Here is a list of frequently asked questions regarding the CELTA.

1. Can I find work in Hanoi after the course?

In Hanoi and Vietnam there is high demand for CELTA qualified teachers of English and it is not hard to find a job here. There are employment opportunities in private language schools, International schools, Vietnamese state schools and universities. In the final week of CELTA course, our professional development session will offer you advice on searching for employment whether at Language Link or elsewhere in Hanoi.

2. Where is the CELTA held?

The CELTA runs in one of our central branches at 24 Dai Co Viet St, on the southernmost edge of the “French Quarter” of Hanoi, near Lenin Park (one of the city’s many lakes). It is near to the Vincom Towers shopping mall and to a range of restaurants at different prices, although we also provide an “ordering-in” service for lunch during the course. Trainees have their own workspace in the building, which is open from 8 am until 9 pm (6 pm at weekends).

3. How many trainees will there be on the course?

CELTA regulations set a ratio of 6 trainees to 1 trainer and a maximum class size of 18. At Language Link we do not run courses with more than 2 trainers, so our maximum trainee intake for any one course is 12.

4. What is the average pass rate?

The pass rate at Language Link is in line with the international average. Internationally, 92.5% of candidates successfully complete the course, and of these 24% reach Pass B level and 4%, Pass A level. 2% of candidates fail and 2.5% withdraw from the course. If you withdraw or fail, you are allowed to take the course again after waiting for a few months but you will have to pay the course fee again, except in cases where withdrawal was due to sudden illness or a similar emergency.

5. Is there any difference in course content depending on where I take the course?

Every single CELTA course in every centre around the world is moderated by one of a team of “assessors”, appointed by Cambridge ESOL. It is part of their job to guarantee that the CELTA course covers the same syllabus and applies the same standards worldwide. It is the reliability provided by this system that contributes to the international reputation of the CELTA. However, all trainers are individuals and no two centres offer absolutely identical courses in terms of their timetabling and the specific materials used in input sessions, for example.

6. How many courses are there worldwide and how many people take the course every year?

Worldwide, over 600 CELTA courses run and over 7,000 candidates gain the certificate every year and in many countries the CELTA or an equivalent is now a mandatory requirement for a work permit for an EFL teacher. Language Link itself is a modest-sized centre, currently running 4 courses and admitting approximately 40 candidates in a year.

7. Who are the practice students?

The students you will teach in your teaching practice are mostly young Vietnamese adults. They study free and are aware that you are trainees but they are highly motivated and have a genuine wish to study English. You will also find them very encouraging.

8. Should I bring my laptop?

If you’re used to having your laptop with you, you’ll almost certainly miss it if you don’t bring it and the school has free wifi. We do provide a few computers and a printer exclusively for trainee use, although these can come under pressure at busy times in the course. Actually, there is no obligation on you to produce typewritten assignments and lesson plans if you prefer not to.

9. Does Language Link provide accommodation during the course?

We don’t undertake to provide accommodation for you but it is not hard to find somewhere to stay in Hanoi. Many trainees choose to stay in the Old Quarter, where there are numerous hotels at a range of prices and the whole area caters to tourists and their needs. This puts you about 10 minutes by motorbike or taxi from our school on Dai Co Viet St. Alternatively, there are a few hotels with rooms around the $15 mark within easy walking distance of the school on Mai Hac De St and some of these provide very good value. A third possibility would be to rent an apartment through a property agent but very few landlords are willing to rent for just one month, so this is only realistic if you’re planning to stay longer.

10. Can I work during the course?

The course is extremely intensive and will demand a lot of your time and energy. Any professional or even personal commitments during the course are almost certain to have an adverse effect on your performance and may well compromise your final result.

11. Are the course fees refundable?

The deposit once paid is non-refundable. Failure to complete full payment of the course fee one month before the course starts may mean the applicant forfeits their place on the course and their deposit. Provided the applicant informs the centre more than one month before the courses starts, the balance of the course fee (minus the deposit) may be refunded but no refund will be made later than one month before the course start date without proof of sudden illness or injury or a similar emergency.

