If you’ve decided to get TEFL certified, you may now be facing another question:
Should I choose a 120-hour or 150-hour TEFL course?
Both can provide substantial preparation for teaching English, and both are a significant step up from short introductory TEFL courses. The main difference is straightforward: a 150-hour course gives you more time and depth to develop your teaching knowledge, while a 120-hour course provides a comprehensive foundation in the core skills most new teachers need.
So there isn’t necessarily a “wrong” choice.
The better question is:
How much preparation do you want before you start teaching?
120-Hour vs 150-Hour TEFL at a Glance
| 120-Hour TEFL | 150-Hour TEFL | |
|---|---|---|
| Training level | Comprehensive | More extensive |
| Best suited to | Most aspiring TEFL teachers | Those wanting additional depth |
| Teaching experience | Suitable for first-time teachers | Particularly useful for those wanting more preparation |
| Study commitment | Lower | Higher |
| Core teaching methodology | Yes | Yes |
| Lesson planning | Yes | Yes, with greater depth |
| Classroom preparation | Comprehensive | More extensive |
| Good for teaching abroad | Can be | Can be |
| Good for online teaching | Can be | Can be |
| Main advantage | Strong balance of training, time and value | Maximum core training and preparation |
Individual employers and countries can have their own qualification and work-permit requirements, so course hours alone should never be treated as a guarantee of employment.
What Is a 120-Hour TEFL Course?
A 120-hour TEFL course is one of the most commonly encountered qualification levels in English-language teaching.
The reason is fairly practical.
120 hours gives students enough time to study the main areas involved in teaching English without making the initial training unnecessarily lengthy.
A comprehensive 120-hour course typically covers areas such as:
- Teaching methodology
- Lesson planning
- Classroom management
- Teaching grammar
- Teaching vocabulary
- Pronunciation
- Reading and listening
- Speaking and writing
- Error correction
- Student assessment
For many aspiring teachers, this provides a strong foundation before looking at teaching opportunities.
TEFLEN’s Advanced 120-Hour TEFL Course, for example, is positioned as its career-focused route, covering core methodology, grammar, classroom management and lesson planning.
Explore the Advanced 120-Hour TEFL Course
What Is a 150-Hour TEFL Course?
A 150-hour TEFL course goes further.
It covers the essential foundations of TEFL while providing additional time for broader or deeper study.
This can be particularly valuable if you’re completely new to teaching.
Thirty additional hours might not sound like an enormous difference on paper, but when you’re learning how to plan lessons, explain grammar and manage students for the first time, additional training can be useful.
TEFLEN’s Master 150-Hour TEFL Course is its most extensive core TEFL option and includes additional course depth beyond the Advanced programme.
Explore the Master 150-Hour TEFL Course
Is 120 Hours Enough for TEFL?
For many aspiring teachers, 120 hours provides a substantial level of TEFL training.
You’ll frequently encounter 120 hours when researching TEFL courses and teaching opportunities, which is one reason it has become such a popular choice.
However, it is important to understand what “120 hours” actually means.
The number itself doesn’t make a course good.
Look at:
- What the curriculum covers
- How students are assessed
- Whether lesson planning is included
- Whether trainer support is available
- Accreditation
- Certificate verification
- The reputation and history of the training provider
A well-designed 120-hour programme can be far more useful than choosing a longer course simply because it has a bigger number attached to it.
So Why Choose 150 Hours?
Because sometimes you simply want more preparation.
Imagine two students.
One has some experience tutoring, working with children or delivering professional training. They want a solid TEFL qualification and feel comfortable learning independently.
The 120-hour route may be an excellent fit.
Another student has never taught anyone before. They’re preparing to move abroad and the idea of standing in front of a classroom for the first time is exciting—but slightly intimidating.
That student may appreciate the additional depth of a 150-hour programme.
Neither student is making a better decision.
They’re choosing according to their starting point.
Does a 150-Hour TEFL Look Better Than 120 Hours?
It can demonstrate that you have undertaken additional training.
If an employer is comparing candidates, broader training may strengthen your overall profile. But it would be misleading to suggest that an extra 30 hours automatically puts your application ahead of every candidate with a 120-hour certificate.
Employers can consider many things:
TEFL training + education + English proficiency + experience + interview performance + suitability for the position.
Your TEFL certificate is one part of that picture.
The real advantage of 150 hours is therefore not simply having a larger number on your certificate.
It is having had more opportunity to prepare yourself to teach.
What If You Have No Teaching Experience?
Both courses can work for beginners.
However, if you’ve never taught before, there is a reasonable argument for choosing more training if your budget and available study time allow it.
Think about everything you’re learning for the first time:
How do you plan a 60-minute lesson?
How do you explain a grammar rule without confusing your students?
What happens if an activity finishes 15 minutes early?
How do you teach a class containing stronger and weaker students?
When should you correct a student’s mistake?
How do you get shy students speaking?
These are practical teaching questions.
Additional training gives you more time to develop your understanding before encountering them in a real classroom.
Which Is Better for Teaching Abroad?
Both 120-hour and 150-hour TEFL qualifications can support applications for international teaching opportunities.
However, the country matters as much as the course.
