Qualified teacher status (QTS) is the professional status for school teachers in England. Many teachers who trained in other countries want it, either to work in England or because international schools that follow the English curriculum value it.
This guide explains when you need QTS, the four routes to it for teachers trained abroad, the 4-year rule, and the visa most overseas teachers use. It covers England only. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own rules. All facts were checked on GOV.UK and other official pages in October 2026.
When you need QTS
QTS is a legal requirement in maintained schools in England (community, foundation, voluntary controlled and voluntary aided schools) and in non-maintained special schools. Academies, free schools and private (independent) schools can employ teachers without QTS (GOV.UK).
The 4-year rule
Qualified teachers from outside the UK “are allowed to teach in England for up to 4 years without QTS”, even in schools where QTS is normally required (GOV.UK routes page). To use it, you must:
- have qualified as a teacher in a country outside the UK, and
- have completed a course of teacher training recognised by the body that regulates teachers in the country where you qualified.
The rule does not apply in pupil referral units, alternative provision academies or alternative provision free schools. After 4 years you need QTS to keep teaching in a school where it is required.
The four routes at a glance
GOV.UK lists four main routes for teachers trained or experienced outside the UK (GOV.UK routes page). Costs were checked in October 2026.
| Route | Who it suits | Training needed? | Cost | Travel to England? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apply for QTS in England | Qualified teachers from certain countries | No | No fee mentioned in the guidance | No |
| Assessment only | Teachers with a degree and at least 2 years’ experience in 2 schools | No, assessments only | About £1,500 to £4,000, possibly more outside the UK | No |
| iQTS (international QTS) | Graduates living outside England who want full training | Yes, about 1 year | £7,950 to £9,950 (9-month full-time course) | No |
| Teacher training in England | Graduates who can move to England | Yes, 1 year full time | £9,250 to about £32,000 in fees | Yes |
Route 1: Apply for QTS in England
This is a Department for Education online service. A trained assessor checks your qualifications and experience against fixed rules. You do not do any new training. The rules are “mandatory and must be met in full” (GOV.UK guidance for overseas-trained teachers).
Which countries can use it
| Your teaching qualification is from | Can you apply? |
|---|---|
| Australia, Canada, the European Economic Area (EEA), Guernsey, Hong Kong, Jersey, New Zealand, Switzerland, Ukraine, the USA | Yes, if you meet the requirements |
| Jamaica, Singapore, South Africa | Yes, if you work in a valid teaching role in England. If not, only with a subject specialism in mathematics, science or languages. |
| Ghana, India, Nigeria | No. From 9 September 2026 these teachers can no longer use the service. |
| Other countries | No. GOV.UK says to explore other routes, such as assessment only or iQTS. |
A “valid teaching role in England” includes a teacher, supply teacher, cover supervisor or teaching assistant in a state school, a teacher or supply teacher in an independent school, and a teacher, tutor or lecturer in an Ofsted-registered further education setting.
The change for Ghana, India and Nigeria was published on 9 September 2026 (GOV.UK). Country lists change, so check the guidance on the day you apply.
The requirements
You must meet all of these:
- Degree. A bachelor’s degree of the same academic standard as a UK undergraduate degree, as verified by UK ENIC.
- Teacher training. At least level 6. At least as long as English teacher training: one year full-time equivalent (30 hours a week). Practical and focused on teaching: about 75% of modules for a postgraduate course, or at least one year of an undergraduate course.
- Age range. You must be qualified and suitable to teach children aged between 5 and 16.
- Professional status. You must hold full professional status to teach in the country where you trained.
- Experience. At least the equivalent of one school year employed as a teacher, in any country, after qualifying. You must have taught primary or secondary pupils without supervision, in mainstream compulsory education. You must have been solely responsible for planning, teaching, assessing and reporting for groups of at least 4 students.
English language
You meet the English requirement if one of these applies to you (GOV.UK guidance):
- You were born in, are a citizen of, or studied at undergraduate level or higher in England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Gibraltar, Guernsey, Jersey or one of the exempt countries.
- You studied wholly in English at undergraduate level or higher.
- You passed an approved test at CEFR level B2.
| Approved test | Score needed (checked October 2026) |
|---|---|
| IELTS for UKVI | 5.5 in each part |
| LanguageCert | 60 in each part |
| Pearson PTE | 59 in each part |
| PSI or Trinity | A pass |
How long it takes
The guidance says the Department assesses 90% of applications within 12 months. Applications from teachers with valid experience in England are processed faster. If you have less than 2 school years of teaching experience when you apply, you must complete statutory induction when you start teaching in England.
Route 2: Assessment only
Assessment only is for teachers who already meet the Teachers’ Standards and need no more training (Get Into Teaching). A provider assesses you through lesson observations, a portfolio of evidence or written tasks. The programme takes up to 12 weeks.
To be eligible you need:
- to have worked in 2 or more schools (the GOV.UK routes page says at least 2 years’ teaching experience across 2 separate schools, with young people from a range of backgrounds),
- a degree from a UK or non-UK university,
- English and maths at the standard of GCSE grade 4 (C), plus science if you want to teach primary.
