IELTS is big business these days as people from all around the world look to sit this essential English exam. Getting a high band score in IELTS can open all sorts of doors – employment, education, immigration – and so each year more people begin some sort of IELTS training course. Naturally, many of them will need a part-time or full-time IELTS teacher to help them. That means that there are lots of opportunities for new IELTS teachers.
So, how do you become an IELTS teacher?
Requirements for Being an IELTS Teacher
Technically, there are no requirements for being an IELTS teacher. You do not need to pass a course or get a certificate in order to be an IELTS tutor. You could start up your own IELTS school and begin teaching tomorrow if you really wanted.
However, realistically, an IELTS teacher should have several important qualities.
Firstly, you should have a good grasp of the English language. You don’t need to be a native speaker, but it obviously helps to have that intuitive grasp of the language. You should be good enough that when you sit the IELTS exam yourself, you score at least a band 8. Unfortunately, there are many unqualified teachers out there who would probably fail to get a 7, but they somehow manage to give others advice.
It is also very important that you actually know about the IELTS exam, although this is something most native speakers or advanced English learners can pick up quickly. I would strongly recommend getting a set of IELTS exam papers and taking the test yourself, and then looking through some good IELTS books to get an idea about all the different possible question types. The Cambridge English Teacher platform also has an online IELTS training course, which is about 20 hours and is very useful for new teachers. At the end, you get a certificate, which will help you a little in convincing a prospective employer of your competence. FutureLearn also has some IELTS courses (as well as some tailored to ESL teaching in general).
Of course, teachers generally need a number of personal qualities – a sense of responsibility, patience, communicative abilities, and so on. These will all help you greatly as you move forward as a teacher, but never give up trying to improve yourself and always strive to be the best for your students.
An Extra Note on Qualifications
Although I mentioned above that no qualifications are, strictly speaking, required to teach IELTS, you will probably need certain qualifications depending on where you work. If you are freelancing, you might just find students and then get referrals; however, more than likely you will be working for a school or institution and they will want a BA or MA, and perhaps a CELTA or DELTA. At a minimum, they would probably want you to have a 120-hour TEFL certificate.
How Can I Get an IELTS Teaching Certificate?
I should mention that there is no such thing as an IELTS teaching certificate. At least, there is no official qualification or training course. The closest thing to an IELTS teaching certificate would be actually training as an examiner, but if you do that then you are no longer allowed to teach IELTS. (This would be a major conflict of interest.)
The organisers of IELTS do, however, offer advice to teachers and Cambridge does offer a 20-hour “How to Teach IELTS” course that you can download. New teachers should definitely make use of these resources.
English Ability and Becoming an IELTS Teacher
If you want to become an IELTS teacher, you really need to have great English skills. Sadly, there are thousands of IELTS teachers around the world who speak English very poorly and they give awful advice. These include both native learners and people for whom IELTS is a second or third language.
You might think, “I’m a native speaker so I can help people learn English!” That’s possibly true, but IELTS is a pretty advanced test and getting a band 7 or higher requires really knowing the language well. If you can’t explain the uses of the present perfect tense, for example, or how to punctuate a sentence properly, then you simply won’t be an effective teacher.
If you really do have a great intuitive grasp of the language (i.e. you are a native speaker), then you might want to spend a few weeks intensely studying grammar so that you can teach it effectively. This will really help you when students ask tricky questions or make mistakes that you need to correct.
Finding an IELTS Teaching Job
It isn’t hard to find an IELTS teaching job if you have the qualifications mentioned above, as well as some experience. Obviously, you can just search Google, but the immediate results aren’t very helpful.
The most popular ESL job board is Dave’s ESL Cafe, which has been around for many years. It is not IELTS-specific, but you may find something there.
You will find that many schools that want an IELTS teacher tend to only sometimes teach IELTS. You would be a general English teacher with a partly IELTS curriculum. This is true in high schools, universities, and training schools.
There are of course some specific IELTS training schools. In China, the biggest one is called Global IELTS. However, I don’t recommend them. I don’t know what it is like working there, but I feel they are scammy and make ridiculous promises to their students like, “Learn these 100 words and get a band 7!” Unfortunately, you will find institutions like this all over the world. I’m sure that working for such a place would be depressing, even if it paid well.
You can look into online IELTS teaching. Lots of people start their own IELTS businesses and teach by using Skype or Zoom. However, it is of course difficult to find students who are willing to pay you. One option is to use a company that matches students and teachers. There are quite a few, but some of the ones I have found online are:
I have personally never used any of these, but italki seems the best from what I have researched.
When teaching IELTS online, you have to make lesson plans yourself and figure out an appropriate schedule. You usually need to give a free or discounted lesson to attract students, and then set reasonable prices after that. It looks like beginning teachers need to start with a low rate and then increase it as they gain experience and high reviews. I have a guide to starting your own online business here.
