Does TEFL Certification Expire?

How long does TEFL certification last?

A TEFL certification does not expire. Once earned, a TEFL certificate is valid for life. A TEFL certificate doesn't require any additional training or coursework to renew it, and it does not have an expiration date. You can start work immediately after receiving your TEFL certificate.

Completing your TEFL certification, either in person or online, should be the first thing on your list before you teach English abroad. Once it's done, it's done. You have the freedom and flexibility to put it to use immediately teaching English overseas or to simply check it off on your to-do list as the first step towards your adventure.

In other words, you can teach English in Mediterranean Europe in your twenties and then retire as an English teacher in a coastal city in Southeast Asia in your fifties. It is your golden ticket to use for the rest of your life whenever you wish to teach English abroad. 

Do Your TEFL certification perks expire?

First off, your TEFL certification should come with extensive job search assistance and support. At International TEFL Academy specifically, you enjoy access to lifelong job search guidance or assistance. This means that if you teach in one country and then in one year, three years or five years, you decide that you wish to teach in a different country, you will be able to count on the resources, contacts and expertise of ITA's job search guidance to assist you in finding opportunities teaching English abroad all over the globe.

As a graduate of International TEFL Academy, you will enjoy lifelong access to the following resources:

• Personal guidance from an experienced Job Search Advisor: Our expert Job Search Advisors are available to speak with you and correspond by email to address all of your questions and to assist you with every aspect of your job search from writing your resume/CV and cover letter, to coaching you on the interview process in different markets, to helping you assess which destinations might be the best fit for you. 
• ESL job search manual:  All of our graduates receive a manual detailing all relevant information for major job markets around the world, including hiring seasons, academic standards, and the interview process as well as templates for resumes and cover letters.  This manual also incorporates extensive listings of online resources, including nearly 100 ESL international job boards listing thousands of teaching opportunities around the world.
• ESL worldwide school directory:  We will send you a directory of more than 20,000 schools worldwide that you can contact directly regarding employment opportunities.
• Referrals to preferred recruiters, placement agencies, and language schools:  International TEFL Academy enjoys strong relationships with schools, recruiters, and placement agencies throughout the world.   

Going further: How Can Student Affairs Assist Me With My Job Search?