CELTA

You may be considering a career in English Language Teaching and view CELTA as an entry into a good teaching position in another country, or you may want a qualification that provides a sound basis in the fundamentals of language teaching practice and gives you confidence in the classroom.

Why choose CELTA

The Cambridge CELTA (Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) is the essential TEFL qualification that’s trusted around the world.

It’s a practical English Language Teaching qualification It gives you hands-on teaching practice in the classroom

71.5% of English Language Teaching employers in Europe, the Middle East and Africa requested CELTA based on research from November 2017 to January 2018.

• It gives you the confidence and skills to teach adult learners
• It gives you expert training and feedback on your teaching
• It’s accredited by the internationally recognised Cambridge University
• It is run by experienced and highly-qualified tutors
• It has a 95% pass rate globally
• It is recognised and accepted all over the world
• It offers great career opportunities worldwide

Why choose the ELTC

• A trainee-tutor ratio of 5 to 1 (normally 6 to 1) with experienced and trained teacher trainers.
• Over 140 hours of guided learning hours (input and teaching practice). 6 hours of assessed teaching practice (over 8 or 9 lessons) at 2 different levels of classes of multilingual adults we arrange for you.
• 6 hours of observation of experienced teachers (live and video). Up to 18 hours of observation of fellow trainees. Over 80 hours of input sessions, tutor feedback and tutorials on teaching methodology, classroom techniques, lesson planning and teaching practice, language awareness and specialisms.
• No exams - 4 practical assignments over the course, marked by your tutor and with resubmission possible.
• Free Access to teaching resources, stationery, printing and photocopying.
• University of Sheffield student status - access to libraries, online services and student card (UCard)
• Online courses are delivered by a qualified online tutor from the ELTC using Cambridge materials and 'live' support via chatroom and email.
• ELTC course fee includes the University of Cambridge entry cost, pre-course tasks and an optional online grammar course.
• Job hunting and professional development advice with a report at the end of the course and a reference service.
• Post course support, including an alumni group with information about job and training opportunities for CELTA graduates.
• All courses validated and externally moderated by the University of Cambridge English Language Assessment.
• You can do the course full-time or part-time, online or face-to-face depending on your needs.

Testimonials

It was a thoroughly rewarding experience with really supportive tutors. It has really helped me to develop my teaching skills and opened my mind to a lot of different techniques! I’d highly recommend the course to anyone looking to teach abroad.

I’ve secured a job teaching in China. I go at the end of this month, and I couldn’t have done it without my CELTA experience!

Rachel

Part-time CELTA Student

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The qualification is definitely worth it, not only because it has opened many more doors for me but also because of the friendships made during that time. The course is a huge commitment and you do have to be dedicated to undertake it.

I would definitely recommend the course to anyone who is considering it, especially those who learn better practically and in house.

Kate

Intensive CELTA Student

Upcoming Course Dates

Online, part-time CELTA: February – June 2025

Course dates: 5 February 2025 – 13 June 2025

Course times: Wednesday and Friday 9.30am - 12.30pm (UK time)

Course length: 19 weeks (including vacation weeks at Easter: 7 April/14 April/21 April)

This part-time, fully online course allows you to study whilst managing other commitments. The teaching takes place on zoom and the input is provided through an online, self-study portal, meaning you can attend from anywhere in the world. As you are teaching and studying online, you need to be confident with the technology and working in an online mode. Trainees must commit to attending 100% of the course. In addition to the scheduled hours, trainees are expected to do approximately 6 hours of independent study a week.

Fees for this course will be £1650 plus the Cambridge Assessment fee of £170

Apply Now

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Face-to-face, part-time CELTA: February – June 2025

Course dates: 8 February 2025 – 10 June 2025

Course times: 12 Saturdays (9.30am - 3.30pm) + every Wednesday (5.00pm - 8.30pm)

Saturday class dates: 8, 15 and 22 February, 1, 8, 15 and 22 March, 26 April, 3, 17 and 31 May and 7 June.

Course length: 19 weeks (including two vacation weeks at Easter: 31 March / 7 April)

This part-time, face-to-face course take place outside of the working day, and so allows you to study whilst managing other commitments. 

