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CELTA - Summer Intensive

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  • Level of study:
    Professional
  • Entry Requirements:
    More information
  • Start date:
    28 June 2027
  • Duration:
    Monday to Friday 9 am - 5.30 pm, four weeks
  • Attendance:
    Full-time
  • Course delivery:
    On-campus (City Campus)
Teacher teaching verbs

About this course

What is CELTA and who is it for?

The Cambridge CELTA (Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) is an initial language teaching qualification.  It’s a great way to kick-start a career in language teaching, opening up a whole world of exciting opportunities.

CELTA is the most widely recognised qualification of its kind, internationally held in very high regard by organisations which employ English Language teachers and is required by British Council accredited institutions worldwide. Because it is awarded by Cambridge English, part of the world-renowned University of Cambridge, you can rely on its quality and recognition. It has been accredited by Ofqual (the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation) at Level Five on the National Qualifications Framework.

CELTA is suitable for a wide range of people. It is the ideal qualification for those interested in teaching English as a second or foreign language, here in the UK or anywhere around the world. Because the course assumes no prior teaching experience, it is suitable both for people who want a career change or break and also for those already teaching English who wish to add to their qualifications to enhance their employment opportunities.

Why study CELTA at NTU?

The course is run by the Nottingham Institute for Languages and Intercultural Communication (NILIC) at our City campus. We have a core of highly qualified and dedicated tutors delivering the CELTA course. They have worked extensively as language teachers and teacher trainers in various parts of the world and have much experience to share.

Our course brings together people of a great variety of backgrounds who are able to share a wealth of different life experiences which, in addition to the rich intercultural exchange, really serves to enhance the collective knowledge and skills of the cohort.

What does CELTA involve?

The CELTA is a very practical course with an emphasis on classroom teaching.

Input sessions consist of tutor-led workshops on topics related to language teaching, including the roles of teachers and learners, lesson planning, language analysis and various aspects of classroom management and teaching methodology. These sessions are very practical, involving much small group work with high levels of participation and hands-on practice.

The Teaching Practice element of the course involves you teaching English to international adult learners from a variety of backgrounds who are very keen to learn. We offer these English classes for free to the community and the learners are extremely appreciative of the lessons. The aim is to make these lessons fun, interactive and engaging. Under your tutors’ guidance, you will be involved in planning and team-teaching these lessons with your fellow candidates on the course.

Module information

Here’s a breakdown of what you’ll be studying throughout the course:

There are five main units of learning:

  • learners and teachers, and the teaching and learning context
  • language analysis and awareness
  • language skills: reading, listening, speaking and writing
  • planning and resources for different contexts
  • developing teaching skills and professionalism.

We regularly review our course content based on student and employer feedback to ensure they remain current and relevant. This may result in changes to module content or availability in future years. Optional modules will only run where there is sufficient demand. This will be determined on a case-by-case basis to protect the academic and student experience.

How you're taught

How you're assessed

There are no formal examinations.

Instead, you will be assessed on two main components:

  1. Teaching practice: You will compile a portfolio of your various classroom teaching efforts, consisting of your lesson plans, your reflections after teaching and your tutor’s assessment for each lesson.
  2. Written assignments: You will complete four written assignments across the course relating to various aspects of language teaching and learning. These are short (750-1000 words each) and very practical in nature.

To be awarded the certificate, you must pass both components. There are three final Pass grades: Pass A, Pass B and Pass.

The course is run in a very success-oriented way to provide you with every opportunity to do well. We appreciate that for many candidates this is likely to be a new experience and the dedicated team of tutors provide guidance on lesson planning, detailed feedback on teaching practice to help you improve, tutorial support and advice on the written assessments.

It should be pointed out that a very high level of attendance is expected on the course. This is because the very practical nature of the course means that missed sessions cannot easily be caught up by extra home study or by rescheduling Teaching Practice classes. Candidates who are unable to make the full 100% attendance commitment are unlikely to be admitted onto the course.

Who will teach you?

Entry requirements

UK students

You should normally:

  • have a standard of education equivalent to that required for entry into higher education. You may still be accepted onto the course if you do not have formal qualifications at this level but can demonstrate that you would be likely to complete the course successfully. This would be at the discretion of the course team and determined by  your application form and interview.
  • be aged 20 or over. We may, at our discretion, accept applicants from age 18.
  • have a standard of spoken and written English and an awareness of language which will enable you to undertake the course and to teach English language at a range of levels. If English is not your first language, Cambridge English recommends that you have an overall level of English proficiency equivalent to C2 or C1+ on the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR). This equates to a minimum overall IELTS score of 7.5-8. Your English level will be discussed during the interview process.