Where Can I Teach IELTS?
Above, I mentioned that you can teach IELTS in schools, universities, training programmes, online, or even sometimes in tandem with a business or organization.
However, in which parts of the world can you teach IELTS?
Well, IELTS is pretty popular across the globe. It is huge in China right now, as well as in Vietnam, the Middle East, and India. In fact, much of Asia is currently IELTS-crazy. But you can also find IELTS courses in Europe and South America, and pretty much everywhere else. These days, many of my students come from France and Germany.
If you are very qualified, you may find a position teaching IELTS to English learners even in a country like the U.S. or U.K., although here the market is far more competitive and new teachers tend to get pushed out in favor of more experienced ones.
Some people want to know how to become an IELTS teacher in Australia. This is natural because IELTS is really popular there. There are many immigrants from countries around Asia and these people often prepare for IELTS in order to get their visas. Again, the advice from above is to get some sort of experience and qualification but remember that there are no actual official criteria that you need to satisfy. You can check out different IELTS training schools in Australia and ask them what sort of qualifications you need to get a job there.
Google Trends data about global IELTS interest.
First Days as an IELTS Teacher
Your first days as an IELTS teacher will be totally different depending on the job. If you picked up an online gig, you might be teaching for a few hours in the middle of the night on your laptop! On the other hand, you might be giving a lecture to 150 students in an auditorium. So it’s hard to say exactly what you will be doing…
Being an IELTS teacher, though, will involve teaching IELTS exam skills as well as grammar and vocabulary. You will have to impart knowledge as well as give feedback. You will most likely be dealing with all four sections of the IELTS exam:
reading
listening
writing
speaking
The important thing is to make sure that you are prepared and that you know your students. Learn as much about the exam as possible before you start teaching, and go into your classroom (or virtual learning environment) feeling confident and prepared. Get to know your students and their goals, and then do whatever you can to help them achieve those goals. Make sure that whatever you teach is appropriate for their present level of English ability. You can figure that out by giving them a mock test early on.
Career Progression in IELTS
In IELTS, as in other ESL jobs, career progression is largely what you make of it. If you want to, you can go far and make a great career out of it… but if you don’t put in the effort, it probably won’t be worthwhile.
There are some IELTS teachers out there who have built successful businesses and soon have people working for them. They might move into educational management or they might start designing courses rather than just teaching them. Many people try making courses or writing books, but it’s now getting to be a really saturated market.
One popular option is becoming an IELTS examiner. This is definitely a highly-paid position and many people want to do it. You will need a lot of experience, great English skills, and a qualification. According to the British Council website, you just need a TEFL certificate, but any examiner I have spoken to tells me that you really need a CELTA.
Is There a Future in IELTS Teaching?
This is a big question and obviously no one can see into the future, but I feel confident that there will be a big market for IELTS teachers for the foreseeable future.
We can see from this Google Trends search that IELTS continues to be of worldwide interest:
Understandably, interest dropped off during the beginning of the covid pandemic as travel restrictions stopped people from going abroad. However, it is not only recovered but more people are searching for “IELTS” on Google than before the pandemic!
There are concerns about how technology – specifically AI – will affect the teaching industry, but I feel that certainly for the next few years IELTS will be lucrative.
And Finally, Money….
So here’s the big question: How much do IELTS teachers get paid?
Well, again, that is a huge variable. It depends entirely upon where you work and how good you are at the job. In China, where there aren’t many native English speakers, there is a massive premium on native speakers with IELTS knowledge. You can help prepare students for their IELTS test and get paid anywhere from $20-100 per hour. I’m not joking! If you are good at writing, you can coach students to improve their writing skills for about $100 per hour in some places.
Teaching online tends to pay less, but if you put in the hours and get good reviews, you can ask for $25+ per hour. Although you could earn far more by living and working in, say, Shanghai, $25/hour is not bad for sitting at home just about anywhere in the world! Some “digital nomads” choose to live in cheap locations like Thailand and then work with students from all over the world, earning good money.
If you are a skilled businessperson, then of course you may start your own online business and turn it into an IELTS empire! However, don’t expect that to happen overnight. It’s a competitive field and you will need a range of skills to achieve real success.
Conclusion
There are currently many opportunities to work as an IELTS tutor. If you have a degree, a good grasp of grammar, and preferably some sort of English teaching qualification, then you may qualify to do this job. It also depends on where you live. Working as an IELTS tutor in the UK or Australia is probably harder than finding a job in China or Vietnam. Still, this is a booming market and breaking into it isn’t hugely difficult.
I am a writer, editor, and educator. I have written various books on mid-20th century American writers and a few on grammar and IELTS preparation. I have been in the education field since 2008 and have worked in various countries. I started this website to share some ideas and resources to help my fellow teachers.
