Celta with IH issue!!

Four of a kind

Myself and my girlfriend have been planning on taking the celta in Chiang mai with International house next year.


We both applied and did our skype interview last week.

I have a degree but she doesn't.

This we found out a long time ago only plays a part when trying to get work visas in certain countries. And that's fine. It's not a requirement in order to take the celta(having a degree).

I was offered my place on the course straight away after the interview, but my girlfriend was told that since doesn't have a college degree that they will have to check with Cambridge itself whether or not she will be able to take the course or not!

This I find is totally and utterly unacceptable. Fair enough, if you need a degree in order to take the course then fine, she wouldn't have spent the time and effort preparing for the application over the past few months. She wouldn't have applied at all due to the fact that she doesn't have a degree.

We planned on moving abroad and using the celta to work and travel.

Surely if they have an issue with not having a degree in the first place then it should be clearly stated??

I rang up IH in Dublin months ago and spoke with a lady who reassured me that having a degree would not implicate anyone's chances of taking the celta. The only issue not having one was the visa issue, and I told her I was well aware of that.

So now, we are left in limbo waiting for a few days not knowing if they will let her take the celta or not!

It won't stop me from taking it, but the idea was we both would do the same course and that way we'd both have the same teaching qualification.

The actual skype interview went well she was told, but they needed to find out if they will let her take the course or not when they talk to Cambridge.

Has anyone else come across this before? I understand they need to cover their own ground before letting someone take the course, but surely its either you need a degree or not in the first place. What's the point in stating its "not a requirement" and then turning around and saying "we need to check".

Not a happy camper regarding this aspect as a lot of time and effort on her behalf has gone into this application.

Any thoughts?

forfuxsake

Four of a kind wrote: »

Myself and my girlfriend have been planning on taking the celta in Chiang mai with International house next year.


We both applied and did our skype interview last week.

I have a degree but she doesn't.

This we found out a long time ago only plays a part when trying to get work visas in certain countries. And that's fine. It's not a requirement in order to take the celta(having a degree).

I was offered my place on the course straight away after the interview, but my girlfriend was told that since doesn't have a college degree that they will have to check with Cambridge itself whether or not she will be able to take the course or not!

This I find is totally and utterly unacceptable. Fair enough, if you need a degree in order to take the course then fine, she wouldn't have spent the time and effort preparing for the application over the past few months. She wouldn't have applied at all due to the fact that she doesn't have a degree.

We planned on moving abroad and using the celta to work and travel.

Surely if they have an issue with not having a degree in the first place then it should be clearly stated??

I personally rang up IH in Dublin months ago and spoke with a lady who reassured me that having a degree would not implicate anyone's chances of taking the celta. The only issue not having one was the visa issue, and I told her I was well aware of that.

So now, we are left in limbo waiting for a few days not knowing if they will let her take the celta or not!

It won't stop me from taking it, but the idea was we both would do the same course and that way we'd both have the same teaching qualification.

The actual skype interview went well she was told, but they needed to find out if they will let her take the course or not when they talk to Cambridge.

Has anyone else come across this before? I understand they need to cover their own ground before letting someone take the course, but surely its either you need a degree or not in the first place. What's the point in stating its "not a requirement" and then turning around and saying "we need to check".

Not a happy camper regarding this aspect as a lot of time and effort on her behalf has gone into this application.

Any thoughts?

I have some thoughts

1. You need to check the meaning of the word 'implicate' before you become an English teacher.
2. If you think that applying to do the Celta course is a lot of work, then you will have great difficulty in completing the certificate.
3. It is difficult to get a job with a Celta unless you also have a college degree. It is better to find this out before you spend the money on the certificate.
4. Chang Mai IH has gone up in my estimation. Most organisations would happily take your money without any consideration of whether you will be able to teach or not.
5. You say "so now we are left in limbo for a few days not knowing if they will let her take the Celta or not" as if it is akin to an actual problem. This suggest you do not have the temperament or the patience to teach English, especially abroad.

Four of a kind

forfuxsake wrote: »

I have some thoughts

1. You need to check the meaning of the word 'implicate' before you become an English teacher.
2. If you think that applying to do the Celta course is a lot of work, then you will have great difficulty in completing the certificate.
3. It is difficult to get a job with a Celta unless you also have a college degree. It is better to find this out before you spend the money on the certificate.
4. Chang Mai IH has gone up in my estimation. Most organisations would happily take your money without any consideration of whether you will be able to teach or not.
5. You say "so now we are left in limbo for a few days not knowing if they will let her take the Celta or not" as if it is akin to an actual problem. This suggest you do not have the temperament or the patience to teach English, especially abroad.

There's also a few spelling and grammar mistakes here that you should pay more attention to rather than trying to critique my post. Grammar Nazi's like you are nothing but self bloated idiots with nothing better to do in my honest opinion. I came on here looking for advice, NOT a grammar OR a personality lecture.

For what its worth, I rang IH in Dublin and explained my situation to a celta trainer, who said that it was a very unusual scenario and that she cannot see any reason why not having a degree would stop a person from taking a celta. Its not a requirement by Cambridge themselves.

forfuxsake

Four of a kind wrote: »

There's also a few spelling and grammar mistakes here that you should pay more attention to rather than trying to critique my post. Grammar Nazi's like you are nothing but self bloated idiots with nothing better to do in my honest opinion. I came on here looking for advice, NOT a grammar OR a personality lecture.

