250-Hour TESOL Diploma (Online)

When considering this program, you need to be particularly careful if you hold a passport which is not from the major English-speaking countries like the US, UK, Australia, Canada & New Zealand. No matter what your mother tongue or level of fluency, most TESOL employers will immediately categorise you as a “non-native English speaker” (NNES) which will bar you from most TESL jobs despite this certification. And speaking of the certification, please be aware that in addition to the huge hidden disadvantage of being an NNES, you will have to jump through quite a few extra hoops -including unexpected post-course costs - to get your certificates verified by a Canadian public notary. Similarly you have to initiate separate processes - and yes, more fees - to get the touted TESL Canada and ACTDEC accreditation officially. Not only that, to obtain the TESL Canada certification, after filling a form, paying registration and annual fees for membership, students must then independently source and organise, either a 20-hour online practicum for Level 1 or a 50-hour in-person practicum at accredited centre for Level 2 certificate. In stark contrast, Gold-standard, internationally respected programs like Cambridge CELTA/DELTA or Trinity CertTESOL include their global recognition and practical components seamlessly. Add to this the fact that OnTESOL’s 'free lifetime job assistance' operates as a passive directory rather than active, hands-on recruitment. There are some other things you can miss while reading OnTESOL’s main promotional materials highlighting high global salaries and ease of hiring, Specifically, the aforementioned passport filter but most surprisingly, their terms include an asymmetrical intellectual property clause: students are legally barred from sharing their own original assignments with future employers or tutors, yet OnTESOL retains the right to use that student work for their own advertising and educational materials. Academic-wise, the initial course layout was opaque and poorly organized. My first tutor responded to queries only in monosyllables, making it an immense struggle to gather clear information. To their credit, management was gracious when I formally complained; they granted course extensions and assigned me an excellent second tutor, the highly competent and cooperative Ms. Margaret Hurley who helped me learn a great deal about lesson-planning frameworks. While you can absolutely learn here if you advocate for yourself, and fall in the category of a native English speaker, the program requires serious structural revision and proactive career support. Non-native English speakers should carefully review these buried parameters before purchasing. UPDATE (August 2026): After posting this review, a Student Advisor named Dan Bailly contacted me and explicitly stated that if I keep my review up, they will refuse to provide a job reference to my future employers and in fact give negative feedback to them. Prospective students should be aware that this company uses reference extortion to suppress negative feedback highlighting their real policies as well as the true career prospects for non-native English speakers.

​I recently completed the 250-hour TESOL Diploma online with onTESOL, and I couldn't be more pleased with the experience. From start to finish, the program was well-structured, engaging, and incredibly convenient for my busy schedule.The online format offered a degree of flexibility, allowing me to manage my study time alongside my other commitments. While there was a structured timeframe for completing the diploma, the ability to study at my own pace within those parameters was beneficial. The course materials were comprehensive and up-to-date​. I particularly appreciated the diverse range of modules that covered everything from lesson planning and classroom management to language acquisition and cultural sensitivity. ​The instructors were knowledgeable and supportive, providing prompt and helpful feedback on assignments. The online platform was user-friendly and easy to navigate, making the learning process seamless. I also found the practical components, such as the lesson planning exercises and the video observa​tions, to be invaluable in preparing me for real-world teaching scenarios. During my practicum, my mentor was incredibly supportive, offering constructive feedback and guidance that significantly enhanced my learning experience. It's important to note that this program is demanding. The 250-hour diploma requires dedication and consistent effort. However, this rigor is precisely what makes it such a strong and respected qualification. ​Furthermore, the job search assistance provided was excellent, offering valuable resources and support to help me navigate the job market. If you're looking for a flexible, high-quality TESOL program that delivers real value, and you're prepared to put in the work, I highly recommend onTESOL. ​

My experience with Ontesol's 250-hour TESOL certificate course has been overwhelmingly positive. I've been wanting to make a career move into something I would actually enjoy, and I really want to experience living abroad, so I decided on getting a TEFL/TESOL certificate. I couldn't quit my full-time job, so I needed a program I could do completely online. I found Ontesol by following a link from a website in a language school in Japan, which had listed the programs in Canada deemed acceptable in terms of TEFL/TESOL certificates (due to being accredited). I chose Ontesol after researching the programs on their list and liking what I read in the reviews of people who had completed the program. Being a mature student, I was extremely nervous when I enrolled in the program. It'd been 20 years since I'd been in school, and I had to cope with working full-time, plus a number of other obstacles (most importantly, not having internet or a computer at home). I was worried I wouldn't be able to keep up, and I may have actually panicked at first, but in the first week I contacted my tutor, Ms. Margaret Hurley, and was up-front about my concerns. She gave me some very practical advice about how to approach the programme with my challenges, and was always available with extremely prompt replies to any questions or concerns I had as I completed the course. With my situation, I needed more time than most people probably would have to do the assignments, but I followed her advice in terms of pacing, and was able to finish the program on time. If she hadn't advised me so well at the very start, I would have struggled immensely, and if she was not so incredibly knowledgeable about teaching and the English Language and so generous with her sharing of that knowledge in her feedback, I never would have completed the course with distinction as I did. I would definitely recommend this program to anyone looking to gain TEFL/TESOL certification. I chose the 250-hour programme because I wanted to interact with the material and concepts on a more comprehensive level and I absolutely feel like I achieved that with this course. Looking back at where I was when I started, I can hardly believe how much I've learned. I didn't just gain a wealth of practical knowledge, but also an understanding of the theory and concepts behind what it means to teach, how we learn, and the use and application of the English language. The skills I gained in this program can be applied in so many different settings, and has opened up many more options for me than solely classroom teaching. I also completed the specialty courses offered by Ontesol (Teaching English to Young Learners, Teaching Business English, Teaching IELTS, and Teaching English Online), and I also recommend these courses to anyone interested in these areas. My Tutor was Mr. James Green, and he was very knowledgeable and supportive. I feel the specialty courses rounded out the education I got from the TESOL programme very well, and after completion, I know I would be a lot less prepared to meet my goals for teaching English. I'd also like to add that my experience with the programme's administration staff, Sebastian in particular, was exemplary. I always received a prompt reply to any inquiry, and Sebastian went completely above and beyond to offer me encouragement and support when I was having difficulty due to a bereavement.

