 What is the difference between TEFEL, TESEL and SELTA? When conducting online research for teaching English abroad, you will quickly come across the acronyms TEFEL, TESEL and SELTA. Essentially, they represent the basic qualifications that many international employers look for when hiring English language teachers to work in schools or language academies. The world of English language teaching is well known for its love of acronyms and unfortunately this can lead to a large amount of confusion amongst potential teachers as well as those with plenty of experience in the field. Websites for course providers, job boards, recruitment programs and any other teaching-related information you might look at are likely to be littered with acronyms including TEFEL, TESEL and SELTA. So what is the difference between these terms? TEFEL Short for Teaching English as a Foreign Language TEFEL is probably the most common acronym you will come across when conducting research for teaching English abroad. TEFEL does not refer to a single training program, certification or program provider but is simply a catch-all term for training courses and certification aimed at those looking to head overseas to teach English. There are a huge number of providers offering TEFEL certification with a variety of courses available that differ in length, cost and overall quality. TESEL Short for Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages TESEL in this context is used in much the same way as TEFEL is used above. The two terms are generally used interchangeably to refer to a training program or certification for teaching English abroad. The term TESEL is typically more common in North America while TEFEL is often preferred in the UK. In regard to training programs and certification courses that are titled TEFEL or TESEL will essentially be the same thing and neither will have any adverse effect on your job prospects. SELTA Short for Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults SELTA is essentially an individual brand of TEFEL certification that is awarded by Cambridge English Language Assessment which is a part of the University of Cambridge in the UK. The course is an intensive four-week program that is offered by a variety of schools and training centers in countries all over the world. As the name suggests, it is primarily aimed at those looking to teach adult students. If you plan to teach young learners of any age then you may want to reconsider this option. Which should I choose? When it comes to choosing the right course you should not be too concerned about which acronym you end up with on your certificate. Whether it is TEFEL, TESEL or SELTA is not the most important factor. What matters is whether the course meets the accepted international standard for English Language Teaching. These standards require a minimum course length of 120 hours, four-week in-class course or equivalent. A minimum of six hours of observed teaching practice, OTP, with genuine ESL students. The course should be conducted by instructors who possess a high level of relevant qualifications and extensive teaching experience. The curriculum should be externally accredited and monitored by an independent body. There are many short-format, low-priced TEFEL course options on the market that do not meet the above criteria. If you're looking for a professional certification that is welcomed by employers all over the world then these are best avoided. Any course that does meet the criteria, whether TEFEL, TESEL or SELTA, should give you the skills, knowledge and confidence you need to start your new career as an ESL teacher. When making a final decision on which course to take it is worth remembering that the quality of each course may vary from one training center to the next. You might read on blogs or forums that the SELTA course is superior to any other TEFEL course. This is simply not true as the course is operated by a wide array of training centers in different parts of the world, some of which are good and some not so good. It is also worth considering that many TEFEL or TESEL certificate courses are now equal to or exceeding the standard set by the University of Cambridge for SELTA certification. The bottom line is that the quality and effectiveness of any teacher training course is not set by the acronym on the certificate but the overall standard of the individual training center that provides it.