For what its worth, I rang IH in Dublin and explained my situation to a celta trainer, who said that it was a very unusual scenario and that she cannot see any reason why not having a degree would stop a person from taking a celta. Its not a requirement by Cambridge themselves.

I think you need to learn the meaning of the word 'critique'. I was not critiquing your post, I was criticising it. It is "grammar Nazis" not "Nazi's". I think to teach English in China, English has to be your first language.

I am not a grammar Nazi but think that those who wish to teach something should be very good at it.

You don't need a degree to do a Celta but you quite often/usually need a degree to get a job/visa.

What you don't want to do, is go to China and work under the table. raids on school are commonplace and your girlfriend could be imprisoned while awaiting deportation.

Four of a kind

forfuxsake wrote: »

I think you need to learn the meaning of the word 'critique'. I was not critiquing your post, I was criticising it. It is "grammar Nazis" not "Nazi's". I think to teach English in China, English has to be your first language.

I am not a grammar Nazi but think that those who wish to teach something should be very good at it.

You don't need a degree to do a Celta but you quite often/usually need a degree to get a job/visa.

What you don't want to do, is go to China and work under the table. raids on school are commonplace and your girlfriend could be imprisoned while awaiting deportation.

Ok, but can I ask where did I even mention that I wanted to teach in China? I didn't even specify what country I wanted to teach in. I only stated where I wanted to take the celta - which was in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

I understand the pitfalls of not having a visa in the likes of those countries and we would never go down that route of working illegally.

purplepapillon

Hey OP,

I understood from a friend who completed the course that CELTA is a Postgraduate Diploma Qualification (Level 8/9??), therefore one would require a level 8 to gain entry to the course. CELTA is ACELS (I think that's the name of the council) certified. Other TEFL certificates are not. Hence the extra cost, longer course and better quality training.

Hope it works out for the two of ye!

Four of a kind

purplepapillon wrote: »

Hey OP,

I understood from a friend who completed the course that CELTA is a Postgraduate Diploma Qualification (Level 8/9??), therefore one would require a level 8 to gain entry to the course. CELTA is ACELS (I think that's the name of the council) certified. Other TEFL certificates are not. Hence the extra cost, longer course and better quality training.

Hope it works out for the two of ye!

The lady in IH Dublin said the you only need a level of education that would allow you to go on a take a degree i.e leaving cert she said.

She said she is currently teaching students on the celta that didn't go to college at all and they are getting on brilliantly on the course.

Scuba Ste

purplepapillon wrote: »

Hey OP,

I understood from a friend who completed the course that CELTA is a Postgraduate Diploma Qualification (Level 8/9??), therefore one would require a level 8 to gain entry to the course. CELTA is ACELS (I think that's the name of the council) certified. Other TEFL certificates are not. Hence the extra cost, longer course and better quality training.

Hope it works out for the two of ye!

I don't think your right. The CELTA is Cambridge certified so it may be a post grad diploma in the UK but in Ireland it's not officially recognised by the state. In Irish state schools you need the ACELS cert to get a job. Other TEFL are ACELS recognised too, eg. CELT. I think CELTA is classed as a professional diploma and anyone can apply.

OP when I did the CELTA course a girl in my class had no degree (and she did fine on the course). As far as I know a degree is only necessary to get a job Ireland. If your GF has done well in the interview and application, I'm sure she's capable of completing the course.

I never understand why people come online just to put others down.

Four of a kind

Scuba Ste wrote: »

I don't think your right. The CELTA is Cambridge certified so it may be a post grad diploma in the UK but in Ireland it's not officially recognised by the state. In Irish state schools you need the ACELS cert to get a job. Other TEFL are ACELS recognised too, eg. CELT. I think CELTA is classed as a professional diploma and anyone can apply.

OP when I did the CELTA course a girl in my class had no degree (and she did fine on the course). As far as I know a degree is only necessary to get a job Ireland. If your GF has done well in the interview and application, I'm sure she's capable of completing the course.

I never understand why people come online just to put others down.

I appreciate the words mate

Yeah she did fine in the interview and she was told that at the time. She was told though that he will have to check and see that they can accept her on the course without having a degree to her name and that's why I posted the topic initially.

So they told her that they would contact her in a few days and let her know.

I honestly don't know what to take from it if she doesn't get the place as it will mean that having a degree obviously is needed to get accepted.

We can only wait and see what the outcome is.

purplepapillon

Sorry, I seem to have been misinformed.

Wasn't putting anyone down and didn't meant to come across in such a way.

Best of luck to you and your girlfriend OP. Sounds like a great opportunity!

Four of a kind

Unfortunately she didn't get offered the course

Scuba Ste

purplepapillon wrote: »

Wasn't putting anyone down and didn't meant to come across in such a way.

Best of luck to you and your girlfriend OP. Sounds like a great opportunity!

Don't worry, I didn't mean you.

Sorry to hear that OP. Maybe she can apply in another country that will take her.