12. Is it true that courses are sometimes cancelled?

Worldwide, CELTA centres do occasionally find themselves having to cancel courses due to an insufficient number of trainees. Normally, it is possible to anticipate this situation several weeks before the course begins and to advise trainees accordingly but rarely it can happen that unexpected withdrawals or postponements on the part of trainees already accepted for a course change the situation at a late stage. In the unlikely event of a course cancellation, Language Link will offer accepted trainees the choice of either a place on a later course or a refund of the total course fee.

13. Do I have to have an interview before acceptance?

A short interview is a requirement of the CELTA application process. If you apply from outside of Vietnam, this will be conducted by phone and adapted to the limitations of the medium. The interview aims to ensure that you are fully informed about the nature and structure of the course and to check that you have an attitude towards its demands and aims likely to lead to success. It is also an opportunity for you to ask a CELTA tutor any questions you might have. We normally ask applicants to phone us unless there are special circumstances that make this difficult for you.

14. Do I need to have taught before to do the course?

No. The course is designed as a pre-service course for people with no teaching experience. In all probability, however, there will be people attending your course who do have some teaching experience. There is no need to compare yourself unfavourably with them in your early teaching practice. Your tutors will take your inexperience into account.

15. Is lack of grammatical knowledge a problem?

The kind of grammar that is relevant to a language learner is not the kind of “grammar” you may have been taught at school, which will have been mostly information about formal written style, a different thing entirely. If you are a native speaker, you already have a perfect knowledge of the grammar of your own language. However, what you are not able to do is to explain it and you probably don’t know the terms to describe it either. Most people are in this situation when they start a CELTA course. However, working your way through the pre-course task which you will receive on acceptance and having a look at one of the recommended grammar books before the course begins will give you the grounding you need to start. If you are not a native speaker, you have a huge advantage over native speakers in this area!

16. Is age a factor?

No. In fact, all over the world, many people in their 50’s and even 60’s have successfully completed the course. However, the longer you have been away from a learning environment, the harder you will find the learning curve expected of you. You may also find that you have a lot of unlearning to do with regard to teaching methodology and ideas about “correct” English. More mature candidates should approach the course with an open mind and it is also important not to underestimate just how tiring the workload can be – even for the young and sprightly!

17. Can I do the course if English is not my first language?

Yes. The course is open to non-native speakers. No formal academic requirements are set, but you must show that you have sufficient competence in both spoken and written English to cope with all the demands of the course. In practice, this means you need a near-native-speaker competence. It’s worth remembering that as someone who has almost certainly studied the language formally yourself, you will have an advantage over native speakers in some areas such as grammar knowledge.

18. Do I need to be able to speak a foreign language?

No. This is not a course requirement. Nor are you expected to know anything in advance about the language of the country where you are taking the course as the CELTA is designed to equip you to start teaching English through the medium of English anywhere in the world. However, you will find later that knowing something about your students’ native language helps you to understand their difficulties and the experience of learning any foreign language is enormously helpful to a language teacher. Having gone through this will certainly be counted in your favour in your initial application.

19. What visa should I get?

All you need to attend the course is a normal tourist visa. Tourist visas to Vietnam are issued initially for a maximum of only 30 days. However, for a small fee it is possible to extend this for at least a further 30 days once you are in the country. If you don’t have time to do this yourself, there are many travel agents who will arrange the extension for you. If you want to stay on to work at Language Link, the school will arrange a business visa for you and later apply for a work permit on your behalf.

20. Are CELTA courses eligible for student loans?

The CELTA course is not usually eligible for any kind of student loan. All prospective applicants requiring information on the possibility of loans or grants should request it from the appropriate authorities, not the CELTA centre. Selected CELTA graduates who wish to commit to working for LLV for a year or more will have a range of options available to them regarding the course fees