International Open Academy TESOL Review 2026

Last updated: 14 October 2026. Jake’s account is from 2021; prices, course content, terms and accreditation were re-checked on IOA’s site on 14 October 2026. Written by Jake Elliott; updated and fact-checked by Josh Hutcheson, OnlineCourseing editor. See our review methodology.

About this review

This review has two parts. The first is Jake Elliott’s own account of taking IOA’s 120-Hour TESOL course in 2021, lightly edited. The second is our October 2026 fact-check of what IOA sells now: the courses, the full module list of the 150-Hour Advanced TESOL, the price of certificates, IOA’s terms and what its accreditation means. Where something in Jake’s original account no longer holds, we say so in an editor’s note rather than quietly deleting it.

My Story: What Made Me Enroll?

After completing my bachelor’s degree in English literature online, it took me quite some time to figure out what exactly I wanted to do with it. For roughly two years, I just couldn’t figure out anything.

After discussing the problem with one of my next-door neighbors, I decided to become an English teacher. By then I had already begun a regular study of French and Spanish, and in speaking to my language partners I found out how much people wanted to learn English and to really understand how to use it.

After researching what it takes to become an English teacher or tutor, I learned I would need a certification such as TESOL, TEFL or CELTA. That brought me to Google, looking for a reasonably priced program, and the search brought me to International Open Academy. I chose the TESOL program because it fit what I wanted to do, and because I believed it would help me find work if I ever left the United States.

Do I Think this Platform is Legit?

International Open Academy is a real organization, and it delivered the course I paid for. When I enrolled, I understood that its ICOES accreditation would show employers the course met high standards for online education.

My Learning Experience with IOA:

My overall learning experience gave me the chance to develop a mindset suited to teaching. I gained a real sense of accomplishment by following the program through to completion, and that has made me want to follow through on other goals in my life too.

The most valuable feature was the test after each lesson. The exam questions related directly to the coursework before it, so I applied what I had just learned, which made it stick as I moved on to the next set of lessons. I also found the sections on cultural differences between students both challenging and interesting.

As a homemaker, once my wife left for work and my chores were done, I had a fair amount of time to study, and I completed the program quickly.

What I liked

The coursework is broken into bite-size pieces that are easy to digest, so I understood most of the material right away, and what I didn’t understand at first I picked up on review. The course designers clearly knew their subject.

What I did not like:

I disliked the spelling and grammar errors in the lessons. As a grammarian, they stood out to me, and a course that trains English teachers should fix them. It is a relatively minor complaint about an otherwise decent program.

Impact On My Life:

The certificate got me several interviews and a couple of job offers, which I couldn’t take because of scheduling conflicts. It also helped me in smaller ways: helping my son with his homework, and working on a multilingual book. Studying how English works through the eyes of a learner gave me a better understanding of my own language.

IOA’s TESOL courses in 2026: 120-hour vs 150-hour Advanced

IOA now sells two TESOL courses (and matching TEFL courses). Here is what its product pages listed on 14 October 2026:

The 120-hour course is the one Jake took. Because IOA states its 120-hour TEFL and TESOL courses are identical, everything in our IOA TEFL review about the 120-hour content applies here too. The Advanced course is where the TESOL page differs, so we cover it in detail next.

See IOA’s 150-Hour Advanced TESOL →

What the 150-Hour Advanced TESOL covers

IOA says the course was written by TESOL teaching professionals with more than 30 years of experience and combines text with video. Its 18 modules are:

1. In the Classroom: introduction to pedagogy (learners, teachers, cultural differences and language barriers)
2. In the Classroom: classroom management
3. In the Classroom: introduction to English grammar
4. In the Classroom: introduction to English vocabulary
5. In the Classroom: teaching reading skills
6. In the Classroom: teaching listening skills
7. In the Classroom: teaching writing skills
8. In the Classroom: teaching speaking skills
9. In the Classroom: learning aims and lesson plans
10. In the Classroom: next steps (further study, CV, interviews, where to teach)
11. Online Teaching: getting started (industry overview, finding jobs, equipment, teaching space)
12. Online Teaching: your job application (demo lesson, intro video, interviews)
13. Online Teaching: your teacher profile (what parents look for, photos, profile video)
14. Online Teaching: online classrooms and teacher portals (trial classes, scheduling, time zones, feedback)
15. Online Teaching: ESL fundamentals online (TPR, scaffolding, modeling, repetition, prompts)
16. Online Teaching: props, resources and techniques (puppets, music, reward systems)
17. Online Teaching: a successful online teaching career (career paths, income, wellbeing)
18. Bonus: getting started in TEFL/TESOL (tech advice, presenting yourself, researching employers)

The online-teaching half is the real reason to choose it over the 120-hour course: it walks through applying to online ESL companies, recording a demo lesson and intro video, and running a class through a teacher portal. As with the shorter course, there is no observed teaching practice and no tutor marking your work. Recent Trustpilot reviewers who finished it in 2026 describe it as engaging and well structured, and one called the 150-hour exams “rigorous.”

Differences Between TESOL and TEFL

TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) is the term used more in North America and covers teaching both in English-speaking countries and abroad. TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) is the more common term in the UK, Europe and Australia and usually means teaching abroad. In hiring, employers mostly treat a 120-hour TEFL and a 120-hour TESOL certificate as equivalent; what they check is the number of hours, the accreditation and sometimes whether it included teaching practice.

At IOA the distinction is purely a label: the 120-hour TEFL and TESOL courses have the same content. Pick the name your target employer uses.

