International schools often ask for a “recognised teaching qualification”. In practice, this can mean a PGCE, a PGDE, QTS, a state teaching licence or something else. Course sellers also offer an “iPGCE” and other international certificates. The names are similar, but what they let you do is not the same.
This guide explains each qualification in plain words, which ones lead to qualified teacher status (QTS) in England, and what three busy international school markets ask for: Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Hong Kong. Facts were checked on official government and regulator pages in October 2026. We do not name or rank course providers.
The short version
| Qualification | What it is | Leads to QTS in England? |
|---|---|---|
| QTS | The professional status for teachers in England, not a degree | It is QTS |
| PGCE (in England) | A postgraduate certificate in education, usually taken during teacher training. Up to 60 master’s-level credits. | Only if the course is “QTS with PGCE”. A “PGCE without QTS” also exists. |
| PGDE (in England) | Very similar to a PGCE, with up to 120 master’s-level credits | Only if the course includes QTS |
| PGCE or PGDE completed outside the UK | A course taken abroad | No |
| iPGCE / PGCEi | An “international” PGCE, usually studied while working abroad | No |
| iQTS | International qualified teacher status: a year of training run by English providers with schools abroad | Yes, you automatically gain QTS |
| A teaching licence from another country | For example a US state licence or a home-country teacher registration | No, but it may let you apply for QTS or use the 4-year rule |
Sources: Get Into Teaching and the GOV.UK routes to QTS page.
PGCE and QTS are not the same thing
In England, a PGCE is an academic qualification and QTS is a professional status. Get Into Teaching says “you do not need a PGCE to be a qualified teacher in England” (Get Into Teaching). Teacher training courses in England can lead to:
- QTS only,
- QTS with a PGCE, or
- a PGCE without QTS.
A PGCE without QTS does not qualify you to teach in most state primary, secondary and special schools in England. GOV.UK lists the PGCE as a level 7 qualification, the same level as a master’s degree (GOV.UK). Get Into Teaching adds that a PGCE “can also be beneficial if you want to teach in other countries”, but you should always check the local rules of the country.
PGDE
A PGDE in England is very similar to a PGCE. The difference is the number of master’s-level credits: up to 60 for a PGCE and up to 120 for a PGDE, so a PGDE usually has more assignments (Get Into Teaching). Hong Kong uses the name PGDE for its main postgraduate teaching qualification (see below).
The iPGCE: what it does and does not give you
An iPGCE, also called a PGCEi, is usually studied part time or online while you work in a school abroad. GOV.UK is clear: the PGCEi or iPGCE, and a PGCE or PGDE completed outside the UK, “do not lead to QTS and will not qualify you to teach in English schools where QTS is a legal requirement” (GOV.UK routes page).
That does not make an iPGCE useless. It is an academic qualification, and some international schools and regulators may accept it. But:
- it is not QTS,
- each school and each regulator decides whether it meets its own rules,
- after an iPGCE you can still get QTS later, for example through the assessment only route.
Before you pay for any course, ask the regulator in the country where you want to work, and the schools you want to apply to, whether they accept it for the role.
iQTS: the international route that leads to QTS
iQTS is a teacher training course run by English training providers working with schools around the world. GOV.UK calls it “the only international teacher training course that leads to QTS”. The Department for Education recognises iQTS as equivalent to QTS, so people who complete it with an approved provider automatically gain QTS (GOV.UK).
Checked October 2026 on Get Into Teaching:
- You must live outside England. You do not need teaching experience.
- You need a bachelor’s degree, maths at GCSE grade 4 (C) standard, science at the same standard to teach younger children, and IELTS 6.5 or equivalent (or some education in English).
- The course includes at least 24 weeks of practice in a school in your country, with a mentor.
- Fees are £7,950 to £9,950 for a 9-month full-time course. There are no UK government loans or bursaries.
Our guide to QTS for teachers trained abroad explains all four QTS routes.
What Dubai asks for (KHDA)
In Dubai, private schools are regulated by the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA). Each teacher needs a KHDA Appointment Notice, and KHDA sets minimum qualifications and experience (KHDA technical guide):
| Role | Minimum qualification | Minimum experience |
|---|---|---|
| Primary teacher (ages 6 to 11) | A bachelor’s in education (such as a B.Ed or M.Ed), or a bachelor’s in any subject plus at least six months of close school supervision | One year of recent experience in the phase, or six months of supervised teaching practice for a new teacher |
| Specialist (subject) teacher (ages 6 to 18) | A recognised bachelor’s degree relevant to the subject taught (for example a BSc in physics to teach physics) | One year of recent experience in the subject, or six months of supervised practice for a new teacher |
| Pre-KG and Foundation Stage teacher | A bachelor’s in education or early childhood, or a bachelor’s in any subject plus an early childhood qualification | One year in an early childhood setting, or six months of supervised practice |
KHDA’s minimums do not name a PGCE. The degree and experience matter most. Qualifications must be attested and meet UAE equivalency standards. Teachers already working in Dubai who do not meet these thresholds have until 1 September 2028 to do so (1 April 2029 for schools whose year starts in April).
