Frequently Asked Questions

TESOL convention will convene at the Salt Palace Convention Center, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, from Wednesday, 25 March through Friday, 27 March.

An opening keynote will take place on the evening of Tuesday, 24 March 2026. 

Convention registration rates vary based on your membership status and time of registration. Complete registration information can be found on the registration page. 

If you are registering a group from the same institution of 11 or more, please contact conventions@tesol.org to learn more about the special services!

Registration/Name badge pick-up for TESOL 2026 will be at the Salt Palace Convention Center, 100 S West Temple in Salt Lake City, Utah, near South Street/Hyatt Regency SLC hotel entrance. 

Registration Hours:

• Tuesday, 18 March 12:00 pm-5:30 pm
• Wednesday, 19 March 7:00 am-5:00 pm
• Thursday, 20 March 7:00 am-5:00 pm
• Friday, 21 March 7:00 am - 12:00 pm

If you need accessible badge pickup, you can go to the low-height counters or ask any staffer for help.

Yes, you can register on site at TESOL 2026 during the registration hours. TESOL offers one-day and two-day registration options. For complete registration rates, please go to https://www.tesol.org/in-person/registration/ 

Hotel reservations should have been made during the registration process. The cut-off date to make a reservation at the discounted group rate was Friday, 27 February.

If you need assistance finding accommodation, please contact conventions@tesol.org. 

Showcare Event Solutions is the only approved official Housing Partner for the 2026 TESOL International Convention & Expo. Unauthorized housing companies may contact you and advertise cheaper rates or imply that they are affiliated with TESOL. If any company contacts you that is not Showcare Event Solutions, we encourage you to not provide any information to them.

Refunds are not issued on site. You must request a refund in writing, and it must be received by 1 March 2026. A U.S.$75 processing fee will be deducted from your refund. No refund will be granted after the 1 March deadline.

Fees for the following are nonrefundable:

• Preconvention Institutes (PCIs)
• ELT Leadership Management Certificate Program
• TESOL Membership Dues

Send refund requests via email to conventions@tesol.org.

Substitution Policy

Substitutions will be permitted only for individuals registered as part of a group whose registration was paid in full using a single form of payment (check, purchase order, or credit card). No refunds will be provided in cases where the substitute’s registration category carries a lower fee. If the substitute’s registration category carries a higher fee, the group will be responsible for paying the difference.

All substitution requests must be submitted in writing to conventions@tesol.org no later than 1 March 2026.

If extenuating circumstances prevent you from fulfilling your commitment, please contact TESOL Events at conventions@tesol.org, immediately. If you fail to contact TESOL and you do not show up for your presentation, you cannot submit a proposal for TESOL 2027.

Every year at our convention, some colleagues who have agreed to present simply do not show up for their presentations. These no-shows waste convention attendees' valuable professional development time and reflect poorly on the overall quality of the convention program.

You can upload and share your handouts and materials in the TESOL 2026 myTESOL community. Directions for uploading documents will be available under Resources → Presenter Resources in the myTESOL community.

TESOL encourages presenters to continue conversation around presentation topics on myTESOL after TESOL 2026.

You can find handouts and materials that presenters share in the TESOL 2026 myTESOL community. 

Note that not all presenters will upload and share their materials with attendees. The community will be available until end of September 2026.

Attendees are encouraged to arrive Tuesday, 24 March morning so they can pick up their registration materials or attend the pre-convention ticketed workshops on Tuesday. 

There is also the first-timers reception before the evening opening keynote on Tuesday.

Departures should take place after 3:00 p.m. on Friday, as attendees will NOT want to miss the final reflecting session.

Attendees are encourage to extend their stays in Salt Lake City to explore the surrounding areas. 

There are couple options to get from Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) to the Salt Palace Convention Center/downtown hotels (about 10 miles / 16 km):

• Public Transit (Light Rail) - UTA TRAX – Green Line

  • To catch it, exit via door 1A at the terminal and walk east to the Airport TRAX station.

  • The ride into downtown takes about 20 minutes. 

  • The fare is $2.50 one-way (payable via kiosks or credit cards at platform). 

  • There are two TRAX stops very close to the convention center and hotels: Temple Square Station and City Center. 

• Taxi/Rideshare

  • A taxi from the airport to downtown typically takes about 15 minutes (depending on traffic) and costs around $20–$25 (or more, depending on time and luggage). 

  • Rideshare services (Uber, Lyft) are available. For example, Uber estimates from SLC to downtown run about $20 (for UberX)

TESOL will not be providing shuttle service between hotels and the convention center during convention week. All hotels within the TESOL room blocks are located within a 2–5 minute walk of the Salt Palace Convention Center, where all convention sessions and events will take place.

There are two parking garages at the Salt Palace Convention Center. We recommend parking in the 200 South parking garage for convenient access.

In addition to on-site parking at the Salt Palace, downtown Salt Lake City offers other parking options. Please visit www.parkingslc.com for additional parking locations and information.

TESOL Convention attendees are responsible for their own parking fees.

There are three Mother’s Rooms available at the Salt Palace Convention Center. Their locations are clearly marked on the map in the Convention Daily Planner and in the mobile app.

The Mother’s Rooms are self-accessible. Access can also be arranged through the Guest Services Office, located on the lower level outside Exhibit Hall A, which is open throughout convention hours.

You can rent scooter or wheelchair through Salt Palace Convention Center's Mobility Scooter & Wheelchair Rentals link. 

Rental Options:

• Standard Scooter: 4-wheel scooter with basket. 250 lbs max. $85 per day.
• Deluxe Scooter: Heavy-duty, 4-wheel scooter with basket. 400 lbs. max. $105 per day.
• Standard Wheelchair: Manual wheelchair with 20” seat. 250 lbs max. $30 per day.
• Deluxe Wheelchair: Manual wheelchair with 22” seat. 450 lbs. max. $40 per day.

Rentals will be picked up and returned to the Salt Palace Guest Services office. The office is located on the lower level, outside Exhibit Hall A and is always open.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) must have valid documentation to enter TESOL 2026 space. If approached by an ICE official: 

• You have the right to remain silent or tell the agent that you’ll only answer questions in the presence of an attorney.
• Generally, an immigration officer cannot detain you without “reasonable suspicion.” 
• An immigration officer also cannot search you or your belongings without either “probable cause” or your consent. 
• An immigration officer cannot arrest you without “probable cause.”  

More information 

The deadline to submit a session proposal for TESOL 2027 is 1 June 2026. At this time the call for submissions is closed for TESOL 2026, adjudication process had completed, and sessions are confirmed and scheduled.

Call for proposals for TESOL 2027 will open in April 2026 with the deadline to submit on 1 June 2026. 

Please visit our exhibitors & sponsors page for complete information on sponsorship and exhibiting opportunities at TESOL 2026 or email exhibit@tesol.org. 

Please send an email to conventions@tesol.org with any of your TESOL 2026 questions not addressed here.