Trinity College London offers qualifications for people beginning a career in English language teaching and experienced teachers looking to develop their skills or progress professionally.
The right qualification for you will depend on your teaching experience, the learners you want to teach and your career goals.
Compare Trinity TESOL qualifications
| Qualification | Level * | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| CertTESOL – Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages | Level 5 | People beginning a career in English language teaching |
| TYLEC – Teaching Young Learners Extension Certificate | Not assigned an RQF level | Teachers who want to specialise in teaching English to children and teenagers |
| CertPT – Certificate for Practising Teachers | Level 6 | Practising teachers who want to develop their professional knowledge and teaching practice |
| CertOT – Certificate in Online Teaching | Level 4 | Teachers who want to develop and formally demonstrate their online teaching skills |
| DipTESOL – Diploma in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages | Level 7 | Experienced English language teachers seeking advanced professional development |
* What do the qualification levels mean?
The Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF) is used to classify regulated qualifications in England according to their level of difficulty and complexity.
Qualifications range from Entry Level to Level 8. A higher level indicates more advanced learning, but does not necessarily mean that a qualification takes longer to complete.
For more information, see the UK government's What qualification levels mean guidance.
I'm new to English language teaching
Trinity CertTESOL is an initial teaching qualification designed for people who want to begin a career in English language teaching.
It combines theoretical knowledge with practical teaching experience, helping you develop the skills needed to plan and deliver English language lessons.
The qualification includes a minimum of 130 guided learning hours and has a total qualification time of 200 hours.
If you're not ready to enrol on a formal qualification, Trinity also offers free introductory courses through its Teach with Trinity programme.
I want to teach English to children or teenagers
The Teaching Young Learners Extension Certificate (TYLEC) is designed for English language teachers who want to specialise in teaching:
Very young learners aged 3–6.
Young learners aged 7–16.
The qualification focuses on understanding younger learners' developmental needs, planning appropriate lessons, classroom management and developing suitable teaching materials.
It is intended for teachers who already have a background in English language teaching.
I'm already teaching and want to develop my professional skills
The Certificate for Practising Teachers (CertPT) is a Level 6 professional development qualification.
It is designed for practising teachers who want to develop their teaching knowledge and skills within their own professional context.
The qualification focuses on evaluating and improving teaching practice, including the development and use of teaching materials.
I want to teach English online
Trinity offers two related options for developing online teaching skills:
Teach English Online
A 30-hour online self-study course designed to develop practical skills in planning, delivering and evaluating online English language lessons.
Certificate in Online Teaching (CertOT)
A Level 4 qualification that allows teachers to formally demonstrate their online teaching knowledge and skills through assessment.
The Teach English Online course does not itself award the CertOT qualification. Teachers who want to gain CertOT must complete the separate assessment requirements.
I'm an experienced teacher looking to progress my career
The Diploma in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (DipTESOL) is an advanced Level 7 qualification for experienced English language teachers.
It develops professional knowledge and practical skills in:
Language, learning and teaching.
Classroom research and reflective practice.
Phonology and its application to teaching.
Lesson planning, delivery and evaluation.
The DipTESOL can support progression towards senior teaching, teacher training, academic management and further academic study.
Applicants are expected to have substantial teaching experience, and validated course providers assess their suitability for the qualification.
How do I choose a course provider?
Trinity TESOL qualifications are delivered through validated course providers.
These organisations are responsible for course delivery and can provide information about:
Entry requirements and suitability.
Available course dates.
Course fees.
Online, face-to-face or blended study options.
Applications and enrolment.
For guidance on finding a provider, see How to find a Trinity-validated TESOL course provider.
See also:
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