The course is 12 weeks long, and trainees must work through the course as a group, completing assignments weekly. However, the course provides flexibility during the week to access the course and complete assignments when it is convenient for you.

Yes. There are readings and forum postings required each week, as well as weekly comprehension quizzes. You’ll also complete 3 written assignments as part of the course, and the master’s-level instructor provides guidance and feedback on all written work.

To take the IDELTOnline™ you must be 18 years or older with at least a high school diploma or the equivalent. If you are not a native English speaker, you must demonstrate English proficiency at a minimum of a C1 level (according to the Common European Framework (CEFR), or have earned the equivalent to an IELTS test score of 7.0.

The IDELTOnline™ is accessed and delivered online, so you must have access to the Internet, including the ability to watch online videos using Adobe Flash Player. The IDELTOnline™ may be completed on any device, including a desktop computer, laptop computer, tablet or smartphone.

Yes! The Bridge IDELTOnline™ offers several options for university credit. Requirements and fees for earning credit are outlined below.

The American Council on Education’s College Credit Recommendation Service (ACE CREDIT®) has evaluated and recommended for 6 semester hours of college credit for the IDELTOnline. Graduates can request a transcript (for a $25 fee) which can be presented to any of the more than 2,000 colleges and universities that consider ACE CREDIT recommendations, thus opening the door to bachelor’s, master’s, and even doctoral-level studies.

Bridge also partners with a number of specific universities in the U.S. and abroad that accept the IDELTOnline™ as a pathway to their graduate certificate, master’s or doctorate degree programs in TESOL (or offer scholarships for IDELTOnline™ graduates). Learn more about our university pathways partners.

If you would like to earn university credit for the IDELTOnline™, we recommend trainees meeting the following requirements:

Graduate Credit

• Completed bachelor’s degree or currently at least a junior in standing in a bachelor’s degree program with a 3.0+ GPA
• Students must pass IDELTOnline™ course with at least an 80% to be eligible.

Undergraduate Credit

• Enrolled in or completed a bachelor’s degree program
• For upper division credit, currently at least a junior in standing with a 3.0+ GPA If you are interested in earning university credit for the IDELTOnline™, please contact tefladmissions@bridge.edu.

Because the courses are self-paced (except for the 12-week IDELTOnline), how long your Bridge program takes to complete depends on the amount of time you’re able to dedicate to your course work.

A practicum can be added to any of Bridge's online courses, including in the IDELTOnline™. If you’re looking for direct feedback on your teaching, reflective teaching practice activities, and real-life experience with students in a physical or virtual classroom, adding a practicum to your certification is a great choice.

You can enroll either of the following Specialized Certificates for a practicum:

20-Hour Guided Teaching Practicum (for in-person teaching experience)

60-Hour Practicum in Teaching English Online (for online teaching experience)

You can enroll in either of these practicums at the same time you enroll in the IDELTOnline™ course, and you have the option to complete your practicum during or after the course.

The IDELTOnline provides a strong foundation in English language teaching methodology, lesson planning, and grammar, but it does not offer training in teaching English online, which requires specialized skills.

If you’d like to teach online, combine this course with Specialized Certification in Teaching English Online for the Comprehensive TEFL / TESOL Certification Bundle. You’ll start with the IDELTOnline Certificate, then take Foundations and Advanced Methods in Teaching English Online to learn the specific skills needed for virtual instruction, as well as commonly used technology, software, and teaching tools.

You can download, save, and print your certificate from the online platform free of charge, once the instructor has posted final grades. If you would like a hard copy mailed to you (with notarization or apostille) you may order that for an additional fee. Visit Certificate Services to learn more.

Yes! The IDELTOnline™ is ACCET-accredited and may be taken for Continuing Education Units. Bridge online TEFL / TESOL course graduates earn 1 CEU for every 10 hours of certification, so this course bestows 15 CEUs. Click here to learn more about CEUs.

Yes! In addition to access to the BridgeTEFL Job Board, the Bridge IDELTOnline™ includes our highest level of job placement assistance, which is personalized and never expires. At any point after you graduate from the IDELTOnline™, you are encouraged to consult with one of our Jobs Advisors (all of whom have experience teaching English abroad) by phone or email.

Our advisors can guide you through the job search process by providing location-specific TEFL job resources, facilitating networking opportunities with schools and recruiters, offering advice, and even reviewing your TEFL resume.

At checkout, you should choose the option to pay by credit card with installments. When you choose to pay for your course in installments, our online payment system will automatically charge your credit card on pre-scheduled dates and intervals based on your date of purchase and the payment plan you select. No special promotions (including promo codes) can be applied if you elect to pay for your course via installments. The IDELTOnline™ is the only product that installment payments can be used for. If you have additional products in your cart, you will not see the installment payment option available at check out.

If you have questions regarding installment payments, please email tefladmissions@bridge.edu. Please refer to our Terms & Conditions for full details.

