I had an AMAZING time!
I was scared to do this program but Sean is a very cool and nice teacher made me feel comfortable and confident, I loved having Sean as a teacher he made sure I was understanding all the concepts and took time to guide me.

by MAXIMO NIVEL
Explore Peru’s vibrant culture, breathtaking landscapes, and ambitious spirit while taking one of the most exciting steps of your life—earning your TEFL certification.
A TEFL certification is your ticket to travel and teach as a professional English instructor anywhere in the world. Maximo Nivel’s 4-week, 150-hour TEFL Certification Program is a thorough and practical introduction to Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL). It is fun, intense, and pushes aspiring teachers to hone their classroom skills.
The program focuses on practical teaching, lesson planning, classroom management, and more, and includes 100 hours of in-class instruction, 35 hours of required reading and written assignments, and 15 hours of observation and practical teaching.
As an ESL institute, Maximo Nivel understands the unique needs of second-language learners and integrates this knowledge into the TEFL Certification program. TEFL Program participants learn how to teach in a real ESL school! This is an important difference when compared to other TEFL programs.
Note: Academic credit is available for this program through Maximo Nivel's official School of Record.
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Updated Sep 28, 2026
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18+
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Full Refund
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I was scared to do this program but Sean is a very cool and nice teacher made me feel comfortable and confident, I loved having Sean as a teacher he made sure I was understanding all the concepts and took time to guide me.
Sean at Máximo Nivel in cusco peru is absolutely outstanding. He has a wealth of knowledge and experience he’s eager to share, provides incredible insight on future opportunities and is dedicated to your future as an esl teacher. The international in house team are there for you every step of the way for any concerns. Highly recommend
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This tefl course was phenomenal. I did the four week course with Sean, and it was extremely educational! I learned TEFL teaching techniques and got to teach an entire class for a week. Plus, the international team was very supportive :) I’d highly recommend!
The instructor, Sean was focused and creative, providing a learning atmosphere for each and every TEFL student. We had a great time and appreciated the training and support. Cusco is a great location.
I had been looking for a TEFL academy for a while, and I couldn't have chosen a better place than Maximo Nivel in Cusco. Sean is an amazing trainer. The course was challenging, but he always made it feel manageable with his guidance and support. The school is beautiful, and one of the best parts is that you get to teach real students in an intercultural environment. Everyone on the staff is incredibly kind and always willing to help. They provide all the materials you need for your lessons, from markers to unlimited printing, so you can focus on becoming a better teacher. Cusco is also an amazing place to do your TEFL. The food is great, the people are friendly, and it's easy to get around the city. The Practical Teaching Week was my favorite part of the course. I absolutely loved it! The students are so kind and motivated to learn English, and teaching them was such a rewarding experience. Of course, there were some challenging moments, but Sean was always there to support me and help me improve. I also met wonderful people who share the same passion for teaching, and I made great friends along the way. As a non-native English speaker, I always felt supported and encouraged. Maximo Nivel is an amazing place to earn your TEFL certification, regardless of whether English is your first language. They truly help you build the confidence and skills you need to become a successful English teacher. This was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and I can't recommend Maximo Nivel highly enough to anyone thinking about getting their TEFL certification!
My instructor, Karen, was amazing! I have nothing negative to say about her or the course. When I initially signed up, the partner company I booked through didn't provide much information about the institute, however, I have no regrets about coming here and doing my program with Maximo Nivel.
I thoroughly enjoyed this course! The content was relevant and my instructor, Sean, was very knowledgeable and personable. He was encouraging and have honest feedback. While the course seemed intimidating at first (a full semester's worth of work in one month), I was able to make it through and I've never felt more accomplished!
I did this course in March 2026 and loved every second! I learned a lot during the 4 weeks and felt confident during the practical teaching week. Sean was an amazing teacher, he has a lot of expereince and it shows! The class itself was really fun, and I also enjoyed exploring Cusco!
Every day I learned more, and improved in my teaching. Especially helpful was all the time we spent teaching actual students and classes. The teacher reviews of my teaching were fantastic. They provided the guidance I needed in order to improve.
After completing several classes of Spanish throughout college, I am very much inspired to teach English to others the same way my Spanish professor had to me. I will never forget how happy and excited she was to cram Spanish in our brains everyday. She made learning a new language so fun and easy. When it comes to my experience training with MAximo Nivel, I believe this has got to be one of the best places to begin or continue a teaching career in all of Latin America. The team here in Maximo are all on the same wave length of people who enjoy the connection and share the same values of teaching. Furthermore, the organization´s layout for teaching classes, what they recommend their teachers to do and what their goal criteria is attuned towards maximum freedom for teachers to use their creativity and custom interaction, and they employ all the students in every level of class to practice the language as much as they can on their own even within the class. By far I would recommend anyone to work here, as I believe it is an incredibly unique and positive company in itself along with the people, students and teachers.
I had a phenomenal time studying TEFL with Sean at Maximo Nivel here in Cusco Peru. It was great. Each day was packed with learning and insightful knowledge from professionals. During the TEFL course here in Peru you will be equipped with all the knowledge that you need in order to teach ESL. I thoroughly enjoyed my time studying with Maximo Nivel!
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Sean was amazing! I feel prepared to move forward in my ESL career confidently after dedicating a month to this certificate. His thoughtful guidance, detailed feedback, and steady encouragement helped me grow far more than I expected. Throughout the course, I gained practical tools for planning lessons, managing the classroom, and engaging students meaningfully. I now feel genuinely excited, empowered, and ready to apply everything I’ve learned in my future ESL teaching roles.
