20/01/2026
With EFL teachers in more demand than ever – a new study finds CELTA to be the most requested qualification by ELT employers around the world.
A new study of 200 English language teaching job adverts in over 40 countries has revealed that CELTA is the teaching qualification most requested by ELT employers. CELTA from Cambridge University Press & Assessment is a globally recognised qualification for teaching English as a foreign language, and it’s used by new and experienced teachers to prove their knowledge and skills at language schools across the world.
Key findings from the study show that CELTA is specially requested by:
- 82% of adverts posted in Europe, Middle East and Africa (compared to 40% of CELTA’s nearest equivalent),
- 72% in the UK, and
- 63.5% globally (compared 23.5% of CELTA’s nearest equivalent).
The study looked at 200 jobs adverts across 41 countries, posted on websites and job boards between January and September 2025.
Tim Banks, Product Manager at Cambridge University Press & Assessment said:
“Developing employability skills is something we take very seriously in Cambridge and it’s fantastic that so many language schools around the world continue to put their trust in CELTA. We’re seeing a huge demand for teacher training in the ELT sector, which is driven by a global shortage of English language teachers and an appetite for digital and flexible solutions. CELTA is an ideal qualification for new teachers who want to hit the ground running and existing teachers who want to develop their skills and confidence further.”
The findings are consistent with previous studies carried out in 2015 and 2018.
CELTA (Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) covers the principles of effective teaching and includes hands-on practical teaching experience with groups of real learners to help build confidence in the classroom. It can be taken face-to-face, online or a combination of both and candidates can take an intensive full-time course in as little as four weeks, or study part time over the course of a few months to a year. CELTA courses are available at over 280 authorised centres in more than 65 countries.
CELTA is run by Cambridge English, a not-for-profit department of the University of Cambridge. CELTA forms part of a suite of qualifications for language teachers, including the more advanced DELTA diploma and the modular Teaching Knowledge Test.
Find out more about CELTA.
Notes to editors
Methodology: 9-month systematic desk research from 200 jobs ads across 41 countries and 22 recruitment websites and job boards. Data collected from January 2025 to September 2025.