Having had a lot of teaching experience in Canada and abroad, but no diploma to prove my ability to teach languages, I was looking for a flexible and reputable second language teaching program without having to go back to university and spend thousands of dollars in tuition. Also, I wanted to be able to continue balancing work, study and family life (I have 3 sons). Was that even possible? Yes! My research led me to OnTESOL. The TESL programs offered are not only completely online (allowing flexibility of schedule: I could study whenever the house was quiet, in the morning (when the kids were in school) or late at night (when the kids were sleeping)), but also the content is comparable to any other TESL programs offered at universities -- it is approved by TESL Canada. Personally, I was particularly looking forward to the Methodology section of the diploma (lesson planning) and I was not disappointed at all. I've implemented some of the ideas and strategies into my teaching right away! I completed the 250hrs TESOL Diploma with Margaret Hurley as my tutor, as well as 3 specialty courses (teaching IELTS preparation, Business English and Teaching Online) with James Green as tutor. Both were excellent and very knowledgeable in their field. Their feedback, comments, and suggestions on my assignments were insightful. Everything considered I highly recommend all the OnTESOL courses to anyone wanting to become a qualified English language teacher without breaking the bank.

I had many questions about English Language Instruction, and I was not left wanting. This course provides both breadth and depth for prospective English Language instructors, with an overview of the history of Second Language Acquisition and how different pedagogical perspectives developed over time, as well as the advantages and drawbacks of each methodology. This allows teachers to be flexible when considering the needs of diverse learners and teaching contexts. Modules which explained teaching grammatical concepts and articulatory phonetics gave me a holistic understanding of English language instruction. There was ample opportunity for both theoretical understanding and the development of applicable real-world skills. Each time I was exposed to a new approach or idea, I was given an opportunity to explore it in the following assignment. At no point did I feel that content in the course was superfluous. Additionally, I was lucky to have been provided a tutor with exceptional experience in language instruction and teacher instruction. My tutor Margaret Hurley provided timely, thorough feedback which helped me deepen my understanding of the course content and improve over time.

OnTESOL provided me with a great way to receive the high quality training that an English Teacher requires without having to spend a year or more in full-time education again and spending thousands of dollars. The content is the same as that required for any TESL program and is approved by TESL Canada, but I was able to do it at my own pace. The tutor I was assigned was very knowledgeable and supportive throughout my program, I learned a lot through his feedback and comments on my work. The administrators were very helpful if I had technical problems or required any assistance. I would recommend OnTESOL's program as a great way to obtain your qualifications to be able to become an English language teacher.

I recently finished a 250-hour TESOL diploma from OnTESOL with additional courses in Teaching IELTS, Business English, and Teaching Online. In addition, I completed a teaching practicum. My main take-away from the experience is that I received a very strong and thorough education from OnTESOL. Just because it's online doesn't mean it's easy. I started the coursework in mid-May 2020 and finished the practicum in late June 2021. The tutors' feedback is very well explained and incisive. There were plenty of videos and resource suggestions to supplement the reading. I would recommend this course to anyone who wants to be a good teacher. Ironically, I was glad to be at home during the pandemic because it gave me more time to work on the courses. I especially appreciated the sections on theory and methodology - it is already helpful to me. Good news - I found a volunteer teaching position before I finished the practicum. To explain, I wanted to first volunteer experience because teaching English is a "side hustle" and the ESL teaching jobs in my city are competitive. The verdict - OnTESOL will give you an excellent training in TESOL, but it is hard. Be prepared to spend several hours a week working on your courses and assignments! Lesson planning is especially hard, but you can get it (hint: study the example lessons over and over again).

I have not yet had the opportunity to go abroad but I’m looking forward to it. I’m sure it will be an amazing experience. Having this certification will give me a huge advantage when I’m applying for jobs.

I had already been living in Greece for a while when the idea of teaching English to Greek children was presented to me. The children are so eager to learn and schools are always on the look-out for native speakers. Searching the internet I found OnTesol and I was on my way. The course itself, well-presented and easy to follow, was backed up by the support and insight of my tutor. Having finished my practicum in Canada, I felt confident that I had gained the skills I needed. A good teaching course is invaluable in giving you a solid foundation and set of tools with which to start out. I am shy by nature but found that teaching English to speakers of other languages invigorating, bringing out a side of me that I had never known existed. Share, teach and learn. It is worth it.

This is a high quality program and it costs about half the price of other TESL Canada Standard 2 programs. The assignments in the online course takes you through every step of a lesson plan to the point that you are able to do full lesson plans with authentic materials. Highly recommended for those who want to take the job seriously and build a career. The Practicum is essential if you want to be ready for the job, as you will be placed in a real classroom situation and your lesson planning skills will be put to the test in a fast-paced environment.