History of the Cambridge CELTA

 The Cambridge CELTA is an internationally recognised initial qualification for English language teachers in adult education. The model of the course was originally designed by John Haycraft at the International House school in London in the 1960s.

 From 1977 to 1988 the certificate was administered by the Royal Society of Arts (RSA) and became widely known as the "RSA". In 1988 the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES) took over responsibility for the administration of the certificate and it was renamed the Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language to Adults (CTEFLA).

 Following revisions to the syllabus and assessment criteria, the certificate was redesignated as the Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults (CELTA) in 1996. The certificate is now gained by more than 7,000 candidates per year.