How to get a TEFL qualification for free (or nearly free)
Clickbait title? Maybe. But before you navigate away with a tut and a roll of the eyes, let’s just get one thing straight: getting a TEFL qualification for free isn’t actually impossible. With so many options for would-be teachers now on the table, there are means and ways to cushion the financial blow of taking the plunge and becoming qualified. We’re talking about loopholes that will guarantee an income to more than offset the cost of your training, or about potential funding sources that will mean you don’t pay a penny for those tutorials on past tenses and classroom management. And there are even opportunities that will limit the price of travel, living costs, and relocation once you’re done, which means you may even end up better off than you did before – not to mention armed with a potentially life-changing certificate that can keep you adventuring and on the road for good!
Look for funding sources
You don’t have to be an A-star footballer or point-clocking quarterback, a budding rocket scientist or poetry prodigy to be in with a chance of bagging a scholarship in this sphere of learning! No sir, the world of TEFL is open to everyone and anyone who’s fluent in English, making it a pretty level playing field when it comes to doling out the dollars in support. The upshot? No matter your own financial situation, your level of academic qualification, your employment history, age or gender, it’s always worth trying for those funding sources. For would-be teachers in the UK, there are oodles of institutions out there interested in giving a helping hand with TEFL qualifications: The Prince’s Trust; Careers Connect; the National Careers Service. And the US has opportunities too, coming in the form of private higher education grants, like TESOL Professional Development Scholarships, SIT Scholarships, and institution-specific grants from various universities.
Pursue paid placements after qualifying
Another way to nail that TEFL qualification for free, or at least make some headway in offsetting the cost of it (hence the ‘nearly free’ in the title), is to pursue a paid placement straight after you’re done with the course. These are often on the menu of TEFL providers, and promise guaranteed teaching positions with pay to recent graduates. You could be looking at six months of teaching on the shimmering beaches of Thailand’s tropical islands, or a trip to the throbbing cityscapes of China, Taiwan or South Korea – all in the safe knowledge that those wages will be coming in each month. MyTEFL has placements right across the planet, from the colonial old towns of Colombia to the mystical reaches of the Far East, where pay packets can go up to a whopping $2,700 USD per month. Placements are also a great way to test the waters and self-critique your own strengths and weaknesses in the classroom, so the bonuses aren’t just financial here either.
Consider an internship
An internship is a safe and supported way of breaking out of that comfort zone. All tutorials and classes are done on location, and see students get to grips with the ins and outs of the profession while on the job. Placement packages include a full 120-hour TEFL cert, along with cultural introduction and orientation packages, language lessons (to help you navigate your way around that vernacular) and constant support. They are also a great way to meet like-minded teachers, and to begin your travels and TEFL career in a tried and tested environment. The real pull though? Well that has to be the pay, which can be as much as $1,200 USD per month in some positions. Short of getting the TEFL qualification for free, you’re sure to neutralize that initial cost in no time!
Can you think of any other ways would-be teachers can cushion the financial blow of getting qualified? We’d love to hear about it in the comments below. Or, are you interested in pursuing one of these ways to get that TEFL qualification for free? Then be sure to head over to myTEFL’s placements or internship page.