About American TEFL Standards
An independent professional body dedicated to quality, integrity and transparency in English language teacher education worldwide.
An Independent Professional Standards Body
American TEFL Standards (ATS) is an independent professional organization established to define, evaluate and promote quality in TEFL, TESOL and English language teacher education worldwide.
ATS occupies a distinct and important position in the global TEFL industry: we are neither a training provider nor a government regulator. We are the independent quality benchmark that stands between them.
Our role is to develop internationally relevant standards, evaluate providers against those standards, grant accreditation to qualifying organizations and maintain public systems for verifying accredited quality.
Organizational identity at a glance
Independence Is the Foundation of Trust
The credibility of any accreditation body rests on one quality above all others: independence from the organizations it evaluates.
Independent from providers
ATS has no financial interest in the organizations it evaluates. Our review decisions are made solely on the basis of quality standards compliance.
Independent from government
ATS is not a government agency or statutory regulator. We operate as an independent professional body — a voluntary but credible quality mark.
Transparent process
Our standards, accreditation criteria, decision categories and review processes are published openly. No hidden requirements. No opaque decisions.
Mission, Vision & Core Values
Mission
To establish transparent, measurable and internationally relevant standards for TEFL and TESOL providers, courses, trainers, assessment and learner support, and to recognize organizations that demonstrate genuine commitment to quality.
Vision
A world where every TEFL and TESOL course meets a clear quality benchmark, every learner receives a verifiable and trustworthy education, and every teacher enters the classroom prepared to teach with excellence.
Core Values
- Independence — impartial, unconflicted review
- Integrity — honest and consistent standards
- Transparency — open processes and decisions
- Excellence — high but achievable benchmarks
- Inclusion — fair access for all providers
Governance Structure
American TEFL Standards operates through a structured governance model designed to ensure fairness, consistency and accountability in all accreditation decisions.
Our governance structure includes an independent Advisory Board, an Accreditation Committee responsible for final decisions, and a Standards Development team that maintains and updates the ATS Standards Framework.
No single person or organization controls accreditation decisions. Every evaluation is reviewed by the Accreditation Committee before a decision is issued.
Advisory Board
International mix of TEFL academics, ESL practitioners, curriculum experts and quality assurance specialists.
Accreditation Committee
Reviews all evaluator reports and issues final accreditation decisions independently of the assessment team.
Standards Team
Maintains the ATS Standards Framework, updates indicators and develops evaluation tools.
Quality Monitoring
Conducts ongoing monitoring, complaint handling and renewal reviews for all accredited providers.
Our advisory board includes expertise in:
- TEFL and TESOL academic research
- ESL classroom practice and teacher training
- Curriculum design and assessment
- Educational quality assurance
- EdTech and online learning
- International education policy
Advisory board members serve in a voluntary advisory capacity and do not participate in individual accreditation decisions.
Questions About ATS?
We welcome enquiries from TEFL providers, trainers and organizations interested in quality standards and accreditation.