Questions, answered plainly.

No. All of our courses are taught in English. The Institute is in Seoul for historical reasons and because our faculty is here, but trainees arrive from across Asia, Europe, North America and the Middle East every year. Practical Korean for daily life — finding a coffee shop, taking a taxi — is useful but not required.

Speak with us. The short answer is: Level 1 if you have never taught; Level 2 or 3 if you have tutored or taught part-time; Level 4 if you are an experienced teacher wanting a specialist focus; Level 5 if you already hold a recognised 120-hour TEFL certificate, accredited 120-hour TEFL certificate, or an equivalent and wish to take the capstone Diploma. The long answer comes from a twenty-minute interview with our admissions office, which we recommend to everyone.

Prices are listed in Korean won (KRW/₩) as the primary currency, with an approximate US dollar equivalent in brackets for convenience. Invoices are issued in Korean won. Overseas trainees paying by international card will see their local currency charged at the prevailing exchange rate on the day of payment.

Yes. Our standard Diploma fee is ₩1,215,000 (approximately USD $900). For the Spring 2026 intake only, the fee is reduced to ₩1,060,000 (approximately USD $785), a saving of about 13%. The reduced rate applies to trainees who complete enrolment — not merely enquire — by 15 May 2026. We do not extend flash-sale deadlines. We also do not add undisclosed fees; the quoted amount is the full course fee.

Hanseo is an online institute. Every one of our courses — from Level 1 Foundation through to the Level 5 Diploma — is delivered through our live-video seminar platform, supplemented by asynchronous self-paced modules for reading and reflection. Our observed teaching practicum is conducted in real time with volunteer online learners drawn from our rotating pool across Asia-Pacific. Tutorials and the Diploma viva voce are held by secure video call. This design lets us admit trainees from every time zone without compromising what we consider the irreducible craft of being watched teaching, and told about it honestly afterwards.

Every Hanseo qualification is independently accredited by three international bodies: TICA (TEFL International Certification Association), STEC (Singapore TESOL & ELT Council) and HKTSB (Hong Kong TEFL Standards Board). Each certificate we issue carries all three insignia. This triple-accreditation makes our qualification legible to employers across Asia-Pacific — Korea, Japan, China, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Thailand — and widely accepted across Europe, the Middle East, Latin America and beyond. Specific employer recognition still depends on country and post; our admissions office will give you a frank assessment for the destination you have in mind.

Yes. All courses may be paid in two instalments: 50% at enrolment, 50% at the midpoint of the course. The Level 5 Diploma may be paid in three. Flash-sale pricing applies equally to instalment plans; we do not penalise trainees for electing to pay in stages.

Full refund up to 14 days before a course begins, less a ₩50,000 administrative fee. 50% refund within the first week of a course. No refund after the first week. Medical and compassionate withdrawals are assessed individually, in writing.

We do not run a placement agency. We do maintain relationships with partner schools across Korea and with alumni in over seventy countries who occasionally pass vacancies to us. Our careers office will forward roles for which a graduate might be suited. We will not take a placement fee from you or from an employer. We never have.

Upward transfers are rare but possible when a tutor judges the trainee under-challenged. Downward transfers — from a level the trainee is not ready for — are more common, and we will recommend them honestly. A pro-rated fee adjustment applies. No transfer incurs a penalty.

Hanseo does not discriminate on nationality. The industry in which some of our graduates will seek work, unfortunately, sometimes does. We will tell you in writing what the practical employment landscape looks like for your passport, in the countries you have in mind, before you enrol. This is your right; we consider it our responsibility to provide it.

Because the Institute is. A considered restraint in how we present ourselves is of a piece with how we teach. We would rather be plain than be loud.