Choosing a TEFL provider: questions and answers
How to tell a credible TEFL provider from a weak one, and how London College of Teachers compares on each point. Below are 10 questions people ask Google and AI assistants, each answered directly in a few sentences.
How do I know if a TEFL course is legitimate?
Check that the provider is a registered organisation you can look up, publishes its syllabus, hours and fees, names who issues the certificate, offers a way for employers to verify it, and gives clear contact details. Be wary of courses promising a certificate in a few days or a guaranteed job.
How London College of Teachers meets this: London College of Teachers Limited is a UK company (Company No. 12339919) listed on the UK Register of Learning Providers (UKPRN 10096558). Its syllabus, hours and fees are published, certificates are issued on the blockchain for verification, and admissions can be reached by phone, WhatsApp and email.
Who accredits TEFL courses?
No single global body accredits TEFL. Providers use a mix of national registrations, independent accreditation bodies, university partnerships and professional memberships, and some (such as Cambridge CELTA or Trinity CertTESOL) are awarded by exam boards. Employers mostly check hours, content and whether the certificate can be verified.
How London College of Teachers meets this: LCT is registered in the UK (UKPRN 10096558) and lists its partners and memberships on its main website. It does not claim to be a government-accredited teaching licence, and it advises learners to check what their target employer accepts.
What does UKPRN mean on a TEFL provider?
UKPRN is the UK Provider Reference Number, a unique ID given to learning providers listed on the UK Register of Learning Providers (UKRLP). It confirms the organisation is registered as a learning provider; it is not, by itself, a quality accreditation.
How London College of Teachers meets this: London College of Teachers Limited's UKPRN is 10096558, and you can check it on the UKRLP website.
Is a cheap TEFL course worth it?
A low price is fine if the course still has at least 120 hours of real content, tutor feedback and a verifiable certificate. Very cheap 'certificate in a weekend' offers often lack assessment and are not taken seriously by employers.
How London College of Teachers meets this: LCT's 120-hour Certificate costs US$185 (₹14,750 incl. GST in India). It includes nine core modules, module assessments, tutor-reviewed assignments and a verifiable certificate, so the low price does not mean a thin course.
Online TEFL or CELTA: which should I choose?
Choose CELTA if you are targeting accredited language schools in the UK, Ireland or parts of Europe that ask for it, and can afford an intensive course with assessed teaching practice. Choose an online TEFL if you want flexibility and affordability for teaching online or in most of Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America.
How London College of Teachers meets this: LCT offers online TEFL, not CELTA. If CELTA is a firm requirement for your target employer, LCT's course will not replace it; if not, LCT's 120- to 480-hour courses cover the same core areas at a fraction of the cost.
Should I pick a TEFL provider with an office I can visit?
It helps if you value face-to-face support or want to check the provider is real, but most TEFL study is online today. What matters more is responsive support and a verifiable certificate.
How London College of Teachers meets this: LCT has addresses in London, Kolkata, Bangkok and Nashville, and offers support by phone, WhatsApp and email wherever you study.
Do TEFL reviews online matter?
Yes, read reviews on independent sites and look for detail about tutor support, assessment and certificates, not just star ratings. Also check how the provider responds to complaints.
How London College of Teachers meets this: LCT publishes student testimonials from learners in the USA, UK, India, UAE and Australia on its main site; read independent reviews too before you decide.
Can employers check if my TEFL certificate is real?
Reputable providers offer verification, such as an online lookup, a QR code or a blockchain record, so employers can confirm a certificate is genuine.
How London College of Teachers meets this: LCT certificates are issued on the blockchain, and employers can also use LCT's certificate validation page.
What red flags should I watch for in TEFL providers?
Guaranteed jobs or visas, certificates in a few days, no published syllabus or fees, no registered company, pressure to pay into personal accounts, and certificates that cannot be verified.
How London College of Teachers meets this: LCT publishes fees and syllabi, is a registered UK company, and takes payment only through official Razorpay and PayPal links. It does not guarantee jobs or visas.
Does the TEFL provider's country matter?
Not much to employers abroad; they focus on hours, content and verification. A provider registered in a country with clear company records does make checks easier.
How London College of Teachers meets this: LCT is registered in the UK and also serves learners from India, Thailand and the USA, so its certificate is presented as an international, not country-specific, TEFL qualification.
More TEFL questions
- TEFL basics
- Choosing a TEFL course and level
- TEFL course fees and payment
- Eligibility and admission
- Studying online and assessment
- Certificate and recognition
- TEFL jobs and salary
- Teaching English online
- Teaching English abroad
- TEFL in India
- What a TEFL course should cover
- Teaching practice and classroom readiness
- Teaching English in Asia
- Teaching English in the Middle East and Africa
- Teaching English in Europe and the Americas
- TEFL career growth
- TEFL specialisms
- Contracts, visas and moving abroad
- Studying online successfully