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CELTA is the gold standard of English teaching qualifications, and is accredited by Cambridge.
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It is the most recognised English teaching qualification in the world. Research by Cambridge Assessment shows that three out of four international English teaching jobs advertised require a CELTA qualification.
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CELTA is practical course, with a focus on real teaching practice with real students, equipping you with the practical skills you'll need to teach English abroad.
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DC Teacher Training is one of the world's largest providers of CELTA courses, trusted by almost 500 trainee teachers a year.
Full-time
face-to-face courses
4 weeks
Monday to Friday
9:00 am to 5:00 pm
(Summer course timings: 1:30 pm - 8:45 pm)
€1795 (early bird price €1695*)
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18 May - 12 Jun 2026
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13 Jul - 7 Aug 2026
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10 Aug - 4 Sep 2026
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7 Sep - 2 Oct 2026
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16 Nov - 11 Dec 2026
*The early bird price applies to candidates who pay in full 21 days before the course begins
Part-time
face-to-face courses
12 weeks
Tuesday and Thursday evenings
6:00 pm – 9:15 pm
AND
Saturday mornings
10:00 am – 1:00 pm
€1795 (early bird price €1695*)
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5 Sep - 28 Nov 2026
*The early bird price applies to candidates who pay in full 21 days before the course begins
We work with Cork English College to deliver our CELTA courses in Cork. CEC is an award-winning, high quality English language school, which was established in 1978 and is accredited by ACELS, a service of Quality and Qualifications Ireland, for English language teaching (ELT) and EAQUALS. CEC is a member of Quality English and Select Ireland. The school is the official examination centre for IELTS, Cambridge ESOL, OET, TOEIC and many other exams. It is located in a landmark building in the heart of the city and offers state of the art facilities, as well as employment opportunities for graduates in both their adult and junior centres.
CENTRE ADDRESS - Saint Patrick’s Bridge, Cork, Ireland T23 D863
Is CELTA for me?
You don’t need teaching experience to take CELTA. Whether you’re feeling stuck in your current job, just finishing university, or already working in education, CELTA is designed to give you practical skills, clear guidance, and a qualification recognised around the world.
Our trainees include recent graduates, career changers, online teachers, and people planning a move abroad. What they share is a decision to do something different, and a desire to feel confident in front of a class.
You could be taking the first steps to an exciting new career as an English teacher abroad. A CELTA course will prepare you for a professional career teaching English, whether in Asia, Latin America, the Middle East or in Europe. After a four-week course, you could be living a completely different life abroad, supporting yourself with a new career.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What is CELTA and who awards it?
A. CELTA is the Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. It is awarded by Cambridge University Press & Assessment, one of the world’s most established assessment bodies. All CELTA centres operate under Cambridge approval and quality assurance. Every course we run is inspected by Cambridge.
Q. How long is the CELTA certificate valid?
A. CELTA is a lifetime qualification. It does not expire and does not require renewal. Once awarded, it remains valid for teaching English worldwide.
Q. Is CELTA recognised internationally?
A. Yes. CELTA is widely recognised by English-language schools, universities, and education providers around the world. It is often listed as a minimum or preferred qualification for entry-level English language teaching roles.
Q. Can I work in Ireland after completing CELTA?
A. CELTA qualifies you to teach English in language schools in Ireland. There are over 70 language schools around Ireland, and there are also language classes for migrant communities operated by ETBs and other bodies where CELTA is recognised too.
Q. Can I work abroad with a CELTA?
A. Yes. CELTA is accepted in many countries across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America. It is the key to finding work in a large range of settings.
Q. Does CELTA qualify me to teach adults only?
A. No. While many CELTA graduates work with adults, the qualification covers teaching adult, adolescent, and younger learners. All of your teaching practice during the course is with adult learners, but after the course, many people go on teach younger learners.
A typical day on a full-time Cork CELTA course
On a full-time CELTA, weekdays are structured around tutor input, guided lesson planning, live teaching practice, and detailed feedback. While the precise timing can vary slightly, the overall pattern is consistent. Most mornings are devoted to input sessions, where tutors introduce key areas of teaching methodology, language awareness, lesson planning, and classroom management. These sessions are practical and closely linked to what you are doing in teaching practice, with a strong focus on how theory translates into classroom decisions. Later in the day, there is usually a period of assisted lesson planning, typically scheduled the day before you teach. During these sessions, your tutor works closely with your teaching practice group to support lesson aims, materials, staging, and anticipated learner difficulties, helping you prepare effectively for upcoming lessons. Teaching practice normally takes place most afternoons. On a full-time course, this usually runs for around two hours, with several trainees teaching in turn. When you are scheduled to teach, you will normally teach a lesson of around 40–45 minutes. Across the course, you will usually teach two to three times per week, working with real English language learners. Immediately after teaching practice, you take part in a feedback session led by your tutor. This is a central component of the CELTA and focuses in detail on what happened in the lesson, how learners responded, and how your teaching meets CELTA assessment criteria. Alongside the working day, there is substantial independent work. This includes lesson preparation, background reading, and written assignments. On a full-time course, you normally complete one written assignment each week, working through all four CELTA assignments over the duration of the course. Many trainees spend several hours most evenings preparing for the following day.
A typical week on a part-time Cork CELTA course
Each week on the part-time CELTA includes a block of input sessions, held on a Saturday. These sessions cover teaching methodology, language awareness, and lesson design, and provide the theoretical and practical grounding for the week’s teaching. During the week, you attend evening sessions twice a week that focus on teaching practice. On teaching days, you usually begin with assisted lesson planning, followed by teaching practice with real learners, and then tutor-led feedback. This cycle allows you to plan, teach, reflect, and improve on a regular basis. You can expect to teach one lesson each week of the part-time course. Written assignments are spaced out, with one assignment due approximately every three weeks. In addition to the scheduled sessions, there is a significant amount of independent work. This includes lesson preparation, reading, and assignment writing. Overall, alongside the in-person sessions, you should expect to spend around 6 to 8 hours per week on independent study and preparation.