Assignments (such as quizzes and written tasks) are due on a weekly basis, allowing for flexibility for students with a busy schedule. Your overall grade for the course will be based on the successful and timely completion of quizzes, forum discussions, and various projects, and will be calculated as follows:

• Weekly reading comprehension quizzes 6%
• Weekly written analysis and discussion posts 41%
• Lesson Plan Project 27%
• Research Summary and Application Project 13%
• Philosophy of Teaching Statement 13%

Both of these online Bridge courses are Professional TEFL / TESOL Certificates, which means they provide initial training for new teachers, preparing you for all aspects of the English language classroom, including lesson planning, teaching the four skills (reading, writing, speaking, and listening), teaching grammar, and classroom management.

The university-affiliated, 150-Hour International Diploma in English Language Teaching (IDELTOnline™) is a graduate-level course. It’s our most advanced, interactive TEFL / TESOL training and our most recommended course.

The 120-Hour Bridge Master Certificate is a self-paced, tutor-led course that meets certification requirements to teach English. It can be taken for undergraduate-level and like all Bridge courses, it’s offered on our state-of-the-art online learning platform with dynamic course features.

Here’s a more detailed breakdown of the differences between these two courses:

IDELTOnline™

• This 12-week course is highly recommended for both new and experienced teachers looking for the most comprehensive training in methodology, theory, and applications for the ESL/EFL classroom.
• The course functions like many online university courses with interaction between you, your instructor, and other trainees. You’ll take part in collaborative activities, post on class discussion boards, and attend optional live sessions.
• As part of an IDELTOnline™ cohort (or group), you’ll work closely with about 10-12 other teacher trainees worldwide, interacting and completing peer projects.
• The schedule is flexible. While there is no set time or date when you’re required to log in to work on your course, weekly due dates for assignments will keep you on track.
• It’s a university-level course recommended for 9 graduate-level credits by the American Council on Education and accepted for transfer credit into MA TESOL Pathway Programs by Bridge university partners worldwide. (This is optional and you do not need to be enrolled in a university to take this course).
• You’ll earn a prestigious, university-affiliated, and fully accredited certification you can showcase to stand out when applying for the most competitive jobs!

Bridge’s Master Certificate is a very flexible, self-study TEFL / TESOL course that meets requirements for teaching positions at languages institutes and schools worldwide. 

• It’s a great choice for new and experienced teachers looking for essential training in English language teaching methods.
• The course is self-paced so you’ll work independently, submitting assignments to your personal tutor for feedback.
• There are no specific deadlines to submit your work as long as you finish within three months (extensions are available).
• The course has been recommended for 6 undergraduate-level credits by the American Council on Education. (This is optional and you do not need to be enrolled in a university to take this course.)
• You’ll earn an accredited, internationally recognized TEFL / TESOL certification that meets requirements for teaching jobs worldwide.

As part of your IDELTOnline™ program, you will complete a “research summary and application” project. The goal of this project is to demonstrate your ability to take a deeper dive into a topic that interests you, related to English language teaching. You may choose any topic (your instructor can help you pick one); it can be one that’s covered in your course or another, outside topic.

You will investigate the topic and write a 700-1,500-word paper that summarizes your findings and applies the research to a language instruction setting. Your IDELTOnline™ instructor is there to provide any support needed as you prepare and complete your project. The project is done individually, but your peers in the course are there to offer insights and share ideas through the class discussion boards.

There are live sessions in the IDELTOnline™ program, but they’re optional. These live sessions are a way for you to connect with your instructor and the other participants in the program, interacting on a deeper level and discussing questions and course topics that interest you.

There are a total of four live sessions (hosted on Zoom) during the 12-week program. At the beginning of your program, you will share your time zone with the instructor and preferred meeting days and times. The instructor will then work to find the best time across your class to schedule the live sessions and will inform the class when they are scheduled.

If you cannot make the live session, don’t worry! It will be recorded for you to watch at your convenience and you can ask your instructor questions about it afterward.

IDELT stands for International Diploma in English Language Teaching. This course was originally developed as an in-person (or onsite) teacher-training offered at Bridge centers worldwide, then we later developed the eLearning version, the IDELTOnline™.

The IDELTOnline™ is Bridge’s most advanced TEFL / TESOL course. In this interactive is graduate-level training, you’ll join an international group of classmates led by a master’s level instructor, and take part in collaborative activities, discussion boards, and optional live sessions. Choose this university-affiliated course to exceed certification requirements and stand out as the most competitive candidate for English teaching jobs.

Definitely! The graduate-level 150-Hour Bridge International Diploma in English Language Teaching (IDELTOnline™) provides initial training for new English language teachers (such as teaching strategies and lesson planning), is 100% online, and helps you stand out as a highly qualified candidate for thousands of teaching positions at languages institutes and schools worldwide.