• Starting a new career as an EFL teacher
• Preparing to teach English abroad to adults or children
• Gaining real-world experience with teaching in an ESL classroom setting
• Learning in a supportive community of fellow teachers
• Developing confidence as a teacher
• Researching job opportunities abroad
• Building your teaching resume

Please note: If you are a CSULB Linguistics department student, please see your department advisor. This program is not an option.

• Teach English without knowing the native language of your students
• Plan and execute effective and meaningful lessons on all language skills (reading, writing, speaking, and listening)
• Modify materials and create your own materials for teaching
• Develop a stronger foundation in the structure of the English language (grammar)
• Give meaningful feedback to individual students on their language ability
• Write an effective teaching CV
• Develop an e-portfolio to highlight your experience and strengths as a teacher
• Interview effectively via video-conference
• Research job opportunities abroad
• Prepare for moving abroad and transitioning to a new culture

• Practice with both teaching and one-on-one tutoring
• Hands-on training and teaching experience with international students in the ALI
• Guest lectures and panels from professionals in the field of TEFL and TESOL
• Guidance with job hunting and creating and e-portfolio
• Professional headshots and pictures of your teaching
• Interaction with international job recruiters
• Final program evaluation with individualized feedback from instructors
• One year student membership to CATESOL

You do not need to have any degree completed before taking our training. However, most countries that hire English teachers require applicants to have a minimum of a BA degree before beginning a position. To secure a good teaching contract at a reputable institution, it is necessary to have at minimum a bachelor’s degree AND at least 120 hours of specialized training in TEFL.

Please note: If you are a CSULB Linguistics department student, please see your department advisor. This program is not an option.  

Since the TEFL program is non-credit, there are no student loans or forms of financial aid available.

• Payment Plan - A payment plan is available for TEFL students. Please send an email to cpace-paymentplans@csulb.edu. Students have to sign the contract and make their first installment payment at the time of enrollment in order to be added to the program.
• Veteran Funding - We are unable to apply for Cal Vet tuition fee waiver since we are not state-supported and a non-credit program. We encourage students to check with your academic or VA advisor for programs that meet the requirements. To confirm about your specific waiver, please contact the CSULB Veteran’s Services office: Welcome to Veterans Services (csulb.edu)

*Be sure to check out our early-bird registration rate.

We do not guarantee that trainees who take the course will get a job. However, we do offer extensive advice about applying, interviewing, and securing a contract abroad. Our program also assists our trainees in developing a teaching portfolio, which includes action shots and videos of their practice teaching. Our program is designed to make you a well-qualified and attractive applicant for any job you are applying for in any part of the world.

Non-native English speakers or international students are welcome to take the program by submitting proof of English proficiency (Duolingo 110, 75 iBT, or 6.0 IELTS). In terms of finding a job abroad, even though the majority of institutions that hire EFL teachers prefer to have “native speakers” of English, it is not impossible to find employment as a non-native speaker if the teacher is very proficient in the English Language. Our program is also an effective way to gain training if teachers are interested in working in their home country as an EFL teacher.

TEFL (or Teaching English as a Foreign Language) refers to teaching situations where the national language in that country is not English. For example, if a Chinese student is learning English in China, they are learning EFL. On the other hand, if a Chinese student were to travel to Australia to study English, they would be learning ESL, or English as a Second Language. Immigrants who now live in an English speaking country are learning ESL. TESOL (or Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) encompasses both EFL and ESL.

Most TEFL training programs are non-credit, and are differentiated by the number of hours spent in the program. They are designed for teaching English abroad, in non-English speaking countries. On the other hand, a TESOL certificate is usually focused on teaching in an English-speaking country. Additionally, while the information is generally very similar to what you learn in a TEFL program, a TESOL certificate is often credit-bearing at the undergraduate or graduate level, and can be used toward a degree.

The American Language Institute is a unit in the CSULB College of Professional and Continuing Education. CSULB is accredited by WSCUC, and the TEFL program is included. Our Intensive English Program is also accredited by CEA, The Commission on English Language Program Accreditation.

Yes. Teaching ESL students and microteaching in your cohort are included in the training program. If you enroll, you will be assigned to an ESL class to observe and then teach some short lessons to those ESL students.

The program is designed for those with no previous language training. You do not need to be a CSULB student. The program is open to all majors.