TEFL Certificate Program

The TEFL Certificate Course runs from May-June each summer semester (subject to student enrollment).

The cost for the course is $1,295

** Requests for refunds must be submitted to the office of the English Language Program and must be made in writing before the end of the first week of class. A 75% refund of the tuition will be issued if the student withdraws at the end of the first week of classes.

To apply for the TEFL certificate program, the student needs to hold an associate's degree or higher and demonstrate native or near-native (550 TOEFL iTP or 80 TOEFL iBT) English language proficiency. Complete the following steps to apply:

• Complete the TEFL application and email it to us at elp@unf.edu .
• Pay tuition.

** Requests for refunds must be submitted to the office of the English Language Program and must be made in writing before the end of the first week of class. A 75% refund of the tuition will be issued if the student withdraws at the end of the first week of classes.

Colleen O'Rourke, UNF TEFL Certificate Program Fall 2015

"My experience with the TEFL certification program at the University of North Florida is best summarized by two words:  personal and enriching. The opportunity to work so closely with professional TEFL instructors set this program apart from many others. All of the instructors that my group worked under had their Master’s Degree in TEFL instruction and years of experience teaching English abroad and in the United States. The hands-on practicum section of this TEFL certification course was invaluable in helping me develop a sense of the classroom setting as it was created by professional TEFL instructors. Having these experiences in TEFL classrooms before I taught abroad meant that I embarked on my own teaching adventure feeling confident and prepared.” 

Cameron Ritchlin, UNF TEFL Certificate Program Summer 2018

“There are a lot of programs to choose from when looking to get your TEFL certification; however, the University of North Florida’s English Language Program is the best you can get. From incorporating board games into lessons, singing songs, teaching without any resources at all,  to even learning to teach English with a college Chemistry book, the ELP will prepare you for anything.  

I was one of two students invited to teach Korean exchange students for the Changwon Program here at the University of North Florida. This  was a wonderful opportunity for me to try out my recently acquired skills in a real-world situation right after I had received my English Certification. At UNF, I had access to all the resources the ELP has collected and even a large lecture hall with a projector. This allowed my creativity to run wild, and I experimented heavily when designing my lessons. As a result, my students learned a lot and had a blast.   

After completing the Changwon Program, I joined the US Peace Corps and traveled to the tiny East African island nation of Comoros. Peace Corps Comoros had its own TEFL Certification program, and I found myself already far ahead of my fellow volunteers thanks to UNF. While everyone else was freaking out about and scrambling to prepare for model school week, I was powering through my lessons plans and feeling confident. At the end of model school, I tied for the highest score with a former public-school teacher who had been teaching for years. When training ended and I was sent to my site, I discovered the only English books my school had were half a set of encyclopedias from the 90s. This wasn’t a problem as I had already learned to create fun and engaging lessons from random sources thanks to an activity I had completed with the teachers at UNF. Peace Corps was a real challenge, but I found I was more than prepared to face it.

Training to be an English Teacher at UNF’s English Language Program was a fun and engaging experience. This group of experienced and dedicated teachers prepared me to teach under any condition. If you also want to be a skilled and versatile teacher, this is the program for you.”