OTCAC
20201216A
OTCAC independently accredits online courses against its published standards. Its current accredited-provider directory lists StudyTEFL's 120-hour and 168-hour TEFL courses.
StudyTEFL accreditation
Don't take “accredited TEFL” on trust. Check what it actually means.
StudyTEFL's core TEFL courses are accredited by OTCAC. StudyTEFL is also registered on the UK Register of Learning Providers and currently lists CPD-verified accreditation. Those are three different credentials, with three different functions.
This page gives you the references, the external verification routes and the limitations. If a job requires CELTA, Trinity CertTESOL, an Ofqual-regulated Level 5 qualification or supervised teaching practice with real students, StudyTEFL is not a substitute for that requirement.
OTCAC 20201216AUKPRN 10089401CPD-verified 002965QR-verifiable certificates
Three credentials, three different jobs
Accreditation, provider registration and CPD verification are not interchangeable.
This is the part TEFL websites often compress into a row of logos. We think the distinction matters more than the logo.
UKRLP
UKPRN 10089401
The UK Register of Learning Providers assigns a UKPRN after provider details are verified against a recognised external source. UKRLP itself states that registration is not Department for Education accreditation or quality assurance of the learning provision.
CPD-verified
002965
StudyTEFL currently lists CPD-verified accreditation as a separate external professional-development credential. We keep it apart from OTCAC course accreditation and UKRLP registration because the three labels do not mean the same thing.
What accreditation does and does not tell you
Useful external quality evidence, without pretending it answers every hiring question.
What it does mean
- StudyTEFL is not asking you to rely only on its own internal claim that the course is good enough.
- OTCAC provides an external course-accreditation framework and publicly lists accredited institutions and courses.
- You can independently check the provider's OTCAC status before enrolling.
- UKRLP gives the company a separate, government-operated provider-registration record and UKPRN.
- Current StudyTEFL certificates also have their own verification layer through QR-linked online records.
What it does not mean
- UKRLP registration does not mean the UK government has accredited or quality-assured the StudyTEFL course.
- StudyTEFL is not Cambridge CELTA or Trinity CertTESOL.
- StudyTEFL does not claim its courses are Ofqual-regulated Level 5 qualifications.
- A TEFL certificate does not override an employer's degree, nationality, visa, experience or background-check requirements.
- No private accreditation body can guarantee that every employer or immigration authority in every country will accept the same qualification.
A closer look at OTCAC accreditation
What should an online TEFL accreditor actually be checking?
A useful accreditation claim should be about the substance and delivery of a course, not simply the right to display a badge. Pick a topic to see what it means and how it shows up in the course.
Independent course review
OTCAC describes accreditation as a standards-based decision rather than automatic membership. Its public directory distinguishes between accredited, pending, previously accredited, denied and other statuses.
Public accreditation directory
Named course listings
Status shown publicly
Verification system available
i
For StudyTEFL
OTCAC's current directory lists the 120-hour and 168-hour StudyTEFL courses as accredited.
Verify StudyTEFL accreditation before paying
Check us without trusting us.
You can check StudyTEFL without using StudyTEFL as the source. If low pricing makes you suspicious, good. Use that suspicion productively.
Check OTCAC
Open OTCAC's accredited-provider page and look for StudyTEFL. Their directory currently lists the 120-hour and 168-hour courses.
Check UKRLP
Search the UK Register of Learning Providers for UKPRN 10089401. Read UKRLP's own explanation of what registration does and does not mean.
Inspect the course
Open a real StudyTEFL lesson before paying. Course quality should be visible in the learning itself, not only in an accreditation logo.
Check certification
See how current StudyTEFL certificates use QR-linked online verification and how employers can verify certificate records.
Choose the qualification the job actually asks for
“Accredited” does not mean every TEFL qualification is the same thing.
Different qualifications serve different markets. The safest rule is simple: start with the employer or visa requirement and work backwards.
| StudyTEFL | Ofqual-regulated Level 5 | CELTA or Trinity CertTESOL | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | Standard online TEFL, self-paced. Core courses are OTCAC accredited. | A qualification that carries regulated status. StudyTEFL does not claim it. | Different qualifications with supervised teaching-practice requirements. |
| Supervised live teaching practice | No | Check the specific course | Yes, it is part of the qualification |
| Commonly asked for by | Online teaching and the broad entry-level market | Jobs that explicitly name a regulated Level 5 | More selective language-school or British Council-style hiring |
!
Our recommendation
If a vacancy names CELTA, Trinity CertTESOL, Level 5 or a specified number of supervised teaching-practice hours, do not buy a standard online TEFL course and hope the employer treats it as equivalent.
Accreditation is only one part of trust
Your certificate should also be verifiable after you finish.
Current StudyTEFL core certificates include QR-linked online verification. The QR route gives employers a direct way to open the learner's verification record rather than relying only on a PDF sent by email.
