience
- Unifyhub review Not confirmed · Degree, TESOL, CELTA, Experience
- 1on1 English review Not confirmed · Degree
Tools for online teachers
Once you have shortlisted a few companies, it helps to have one page that shows who you are as a teacher. You can create a free online teacher profile page on Teacher4.me and share it with students, parents, and schools alongside your company applications.