TEFL Courses & Certification in Central America

My experience with Xplore has been incredible. From the entire staff being supportive in my journey to the practical experiences I learned in my TESOL course, Xplore is most definitely a program I can recommend to anyone that is interested in teaching English abroad.

Maximo Nivel has been a great organization to work with while taking the TEFL course in Costa Rica. The staff has been helpful from first asking questions, to arrival, and throughout our stay. They have great recommendations for food, recreation, activities and anything you need during your stay. Lewis has been an absolute blast to have as a TEFL instructure. He makes grammer enjoyable and helps the entire class grow in their teaching. Plus, living in Costa Rica for 4 weeks has been phenomenal! Our apartment has been perfect! The onsite pool has been a wonderful stress releiver and the common area is great place to socialise with other folks doing all sorts of Maximo activies and programs. The rainforest, animals, and the beach has been unforgetable.

This TEFL course is simply the best. From how to manage a class to grammar rules to job searching assistance, this course will help you with everything in your teaching journey. What sets this course apart from me is the opportunity to teach actual language learners. They were a pure delight. Plus, your instructor encourages you and challenges you every step of they way. As a twenty five year educator, this TEFL course has reminded of the joy of teaching. I can't recommend this course enough! Go as soon as you can. The hard part will be--you won't want to leave Costa Rica!

I did the TEFL class from 22 June - 19 July 2026. I found this program through endorsement by Ramsey Solutions. Something I didn't know is Costa Rica is the most expensive country option: your money will go further in other sites. My instructor was highly qualified and taught the course exactly how we are expected to teach. It crams a semester's worth of information into 4 weeks, including 2 6-page papers. If you come prepared to work and not vacation, this is an excellent option. I'm not sure what the job placement guarantee is, since I want to teach online, and was told it takes several months to build up to a full schedule. Something I wish I knew: there is no air conditioning if you stay with a host family. However, it's an extremely valuable opportunity to improve your Spanish if that's something you want to do.

I really enjoyed this TEFL course. The instructor was very funny, knowledgeable, and created a positive learning environment. The lessons were well organized and included a great balance of theory and hands-on teaching practice, which helped me feel more confident in the classroom. I especially appreciated the practical activities, lesson planning, and opportunities to observe and teach real students. This course gave me valuable skills that I can use in my future teaching career. I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in teaching English abroad or working with English language learners.

Getting TEFL certified with Maximo Nivel was amazing. The instructor Lewis was amazing in every aspect. Whether it was giving feedback to better myself, or engagingly teaching grammar, this is an experience I am extremely glad to have done.

This self-paced course was well organized, easy to navigate, and broken into manageable lessons. The classroom videos were particularly helpful, providing beginners with realistic examples of effective ESOL instruction. The practicum was an invaluable opportunity to put the concepts into practice, reinforcing everything covered throughout the course. Overall, the training was comprehensive and equipped me with the knowledge and confidence to handle a wide range of situations in the classroom.

I did the hybrid TEFL course in June 2026 in Antigua Guatemela. My first two weeks were self paced online and the second two were in person. It was located in the beautiful city of Antigua with create culture and food, I really enjoyed living here. My instructor was Lewis Murphy, he was very English: lots of energy and very experienced and knowledge. There were 4 other onsite students and I joined half way through their 4 weeks in person. I am graduating today and very happy I did this course!

My expectations have definitely changed, although I’m not quite sure I have a solid set of expectations now. TEFL has really taught me to be prepared for anything and everything, and for that reason I think I’m having trouble setting expectations for the rest of the course. What I can say is that my expectations regarding how I’d be teaching have changed drastically. I’ve always relied on my explanations and speaking skills to teach, so having that taken away and replaced with eliciting and CCQing was quite a challenging task. Though, as said in the faithful TEFL certification manual, the best teaching method is eclectic, which in my terms means : trick question, there isn’t one. Every student, every classroom, and every situation will differ, and that will require multiple different methods in different moments. After being “TEFLed” myself, I really started to understand how and why the method works. A standout moment in this realization was when our instructor, Lewis, taught us a TEFL class as if we were native speaking students. He did this by teaching it entirely in German. I speak English and French, and I’ve learned Spanish, but without that one simple hour I don’t think I’d ever truly comprehend how it feels to be a student in a TEFL class. As you can imagine, it was very confusing and overwhelming at first, but with good elicits and CCQs, I actually felt like I was beginning to understand in a language that had absolutely no meaning in my brain. It was incredible, and since then I’ve been holding on to the compassion I felt in that mock class. So yes, my expectations have changed, but I think it’s fair to say that change is purely positive

Lewis Murphy was my TEFL teacher in Antigua and it was really awesome. I never even knew what TEFL was and I had so much fun with my friends and I will teach in honour of Lewis he isn’t dead but he is leaving Maximo so RIP

