Accreditation Verification

Understanding ACTEFLC Accreditation

ACTEFLC — the Accreditation Council for Teaching English as a Foreign Language Courses — provides accreditation for eligible TEFL, TESOL and related English-language teacher training programs.

ACTEFLC accreditation involves an assessment of an applicant against the applicable ACTEFLC accreditation requirements.

The purpose of accreditation is to provide an independent assessment of relevant aspects of a training provider and its program against established accreditation criteria.

Because accreditation status can change over time, ACTEFLC recommends that students, employers and other interested parties verify any claim of current ACTEFLC accreditation directly with ACTEFLC.

How to Verify ACTEFLC Accreditation

ACTEFLC does not maintain a publicly searchable directory of accredited organizations.

This approach allows ACTEFLC to respect the privacy of organizations participating in the accreditation process and avoids publishing information about individual organizations or accreditation matters that may no longer be current.

However, ACTEFLC recognizes that prospective students, employers and other members of the public may wish to confirm whether a particular TEFL or TESOL provider currently holds ACTEFLC accreditation.

Current ACTEFLC accreditation status can be verified by contacting ACTEFLC directly.

When requesting verification, please provide:

The full name of the TEFL or TESOL provider;
The provider's website address, if available;
The name of the relevant TEFL, TESOL or teacher-training program; and
Any accreditation claim or ACTEFLC logo that you wish us to verify.

ACTEFLC can then confirm the applicable accreditation status where appropriate.

Why Verify Accreditation Directly?

Online information about accreditation can become outdated.

A provider may have changed its accreditation status, a particular program may differ from another program offered by the same organization, or information published on a third-party website may not reflect the provider's current status.

For this reason, ACTEFLC recommends obtaining confirmation directly from ACTEFLC when current accreditation status is important to your decision.

What Does ACTEFLC Full Accreditation Mean?

ACTEFLC Full Accreditation is granted to eligible TEFL, TESOL and related training programs that satisfy the applicable ACTEFLC accreditation requirements following assessment.

The assessment process considers relevant aspects of the provider and its training program. Depending on the application and applicable requirements, this may include areas such as:

Course curriculum and content;
Training and instructional standards;
Instructor or staff qualifications;
Student support;
Administrative procedures;
Organizational and business information;
Course delivery and assessment procedures; and
Other requirements relevant to the ACTEFLC accreditation process.

Accreditation is therefore distinct from simply completing a course or receiving a certificate from a training provider.

Accreditation, Certification and Recognition Are Different

The terms "accredited," "certified," "recognized," "approved" and "registered" can have different meanings depending on the organization using them.

For example, a TEFL or TESOL provider may issue its own certificate to a student who successfully completes its course. That is different from the provider or program being assessed by an external accreditation organization.

When evaluating an accreditation claim, we recommend asking:

Who provides the accreditation?
What organization or program has been accredited?
What standards or criteria are applied?
Is the accreditation current?
Can the accreditation be independently verified?

For claims specifically concerning ACTEFLC accreditation, current status can be verified directly with ACTEFLC.

The ACTEFLC Fully Accredited Logo

Organizations whose TEFL or TESOL programs have been granted ACTEFLC Full Accreditation are authorized to use the official ACTEFLC Fully Accredited logo in accordance with ACTEFLC's logo-use requirements.

Authorized use may include the organization's:

Website;
Course certificates;
Marketing materials; and
Other materials permitted under ACTEFLC's logo-use requirements.

The ACTEFLC Fully Accredited logo is an accreditation mark and should not be reproduced, altered or used by an organization that is not authorized to do so.

Verifying an ACTEFLC Logo

If you encounter the ACTEFLC Fully Accredited logo on a website, certificate or marketing material and wish to confirm that its use is authorized and current, you can contact ACTEFLC for verification.

The presence of an accreditation logo on a website or document should not prevent a prospective student or other interested party from requesting confirmation directly from ACTEFLC.

ACTEFLC actively monitors for unauthorized use or misuse of its official accreditation marks.

Where unauthorized use is identified, ACTEFLC may request that the material be removed and may take further action through appropriate legal or other available channels where necessary.

How ACTEFLC Accreditation Decisions Are Made

Organizations seeking ACTEFLC accreditation must submit an application and the information and documentation required for assessment.

ACTEFLC assesses applications against the applicable accreditation requirements.

An organization that submits an application is not automatically accredited. Accreditation is granted only where the applicable requirements have been satisfactorily demonstrated through the assessment process.

An application may therefore be declined where the requirements for accreditation have not been demonstrated.

Organizations whose applications are unsuccessful may have access to the reconsideration and appeal procedures applicable under the ACTEFLC accreditation process.

Further information about applying for ACTEFLC accreditation is available on our Apply for Accreditation page.

ACTEFLC and Confidentiality

ACTEFLC respects the privacy of organizations that participate in the accreditation process.

ACTEFLC does not ordinarily publish confidential application materials, internal correspondence or detailed information concerning an individual organization's assessment.

For this reason, ACTEFLC generally does not publish detailed information about individual accreditation applications or the specific circumstances surrounding an unsuccessful application.

This approach allows ACTEFLC to maintain the confidentiality of the assessment process while still providing members of the public with a means of verifying current accreditation status.

If you require confirmation of the current ACTEFLC accreditation status of a particular provider, please contact ACTEFLC directly.

Understanding Information About ACTEFLC Online

Information about accreditation organizations and TEFL/TESOL providers can appear across websites, review platforms, social media and other online sources.