Thoughts On Course Pricing:

Jake no longer remembers the 2021 price, only that it was a deal, which made the decision easy. IOA still runs frequent sales, and its courses are often sold through voucher sites. What has changed is how certificates are sold. Passing the course makes you eligible to buy one; it is not included with a single-course purchase:

IOA’s yearly ($186) and lifetime ($439) memberships include 10 certificates; the monthly plan ($33) includes none. Paying for the certificate separately is one of the most frequent complaints about IOA’s TESOL and TEFL courses on Trustpilot.

Thoughts On Course Timeline:

IOA recommends 120 hours for the standard course and 150 for the Advanced one, but both are self-paced. Jake’s original review estimated the 120-hour course at “4-6 hours on average”; reported times actually range from a few hours to several weeks, and employers know that the “120 hours” is a recommendation rather than a measured requirement.

Two rules in IOA’s terms matter more than speed. Each course is valid for 60 days from the day you activate it (and must be activated within 12 months of purchase), and you need at least 55% on every module exam, with one free resit per exam. Several one-star reviews come from people whose course expired before they finished, so don’t open it until you are ready to work through it.

Refunds are available for 14 days after purchase: a cash refund if you have not started, possibly a gift card if you have, and nothing after 14 days or once you finish.

Accreditation: what ICOES, IAPCC and CPD mean

• ICOES (International Council for Online Educational Standards) is a foundation in the Netherlands that accredits online educators and issues certificates to their students. It is not on the UK Ofqual register of regulated awarding organizations or the US CHEA list of recognized accreditors.
• IAPCC (International Association of Private Career Colleges) is a Geneva-based industry association that lists International Open Academy as a member. Membership is not independent accreditation.
• CPD points come from the CPD Certification Service, which approves training as continuing professional development. Useful for CPD logs, not a TESOL accreditation.

Our TEFL review sets these against the accreditation of the main alternatives.

Opportunites After Course:

Jake’s original review said that Chinese online schools such as Magic Ears began accepting IOA’s TESOL certificate in 2019, after China required online teachers to hold credentials.

Where IOA’s certificate does help: private tutoring, volunteering and some online platforms that accept any 120-hour certificate. As Jake found, the course content itself is useful preparation whatever certificate you end up holding.

Benefits of the International Open Academy TESOL

• Low price, especially on sale or inside a membership that includes certificates.
• Clear, bite-size lessons with an exam after each module, which helps material stick.
• The 150-hour version is one of the cheaper courses that covers the practical side of getting hired by online ESL companies.
• Self-paced and fully online, with no prerequisites.

What other graduates say

We read 60 recent Trustpilot reviews of IOA on 14 October 2026. Graduates of the TESOL courses are mostly positive about the teaching: they mention clear modules, knowledgeable presenters, helpful assessments and support staff who answer quickly. The negatives are about the business: certificates sold separately, courses that expire, membership charges some people did not expect, and certificates that could not be legalized for work abroad. On Reddit, a 2020 r/TESOL commenter called the accreditation “fake” and the course “reading and simple quizzes,” a view echoed in the other threads we read.

If you need a recognized TESOL or TEFL certificate

These providers are accredited by recognized regulators or accreditors (as they state on their sites) and include tutor feedback. None of them pays us; prices were read on 14 October 2026 during October sales.

Conclusion: Do I recommend it?

Jake: For people trying to gain a foothold in teaching English, I would recommend IOA’s program, and I would encourage them to deepen their understanding through plenty of practice after the course.

Our 2026 verdict: we agree the content is a decent introduction, and the 150-Hour Advanced TESOL is good value for learning how online ESL hiring works. But budget for the certificate on top of the course price, start it only when you can finish within 60 days, and do not buy it as the certificate for a work visa or a selective employer. For that, a regulated Level 5 course on sale costs less than it first appears.

See IOA’s 120-Hour TESOL course →

FaQ:

Is International Open Academy TESOL legit?

International Open Academy is a real company (North Royal Training Limited, Dublin) and delivers the courses it sells. The issues are extra certificate fees, a 60-day course window and accreditation (ICOES, IAPCC) that is not recognized for visa or government purposes.

Is the International Open Academy TESOL accredited?

IOA says its TESOL courses are accredited by ICOES and certified by IAPCC and CPD. None of these is a recognized TESOL accreditor: ICOES is a Netherlands foundation and IAPCC a trade association, and neither is on the UK Ofqual register or the US CHEA list.

How much does the IOA TESOL certificate cost?

On 14 October 2026 the 120-Hour TESOL course listed at $142 and the 150-Hour Advanced TESOL at $274. The certificate is extra: $27 for IOA’s Certificate of Achievement, $33 for the ICOES digital certificate or $55 for an ICOES hard copy. Yearly and lifetime memberships include 10 certificates.

What is the difference between IOA’s 120-hour and 150-hour TESOL?

The 150-Hour Advanced TESOL contains the same ten classroom modules plus seven modules on teaching online and a bonus module. Choose it if you plan to teach English online.

Are IOA’s TEFL and TESOL courses different?

Not at 120 hours: IOA says its 120-Hour TEFL and 120-Hour TESOL courses have the same content.

How long does the IOA TESOL course take?

IOA recommends 120 or 150 hours, but it is self-paced and many students finish faster. Each course is valid for 60 days after you activate it.

Can I teach English online with an IOA TESOL certificate?

With some companies, yes; requirements vary and change often. If a platform names approved providers or a minimum accreditation, check before you buy.

Is there a refund policy?

Yes, within 14 days of purchase: a cash refund if you have not started the course, possibly a gift card if you have, and no refund after 14 days or once you complete it.

Jake Elliott (LinkedIn) is a TESOL certificate holder, writer and proofreader based in California. Sources for the 2026 update, all read 14 October 2026: internationalopenacademy.com (course pages, accreditation and certificates page, terms of use), icoes.org, iapcc.org, the Ofqual register, CHEA’s list of recognized accreditors, Trustpilot, Reddit and the alternative providers’ sites.