When I arrived at the airport, I was feeling a little overwhelmed and uncertain. Moving to a new country and joining a program like this was a big step, and I had all kinds of questions running through my mind: Would someone be there to pick me up? Was everything really going to work out as planned? Thankfully, the shuttle arrived right on time, and the staff made the transition to our hostel feel seamless and welcoming. From that point on, the experience became the adventure of a lifetime. Our instructor, Nikki, brought incredible energy and enthusiasm to every lesson, making the coursework engaging and enjoyable. One of the most valuable aspects of the program was the opportunity to gain real classroom experience. Being able to apply what we were learning in an authentic setting helped build my confidence and better prepare me for teaching. The program also provided a great balance between learning and exploration. We participated in several excursions that felt like fun field trips, allowing us to experience more of Costa Rica while building connections with our classmates. What stood out most was how supportive and knowledgeable the staff were throughout the entire process. They even helped me navigate my journey from San Ramón to my teaching placement in Guanacaste after the program ended. Their support didn't stop there—they have continued to check in and make sure I am adjusting well to my new school, and I feel comfortable reaching out whenever I have questions or concerns. I have truly enjoyed the teaching position they helped me secure and am grateful for the opportunities this program has provided. Overall, I found the experience to be well worth the investment, and I would highly recommend it to anyone considering teaching abroad.

I spent an amazing month in Quepos with Maximo Nivel completing the TEFL course. The TEFL course moves at a fast pace and is packed with great content. The instructor, Lewis Murphy, brings his energy and enthusiasm to each class making the experience fun and enjoyable. I highly recommend this intense course for anyone seeking to get TEFL certified.

My TEFL month was fast paced, intellectually challenging, profound, practice, and truly enjoyable. As a solo female traveler, I always had peace of mind having the support of the Maximo staff, my host family, and my TEFL group. The climate, access to incredible beaches and national parks, and the small town charm of Quepos and Manuel Antonio made this experience a 10/10!

I ordered a Hard Copy certificate and it took longer than expected to get sent out. I could not get through to anyone on the phone or by email, which I am putting down to COVID Lockdown and the office being closed. As soon as I used the Chat, Kate was very helpful and told me the status of my order straight away. I have given 4 stars purely because contacting them by phone and email was so hard, but the chat feature is excellent, so try that first if you need help.

I’ve just finished the 10 Hour Advanced Certificate in TEFL Classroom Methodologies Course and I would absolutely recommend it to anyone thinking about signing up. Everything was clearly structured, well planned, and really straightforward to follow. I was a bit anxious at the beginning, but Kate had me, and everyone else on the course, feeling comfortable almost straight away. We started with a few warmers so we could get to know each other, and I honestly think that made it easier for everyone to relax and fully take part in every part of the course. Kate stayed professional throughout, but she also made sure it was enjoyable and never too heavy, so it didn’t feel like being overloaded with information you could not keep up with. I genuinely can’t rate this course highly enough for anyone interested, it is excellent and completely worth doing.

I genuinely cannot recommend the Level 5 Advanced Diploma enough. Everything is explained in a clear, bite sized format, so it is easy to take your time and work through it at whatever pace suits you. On top of that, you come away with loads of resources that you can keep for future lessons or use to dig deeper when you are studying and preparing. I would also suggest the 30 Hour Teaching English Online, the 30 Hour Teaching Young Learners, the 30 Hour Teaching Advanced Grammar, and the 10 Hour Advanced Certificate in TEFL Classroom Methodologies courses. In the Classroom Methodologies course, Michelle Benson is so kind and straightforward that you finish it feeling like you are genuinely ready to walk into a real classroom. Altogether, these courses have left me feeling fully prepared to teach English to actual students.

Hi everyone! Since July, I have completed my third TELF Institute course, which were the 180 hours, TELF for Teaching Business English and Teaching English for Exams. I honestly cannot recommend these TELF courses enough. I found them demanding, yet still really fun to work through. Everything is presented in a way that makes sense, and the quizzes and assessments help the content actually stick. Even though I already teach foreign languages, I have taken so much from these courses and now I feel properly prepared for what is next, because I am hoping to teach in Spain or South America. The TELF courses have given me a great deal. If you are thinking about doing one, just do it. You will not regret it! Thanks TELF Institute, Richard

I had a great time doing the 120 hour TEFL course. Everything is set up in a clear way, and each module breaks things down so it is easy to understand. I would definitely suggest it to anyone who is just getting started with a career in teaching English.

Everything in the course was presented clearly, and the layout made it simple to work through. I liked that it combined videos, audio recordings, and reading sections rather than relying on just one format. In each module, they also pointed to extra resources and suggested further reading if you wanted to go beyond the basics. All in all, I would recommend doing the 120 hour TEFL course with this company.

I’ve just enrolled on the Level 5 Diploma and, honestly, it feels thorough while still being nicely compact and clearly laid out. The course gives you lots of resources, plus links out to other sites, which really help build your understanding of the topic. You are given all the tools needed for the quizzes and assessments, and there is tutor guidance along with support on Discord if you get stuck. I also completed the 10hr Methodologies Course with Michelle Benson and found her so motivating. She showed us what delivering a lesson looks like, guided us through a foreign language class, and shared loads of practical advice from what she has seen firsthand. In the online session, each of us had a 5 minute slot to practise teaching, and she gave feedback after everyone had a go. I would absolutely suggest these TEFL courses to anyone considering teaching English to speakers of other languages.