Which programme should I choose? How does the relate to funding? TEFL or TESOL? 1. Open Access vs 2.Insight vs. 3.Primer vs. 4.Direct Access
Funding update: 25/07/2024
From 31st August 2024 onwards, our funding will have run out. This means you will need to fund your flights on all programmes (unless we clearly email you to say otherwise.) You will also need to self-fund your TEFL training and support by paying a fixed fee per programme (regardless of duration). See details here.
For programmes running before 31st August 2024, the rules below will still apply:
We want to give our Gotoco'ers exciting, supportive, and accessible global work-placement adventures!
As part of our accessibility mission, we only offer projects where most costs & fees are covered through funding that we have pre-arranged. So, there are no fees or fund-raising targets upfront and costs are met by government funding, universities, or with support from local partners. For you this means simply get an offer and come train with us on work placements abroad!!
We are a TEFL teacher training programme, offering work placements abroad. TEFL certification is the core of our programme, and all funding pathways are linked to it.
We offer three main courses with different funding and varied options for TEFL certification. All of these TEFL programmes are part of our "TESOL pathway"
•What does that mean? It means that all of our TEFL teacher training opportunities come with global work-placement trips in the TEFL sector! The difference between options 1, 2, 3 and 4 is that 4 is direct access to the highest level course we offer, whereas options 1-3 allow you to dip your toes in the water.
•Why TEFL...? We work in the TEFL sector because it gives a fantastic opportunity for our participants to gain exposure to a tangible, well-paid, 'beaten-path' into a brilliant future career in teaching abroad - one of the best adventures you can choose for your life.
•What's TESOL...? In simple terms, TESOL is TEFL, TEFL is TESOL, of course it is more complex than that, but you will work that out later. More on that here.
•Can I get the world's best TEFL qualification? YES! Our programmes are all "TESOL pathways", this means that whichever programme you do, it is our intention that you are able to eventually do the best possible TEFL qualification with us if you want it - the Trinity CertTESOL. Allocation of places for this is competitive because funding is limited, so you will usually need to prove yourself by completing an alternative qualification and placement with us first (see 1-3 below) - then we can consider you for this (our option 4 below) - we have limited spaces on this so it is competitive.
•What's Trinity CertTESOL...?
Trinity Cert TESOL is a specific TESOL qualification - arguably the most respected one in the world! On a par with the CELTA...For most starter-jobs around the world (think: year 1 of a TEFL job), our options 1-3 are good enough, but for anyone building a career then Trinity CertTESOL becomes the best option from year 2 of a career...
Choices: it's as simple 1, 2, 3, 4...
We offer three pathways, each one comes with a different level of TEFL certification. The easiest way to understand differences in our three programmes is that the more ambitious you are in your teacher training, the more funding you receive, the further you can go, and the longer you can stay (but the more homework you will have).
SO, you might be eligible for our easiest course where you get most things funded (but not travel), or you can do our higher level TESOL course and get FULL funding for core costs on all programmes! The harder you try, the further you will go.
I don't know how to choose! No worries, you don't need to choose just yet! Please apply, get an offer, think about it all, and we will help you join the right pathway later on.
For routes 3 and 4, applicants from widening participation backgrounds are prioritised.
THE FOUR PROGRAMME TYPES!
1. TEFL Open Access
This is an introductory programme open to all levels. Through this programme, you can join our original programmes in China and selected short programmes in Europe, such as Italy for 2-3 weeks in June 2024.
On this programme, you receive TEFL training and a placement in China or Italy (short programmes only), with meals, accommodation and cultural activities. Your training and placement are funded by our local partners. For this programme, you need to fund your own travel (flights or interrail), DBS, any visa costs, and any other expenses.
This is a great introduction to TEFL and is open access to all applicants that meet eligibility requirements. At the end of the programme, if you complete the training and assignments, you will receive our 120-hour TEFL certificate.
If you enjoy this, then we hope you'd apply to come back next year for options 3 or 4, funding dependent.