The UAE also requires an Education Professional licence for teachers, obtained by passing tests in the Teachers Licensing System (u.ae). Our UAE teaching licence guide covers it.
What Abu Dhabi asks for (ADEK)
Abu Dhabi’s Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK) publishes a Staff Eligibility Policy (version 1.3, September 2024). For a subject teacher, it sets several “profiles”. Examples (ADEK policy):
| Your degree | What you also need |
|---|---|
| A bachelor’s in the education of the subject (for example a B.Ed in mathematics) | Nothing more |
| A bachelor’s in the subject or a related subject | A valid teaching licence, or a diploma-level teaching qualification |
| A master’s in the subject | 1 year of teaching experience in the subject |
| A bachelor’s in another subject | A valid teaching licence or teaching diploma in the subject, or a licence or diploma plus 1 year of experience |
ADEK defines a “valid licence” as a certified licence issued by the UAE Ministry of Education, including an international licence the Ministry recognises. ADEK does not name the PGCE, iPGCE or QTS in this policy, so ask ADEK or the school how your qualification is classed.
Other ADEK rules:
- If your education was not in English, you need at least IELTS 5.5 to teach non-core subjects in English, IELTS 6 for core subjects, and IELTS 7 to teach English as a subject.
- Only female class teachers may teach in kindergarten.
- English as an Additional Language (EAL) teachers follow a different rule. See our TEFL and CELTA guide.
What Hong Kong asks for (EDB)
Under section 42 of Hong Kong’s Education Ordinance, every person who teaches in a school must be a registered teacher or a permitted teacher (EDB):
- A registered teacher holds a teacher qualification, such as a teacher’s certificate or a PGDE.
- A permitted teacher has no teacher training but holds at least an associate degree, a higher diploma or equivalent.
- If your qualifications are from outside Hong Kong, you need an assessment report from the Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications (HKCAAVQ) or other relevant assessment documents.
The NET Scheme
The government’s Native-speaking English Teacher (NET) Scheme has stricter rules. For secondary NETs in 2026/27, EDB asks for (EDB):
- a bachelor’s degree majoring in English, or any bachelor’s degree plus a higher degree in English or a related subject,
- a PGDE majoring in English Language, or equivalent, and
- a TEFL or TESL qualification at least at certificate level, or equivalent.
NETs without the PGDE must get it within their first four years of service. EDB lists monthly pay for 2026/27 secondary NETs of HK$35,080 to HK$81,510, plus a special allowance of HK$20,989 a month for those normally resident outside Hong Kong (checked October 2026).
How to choose
| Your goal | Qualification to look at first |
|---|---|
| Teach in a state school in England | QTS, through one of the four QTS routes |
| Get QTS without moving to England, with no teacher training yet | iQTS |
| Get QTS while working abroad, with 2+ years’ experience | Assessment only |
| Teach a subject in Dubai or Abu Dhabi | A degree in your subject plus the teaching qualification, licence or experience the regulator lists |
| Teach in Hong Kong’s NET Scheme | An English degree, a PGDE in English and a TEFL certificate |
| Improve your teaching and earn master’s credits | A PGCE or PGDE, after checking how your target country treats it |
The rules above are the regulators’ minimums. Schools can ask for more, so read each job advert carefully.
Frequently asked questions
Is a PGCE the same as QTS?
No. In England, a PGCE is an academic qualification and QTS is the professional status for teachers. A teacher training course can lead to QTS only, QTS with a PGCE, or a PGCE without QTS. Get Into Teaching says you do not need a PGCE to be a qualified teacher in England.
Does an iPGCE lead to QTS?
No. GOV.UK says the PGCEi, also called an iPGCE, and a PGCE or PGDE completed outside the UK, do not lead to QTS. They will not qualify you to teach in English schools where QTS is a legal requirement. You can still get QTS later through another route, such as assessment only.
What is the difference between iQTS and an iPGCE?
iQTS is a teacher training course from English providers that leads to QTS: people who complete it automatically gain QTS. An iPGCE does not lead to QTS. iQTS fees were £7,950 to £9,950 for a 9-month full-time course, checked October 2026, and you must live outside England.
Do I need a PGCE to teach in Dubai?
KHDA’s minimum rules for Dubai private schools do not name a PGCE. A specialist teacher needs a recognised bachelor’s degree relevant to the subject and one year of recent experience, or six months of supervised practice if new. Qualifications must be attested. The UAE also requires a teaching licence.
What qualifications does Hong Kong’s NET Scheme ask for?
For secondary NETs in 2026/27, EDB asks for a bachelor’s degree majoring in English (or any degree plus a higher degree in English), a PGDE majoring in English Language, and a TEFL or TESL certificate. NETs without the PGDE must get it within their first four years of service.