What’s The Difference Between CELTA and TEFL / TESOL Certification?
Compare CELTA with TEFL / TESOL to Save $1500+ on Your Teacher Training!
The CELTA certification course is a brand of TESOL / TESL / TEFL course developed by the University of Cambridge. Back in the 1960s, CELTA was one of the first courses for training and certifying English language teachers. As a first-in-industry, the UK-based CELTA course set the international standard for English teacher certification at a minimum of 120 hours with a supervised teaching practice module of 6 hours.
The CELTA course is offered in-class throughout the world and online. On average, the CELTA certification course costs US$2000. Luckily, there are many alternatives to CELTA that offer academically equivalent training for less.
One of the leading examples is TESL Canada, which was founded in the late 1990’s to accredit ESL teacher training courses offered by Canadian universities and private institutes such as OnTESOL. TESL Canada Standard 1 certification is academically equivalent to CELTA because it requires completion of a recognized 120-hour TESOL / TESL / TEFL program with a 20-hour Practicum.
The online TEFL / TESOL courses offered by OnTESOL and recognized by TESL Canada start at US$460.

online TESOL/TEFL Academically equivaLent to CELTA
7 reasons that the online TESOL / TEFL certification courses offered by OnTESOL are equivalent to CELTA:
1
Grammar and phonology modules
2
Comprehensive methodology module to teach you all about the Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) method.
3
Practical lab assignments to teach you the most effective ESL lesson planning frameworks (PPP, ESA, TTT, TBL)
4
Live Lesson Planning Workshops offered via Zoom
5
Professional tutor support to provide you extensive feedback on every lesson plan assignment.
6
Option to complete a supervised Practicum with real ESL students
7
Free job assistance in the top destinations.
How is OnTESOL Better than CELTA?
OnTESOL is a great alternative to CELTA. Although our online TEFL / TESOL courses are similar in many ways, there are a few differences in the assessment criteria, Practicum, and international accreditation that make OnTESOL a better alternative to a CELTA course.
OnTESOL is Better than CELTA in Lesson Planning Training:
OnTESOL offers better training than CELTA in the area of lesson planning because OnTESOL trainees complete lesson planning Lab Assignments during the course to master the ESL lesson planning frameworks used in classrooms worldwide. Furthermore, OnTESOL trainees who complete the separate Practicum module get to practice their lesson planning skills with real students.
In a CELTA course, trainees complete reflection essays during the course and lesson planning is only a component of the teaching practice module.
OnTESOL is Better than CELTA in Teaching Practice Hours:
OnTESOL offers more teaching practice hours than CELTA. The 20-hour Practicum module offered by OnTESOL includes 10 hours of teaching practice and the 50-hour Practicum includes 20 hours of teaching practice. CELTA only offers 6 hours of teaching practice.
OnTESOL is Better than CELTA in Flexibility:
OnTESOL’s asynchronous 120-hour Advanced TESOL Certificate offers more flexibility than a CELTA course with a fixed schedule. OnTESOL is perfect for busy university students and professionals who want to study TESOL / TEFL online at their own pace. For trainees who prefer attending live classes with other peers, OnTESOL offers the 168-hour Hybrid TEFL Certificate course with live workshops via Zoom.
OnTESOL is Recognized and Accredited Internationally
OnTESOL is institutionally accredited by ACCET (U.S. Department of Education recognized agency), which sets institutional standards for providing quality training in the United States and internationally. ACCET accreditation means that OnTESOL graduates from the USA earn CEUs. OnTESOL is a better alternative to CELTA for Americans looking to meet work requirements and licensed U.S. teachers who need CEUs to renew their teaching license.
The online TESOL / TEFL courses offered by OnTESOL are recognized by TESL Canada. OnTESOL is a better alternative to CELTA for Canadians looking for a certification that is valid internationally and in Canada. Although TESL Canada recognizes some CELTA courses offered in Canada, anyone who completed the CELTA course in another country needs to apply for TESL Canada equivalency through PLAR and spend a few hundred dollars during this process.
OnTESOL is More Affordable and Innovative than CELTA
Starting at US$460, the 120-hour Advanced TESOL Certificate course offered by OnTESOL is much more affordable than a US$2,000 CELTA course!
The 168-hour Hybrid TEFL Certificate offers more training on lesson planning frameworks with the live 10-hour Lesson Planning Workshop offered via Zoom. This online TEFL course also offers more value than a standard 4-week CELTA certification course with three specialists on teaching young learners, teaching online, and using resources in foreign countries.
The 250-hour TESOL Diploma course is perfect for experienced ESL teachers and CELTA / TEFL / TESOL graduates looking to learn curriculum development skills. Many TESOL Diploma graduates are now working as school directors and IELTS examiners thanks to the skills that they acquired with this program. Get better training and qualify for career advancement opportunities with the 250-hour TESOL Diploma offered by OnTESOL. This program is recognized by TESL Canada for their Professional Standard 2 certification.