FAQ

The TESOL Certificate Program at Teachers College, Columbia University is one of the most in-depth certificate programs offered today.  Affiliated with the TESOL & Applied Linguistics Program at Teachers College, Columbia University, we offer a strong theoretical foundation and a hands-on practical teaching opportunity in a real language program. Further, to help you bridge the gap between theory and practice, you will be guided by senior mentor teachers. The instructors all have a wealth of experience teaching English to speakers of other languages and training teachers here in the US and internationally. In addition, they all hold an MA in TESOL and are either doctoral students or professors in the TESOL & Applied Linguistics Program at Teachers College, Columbia University. The senior mentor teachers all have MAs and have extensive experience teaching a variety of non-native speakers in different contexts.

TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) is an umbrella term used to describe the art of teaching English to anyone who is not a native speaker of English. TESOL may take place in an English-speaking country, or in a country where English is not an official language and considered a foreign language, in which case it may be called TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language).

ESL (English as a Second Language) is used to refer to English instruction to non-native speakers in a country where English is the dominant language. These learners may be acquiring English as a third, fourth, or fifth language. EFL (English as a Foreign Language) is taught in a country where English is not an official language and considered a foreign language. ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) is another acronym commonly used to refer to the study of English by non-native speakers.

Yes, the TESOL Certificate Program at Teachers College, Columbia University aligns with, and exceeds, the standards recommended by TESOL International Association for short-term certificate programs. It also meets and exceeds the 120-hour instruction standard often required for teaching abroad. 

Our program is a Hybrid Program (50% online + 50% onsite)

• Part 1: Online: complete online lessons at your own pace
• Part 2: Onsite
  • Take courses in person with your instructors and fellow peers at Teachers College, Columbia University.
  • Get teacher training and receive mentor support while teaching your own ESL class.
• Final Reflection Paper: After the onsite part, you will submit a Final Reflection Paper synthesizing your experiences in the program.

During the online portion, the hours are flexible. Students will take courses using a highly interactive learning management system called Canvas. The online portion is asynchronous, which allows students to study and complete assignments on their own time, abiding by the set deadlines by the instructors. The online study time and engagement per week is approximately 20 hours per week for the summer full-time program and 10 hours per week for the Fall to Spring part-time program, and .

During the onsite portion:

• In the summer full-time program, students attend classes on Teachers College campus from Monday through Friday, from 9:00am to 3:30 or 4:30pm. Students take classes throughout the week and teach on Friday mornings. 
• In the fall to spring part-time program, students attend classes on Teachers College campus Fridays and Saturdays from 9:00am to 3:30 or 4:30pm. Students take classes throughout the day and teach in the Community Language Program on select Friday mornings. 

Yes! During the program, you will work with your teaching mentor and your teaching team planning for and then teaching your own class in our Community Language Program. Participants repeatedly tell us that they find the student teaching component of our program very rewarding, saying they enjoy the relationships they build with their students. They also say they appreciate the opportunity to put everything they are learning about TESOL into practice in a sheltered, supportive environment where they themselves can learn and grow. For more information about the student-teaching experience, visit our Student Teaching page.

No teaching experience is necessary to apply to the TESOL Certificate Program. Students will participate in supervised team student teaching as part of the program.

You must have a B.A., B.S., or an equivalent undergraduate degree from an accredited college or university to apply to the program. The only exception is graduating seniors, who receive provisional acceptance. In order to receive final acceptance, graduating seniors must submit a copy of their diploma before the program.

Yes. Upon written request, you may defer enrollment for one year. Please contact our office for more information about this process.

Tuition is $6,800, plus a $75 application fee. You should plan on spending approximately $250 on books and supplies. Housing costs vary, depending upon whether you live in TC housing or not. For the summer program, students may apply for Summer Conference Housing through the Office of Residential Services website. Summer Conference Housing is offered on a rolling basis. If you choose to apply for on-campus housing, remember to apply early, since these options fill up fast.

Unfortunately, we are not able to offer scholarships and it is not possible to pay for the program with federally-funded student loans at this time. However, if you are interested in applying for a personal continuing education loan, please contact the Office of Financial Aid for more information.

Your Statement of Purpose is a 1-2 page-long original essay that explains your  motivation/reason for applying to the TESOL Certificate Program and how the program aligns with your personal and professional goals.  (Minimum of 500 words).

Our graduates go on to find work as varied as their backgrounds. Some travel and teach overseas, while others find work in non-profit English programs and for-profit language schools here in the United States. Most of our graduates work with adult learners, but some (particularly those who teach abroad) also teach children. Graduates with a background in another professional field often combine their newly acquired teaching skills with their prior professional experience. For instance, alumni with a business background might go on to teach English to executives. Graduates with Master's degrees in related areas (language, education, etc.) and prior teaching experience often find work in community colleges in the U.S. and in universities abroad.

The TESOL Certificate Program is a non-credit, non-degree program. It does not provide K-12 certification or an ESL endorsement on a public school teaching license. It is primarily for those who wish to teach adults in continuing education programs in the U.S. and abroad. For information on the TC TESOL MA program offering K-12 TESOL certification, please contact the TESOL Graduate Advisor at tesolal@tc.edu. For information on how to obtain an ESL endorsement on an existing teaching license, please contact your local or state department of education.

All participants who have graduated from our program and looked for work have found work. During the program itself, we offer a workshop on how to find a job. We also place you on a special Teachers College TESOL & Applied Linguistics jobs list-serve where you receive regular news of openings in the U.S. and abroad. Your fellow students are often one of the best sources for job referrals. These students become an important component of your professional network throughout your teaching career.