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TESOL courses

Learn how to teach English as a second language and take your education career across the globe

Help me choose a course

Introduction to TESOL

Are you looking for your next challenge as a teacher? With a TESOL qualification, you could help students from all over the world develop their English language skills, which will empower them to explore new opportunities. What could be more rewarding than that? 

Through Open Universities Australia, you can compare and enrol in online TESOL courses offered by top universities. We're here to advise you about your study options, so you can find the right path. We can also help you unlock flexible new ways of studying online. 

Explore TESOL courses
Open Universities Australia student, Louise, standing in front of a whiteboard.
Louise studied education with Curtin University through Open Universities Australia

Discover TESOL courses

Online TESOL subjects and short courses

Curtin University

Materials Design and Assessment

PostgraduateCUR-TESOL501

Study method
100% online
Entry requirements
No ATAR required. Start with a subject.
Start dates
Starts 03 Mar 2025, 01 Sep 2025
Curtin University
Study method
100% online
Entry requirements
No ATAR required. Start with a subject.
Start dates
Starts 03 Mar 2025, 01 Sep 2025
Curtin University
Study method
100% online
Entry requirements
No ATAR required. Start with a subject.
Start dates
Starts 02 Jun 2025, 01 Dec 2025
Curtin University

Introduction to Language

PostgraduateCUR-TESOL503

Study method
100% online
Entry requirements
No ATAR required. Start with a subject.
Start dates
Starts 02 Jun 2025, 01 Dec 2025
View all subjects

Online TESOL degrees

Curtin University

Specialist English language TESOL teachers are in demand worldwide

Study method
Online & on-campus
Duration
6 months full time or part time equivalent
Griffith University

Share your language with the world

Study method
100% online
Duration
6 months full time or part time equivalent
University of Tasmania

Graduate Certificate in Education

PostgraduateTAS-EDN-GCE

Deepen your knowledge and expertise in education

Study method
100% online
Duration
6 months full time or part time equivalent

Available majors

  • Applied Learning
  • TESOL
  • Leadership
  • Inclusive Education
  • Non-Specialisation stream
Griffith University

Turn your passion for language into a career

Study method
100% online
Duration
Approx. 1.5 years full time or part time equivalent
View all bachelor degrees

Discover 23 ways to study TESOL with leading Australian universities.

Explore TESOL courses

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TESOL study FAQs

What is a TESOL course?

A TESOL course prepares you to teach English to speakers of other languages. Most TESOL qualifications are designed to build on an existing teaching qualification, which is why you may require a Bachelor of Education or Bachelor of Teaching before you can enrol. At a minimum, you will need a bachelor degree in any discipline from a recognised tertiary institution to study these courses. 

Why should I study TESOL?

You should study TESOL if you’d like to transform people’s lives. Your course will prepare you to support people from all sorts of backgrounds, including migrants and refugees who need help navigating Australian life. Under your guidance, they’ll learn how to become more fluid English speakers so they can apply for jobs, build new relationships and settle more comfortably into their local community. That can be an incredibly rewarding experience. 

A TESOL qualification will also allow you to teach English abroad in private language colleges, government schools and universities, where roles are competitive. While there are overseas English teaching positions that don’t require a formal degree, you will have access to more higher paying opportunities with a qualification. In fact, many countries like Japan and South Korea require their English language teachers to have a degree before they will grant a relevant work visa.

Why study TESOL online?

It’s worth studying your TESOL course online if you already work full-time as a teacher, tutor or other educational professional. You can complete your coursework when it suits you, instead of taking time off to attend lectures and tutorials. You also have the flexibility to study your course a subject at a time, which makes your workload more manageable.

Why should I study online through Open Universities Australia?

There are a lot of reasons to study your course online through us.

  • You have total control over how you study
    Upskill without committing to a whole degree upfront. Or enrol in a full degree, but take it a subject at a time. We help you access flexible study options you didn’t even know about, so you can fit uni around what matters to you.
  • You’ll graduate with the same qualification as an on-campus student
    While you enrol through us, you will study online with the university that provides your degree. So you can rest assured that you’ll graduate with the same qualification as an on-campus student. In fact, your certificate won't even mention our name. We're just here to make all that tricky uni administration easier.
  • We’ll help you navigate the university world
    Our friendly student advisors will be your guide every step of the enrolment journey. They'll help you compare universities, choose a course, provide documentation and understand your finance options.
Which TESOL qualification is best for me?

