The TEFL Org gains USA accreditation with the DEAC

We’re very excited and proud to announce that we’ve added DEAC (Distance Education Accrediting Commission) accreditation to our list of distinguished accreditors! Both our 120-hour Premier Online and 200-hour Level 5 Diploma have met the requirements for DEAC AQC (Approved Quality Curriculum) approval.

Here at The TEFL Org, we’ve been leading the way in TEFL training since 2008, training over 185,000 EFL teachers and working hard to become the most accredited TEFL course provider along the way. Back in 2009, we gained our first accreditation when we became an SQA (Scottish Qualifications Authority) approved centre, which would be the first of many!

We’re always striving for excellence, whether that’s in the course itself, our customer service, or the support our staff give our students and graduates at all stages of their TEFL journey. Gaining DEAC accreditation is very much a part of our quest to provide you with the best TEFL training on the market.

What is DEAC and AQC?

The DEAC (Distance Education Accrediting Commission) was founded in 1926 and is an American body that accredits distance learning providers. It’s recognised by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation, which means our courses are now recognised by both the English and US governments!

AQC (Approved Quality Curriculum) refers to the DEAC’s quality assessment process. Our 120-hour Premier Online and 200-hour Level 5 Online TEFL Diploma have been carefully assessed over a period of many months by the DEAC and granted AQC approval.

A rigorous process

Gaining DEAC accreditation is no small undertaking. The process was a rigorous one and thoroughly assessed us as a provider and the courses we offer. It takes a provider between 6 and 12 months to go through the full accreditation process, so this is something we’ve been working towards for quite some time!

We’ve written before about the importance of accreditation and why not all accreditors are equal. It’s extremely important to us that we gain accreditation only from established and reputable bodies. Not only does this give you the confidence that our courses offer what we say they do, but it also helps to keep us at the top of our game. Accrediting bodies like the DEAC have extremely high standards, and to meet those, alongside others such as Ofqual and the BAC , we really have to put in the work to ensure we’re offering the best training possible.

Why does more accreditation matter?

Considering we were already the most accredited TEFL course provider, you might wonder why we sought out even more accreditation. As a UK-based company, our accreditors up until now have all been based in the UK as well. But over the past few years The TEFL Org has grown significantly and we’re training more students in the US (and around the world!) than ever before. While our UK accreditors are all highly regarded and recognised internationally, we felt that it was important our accreditation reflected our place in the global market as well.

Gaining DEAC accreditation is important not just for our US students, but for all of our students. One of the first things a reputable employer will look at is the accreditation of the TEFL provider you trained with. It’s a simple way for them to check that you’re properly trained as an EFL teacher rather than having spent a couple of hours doing a Groupon course .

Here at The TEFL Org, we have led the way on introducing accreditation to online and intensive TEFL training with other providers following in our wake. Ensuring our courses are accredited has been important to us from day one as a training provider because this puts our customers first and foremost. It’s really important that they, as a student with The TEFL Org, can be confident that we offer recognised, legitimate courses that meet high standards both for them and those they go on to teach. Getting this further accreditation is further evidence of our belief in doing the best we can for all our customers.

Jennifer MacKenzie, The TEFL Org co-founder and Managing Director

Are you TEFL qualified yet? Take a look at our courses or get inspired by reading what our course graduates have got up to after gaining their TEFL Org certificate.