Cheap TEFL courses with tutor support: what US$29–US$49 really gets you

What does “tutor support” mean on a TEFL course?

Course pages use the same words for quite different services:

1. Someone to ask. A tutor answers your questions about the course material, usually by email.
2. Feedback on your own work. A tutor comments on a lesson plan or demo lesson you’ve made. It helps you improve, but it doesn’t count towards your certificate.
3. Marked assignments. A tutor marks written work that counts towards passing the course.

Most budget courses offer the first, some sell the second as an add-on, and the third usually comes with courses at £99 and above.

Which cheap TEFL courses include a tutor?

Sources: IntrepidTEFL, StudyTEFL, TEFLmasters and World TESOL Academy, checked 10 November 2026; simpleTEFL course.

The cheapest tier is often the one without a tutor, so compare the price of the version that includes the support you want.

What about courses with marked assignments?

If you want a tutor to mark your written work, most budget courses don’t include it. TEFLmasters’ US$59 course includes two marked assignments. At the next price level, marked work is usually included:

• i-to-i TEFL, £99: a regulated Level 3 course with written-assignment feedback.
• The TEFL Org, £151.60: a named tutor who marks your assignments.
• The TEFL Academy, £229: a regulated Level 5 diploma with three assessed assignments.

Our cheap TEFL courses comparison covers these in more detail.

Which kind of support do you need?

• You mainly want someone to ask when you’re stuck: a course that includes tutor support at its base price is enough.
• You want comments on lesson plans you write yourself: look at StudyTEFL’s add-on, TEFLmasters’ US$59 course, or a mid-range course.
• A job or visa asks for assessed coursework: choose a course where marked assignments count towards the qualification.

Many new teachers find the first matters most. Questions come up while you study, and later when you’re preparing your first lessons.

What do students actually ask a tutor?

These are typical of the questions new teachers send while they study:

• About the material: “What’s the difference between the present perfect and the past simple, and how would I explain it to a beginner?”
• About lesson planning: “My lesson plan has a speaking activity, but I’m not sure how long to give it. How do I decide?”
• About a real situation: “My online student only gives one-word answers. What can I try?”
• About jobs: “Does this job advert’s ‘TEFL required’ mean my course counts?” or “Can you look at my CV before I apply?”

A useful reply answers the question, explains the reason, and gives you something to try. On a course without a tutor, you’d be left to search forums for these answers.

What simpleTEFL’s tutor support includes

simpleTEFL’s US$29 price includes:

• Help while you study: email us with questions about the course material.
• CV and application feedback when you’re getting ready to apply.
• Job leads on request.
• Lifetime access to the course materials, with no deadline.

We don’t mark written assignments, and there’s no observed teaching practice. Assessment is automatically marked online quizzes and checkpoints, which you can retake as often as you need. If you want marked work, the courses above are a better fit. If you’re comparing on time as well, see how long each course gives you to finish.

The course has a 30-day money-back guarantee for eligible purchases; the refund policy explains the conditions.