I self taught English at 18, lived and worked for 36 years in Canada and US, can read, listen, comprehend, speak, write and think in English with native level proficiency. Being 70 years old my reflexes are slower, since IELTS is a timed test should I be concerned about lower scores on this account? I am Considering teaching IELTS test preparation in Pakistan. Invite Insights of veteran teachers in this regard.
I suppose that may be a factor, although English ability is much more important than any issue relating to reflexes. If you speak English fluently, you should score highly regardless of speed.
I am from India, Kerala and I am 56 yrs. I am a post graduate teacher but lost all my certificates. Can I apply for IELTS trainer using my Higher secondary certificate., ie. +2 in India. I want to apply for IELTS teacher and how can I? PLEASE HELP ME.
It depends upon the institution to which you apply. You would need to find out their requirements. As for your certificates, I’m sure that you can apply to the place where you studied for them and get them reissued.
I am aspiring to become an IELTS Trainer. I have worked in an MNC Bank in Hyderabad, INDIA for 6 years and I am a MBA qualified. Currently looking forward to become an IELTS Trainer. What are the key requirements and certifications needed to become one? And I have attended the training of IELTS course recently. Kindly, suggest me with the further steps to be considered.
What you asked is all explained in the article above. I’m not sure why you commented without reading…
Well, technically no certifications are needed to be an IELTS trainer but it depends on the institution. Obviously, it is better to have a number of qualifications that show you know the exam and the English language, as well as some teaching skills.
I sincerely appreciate your article as it answered a lot of my questions that I have not been able to find anywhere else. English is my native dialect, and I am currently an Office Administrator. My job is multifaceted, including writing business proposals. My previous employment was as a Functional Analyst with the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research at a University where a part of my job was to write procedures and technical proposals. Frequently, I would help to train Advisors and Staff through formal information sessions.
My current employer is very pleased with my literary skillset and is requesting that I look into how to proceed to transition myself as an IELTS Trainer for our institute. However, from what I have read in your closing paragraph, my heart now sinks. Despite my level of proficiency in English, despite having achieved successful careers in the past, I have always been self-taught and trained. I do not have a post-secondary education. As a 45 year old woman, I am from a generation that learned how to write properly and exercise it well throughout my life.
Can you please confirm this for me? Is a Degree mandatory or am I able to somehow take examination or review to prove my level of competency and proficiency with English literacy to prove myself worthy of training IELTS?
Any advice you can offer would be deeply appreciated.
Of course, a degree is not strictly necessary but it depends on who you are and where you want to work. If you want to move to a new country, you will probably need a degree in order to get your work permit.
Becoming an IELTS teacher can be challenging especially at the beginning. Good this posts like this can help guide and keep aspirant teachers motivated. Thank you for sharing this information.
This is extremely insightful. I have a question though, is CELTA a certificate level qualification ? Does it meet the minimum criteria to become an IELTS examiner, provided one has the required experience in teaching?
Hello David, thank you so much for writing these down. I kept looking on an official IELTS teacher certification program but I couldn’t find one. I am currently doing my training in TESOL certificate online and working as an ESL teacher. I read about having good certifications and post-graduate studies and I am wondering about these points:
1. How will I know that any teaching certification like TEFL/TESOL/CELTA is valid and recognized by the IDP/British Council?
2. What specific post-graduate programs should I look for in order to integrate it with my ESL and future IELTS career?
3. Free time wise, what are the best sources of enhancing grammar?
Thanks for the info.
But I just cannot comprehend the idea of “You can no longer teacher IELTS if you train as an examiner”. I don’t understand why that would be a conflict of interest. And who is even monitoring you? It seems quite limiting. I mean, we all need to carry on working and find as much work as possible, so why would I have to put all my eggs in one basket?
I didn’t mean to sound brusk, but I just want to understand better.
Thank you for your blog.
Cheers
No one is monitoring but there could be a conflict of interest. I have known examiners who have taught secretly and then had their students appear in the examination room for the speaking test.
Great information David… I am also an IELTS tutor from India.. Recentely i have started a blog to guide IELTS students. I think your website will definitely help me.
Hi,
Thnx for the article.
I’m contemplating to start a career as IELTS trainer and had come across TEFL certification.
Just wanted to know, will this certification in anyway matter to becoming an IELTS trainer ?
Hi David, I just wanna say thank you for your generous sharing in this post which has been super useful for me as a new teacher. Thank you and all the best!
I NEED TO BECOME A IELTS TRAINER CAN YOU GIVE SUGGESTIONS AND IDEAS TO DO IT
I HAD FORGOT THE PROCESS AND LOST THE CONTACT NO FOR DOING IELTS COURSE TO BECOME A TRAINER
PLEASE HELP ME
I self taught English at 18, lived and worked for 36 years in Canada and US, can read, listen, comprehend, speak, write and think in English with native level proficiency. Being 70 years old my reflexes are slower, since IELTS is a timed test should I be concerned about lower scores on this account? I am Considering teaching IELTS test preparation in Pakistan. Invite Insights of veteran teachers in this regard.