Some destinations or employers may also consider:
- University degree
- Teaching experience
- English proficiency
- Citizenship or language background where relevant
- Work-permit eligibility
- Background checks
- Other professional qualifications
A TEFL qualification strengthens your teacher preparation, but it does not replace legal immigration or individual employer requirements.
If you already know where you want to teach, research that destination before choosing your course.
Which Is Better for Teaching English Online?
Again, either can provide a useful foundation.
Online English teachers still need the same core skills:
- Lesson planning
- Grammar awareness
- Vocabulary teaching
- Error correction
- Student engagement
- Speaking practice
- Assessment
The difference is the environment in which those skills are used.
If online teaching is your main goal, you could also combine your core TEFL qualification with specialist Online Teaching training later.
This can sometimes be more useful than choosing a course based purely on the total number of hours.
Is 150-Hour TEFL Harder Than 120 Hours?
Think more extensive, rather than simply harder.
The additional course hours mean you have more material and training to complete.
That requires a greater time commitment, but it also means more preparation.
TEFLEN’s courses are online and designed for flexible study, so you can fit your training around existing commitments rather than having to complete everything in a traditional classroom schedule. TEFLEN currently provides 12 months of course access across its main course pathways.
What About the Cost?
Naturally, a more extensive course will usually cost more.
But this is another area where you shouldn’t make the decision purely on price.
Ask yourself what the additional training costs relative to the overall qualification.
If there is only a manageable difference between the 120-hour and 150-hour options, someone serious about teaching may decide that the extra training is worthwhile.
On the other hand, if you’re looking for the balance between comprehensive training, affordability and time commitment, the 120-hour course can offer excellent value.
TEFLEN deliberately offers both routes so students don’t have to take more training than they actually want.
Compare TEFLEN’s current course options and fees
120-Hour TEFL May Be Right for You If…
Consider the 120-hour route if you:
- Want comprehensive core TEFL training
- Want to start preparing for teaching opportunities
- Prefer a shorter study commitment
- Want a balance between course depth and affordability
- Already have some teaching, tutoring or training experience
- Plan to add specialist training later
For many students, 120 hours is the natural middle ground.
150-Hour TEFL May Be Right for You If…
Consider the 150-hour route if you:
- Want TEFLEN’s most comprehensive core programme
- Have no previous teaching experience and want additional preparation
- Are planning a longer-term teaching career
- Want greater depth before entering a classroom
- Are comfortable investing additional study time
- Simply prefer to begin with the more extensive qualification
If you’re already thinking, “If I’m going to do TEFL, I’d rather do the most comprehensive option,” the 150-hour course will probably feel like the more natural fit.
What About Specialist TEFL Courses?
There is another option worth considering.
Your core qualification doesn’t have to be the end of your training.
After completing a 120-hour or 150-hour course, you can develop skills in particular teaching areas.
For example:
Business English can be useful if you want to teach professionals.
Young Learners training can help if you intend to work with children.
Online Teaching can help you adapt your teaching skills to virtual classrooms.
This means your decision doesn’t necessarily have to be:
“Which certificate gives me the most hours?”
It can also be:
“Which combination of training best fits the type of teacher I want to become?”
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 120-hour or 150-hour TEFL better?
Neither is automatically better for every student. A 120-hour course provides comprehensive core training, while a 150-hour programme offers additional depth. Your experience, goals, budget and preferred level of preparation should guide the decision.
Is 120 hours enough to teach English abroad?
A 120-hour TEFL qualification can support applications for many teaching opportunities, but individual employers and countries establish their own requirements.
Is a 150-hour TEFL certificate worth it?
It can be particularly worthwhile if you want more extensive teacher preparation, have no previous teaching experience or intend to pursue teaching more seriously.
Do employers prefer 150-hour TEFL?
Some employers may value additional training, but course hours are only one part of an application. Education, experience, English proficiency and other requirements may also matter.
Can beginners take a 150-hour TEFL course?
Yes. In fact, beginners may benefit from the additional preparation because many aspects of teaching will be completely new to them.
Is 150-hour TEFL much harder than 120 hours?
Not necessarily harder, but it requires more study because it provides additional training.
Can I teach online with a 120-hour TEFL?
A 120-hour TEFL qualification can provide a strong foundation for online English teaching. You can also add specialist online-teaching training to develop skills specific to virtual classrooms.
Should I take specialist courses after TEFL?
It depends on your goals. Business English, Young Learners and Online Teaching can be useful if you already know which type of students you would like to teach.
120 Hours or 150 Hours: The Simple Answer
Still undecided?
Here’s perhaps the simplest way to choose.
Choose 120 hours if you want a comprehensive TEFL qualification with a strong balance of training, flexibility and value.
Choose 150 hours if you want the most comprehensive core training available to you and would rather begin your teaching journey with additional preparation.
You don’t need to overthink the extra 30 hours.
Both routes are designed to develop the skills you’ll need as a new English teacher. The difference is primarily how deeply you want to prepare before you begin.
If you’re still unsure, compare the course content side by side before making your decision:
Compare 120-Hour and 150-Hour TEFL Courses
Choose based on the teacher you want to become—not simply the number printed on the certificate.