Fees range from about £1,500 to £4,000 and “may be substantially more if you’re outside the UK” (checked October 2026). The assessment takes place in your workplace, so you do not need to visit the UK. If you live abroad, contact one of the “outside of the UK” providers on the Get Into Teaching list.
Route 3: iQTS (international qualified teacher status)
iQTS is a teacher training course run by English training providers with partner schools around the world. The Department for Education treats it as equivalent to QTS: if you complete iQTS with an approved provider, you automatically gain QTS (GOV.UK). GOV.UK calls it “the only international teacher training course that leads to QTS”.
Key facts from Get Into Teaching, checked October 2026:
- Who can apply: UK and non-UK citizens who live outside England. You do not need teaching experience.
- Entry requirements: 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 higher (or some education in English, such as a degree).
- Training: online study plus at least 24 weeks of practice in a school in your country, with a mentor. You train for ages 5 to 11, or 11 to 18.
- Fees: £7,950 to £9,950 for a 9-month full-time course. Part-time courses take up to 2 years. There are no UK government loans or bursaries for iQTS.
You can ask UK ENIC for a statement of comparability to check whether your qualifications meet the entry standard.
Route 4: Teacher training in England
You can also train in England for one year full time. Fees range from £9,250 to about £32,000, depending on your immigration status and the provider, plus living costs (checked October 2026). You need to move to the UK for this route.
QTLS: a route through further education
Teachers with QTLS (qualified teacher learning and skills) and membership of the Society for Education and Training (SET) can work as qualified teachers in schools in England, without statutory induction (GOV.UK routes page).
QTLS is awarded by the Education and Training Foundation (ETF). Its criteria include a level 5 or higher further education teaching qualification, level 2 English and maths, ETF membership, and teaching groups of five or more learners for at least 230 hours over 6 months in a recognised further education and skills setting (ETF). It mostly suits people who already teach in UK further education.
Courses that do not lead to QTS
GOV.UK says these do not lead to QTS and will not qualify you to teach in English schools where QTS is a legal requirement:
- a PGCEi, also called an iPGCE (international postgraduate certificate in education),
- a PGCE completed outside the UK,
- a PGDE completed outside the UK.
After one of these courses you can still get QTS later, for example through assessment only or training in England. Our guide to PGCE, iPGCE and other teaching qualifications compares them.
Working in England: the Skilled Worker visa
Most overseas teachers need a Skilled Worker visa, sponsored by the school (GOV.UK). The school, trust or local authority must hold a sponsor licence.
- Salary. Teachers are not held to the general salary threshold. Your salary must be at least the national pay scale rate for your job, and at least £25,000, or more if the going rate is higher (GOV.UK; checked October 2026).
- Eligible jobs. Teaching jobs on the list include nursery (2315), primary (2314), secondary (2313), special needs (2316) and further education (2312) teachers, and head teachers (2321) (GOV.UK list).
- English. New applicants need English at level B2. People who had the visa before 8 January 2026 need B1 to extend it (GOV.UK). Citizens of some countries, such as Australia, Canada, Jamaica, New Zealand and the USA, do not need to prove their English.
Some teachers do not need sponsorship, for example people on a Graduate, Family, High Potential Individual, UK Ancestry or Youth Mobility Scheme visa (GOV.UK).
Checks the school will do
Schools in England must check every overseas teacher (GOV.UK). Expect:
- an enhanced DBS certificate with a Children’s Barred List check, even if you have never lived in the UK,
- a check for a teacher prohibition order with the Teaching Regulation Agency,
- criminal records checks from other countries where available,
- your employment history and at least 2 references, one from your most recent job,
- a letter of professional standing from the teacher regulator in the country where you qualified.
Start collecting police certificates and the letter of professional standing early. They can take weeks.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need QTS to teach in England?
Not always. QTS is a legal requirement in maintained schools and non-maintained special schools. Academies, free schools and private schools can employ teachers without it. Qualified teachers from abroad can also teach for up to 4 years without QTS under the 4-year rule, except in pupil referral units and alternative provision.
Can teachers trained in India use the Apply for QTS service?
No. From 9 September 2026, teachers who trained in Ghana, India or Nigeria can no longer use the Apply for QTS in England service. They can look at other routes, such as assessment only QTS, which needs a degree and teaching experience in at least 2 schools, or iQTS training from outside England.
Does an iPGCE give me QTS?
No. GOV.UK says a PGCEi, also called an iPGCE, does not lead to QTS. Neither does a PGCE or PGDE completed outside the UK. You can still get QTS later through another route, such as assessment only. iQTS is the only international training course that leads to QTS.
How much does assessment only QTS cost?
Fees range from about £1,500 to £4,000 and vary between providers, checked October 2026. GOV.UK says they may be substantially more if you are outside the UK. The programme takes up to 12 weeks and you are assessed in your own school, so you do not need to visit the UK.
What English level do I need for a Skilled Worker visa as a teacher?
New applicants need English at CEFR level B2. People who had the visa before 8 January 2026 need level B1 to extend it. Citizens of some countries, such as Australia, Canada, Jamaica, New Zealand and the USA, do not need to prove their English level.