It depends on what your goals are. If you’d like to upskill quickly for a position at an English language teaching centre, then a Graduate Certificate in TESOL could be a good choice for you. You only need to complete 4 subjects to earn this qualification, and you can graduate within 6 months if you take on a full-time study load.

On the other hand, if you'd like to teach TESOL at a government school or university, work in language education policy, or pursue a leadership position at a language school, you may want to consider a Master of TESOL. This more advanced qualification dives deeper into the theory behind teaching English and can be more appealing to certain employers.   

You can also enrol in a short online TESOL course if you'd prefer to upskill in a single area only. 

What jobs can you get with a TESOL qualification?

A TESOL qualification can lead to job opportunities both here in Australia and overseas. Graduates typically end up working at English language centres, private colleges, TAFEs, universities and government schools in roles such as: 

  • TESOL teacher 
  • ESL/EFL language instructor
  • ESL/EFL curriculum developer
  • Academic advisor
  • Tutor
  • Researcher in language learning/teaching
  • Language education policy adviser

Some graduates even go on to work in international business, international relations or diplomacy.

How do I know if I’m eligible to apply for a course?

Before starting an enrolment, it’s important to read the entry requirements for your chosen course to ensure that you’re eligible to apply. If you don’t quite meet the requirements, we may be able to help you gain entry through prior study or work experience. Chat with us to find out more.

How do I enrol?

Here at Open Universities Australia, we make enrolling online as straightforward as possible. To get started, find the course for you by browsing the options on this page. You can also compare different qualifications using our handy comparison tool, or request help from one of our student advisors.

When you’ve made your choice, click ‘Apply now’ on the relevant course page and follow the prompts to begin your enrolment. We’ll ask you to supply some supporting documentation, including proof of your identity, your tax file number, and a unique student identifier (USI) during this process.

Your university will get in touch with you via email to confirm whether or not your application has been successful.

Please note that enquiries and applications for some courses are handled directly by the university. If this is the case, it will be indicated on the course listing page.  

For more information about enrolment, read our online self-service enrolling instructions. If you get stuck at any time, contact us and we’ll talk you through it.

What do you learn in a TESOL course?

In a TESOL course, you'll learn how to teach English in a variety of settings, and to a variety of students.

You can expect to cover topics like: 

  • English language teaching methodologies
  • Common difficulties speakers of other languages may have with English
  • Cultural differences and similarities across select languages 
  • Lesson planning techniques
  • Assessment planning
  • Teaching with technology

Depending on your course, you may also have the chance to go on a teaching placement in a language learning setting. 

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We’re here to guide you to the right uni course

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Open Universities Australia is a not-for-profit organisation helping every Australian to access thousands of university courses.

Over 523,000 students have enrolled in university through us since 1993.

How we can help you

Studying through Open Universities Australia means we take care of the guesswork and administration of university study, so you can focus on learning.

You don't need a strong academic history to go to uni

We make it possible for everyone to start university through single subjects, regardless of ATAR or study experience. These subjects are covered by government loans, and can be used to upskill or gain entry into a qualification.

You have the flexibility to start at multiple points during the year

We’re not restricted by a traditional academic calendar, so you can enrol when it suits your life. You also have total control over how you study. You can scale up (or down) your study load and even pause your course if you need to.

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As a not for profit, we have your best interests at heart. Our advisors are here 7 days a week to guide and support you. It’s our priority to get you qualified with the university of your choice.

Enrol in courses from 25 of Australia's leading universities

James Cook University Australia logoCurtin University logo
Murdoch University logoAustralian National University logo
University of South Australia logoThe University of Newcastle logo
Australian Catholic University logoUniversity of Southern Queensland logo
La Trobe University logoSwinburne University logo
Charles Sturt University logoRMIT University logo
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Edith Cowan University logoUniversity of Tasmania logo
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