I feel incredibly grateful for having had the opportunity of joining this course and of learning so much from it. I’ll make the most of all the techniques I’ve learnt, and I would like to thank in particular my TEFL teacher, Sean, for being an incredible person and the best teacher I’ve ever had, and in general, for being such an inspiration. ✨️✨️✨️✨️✨️
Sean was amazing! I feel prepared to move forward in my ESL career confidently since dedicating a month to this certificate. His guidance, feedback, and consistent encouragement pushed me to grow in ways I didn’t expect. I not only gained practical tools for the classroom, but also a stronger sense of purpose as an educator. This experience has reshaped how I view teaching, and I’m excited to bring these skills into my future ESL roles.
Amazing teacher Sean Barker goes above and beyond for his students. Great school facilities with free unlimited tea and coffee. The school also offers Spanish classes. Highly recommend this for anyone interested in TEFL!
I took the hybrid TEFL course through Maximo-Nivel. The online course was created to ensure your success. I was able to navigate the online platform easily and appreciated the personal feedback on writing assignments from the same instructor I had in-person later in Cusco. The pacing of the course prepares you to get hands on teaching experience and immediate feedback within the short four week period. It’s crammed full of practical teaching information. I appreciated the staffs focus on my comfort and safety while I stayed in a part of the world I’d never been to. It’s an experience I’ll never forget, and I am grateful for MaximoNivel’s lifelong commitment to ensuring my TEFL certification will be combined with real world job placement support.
I took the TEFL course in Cusco, Peru with Máximo Nivel. I strongly recommend this course for any other English speakers who have even the slightest interest in teaching! Going into the course, I had almost zero teaching experience; after just four weeks, I now feel like I could enter a TEFL classroom and be a confident, effective teacher. There was so much practical teaching experience; it was stressful at first, but every moment was worth it, and the MN staff were so supportive and helpful.
Sean and Christina were just amazing instructors. They are both knowledgeable, so supportive and they gave me so much confidence during practical teaching week. They always made sure to highlight the positives while also helping me to improve in problem areas. They honestly did a great job. Also, thank you Ollie and Lucas for visiting me in the clinic.
This course was excellent! I learned a great deal and the practical teaching experience was an amazing way to apply this real world experience. I completed the hybrid course and felt that the transition was seemless. Sean and Christina were excellent guides and very helpful and supportive, not to mentioned inspiring. Highly recommend!
Very honest, trustworthy and organised. I would highly recommend the TEFL course with Maximo Nivel in Cusco. Sean Barter at Maximo and the team are very accommodating and provide practical knowledge to assist their student teachers.
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FAQs
Get answers to all the most common questions about MAXIMO NIVEL.
Maximo Nivel offers a job placement guarantee and lifetime job-finding support for our TEFL graduates. If you have a native English proficiency (C2 CEFR) and pass your TEFL course with a Pass-Good or higher grade, we have a teaching position waiting for you! Your TEFL course includes a workshop and resume/CV preparation to find the best international teaching positions.
When you earn your Maximo Nivel TEFL Certification, you have completed a rigorous teacher training course that exceeds all global standards. We have successfully trained more than 5,250 TEFL graduates since 2004, and Maximo alumni continue teaching all over the world.
Yes! You begin teaching mini-lessons in week 1 and continue throughout the course. The TEFL course also includes 6 hours wherein you observe experienced ESL teachers leading their classes. In the final week of the TEFL course, you take over a live English class with real, non-native students and teach 60-minute lessons for 5 days, during which you are observed and coached by your TEFL trainer.
Read interviews from alumni or staff

Participated in 2018
AlumniSarah Danielle is a 24 years old who is currently a kindergarten teacher in California. She has worked with children ages 1-16 over the last six years...
After teaching English in Italy in 2016, I realized that I wanted to take this career path more seriously and invest in my education with a TEFL certification. I want to teach in a country that is different than America, where I can genuinely make a difference and help children to have more opportunities in their lives by speaking English and having me as their teacher.
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Participated in 2016
AlumniEmily is a 25 year old Spanish teacher from Ohio, where she has been teaching high school for almost three years. She studied abroad in Spain twice, b...
As a foreign language teacher, languages and travel are my passion. I try to travel as often as possible to improve my language skills and create new experiences I can share in my classroom.
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Participated in 2016
AlumniJennifer is from western New York. She has lived, worked, and traveled in Mexico, Brazil, and Peru. Currently, her master’s degree in speech, language...
Last year, my husband and I visited Cusco briefly as a part of guided tour of Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley. Over the four or five days we were there, I was thrilled to feel my Spanish-speaking muscles bulking up quickly. On a cab ride back from the train station at Ollantaytambo on our second to last day, I was practicing my Spanish with the cab driver. He mentioned that many Cusquenas and Peruvians want to learn English and take advantage of the area's booming tourism industry. In that dark and bumpy ride, I began planning my return trip! The clouds of ideas were forming. I wanted to learn to teach English as a Second Language, and teach it Cusco.
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Participated in 2014
AlumniJordan grew up in Colorado and taught Spanish and ESL in public schools for a few years in Wyoming. She studied abroad in northern Chile in college, a...
I want to go to graduate school to pursue a PhD in Romance Languages. I have a degree in Spanish, but I knew I wanted to live abroad, immersed in the language and culture, and really perfect my Spanish skills before beginning such a high-caliber program. Having a degree in teaching ESL already, I knew I could get a job teaching English abroad without going through a TEFL/TESOL Certification program, but I wanted to go through an organization so that I would have a support system in my new home and could ease into life abroad with a group of peers who were doing the same type of thing as I was.
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