2. TEFL Insight Programme
*This is only for applicants that are referred to us by certain UK universities in order to undertake our 4-6 week European programmes - usually in Romania, Poland, Spain, Germany and Italy
This is an insight programme, offering guaranteed placements for applicants from certain UK universities (see here). It is reserved for universities that partner with us and funded by their grants, such as the Turing Scheme. To access this you will need to be linked to a university and aware of their funding. If you google X University + Erasmus or Turing or Global + bursary or funding then you will likely find what you need to know. It's really really great for anyone that wants to test the waters on a low commitment route. If you enjoy this, then we hope you'd apply to come back next year for options 3 or 4, funding dependent.
This is usually configured as 4-6 week programmes in Romania, Italy, Germany, Spain and Poland. There are also a limited number of places in China for participants on this funding route, especially those that meet their university's widening participation criteria.
Participants get real-world TEFL teaching experience, and can study our low-commitment, 'crash-course' insight into the world of TEFL. During the programme you study the TEFL and if you complete the achievable tasks, then you receive our120-hour TEFL certificate at the end.
If your university is one of our funding partners, then you are eligible to choose this pathway, so just get an offer and let us know you want to take this route. All expenses that relate to your stay on the programme during the camp weeks are funded, you just need to pay for the meals and some activities on any post-programme cultural trip along with all travel costs before and after the actual work placement. If you are on the normal Turing HE grant rate, that funding amount usually covers the programme costs with no surplus, but if you are on the higher grant (e.g widening participation students) then the surplus will be yours to spend as you see fit.
3. TESOL Primer
*Applicants that meet widening participation criteria are prioritised for this programme. Places are limited, competitive, and reserved for those with a commitment to the TESOL qualification.
We arrange funding for this directly, so please just apply to us and we do the rest for you - as long as you are eligible (more here) and are successful in being selected for a specific programme. Programmes are competitive, but if you cannot access this programme this year, then you will still be eligible to join on routes 1 or 2.
This route means you can access full funding to do our global projects, especially those in Southeast Asia. Programme costs will be funded upfront. Travel costs are funded on a reimbursement basis, but can be paid upfront (along with other expenses) if you come from a 'widening participation' background (see here).
The TESOL primer is an Ofqual-backed L3 or L5 self-led course. Don't worry about the jargon: in summary, it will be a course that you can expect to complete during the placement duration or shortly after returning, it will confer an internationally recognised qualification at the end. We will choose the exact course for you according from our available options, taking into account what is the best fit for your programme.
Those that complete the programme and receive strong feedback from the local host and TESOL trainers will be eligible for our career starter opportunity, which means they can do a future project and access full funding for a Trinity CertTESOL upgrade. Your travel is reimbursed once you complete the TESOL primer. Those that do well on the placement and in this course will be considered for access to an upgrade course with Trinity CertTESOL.
4. Trinity CertTESOL Direct Access
*This option gives you direct access to studying for the Trinity CertTESOL. We only make this available to candidates joining us for stays of longer than 3x months . Applicants that meet widening participation criteria are prioritised for this programme.
This route means you can access full funding to do our Fellowship (long-stay) global projects - usually in Thailand. Programme costs will be funded upfront. Travel costs are funded on a reimbursement basis, but can be paid upfront (along with other expenses) if you come from a 'widening participation' background (see here).
With this programme, you immediately embark on the gold standard of all TEFL courses, the one that will clinch you the best careers at the best schools anywhere on Earth. The Trinity CertTESOL!
This course will usually take you six months to complete from enrolment, with lectures each week and occasional homework, including for a period after you return home from our shorter programmes. Our Trinity CertTESOL training partner oversees it all and will brief you on exact commitments. You can read more about the Trinity CertTESOL here.
*To join any of the programmes above, you will need to pay a small commitment deposit, which is returned when you complete programme requirements. You should also plan to have some personal spending money for anything you do or buy outside the programme schedule, we ensure that meals, accommodation and key costs are all covered by funding!