Part-Time Trinity CertTESOL (Level 5) – RQF

Modules

In the Level 3 120 Hour Course you'll cover:

• Planning a lesson
• Lesson content
• Making it work in the classroom
• Check your knowledge

Once you have learned the foundations, you will progress on to your Level 5 course.

In the Trinity CertTESOL Level 5 Course you’ll cover:

• Language-teaching methodologies
• How to teach English online and face-to-face
• Lesson planning
• Designing materials
• Teaching practice
• Specialist teaching including young learners, Business English and Academic English
• Language awareness including English grammar, vocabulary and phonology

Entry Requirements

Learners must be aged 18+ to enrol. Learners will also need to have at least a C1 level of English on CEFR and will need to be available for live classes as scheduled as well as being able to undertake 8-10 hours of self study per week. To successfully enrol, learners must pass the application and interview after booking - a full refund will be provided if this stage isn't passed. Learners must also be computer literate, as all live sessions are held over Zoom. Learners will need to attend two live observations outside of the timetabled hours and moderation day at the end of the course.

Additional requirements Level 3 120 Hour Course:

You will be registered with the Awarding Organisation once you have confirmed the following:

• The learner taking the course has confirmed their formal name and date of birth
• The first payment instalment has been taken (where relevant)
• You have completed the course introduction

Minimum Age restriction

18+

Average completion timeframe

4-6 weeks (Level 3 course) and 15 weeks (Level 5 course)

Assessment requirements

Your Level 3 120 hour course will be awarded by Gatehouse Awards. The course is 100% online and you will need to submit and pass a final assessment based on creating a lesson plan to gain this qualification.

Your work will be moderated by Trinity and the 5 units are assessed as follows: Unit 1 Teaching Skills: 6 hours of observed and assessed teaching practice to non-English-speaking students plus a teaching portfolio of materials for review and guided observations. Unit 2 Language Awareness - Phonology and Grammar Lexis tests taken within the course. Unit 3 Learner Profile - a submitted assigment. Unit 4 Materials - a submitted assignment. Unit 5 Unknown Language - a submitted assignment.

Placement or Practical required

This course includes live online classes which must be attended. A minimum of 80% attendance is required to pass the course.

If placement or practical required, when?

As timetabled

Is Membership Required?

No Membership

Observation By Us Required

No additional observation required. Live observations form part of the timetabled course.

Additional requirements

Learners will need a desktop PC or a laptop to complete the course. iPads and/or mobile phones are not suitable. There is also a moderation fee that needs to be paid before the end of the course, and a referral fee payable if any assignments need to be remarked. Below, we have outlined the current fees and the new fees that will come into effect from 2025:

Moderation Fee

2025 - £177

Referral Fee

2025 - £57

Learners should also budget around £50 to be able to purchase text books to support their learning.

Certification Timeframe

Learners can expect to receive their certificate around 2 months after moderation. The course must be fully paid off before the certificate is issued.

Course Fees

All course fees, inclusive of all payment plans including our Premium Credit Limited option, must be settled before certification can be ordered.

Assessment

CertTESOL Only

This is part-time and takes 15 weeks to complete (UK time zone) and there are 6 hours of assessed and observed teaching practice.

Organising your Teaching Practice

This is all organised and part of the timetabled courses – you don’t need to arrange anything! In the evening classes you will have live students to practice your skills on and receive feedback from a supportive and skilled tutor.

Accessing your course

Instead of sticking to specified studying hours, we’ve made our course accessible via our online portal 24 hours a day, 7 days a week from your phone, laptop, PC or tablet. There will also be part-time timetable lessons from 6pm to 9pm Tuesday and Thursday. Attendance at these timetabled sessions is mandatory.

How you will be assessed

• Three written projects based on practical applications of teaching methodology
• A teaching portfolio that includes your tutors' feedback on your teaching practice, your own reflective journal and your evaluations of lessons you have observed
• At the end of your live classes you will attend a moderation day with a Trinity moderation. This will normally be the Saturday following the end of classes and attendance is essential in order to pass your qualification

Getting started

• Once you enrol, you will be sent your login details through email. Our support team and academics are on hand to help if you need any assistance along the way.

Qualifications

Trinity

Level 3

After successfully completing your Level 3 120 hour course, you will gain the Gatehouse Awards Level 3 Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (RQF) (Ofqual qualification code = 603/0150/8).

Gatehouse Awards Ltd is a leading awarding body recognised by the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation, England (Ofqual). They also have significant international presence providing language testing services.

Level 5

The Trinity CertTESOL is one of our OFQUAL regulated qualifications and is listed as a level 5 on their Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF). 

• Accredited by Trinity College London 
• OFQUAL listed level 5 qualification on the RQF 
• Accepted by ESL employers worldwide

This Trinity CertTESOL is administered through learndirect, the largest course provider in the UK. learndirect is a CertTESOL validated course provider (VCP number 70092).

This means that it is accepted by education authorities, immigration and visa departments all around the world and is a benchmark qualification within the industry.

It is also accredited by Trinity College London which is a leading international exam board that operates in over 60 countries. 

Fees and Enrolment

If you want to enrol on this amazing course, these are the key steps you’ll go through

1. Online Application Form - you’ll need to provide details about your work and educational background and why you want to do the course. You will also need to submit copies of your qualifications and ID (in line with entry requirements*). 
2. Zoom interview with Course Director - this will include a ‘live’ writing task, assessment of your spoken English, assessment of your ability to perform under pressure, and a discussion about your approach to teaching and education.  
3. Achieve a place on the course – if you pass your interview stage, congratulations! You have secured a place on the course! 
4. Start working on your Level 3 120 hour TEFL course. On completion of this, we will be in touch to book you on to your live classes for the CertTESOL element of your course.

*Entry requirements: Trinity state that these must be 'qualifications for entry to higher education in the UK or in the trainees’ home country', e.g. Level 3 qualifications equivalent to 2 or more A-levels.

The price of your course does not include the Trinity College London moderation fee of £177 - this fee may be subject to change by Trinity.

Enrolment dates

• 26th May 2026
• 8th September 2026
• 24th November 2026 (2-week break for Christmas)

*Start dates are based on mimimum numbers for each date