Such information may include factual information, commentary, opinions, reviews or claims made by third parties.

The TEFL industry, particularly the online TEFL sector, contains a considerable amount of information that may be difficult for prospective students to assess.

Claims about accreditation, recognition, course quality and individual providers may sometimes be incomplete, outdated, disputed or presented without sufficient context.

For example, TEFL Online Pro is a fully accredited ACTEFLC TEFL/TESOL provider and has published a Transparency Report addressing information and claims that have circulated online concerning its program and accreditation.

The report provides documentation and supporting information so that readers can review the matter for themselves.

Read the TEFL Online Pro Transparency Report →

When evaluating information about ACTEFLC accreditation, we recommend considering:

The source of the information;
The date on which it was published;
Whether it concerns current or historical information;
Whether the claim can be independently verified; and
Whether the information comes directly from ACTEFLC or from a third party.

For questions concerning ACTEFLC's accreditation process or the current accreditation status of a particular organization, the most reliable source is ACTEFLC itself.

What ACTEFLC Accreditation Does — and Does Not — Mean

ACTEFLC accreditation is an assessment of an eligible TEFL, TESOL or related training program against ACTEFLC's applicable accreditation requirements.

Accreditation should not be represented as a guarantee of employment, salary, visa approval, immigration status or acceptance by every employer, educational institution or government authority.

Requirements for teaching English and for accepting TEFL/TESOL qualifications can vary between countries, employers and individual circumstances.

Students should therefore consider their own intended use of a qualification and verify any specific requirements that may apply to them.

For Students Considering a TEFL or TESOL Program

If you are considering enrolling in a TEFL or TESOL program, we recommend looking beyond a single accreditation or marketing claim.

Consider the:

Course curriculum;
Course duration and delivery method;
Assessment procedures;
Instructor qualifications;
Student support;
Certificate issued upon completion;
Accreditation status;
Organization providing the accreditation; and
Requirements of the employers or organizations with which you intend to use your qualification.

If a provider states that its program has ACTEFLC Full Accreditation, you are welcome to contact ACTEFLC to verify that claim.

For TEFL and TESOL Training Providers

Organizations interested in ACTEFLC accreditation should review the applicable accreditation requirements and submit the information and documentation required for assessment.

ACTEFLC accreditation is an assessment process. Submission of an application does not guarantee accreditation.

Organizations granted ACTEFLC Full Accreditation are permitted to use the ACTEFLC Fully Accredited logo subject to ACTEFLC's applicable logo-use requirements.

Providers should ensure that any statements they make concerning ACTEFLC accreditation are accurate, current and not misleading.

Our Commitment to Transparent Accreditation

ACTEFLC believes that confidence in accreditation depends upon clear standards, a meaningful assessment process and reliable verification.

Our aim is to provide prospective students, training providers, employers and other interested parties with clear information about:

What ACTEFLC accreditation means;
How accreditation applications are assessed;
What ACTEFLC Full Accreditation represents;
How the official ACTEFLC Fully Accredited logo may be used; and
How current accreditation status can be verified.

Because ACTEFLC does not publish a public directory of accredited organizations, we encourage anyone who wishes to verify an accreditation claim to contact ACTEFLC directly.

For verification of a provider's current ACTEFLC accreditation status, please contact ACTEFLC.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a public list of ACTEFLC-accredited TEFL providers?

No. ACTEFLC does not maintain a publicly searchable directory of accredited organizations.

This policy is intended to respect organizational privacy.

Current accreditation status can be verified directly with ACTEFLC upon request.

How can I check whether a TEFL provider is ACTEFLC accredited?

Contact ACTEFLC with the provider's name and, where possible, its website address and the name of the relevant program. ACTEFLC can verify the applicable current accreditation status where appropriate.

Can an ACTEFLC-accredited provider use the ACTEFLC logo?

Organizations granted ACTEFLC Full Accreditation are authorized to use the official ACTEFLC Fully Accredited logo in accordance with ACTEFLC's logo-use requirements.

Can anyone use the ACTEFLC Fully Accredited logo?

No. The logo is an official ACTEFLC accreditation mark.

Its use is restricted to organizations authorized by ACTEFLC and must comply with applicable logo-use requirements.

What if I find an ACTEFLC logo that I believe is being misused?

Please contact ACTEFLC and provide the relevant website, certificate or marketing material.

ACTEFLC actively monitors for unauthorized use of its accreditation marks and may take appropriate action where misuse is identified.

Does applying for ACTEFLC accreditation mean a provider is accredited?

No. An application for accreditation does not itself constitute accreditation.

ACTEFLC accreditation is granted following assessment against the applicable requirements.

Does ACTEFLC publish the reasons why an organization was not accredited?

ACTEFLC does not ordinarily publish confidential application information, internal correspondence or detailed information concerning an individual organization's assessment.

Does ACTEFLC accreditation guarantee employment?

No. ACTEFLC accreditation does not guarantee employment, a particular salary, visa approval or acceptance of a qualification by every employer or government authority.

Requirements vary according to country, employer and individual circumstances.

How current is accreditation information found online?

Third-party information can become outdated.

For the most reliable information about current ACTEFLC accreditation status, contact ACTEFLC directly.

Contact ACTEFLC for Verification

If you would like to verify an ACTEFLC accreditation claim, please contact ACTEFLC and provide the name of the organization and relevant program information.

ACTEFLC — Accreditation Council for Teaching English as a Foreign Language Courses