I suppose that may be a factor, although English ability is much more important than any issue relating to reflexes. If you speak English fluently, you should score highly regardless of speed.
I am from India, Kerala and I am 56 yrs. I am a post graduate teacher but lost all my certificates. Can I apply for IELTS trainer using my Higher secondary certificate., ie. +2 in India. I want to apply for IELTS teacher and how can I? PLEASE HELP ME.
It depends upon the institution to which you apply. You would need to find out their requirements. As for your certificates, I’m sure that you can apply to the place where you studied for them and get them reissued.
I am aspiring to become an IELTS Trainer. I have worked in an MNC Bank in Hyderabad, INDIA for 6 years and I am a MBA qualified. Currently looking forward to become an IELTS Trainer. What are the key requirements and certifications needed to become one? And I have attended the training of IELTS course recently. Kindly, suggest me with the further steps to be considered.
What you asked is all explained in the article above. I’m not sure why you commented without reading…
Well, technically no certifications are needed to be an IELTS trainer but it depends on the institution. Obviously, it is better to have a number of qualifications that show you know the exam and the English language, as well as some teaching skills.
David can I get your email so we can chat ASAP.
It’s david (at) ted-ielts (dot) com
Hi David.
I sincerely appreciate your article as it answered a lot of my questions that I have not been able to find anywhere else. English is my native dialect, and I am currently an Office Administrator. My job is multifaceted, including writing business proposals. My previous employment was as a Functional Analyst with the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research at a University where a part of my job was to write procedures and technical proposals. Frequently, I would help to train Advisors and Staff through formal information sessions.
My current employer is very pleased with my literary skillset and is requesting that I look into how to proceed to transition myself as an IELTS Trainer for our institute. However, from what I have read in your closing paragraph, my heart now sinks. Despite my level of proficiency in English, despite having achieved successful careers in the past, I have always been self-taught and trained. I do not have a post-secondary education. As a 45 year old woman, I am from a generation that learned how to write properly and exercise it well throughout my life.
Can you please confirm this for me? Is a Degree mandatory or am I able to somehow take examination or review to prove my level of competency and proficiency with English literacy to prove myself worthy of training IELTS?
Any advice you can offer would be deeply appreciated.
Thank you,
Tanya
Of course, a degree is not strictly necessary but it depends on who you are and where you want to work. If you want to move to a new country, you will probably need a degree in order to get your work permit.
Becoming an IELTS teacher can be challenging especially at the beginning. Good this posts like this can help guide and keep aspirant teachers motivated. Thank you for sharing this information.
Hi David,
This is extremely insightful. I have a question though, is CELTA a certificate level qualification ? Does it meet the minimum criteria to become an IELTS examiner, provided one has the required experience in teaching?
Looking forward to your response.
Thank you.
Mansi
The last time I heard, you needed CELTA and two years’ of post-CELTA work experience.
Hello David, thank you so much for writing these down. I kept looking on an official IELTS teacher certification program but I couldn’t find one. I am currently doing my training in TESOL certificate online and working as an ESL teacher. I read about having good certifications and post-graduate studies and I am wondering about these points:
1. How will I know that any teaching certification like TEFL/TESOL/CELTA is valid and recognized by the IDP/British Council?
2. What specific post-graduate programs should I look for in order to integrate it with my ESL and future IELTS career?
3. Free time wise, what are the best sources of enhancing grammar?
Thank you for taking time to read my inquiry.
Thanks for the info.
But I just cannot comprehend the idea of “You can no longer teacher IELTS if you train as an examiner”. I don’t understand why that would be a conflict of interest. And who is even monitoring you? It seems quite limiting. I mean, we all need to carry on working and find as much work as possible, so why would I have to put all my eggs in one basket?
I didn’t mean to sound brusk, but I just want to understand better.
Thank you for your blog.
Cheers
No one is monitoring but there could be a conflict of interest. I have known examiners who have taught secretly and then had their students appear in the examination room for the speaking test.
Very Helpful information for all the IELTS teachers.
Can you please help with more online IELTS teaching tips?
Great information David… I am also an IELTS tutor from India.. Recentely i have started a blog to guide IELTS students. I think your website will definitely help me.
Thank your for this extraordinary info.
Hi,
Thnx for the article.
I’m contemplating to start a career as IELTS trainer and had come across TEFL certification.
Just wanted to know, will this certification in anyway matter to becoming an IELTS trainer ?
Hi David, I just wanna say thank you for your generous sharing in this post which has been super useful for me as a new teacher. Thank you and all the best!
MP