TEFL Courses & Certification in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica

I came to Máximo Nivel excited to improve my Spanish and earn my TEFL certification. I hoped it would be a rewarding opportunity to learn and meet people from different backgrounds. Instead, parts of my experience left me feeling unwelcome, overlooked, and disappointed. I’m Filipino, and English isn’t my first language. BUT I’ve also lived and worked in several international settings: I worked in South Korea, studied in Singapore, worked in Switzerland, Oman and spent nearly ten years as a First Class flight attendant in Dubai- UNITED ARAB EMIRATES, and am now Canadian citizen. I’m familiar with multicultural environments, so I was especially troubled by how uncomfortable I sometimes felt at a school that promotes cultural exchange. My experience at the International Office: I often felt uncomfortable approaching Maia for help. When I tried to talk about difficulties I was having, I felt judged rather than supported, and her manner came across to me as cold and dismissive. I also noticed what seemed like a change in her demeanor when a white person entered the office while she was helping me. She appeared warmer and more accommodating. I can’t know what she intended, and I can only speak to my own experience, but the contrast left me wondering whether my ethnicity affected how I was treated. My interactions with Reese, also working at the international office, also left me feeling uneasy. Over time, I found myself hesitating to approach the International Office, even though supporting international students is its purpose. I’ve also encountered people (especially Americans) who made assumptions about my education or abilities because I had worked in Dubai. Those experiences made it all the more important to me to be treated with respect and without cultural stereotypes. I did have positive experiences with Gabby, the head of the International Office, and Rico, who is from South Africa. Both were welcoming and helpful. Questions about the teaching program: During my TEFL course, our instructor, Sean, asked us to apply for a Máximo Nivel teaching program with opportunities in Costa Rica and Guatemala. I submitted my application before some of my American and British classmates, but I never received a callback or meaningful follow-up. My application stated that I’m Filipino. I can’t know whether my nationality played any part in the outcome, and I understand that applying early doesn’t guarantee selection. Still, given how I had already felt at the school, the lack of communication left me with questions. I wasn’t expecting a guaranteed position. I did expect clear information about the selection process. If passport eligibility, visa rules, or other hiring requirements affect who can participate, I believe those requirements should be explained upfront—especially when an institution invites its students to apply. My Spanish classes: My experience in Tania’s group Spanish class was also disappointing. I was the least proficient speaker in the group, which was exactly why I had enrolled. Instead of feeling encouraged, I often felt overlooked. At times, class started about five minutes late. Tania would sit down, turn the fan toward herself, and sometimes apply face powder during class. I also felt that too much of our four-hour class was spent hearing about her personal life, including her dog, or doing seatwork rather than practicing conversation. I had hoped for structured lessons, patience, and plenty of speaking practice. Instead, I left feeling that the class didn’t give me the support or engagement I needed to learn. The people who made a positive difference Not everyone at Máximo Nivel disappointed me. Sean was a professional and capable TEFL instructor, and Nelly, my private Spanish teacher, was excellent. Gabby and Rico were also approachable and helpful. Their conduct showed me the kind of teaching and support I had hoped to experience throughout the program. Final thoughts: My main disappointment is the gap between the school’s message about international exchange and how I felt during parts of my time there. Students should be able to ask for help without feeling intimidated, and language learners should feel supported rather than embarrassed about where they’re starting. I’m sharing this especially for Filipino and other Asian students considering Máximo Nivel. I can’t speak for anyone else, and others may have a different experience, but I want prospective students to know about mine. I didn’t expect special treatment. I expected courtesy, professional instruction, fair consideration, and respect—regardless of my nationality, appearance, or language level. Being a non-native English speaker doesn’t make someone less educated, experienced, or deserving of respect. For the cost and the expectations I had, my overall experience was deeply disappointing. Based on it, I wouldn’t recommend Máximo Nivel. I hope the school takes concerns about cultural sensitivity, communication, recruitment transparency, teaching quality, and staff professionalism seriously.

I had a great experience in the TEFL program. The workload was manageable and the class was very practical. The teacher Russ was very kind and intelligent. It was a great experience overall, no complaints.

I cannot say enough good things about my experience with Máximo Nivel in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica! I came into this program excited to begin a new chapter in my life, and I’m leaving with so much more than just a TEFL certification. The four-week program is intensive, challenging, and incredibly rewarding. The combination of classroom instruction, lesson planning, observations, and hands-on teaching experience really pushes you to grow and develop your skills. One of the things I appreciated most was how much emphasis the program places on actually applying what you learn. By the end of the course, I felt significantly more confident in my ability to plan and deliver effective English lessons. I especially want to recognize Russ, who is an incredible instructor! His knowledge, experience, and dedication to helping his students succeed really make a difference. He provides constructive, thoughtful feedback that challenges you to improve while also helping you recognize your strengths. It’s clear that he genuinely cares about preparing his students to become successful teachers, and I couldn’t have asked for a better instructor to guide me through this experience. What really stands out to me is how much personal and professional growth I’ve experienced in just four weeks. This program challenged me to step outside my comfort zone, develop new skills, and discover a passion for teaching. If you’re considering earning your TEFL certification, I highly recommend Máximo Nivel. Come prepared to work hard, embrace the experience, and challenge yourself. You’ll walk away with practical teaching experience, valuable knowledge, and memories that will last a lifetime. I’m incredibly grateful for this experience and excited to take everything I’ve learned into the next chapter of my teaching career!