International students

You should normally:

  • have a standard of education equivalent to that required for entry into higher education. You may still be accepted onto the course if you do not have formal qualifications at this level but can demonstrate that you would be likely to complete the course successfully. This would be at the discretion of the course team and determined by  your application form and interview.
  • be aged 20 or over. We may, at our discretion, accept applicants from age 18.
  • have a standard of spoken and written English and an awareness of language which will enable you to undertake the course and to teach English language at a range of levels. If English is not your first language, Cambridge English recommends that you have an overall level of English proficiency equivalent to C2 or C1+ on the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR). This equates to a minimum overall IELTS score of 7.5-8. Your English level will be discussed during the interview process.

Fees and funding

UK students

- see the fees for this course, as well as information about funding and support.

The fee for this course is £1,700 plus £190 for your Cambridge assessment fee.

International students

- see the fees for this course, as well as payment advice and scholarships.

The fee for this course is £1,700 plus £190 for your Cambridge assessment fee.

Additional costs

Your course fees cover the cost of studies and include loads of great benefits, such as the use of our library, support from our expert Employability team and free use of the IT equipment across our campuses. There are just a few additional things you may need to budget for:

CELTA additional costs

If you choose to take CELTA, you will have to pay an assessment fee to Cambridge of £190.

You will need to obtain a methodology book for the course. We recommend The Practice of English Language Teaching' (5th edition) by Jeremy Harmer or A Course in English Language Teaching (2nd ed. 2012.) by Penny Ur.

A grammar reference book would also be useful. An example of a suitable grammar book would be Grammar for English Language Teachers by M. Parrott or Practical English Usage by Michael Swann or similar.

Careers and employability

English language tuition is in extremely high demand throughout the world and there are a plethora of employment opportunities open to those interested in pursuing English teaching as a career abroad or here in the UK or as an opportunity to travel and work abroad to more generally broaden their horizons.

CELTA is the most widely recognised initial English language teaching qualification worldwide and is held in very high regard. It is required by all British Council accredited institutions, which may include further and higher education establishments and private language schools in the UK as well as many educational institutions abroad.

More generally, those with CELTA will have an advantage over those without it in the jobs market and will enjoy greater choice and access to better jobs at more reputable schools with better pay and working conditions and more opportunities for professional development.

Our CELTA course will equip you with the knowledge and skills to apply for and take on English language teaching positions with real confidence.

  • Employability Promise

    Personalised support, one-on-one coaching and industry-specific advice – it’s all part of our Employability Promise. And it doesn’t end when you leave NTU – you’ll have access to all our careers services for three years after you graduate (conditions apply).

  • NTU Enterprise

    If you’re a budding entrepreneur, NTU Student Enterprise can help you to develop your ideas and innovations and turn them into a reality. We also offer training, mentoring, workshops, financial advice and more to develop your business skills.

Campus and facilities

As a postgraduate CELTA student, you’ll mainly be studying in our industry-standard NILIC (Nottingham Institute for Languages and Intercultural Communication) building at the centre of our vibrant City Campus. As well as a range of classrooms and lecture theatres, you’ll benefit from our dedicated CELTA learning environments.

NTU’s City Campus has everything you’ll need to stay busy between lectures. As well as the Boots Library and its beautiful roof garden, there’s our stylish Students’ Union building and two-storey, 100-station gym; a whole host of cafés, bars, restaurants and food outlets for every taste; our much-loved Global Lounge; performance and rehearsal spaces for musicians; and much, much more!

Take a few steps off campus and you’ll find yourself in the heart of Nottingham — a legendary student city stuffed with history, culture, and well-kept secrets to discover at your leisure.

Applying

UK students

Complete the application form and send across a personal statement to apply.

Personal statement: Please explain in no more than 300 words why you are interested in doing the CELTA course and what you hope to gain from it.

For further information about the CELTA course, please contact:

The Short Course Office for matters related to administration, application process and fees etc.

James Cooper, for matters related to course content, assessment etc.

Apply now

International students

Complete the application form and send across a personal statement to apply.

Personal statement: Please explain in no more than 300 words why you are interested in doing the CELTA course and what you hope to gain from it.

For further information about the CELTA course, please contact:

The Short Course Office for matters related to administration, application process and fees etc.

James Cooper, for matters related to course content, assessment etc.

Application support

If you have any questions, just drop us a line – we’re here to help every step of the way. You can fill in our online form or give us a call on +44 (0)115 848 2999.

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