Cultural Extremes pairs up with TEFL International to provide TEFL training and volunteer teaching placement. Once you’ve been accepted, you pay a $500 non-refundable deposit and then the rest is due upon the start of you teacher training – the certificate you receive upon passing the course is internationally recognized, so it can be used elsewhere as well. In some cases, the shorter PELT is available.

Some of the more unique programs include the Nike project in Thailand, where, as an employee of the Nike company you teach English to factory workers. There is also an Arabic cultural immersion program in Alexandria: participants do a TEFL course and then teach English and learn Arabic at the same time. There is also the Around the World Program, where participants start out with a TEFL course in either Costa Rica, Europe or Asia, and then have the option of volunteering to teach in a number of programs as they continue on a Round-the-World trip.

Costs vary and typically include about $1500 for a TEFL course – which more or less seems to be the going rate for a TEFL course – as well as a fee which frequently covers accommodation , placement and ongoing support. There is a link on each project page leading to information on fundraising and sponsorship, and you can read the answers to some frequently asked questions here.