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 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!

The course was intense and thorough. The instructor was great and always had an energetic and creative approach to class. Feedback was excellent and thorough always delivered in a timely fashion. Grading was more strict than I liked but the instructor was open to hear my own feedback of his grading. The students that come ro learn English are the best part of the experience

I won't lie to you. This course is RIGOROUS - you have to put in work! But it is very rewarding and so worth it. While TEFL as a concept can be challenging to grasp, the course is so well constructed and the teacher is so patient in guiding you to the finish line! I was lost in the beginning; by the end, I actually felt confident enough to stand in front of a class and teach them English grammar and vocabulary. Class was also very fun and engaging! Lewis never failed to make us laugh and keep the learning exciting. If you have been looking for an immersive experience to be able to learn TEFL and get certified, Maximo Nivel would a great choice!

As this is a legit program, I will say my experience is one that I found valuable. Although we had a traditional TEFL curriculum, the practical teaching and observation elements of the program were beneficial. This is a busy program and as a hybrid participant it definitely felt nonstop with getting through the online modules, the observations, the grammar paper, and the teaching days. Although you may earn a flexible experience, the weakest aspect of this program is that they advertise job placement within 30 days of program completion and that is false advertisement. They are not the most forthcoming with how you can be hired by them and what positions they as an organization they are directly looking for in possibly hiring their TEFL graduates and also when they will. Do not be fooled by this. Although the Academic Director is a mostly cool guy and very knowledgeable as a TEFL instructor, he will swear that he will help with job placement, tell you to use him as a reference but is not the most forthcoming with being available after the program is over for more questions. After the work and money you put in to the program, I have found it to be the most disappointing aspect of the program that it is advertised just as it seems many international TEFL programs are advertising job placement after credential completion and not delivering. Trust them to academically haze you but do not trust them to hire you within 30 days even if you do earn a Pass/Good from the program.

I completed the online TEFL with Maximo. I definitely recommend if you are looking for a complete online learning experience. Solid support from the instructors and I never had any issues getting a response when I had questions. The practical teaching was a great experience to finish the course.

I did the TEFL course through Maximo Nivel in January 2026, and it was incredible!! My TEFL instructor was very kind and attentive and provided lots of good feedback which resulted in me feeling extremely prepared for my future EFL teaching career! Maximo is great at providing resources while you are with them, and equally as good at helping you with your next steps. You should definitely choose Maximo Nivel to do your TEFL course!! You will not regret it!!!

I loved the TEFL course in Maximo Nivel, Quepos, I want to shout out all the staff here; Lewis, Marinela, Karen, Viviana, Roger and more! They are attentive, kind, and all sharing of the same mindset centred around delivering top quality English (ESOL) and Spanish education to the students here.

This TEFL course was intensive and difficult at times, but manageable. I got lots of valuable insight into the teaching philosophy of Maximo Nivel, what is expected of teachers working for the institute, and how those teachers are evaluated. I have gained a lot of respect for the teachers who go through this course. It was not easy, and I can understand why some teachers have not succeeded in passing this course. This course was a great experience in practical teaching techniques. It surpassed my original TEFL course I took eight years ago in this regard. This was a fun, educational, and rigorous course that I would absolutely recommend to others interested in becoming teachers of English as a second language.

This TEFL course was incredibly worthwhile and surpassed all my expectations. As a hybrid student I completed the first half of the course online and the second half in-person in Costa Rica. Lewis is an outstanding teacher, and not only prepared us well, but truly made the classes fun. Also, the central location in Quepos was great. I would highly recommend getting TEFL certified with Maximo, and especially at this location with Lewis.

I spent 4 weeks on the TEFL course in Quepos, Costa Rica. This is a relatively intensive course including multiple opportunities for practical teaching and theoretical assignments. This is not a cheap course, but you pay for what you get. Lewis is an excellent instructor. His lessons are high quality, thorough and very engaging. You will not be bored! For the first two weeks our class had only myself and one other, which was not what I had been expecting. However, this allowed for a more personal lesson environment, which was very nice. There are frequent feedback opportunities and the learning curve is appropriate. You are not jettisoned right into full teaching right away. Things build up nicely so that you are fully prepared for full class teaching. There is no stress, But do expect to work hard and dedicate time away from class to prepare for lessons and complete your assignments.