Anyone wishing to work as a qualified teacher in England must have Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) – but you do have time to achieve this status.
You can work for up to four years as an unqualified teacher without QTS. If you do not gain QTS within those four years, you cannot teach in this country again until you are awarded QTS.
Did you qualify as a teacher in Scotland, Wales, the European Economic Area (EEA)*, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Switzerland or the USA?
If so you may be eligible to apply for the award of UK QTS without further assessment. You will have to make your application for the award of UK QTS to the National College for Teaching and Leadership. Download your application form here.
You can work for up to four years as an unqualified teacher without QTS; if you do not gain QTS within those four years, you cannot teach in this country again until you are awarded QTS.
Did you train as a teacher outside Scotland, Wales, the European Economic Area (EEA)*, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Switzerland or the USA?
Following the closure of the Overseas Trained Teacher Programme on 31 July 2013, teachers trained in areas outside those countries can only apply for the award of QTS through the assessment only route.
The assessment only route is not an initial teacher training course – you have to be ready for assessment at the time of applying. If you are not ready to undertake the assessment only route or have worked in this country for more than four years, you should gain QTS via a recognised teacher training course.
Getting advice on your qualification
The UK National Academic Recognition Information Centre (NARIC) can give advice on the equivalence of overseas degree qualifications. Call UK NARIC on 0871 330 7033 if you need information about qualification comparisons.
*The European Economic Area includes the European Union member states (Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, UK) and Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.