The digital certificate is included with eligible StudyTEFL courses. If you later need legalisation for a school, employer or visa process, the certificate can also enter the UK apostille process through a specialist provider. Notary, apostille and courier charges are separate third-party legalisation costs.
Included
Digital TEFL-TESOL certificate on successful completion.
Verification
QR-linked online certificate record.
Legalisation
Optional notarisation and apostille where an employer or authority requires it.
Choose your StudyTEFL route
The accreditation matters. Your course choice still depends on how much training and feedback you want.
The $29 Online Teacher route is the leanest way in, and the $39 Complete course is our best all-round starting point. Move up to $54 or $69 if specialist age-group preparation or assessed practical feedback matters to you.
Online focus
$29
120-Hour Online Teacher TEFL
The leanest route, for trainees mainly focused on online teaching. It keeps the accredited core and assessment standard in a more compact package.
- OTCAC-accredited core
- Online-teaching emphasis
- Selected video learning
- Technical and account support
- 6 months of LMS access
- QR-verifiable certificate
Most popular
$39
120-Hour Complete TEFL
The strongest balance of price, content depth and support for most beginners, without moving into assessed practical teaching.
- OTCAC-accredited core training
- 24 structured teaching units
- 6 full ESL classroom lessons
- Tutor support
- 12 months of LMS access
- QR-verifiable certificate
Specialist
$54
168-Hour Specialist TEFL
Choose it if schools, academies, kindergartens or mixed-age teaching are likely to be part of your plans.
- Accredited 120-hour core
- 40-hour TEYL training
- 8-hour adult learner training
- 11 TEYL units
- 12 months of LMS access
- QR-verifiable certificate
Tutor feedback
$69
120-Hour Practical TEFL
Choose it if you want a tutor to review work you create before you start applying for teaching jobs.
- Full Complete TEFL core
- 2 assessed lesson plans
- 2 recorded demo lessons
- Tutor feedback
- 12 months of LMS access
- Practical certificate wording
Accreditation FAQs
Questions worth asking before you buy any TEFL course.
Is StudyTEFL accredited?+
StudyTEFL's core TEFL courses are accredited by OTCAC. OTCAC's current accredited-provider directory lists StudyTEFL's 120-hour and 168-hour courses. StudyTEFL also currently lists CPD-verified accreditation and is registered on UKRLP.
What is StudyTEFL's OTCAC accreditation number?+
The StudyTEFL OTCAC accreditation reference used across our current materials is 20201216A. You can also check StudyTEFL on OTCAC's public accredited-provider directory.
Does UKRLP registration mean the UK government accredits StudyTEFL?+
No. StudyTEFL's UKPRN is 10089401. UKRLP is a government-operated register of learning providers, but UKRLP itself states that registration does not represent Department for Education quality assurance or accreditation of a provider's learning provision.
Is StudyTEFL an Ofqual Level 5 qualification?+
No. We do not claim that StudyTEFL courses are Ofqual-regulated Level 5 qualifications. If a target employer requires regulated Level 5, choose a qualification that explicitly carries that status.
Is StudyTEFL the same as CELTA or Trinity CertTESOL?+
No. CELTA and Trinity CertTESOL are different qualifications with observed teaching-practice requirements. StudyTEFL is an online TEFL provider. If an employer names CELTA or Trinity CertTESOL as a requirement, choose the qualification it asks for.
Will every employer accept a StudyTEFL certificate?+
There is no single global TEFL acceptance rule. Entry-level employers commonly ask for TEFL certification, but individual employers and visa systems can also require a degree, specific passport status, experience, legalised documents, regulated qualifications or observed teaching practice. Check the exact vacancy and destination rules.
Can an employer verify my StudyTEFL certificate?+
Yes. Current StudyTEFL core certificates include QR-linked online verification. Employers can use the QR route to access the certificate record. See the certificate page for details.
Can the certificate be apostilled?+
Where legalisation is required, the digital StudyTEFL certificate can enter a UK notarisation and apostille process through a specialist service. Notary, FCDO apostille and courier charges are separate third-party costs. Read the apostille guide.
How long do I have course access?+
The $29 Online Teacher course includes 6 months of LMS access plus lifetime access to its downloadable PDF learning summary. The $39 Complete, $54 168-hour and $69 Practical courses include 12 months of LMS access. After your access period you can extend it for $10 per extra 3 months.
Can I inspect StudyTEFL before buying?+
Yes. We publish a real lesson on Assessment & Feedback so you can inspect the teaching style, depth and embedded questions before paying. Open the free lesson.
Check the credential. Check the course. Check the job requirement. Then decide.
StudyTEFL gives you independently checkable accreditation, a UK provider-registration record, verifiable certification and real course content you can inspect before buying. We also tell you plainly when a different qualification is the right choice.
Verifiable beats impressive