TESL Ontario Accreditation and Certification Levels

OCELT accreditation path was designed for publicly funded programs in Ontario and is valid for ESL teaching positions in other Canadian provinces and worldwide. More specifically, the LINC program in Ontario requires OCELT certification to qualify for ESL teaching positions in publicly funded classes to Newcomers to Ontario. 

CTESOL accreditation path was designed to support non-publicly funded programs in Ontario, and is valid for ESL teaching positions in other Canadian provinces and worldwide. CTESL accreditation is also valid for LINC teaching positions in all Canadian provinces except for Ontario.

Is OnTESOL Recognized by TESL Ontario?

Completion of the 120-hour Advanced TESOL Certificate or the 168-hour Hybrid TEFL Certificate course offered by OnTESOL and a 20-hour Practicum leads to TESL Ontario CTESL Certification (Level 1).

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OCELT certification courses consist of a total of 300 hours of training, including a 50-hour Practicum, and cost up to $5,000. OnTESOL Graduates who wish to apply for TESL Ontario OCELT Certification (Level 2) can upgrade their credentials with an accredited TESL Ontario organization offering Part 2 separately.

How Does the Online Course by OnTESOL Work?

OnTESOL offers a self-paced and a semi-synchronous option. OnTESOL is perfect for those who want the flexibility to study online and the interactive experience that can only happen in a live class.

The benefit of taking a self-paced course is that you can take the time you need to ask questions to your online tutor and complete the assignments at your own pace. After successfully registering the online TESOL course, you will have a maximum of 6 months to complete all the assignments. The 120-hour Advanced TESOL Certificate course can be completed in a minimum of 1 month if you study full-time and you will have a maximum of 6 months to complete it.

If you need a classroom experience to stay motivated, you can add our new 10-hour Lesson Planning Workshop to attend live lectures and participate in practical group activities! 90% of OnTESOL Students who participated in the live workshops passed the assignment in less than 4 weeks!

How Does the Separate Practicum Work?

For an extra fee, you can complete the Practicum with a language school in the Great Toronto Area ($450) or online ($550) with a Languages Canada-approved ESL school based out of Ontario.

Another option is to complete the Stand-Alone Practicum. This option is popular with experienced and volunteering ESL teachers who are able to set up the Practicum at the school they work. Learn more about requirements on our Practicum page.

Do I Need to Take Different Courses for TESL Ontario CTESOL and TESL Canada Professional Standard 1?

No, the online 120-hour TESOL course and the 20-hour Practicum are all you need to qualify for TESL Canada and TESL Ontario certification. After you complete your course requirements, you will need to submit an application and submit all your documents, including a copy of your accredited TESL certification.

Other requirements for TESL Ontario certification include completion of a university degree. Non-native speakers who did not complete their degree in Canada need to submit a copy of the WES equivalency document and a valid proficiency score.

What’s the Difference Between TESL Ontario and TESL Canada?

Most ESL, LINC, IELTS, and/or English teaching jobs in Canada require TESL Canada certification.

TESL Canada is required by language schools in Canada that are approved by Languages Canada, while TESL Ontario accreditation is required by the government-run LINC program in Ontario. If you want to teach English with LINC in another Canadian province, TESL Ontario accreditation is not required. Most LINC courses in other provinces prefer TESL Canada Standard 2 accreditation, but TESL Canada Standard 1 is also accepted by some programs.