Become a chemistry teacher

As a chemistry teacher, you'll spark curiosity and challenge young minds to explore the fundamental principles that govern our world. You'll inspire students to question, experiment, and discover, fuelling their passion for science.

Tax-free bursaries or scholarships are available for eligible trainee chemistry teachers.

Why teach chemistry

Chemistry underpins everything, so you'll be amazed at the questions your pupils will start asking. Leading hands-on lab experiments and creating engaging lessons will mean no two days are the same in the classroom.

In addition to the personal rewards of teaching chemistry, there are practical benefits too, including:

a competitive salary starting at £31k (or higher in London)
a generous and secure pension
more holiday days than people in many other professions
opportunities for progression

People may not realise how much potential there is for progression in teaching. They think they go into the world of the classroom and that's it. Lots of teachers have added responsibilities they enjoy doing and find fulfilling.

Chris Farr, teacher training adviser

Shape your pupils' futures

Teaching chemistry opens the door for your pupils to pursue exciting careers. They could work in a diverse range of fields, from medicine and forensic science, to palaeontology and oceanography.

By solving challenging problems, your pupils could make significant contributions to these impactful areas.

Your pupils will learn more from you than you might think. As their teacher, you’ll guide your pupils though the skills they need to show their understanding of chemistry. You'll teach them valuable life skills such as critical thinking, decision making and communication.

For me, science is all about being inquisitive. I was always the kid in class who was thinking, 'I wonder how that works, or I wonder why that does that'. I recognise that so much in the kids I teach and being able to give them the tools to develop that curiosity and knowledge is genuinely exhilarating.

Holly, science teacher

What you'll teach

You'll teach the national curriculum for chemistry(opens in new window).

You could have the opportunity to teach or support physics and biology lessons throughout key stages 3 and 4.

When you teach 11 to 14 year olds (key stage 3), you'll cover themes from the 3 science disciplines of chemistry, biology and physics.

The chemistry themes are:

the particulate nature of matter
atoms, elements and compounds
pure and impure substances
chemical reactions
energetics
the periodic table
materials
earth and atmosphere

Themes you'll cover when you teach 14 to 16 year olds (key stage 4) will be more specific to chemistry, and include:

atomic structure and the periodic table
structure, bonding and the properties of matter
chemical changes
energy changes in chemistry
rate and extent of chemical change
chemical analysis
chemical and allied industries
earth and atmospheric science

Explore what teaching a key stage 4 chemistry lesson would be like(opens in new window).

At A level and AS level (key stage 5), you’ll help pupils develop a deeper knowledge and understanding of:

formulae, equations and amounts of substance
atomic structure
bonding and structure
energetics
kinetics
equilibria
redox
inorganic chemistry and the periodic table
organic chemistry
modern analytical techniques

Teaching pupils at different ages and abilities means you'll always be expanding your knowledge and approach to meet pupils' needs. Once you have qualified teacher status (QTS) you can also teach any other subject, as long as you can show you have enough expertise.

Start your journey into teaching chemistry

Check your qualifications

To train to teach chemistry in England, you'll need:

GCSEs at grade 4 (C) or above in English and maths (and science if you want to teach primary)
a bachelor's degree in any subject

Having relevant A levels can show your subject knowledge, if you do not have a degree in chemistry.

Chemistry teacher training courses have had successful applications from candidates with a range of degrees, including biomedical sciences, forensic science, pharmacy, and natural sciences.

Find out about the qualifications needed to teach.

Non-UK citizens: check your qualifications

If you have qualifications from outside the UK, you'll need to show that they meet the standards set for teacher training in England.

You can get help comparing English and international qualifications.

Improve your subject knowledge

If your training provider thinks you need to top up your subject knowledge in chemistry before you become a teacher, you can do a subject knowledge enhancement (SKE) course.

There are lots of reasons why someone might need to complete an SKE course. For example, if you finished your degree more than 5 years ago or if you have an A level but not a degree in the subject you want to teach.

Find out more about subject knowledge enhancement courses.

Fund your teacher training

The figures on this page apply if you're starting your training between September 2024 and July 2025. Financial support for courses starting the following year will be announced in autumn 2024.

Tax-free bursaries of £28,000 or scholarships of £30,000 are available for eligible trainee chemistry teachers.

You can get a bursary or scholarship alongside a tuition fee and maintenance loan. Even if you've had financial support for a previous course, you could still be eligible for funding to support your teacher training.

You may also be able to get extra funding and support if you're:

a parent or carer
disabled
a veteran

Non-UK citizens: funding your training

If you do not have indefinite leave to remain in the UK(opens in new window), you're unlikely to be eligible for funding.

Find out more about fees and financial support for non-UK trainee teachers.

Apply for a paid internship

If you're currently doing an undergraduate or master's degree and are interested in teaching chemistry, you could apply for a paid teaching internship.

The 3-week programme could help you to understand what it's really like in the classroom and get a feel for school life.

Support with teacher training

Throughout your initial teacher training in chemistry, you'll have the support of a mentor.

Your mentor will:

guide you through your training, sharing learning and career development opportunities with you
meet with you regularly to make sure your training is a positive experience

You'll also be part of a welcoming school community where you'll learn from fellow teachers through taught sessions, seminars and workshops.

Once you've completed your initial teacher training, you'll continue to be supported during your first 2 years of teaching. Find out what support you'll get as an early career teacher.