Graduate Certificate in TESOL

Admissions information

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• Course description

  The course is an initial teaching qualification for career changers wanting to teach English to adults. It is also a degree for qualified Australian school teachers who want to develop a specialisation in teaching English as an additional language. It is designed to prepare you for professional practice of teaching English language to adults in the Australian adult education sector, English as an additional language or dialect to primary and secondary students and English for academic purposes to post-secondary students in Australia and overseas.

  Through this course, you will gain foundational knowledge and skills for English language teaching. You will learn about contemporary models of language learning and teaching, with a strong focus on treating learners’ multilingualism as an asset for their English language and literacy development. You will undertake a supervised teaching practicum in an authentic educational setting to apply and build on the theoretical knowledge and practical skills that you will learn in your subjects.

  You will learn with a diverse group of Australian and international peers. This course embeds academic language and literacy skills development in subjects, recognising that not all students come with similar education experiences or with recent periods of academic study.

  The course features flexible study options, with classes aimed to be held at times suitable for students working standard full-time hours. Credit recognition may be available if you are already a qualified teacher.

  The course is an initial teaching qualification in teaching English to adults, and serves as a qualification for qualified school teachers to add a specialism in teaching English as an additional language.

  Read what our graduates say about our TESOL and Applied Linguistics courses

  Download a TESOL and Applied Linguistics flyer

• Important dates

  Find out more about application dates relating to this course

• Scholarships and prizes

  Discover our scholarships for undergraduate, postgraduate and research students. Our scholarships celebrate diversity and academic excellence. Use the scholarship search tool to find the right scholarship for you.

  Scholarships for domestic students

  Scholarships for international students

• Course duration

  This course is offered on a one-session, full-time, or a one-year, part-time basis.

• Admission requirements

  To be eligible for admission to this course, applicants must meet the following criteria.

  Applicants must have a:

  • Completed Australian bachelor's degree or higher qualification, or overseas equivalent, in any field of study

  Eligibility for admission does not guarantee offer of a place.

  English language requirements

  IELTS Academic: overall 6.5, writing 6.0 TOEFL iBT (0-120): overall 79, writing 21 TOEFL iBT (1-6): overall 4, writing 4.5 UTS College AE5: Pass Pearson PTE: overall 58, writing 50 Cambridge C1A / C2P: overall 176, writing 169

• Domestic course fees

  2026 Indicative tuition fees for domestic students

  As a postgraduate student, you'll be responsible for covering your own tuition fees.

  2026 Tuition Fee

  • Indicative first-year tuition fee:  $11,505.00
  • Indicative total tuition fee:  $11,505.00

  You can choose to pay your fees upfront per session, or if you’re eligible, you can defer them using a government FEE-HELP loan. This loan helps you cover all or part of your tuition fees. Keep in mind that applications for this loan are specific to each course.

  Additional Costs 

  Your tuition fees do not include:

  • The Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF), which supports student services and activities. If eligible, you can defer this fee using SA-HELP.
  • Textbooks, materials, and other course-related costs.
  • Any applicable payment processing fees (e.g., credit card surcharges).

  Important Information 

  • Fees are shown in Australian Dollars (AUD).
  • The indicative tuition fees above are based on full-time study (1 year = 48 credit points).
  • Your actual fees depend on the year you enrol, your study load and the subjects you choose. Some subjects fall into different student contribution bands.
  • You can calculate your student contribution based on the amounts listed in the student contribution table

  Alumni Advantage Program 

  As a UTS graduate, you can enjoy a 10% discount on your course fees. Just apply for the course you're interested in, and if you're accepted, the discount will automatically be applied to your enrolment invoice. Learn more about the Alumni Advantage Program. 

  If you have any questions about course fees, please feel free to make an enquiry.
 

  Information for Masters by Research students: Government-funded scholarship places available

  As a recipient of the Australian Government’s Research Training Program (RTP) Fees Offset Scholarship, you do not have to pay tuition fees for up to the maximum period of candidature. However, even with this scholarship, you should expect ongoing costs that aren’t covered, like travel, training, and professional development. These costs can vary for each person, so it’s important to plan accordingly. Additionally, scholarships are available to help with your living expenses.

  Important details: The RTP Fees Offset Scholarship covers your tuition fees, but please note that it doesn’t include additional costs related to studying or conducting research. Additional fees for domestic students. For more information visit Research student fees.

• Inherent requirements

  Inherent requirements are academic and non-academic requirements that are essential for successfully completing a course at UTS. You can find the inherent requirements for your course via the inherent requirements directory.

• Recognition of prior learning

  Students may be granted some recognition of prior learning if they have completed:

  • Adult teaching qualification at undergraduate or postgraduate level
  • CELTA
  • Cert IV TESOL
  • Primary teaching qualification at an undergraduate or Masters level
  • Secondary teaching qualification recognised by NSW DET at an undergraduate or Masters level
  • Secondary teaching qualification recognised by NSW DET at an undergraduate or Masters level with a specialisation in English
  • Teaching experience in TESOL in an ESL context at a primary, secondary or adult level for 2 years fulltime or more
  • Teaching Multilingual Learners microcredential from the University of Sydney

• Articulation with UTS courses

  This course is part of an articulated program comprising C04420 Master of TESOL and Applied Linguistics (Extension), C04305 Master of TESOL and Applied Linguistics, C06116 Graduate Diploma in Teaching and C11254 Graduate Certificate in TESOL. All courses are entry points whilst the Masters, Graduate Diploma and Graduate Certificate also operate as exit points.