Sessions are delivered by our team of experienced tutors on the University campus in Sheffield. You will be supported and guided on lesson planning, classroom management, language analysis and more. Through a range of practical and interactive sessions, you will develop and practise the skills and confidence needed to teach English.

Trainees must commit to attending 100% of the course. In addition to the scheduled hours, trainees are expected to do approximately 8 - 10 hours of independent study a week.

Fees for this course will be £1650 plus the Cambridge Assessment fee of £170

Apply Now

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Full-time, intensive CELTA: May – June 2025

Course dates: 6 May 2025 – 6 June 2025

Course times: Monday to Friday 9.30am – 4.30pm

Course length: 5 weeks (there will be no sessions on Monday 5 May and Monday 26 May due to Bank Holidays)

This full-time, in-person CELTA takes place over 5 weeks. 

Sessions are delivered by our team of experienced tutors on the University campus in Sheffield. You will be supported and guided on lesson planning, classroom management, language analysis and more. Through a range of practical and interactive sessions, you will develop and practise the skills and confidence needed to teach English. 

Whilst this is a rewarding and engaging course, it is also intensive and demanding. It is recommended that you ensure you have minimal commitments during the five weeks. 

You must be able to attend 100% of the course. 

Fees for this course will be £1650 plus the Cambridge Assessment fee of £170

Apply Now

Please note: There is no difference in the content, assessment and recognition of online and face-to-face CELTA courses. Our Online CELTA courses are an ideal way to complete the course if you are currently working or based outside of Sheffield.

Each course requires a minimum of 6 participants to run. 

Tuition fees

Fees for all CELTA courses in the 2024-25 academic year are £1,650 (plus the Cambridge examination entry fee - £170). 

The fee covers:

• All tuition and support Cambridge Assessment entry fee
• An optional 20-hour grammar course
• Support using specific teaching tools (zoom/interactive whiteboards etc.)
• Interactive Whiteboard (IWB) training
• A pre-course task
• All photocopying and printing (face to face courses)
• Access to materials and stationery (face to face courses)
• An end of course report
• Ongoing post-course support in the form of an alumni group with job postings and references

How to apply

If you are interested in taking a CELTA course at our centre, please complete the application form:

CELTA Application Form

After receiving your completed form, our Teacher Training team will contact you. 

If your initial application is successful, you will be sent a pre-interview task to complete. This task helps us to assess your suitability for the course, and gives you a better understanding of what the course involves. 

Once you've returned your completed task to us, we review your application. If successful, you will be invited to one of the weekly interview slots. This will be a group interview (up to 4 people) and it will be held online using Zoom.

The deadline for applications is usually 2 weeks before the start of a course. However, if this deadline has passed, please contact the TEFL team to see if places are still available.

Please be aware of the following information before applying:

• CELTA courses are not suitable for applying for a Student Visa (previously known as a Tier 4 General visa) or council tax rebates.
• CELTA requires an excellent level of English language and literacy to be successful on the course and this will be tested at application and interview stage.
• For applicants with English as a Second/Foreign Language we advise an English level of 8.0 in IELTS, CEFR C2, Cambridge Proficiency or equivalent is needed to successfully complete the interview tasks and CELTA course.
• CELTA is designed for people with little or no English language teaching experience (but those with experience can be considered with an initial discussion with the ELTC).
• You should be at least 20 years old and hold qualifications that would allow you to enter a University degree (equivalent experience for mature applicants can be taken into account).
• Courses are demanding in nature and you will be required to attend ALL parts of the course.
• We require you buy or borrow 2 course books that we indicate prior to starting the course.
• You will be required to complete all the application and interview process successfully before being made an offer on the course. Candidates may be placed on a waiting list or asked to have a second interview to check suitability.
• No reductions in fees can be made and fees should be paid in full before the course starts.

If you have any questions or queries about CELTA, please check our frequently asked questions.

If you can't find an answer to your question in the CELTA FAQ, please contact our Teacher Training team for assistance. Email tefl@sheffield.ac.uk with the subject line 'CELTA query.'