Get international qualified teacher status (iQTS)

Introducing iQTS

International qualified teacher status (iQTS) is a new teaching qualification backed by the UK government. iQTS meets the same high standards as English qualified teacher status (QTS), and leads to the automatic award of QTS. You can train where you live and work, with no need to visit the UK.

Who iQTS is for

iQTS is an international teaching qualification designed for UK and non-UK citizens living outside the UK. iQTS means you can gain qualified teacher status (QTS) while working overseas.

If you’re living in England, you should apply for teacher training in England.

iQTS is for you if you live outside the UK and you:

• have no previous teaching qualifications or experience, and would like to gain a professional teaching qualification leading to automatic qualified teacher status (QTS)

• have some teaching experience, and would benefit from training and mentoring for a professional teaching qualification leading to automatic qualified teacher status (QTS)

• are already a teacher, and wish to develop professionally and enhance your global employability with an internationally recognised teaching qualification

• are already a teacher, and would benefit from a professional teaching qualification allowing you to teach in all schools in England

Six reasons to apply for iQTS

1. Complete iQTS, and you’ll automatically be awarded qualified teacher status (QTS) with no further fees or training.

2. You’ll gain the skills, experience and knowledge to become an excellent teacher, with an internationally transferable qualification backed by the UK government.

3. You can apply from anywhere in the world, as long as you meet the eligibility criteria.

4. You’ll train to teach where you live or work, with no need to visit the UK.

5. You’ll learn from world class English teacher training providers, with in-person support from a trained mentor and lots of practical experience in school.

6. If you come to England to teach, you’ll benefit from a 2-year mentoring, training and induction period, which will equip you to work in all English schools.

Apply for iQTS, step by step

To apply for iQTS you will need to have:

• a bachelor’s degree from a UK or non-UK university (or other institution)

• a maths qualification of the same standard as GCSE grade 4

• for teaching children aged 3 to 11, a science qualification of the same standard as GCSE grade 4

• excellent written and verbal English language skills

You do not need any teaching experience or to be working in a school to apply for iQTS.

More about qualifications

A GCSE (General Certificate of Secondary Education) is an academic qualification awarded for exams in England, usually taken at age 16.

If you’re not sure of the status of your degree in England, or whether your maths or science qualification is of the same standard as an English GCSE grade 4, visit UK ENIC, the UK National Information Centre for global qualifications and skills.

To show you meet the required standard in the English language, you’ll need one of the following:

• an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score of 6.5 or higher

• the equivalent score in another English language testing system

• to have completed some of your education in the English language, for example, a degree studied in English

Fees start at about £9,000 in total but will vary between training providers – check with participating providers for more details.

If you are already employed in a school, you can discuss with your training provider whether you can continue working in that school while you complete your iQTS qualification.

You might be able to get a salary for your work in a placement school – this will vary between schools and between providers.

To learn more, contact your chosen iQTS provider directly.

English teacher training providers deliver iQTS in partnership with placement schools around the world.

iQTS is currently offered by the following training providers, all of whom have been approved by the UK government. To apply for iQTS, visit iQTS provider websites, where you’ll be able to complete your application.

You can apply now for courses starting in September 2022.

• Canterbury Christ Church University
• Sheffield Hallam University
• The University of Birmingham Dubai
• The University of Derby
• The University of Sunderland
• The University of Warwick

You will be able to study iQTS if your chosen training provider works with, or will accept, a placement school in your region.

Responsibility for finding a placement school

Some iQTS training providers will have an existing relationship with a school in your region, and will be able to match you to that school.

Others will ask you to find your own local placement school as a condition of entry to their course.

Alternatively, if you are already working in a school, your training provider may accept this as a suitable placement.

Please check participating iQTS training provider websites for more details about their approach to placement schools, and whether these are available in your region.

What you can expect from your iQTS training provider

Individual iQTS training providers will vary in their approach to delivering iQTS. However, all have been checked to ensure their training programmes comply with iQTS criteria and enable trainees to meet the iQTS Teachers’ Standards.

In addition, all iQTS training providers offer:

• 1 academic year of training, including at least 120 days gaining practical experience in a placement school and further academic tuition delivered either online or in person

• teaching and assessment from highly experienced English teacher training staff at your chosen provider

• face-to-face mentoring at your placement school

• regular feedback and rigorous quality control

To learn more, visit participating iQTS training provider websites.

Over time, iQTS will become more widely available, with more training providers and more placement schools in regions around the world.

At the end of your training, your iQTS provider and school will assess you to check you meet iQTS Teachers’ Standards.

Your training provider will award you international qualified teacher status (iQTS) when you have successfully passed this assessment process. You will then be automatically awarded qualified teacher status (QTS) by England’s Department for Education.

iQTS leads to the automatic award of qualified teacher status (QTS) without further fees or training. QTS allows you to teach in all schools in England, as long as you have the correct immigration status or visa. In some schools you’ll need to go through an induction period.

Apply for your teaching job and visa

You can apply for teaching jobs in England using a free, UK government-backed service.

You’ll also need a visa or immigration status allowing you to work in England. You can use this UK government tool to check if you need a visa.

You will usually need to find a job before you apply for a visa. Learn more about applying for the correct visa to teach in England.

Complete your induction

As a newly qualified teacher, you’ll find some schools in England will require you to complete a 2-year induction period. During this time you’ll work and earn a salary as a teacher, and be assessed as part of the Department for Education’s early career framework. You’ll be expected to show you meet English teachers’ standards and you’ll also benefit from training and mentoring. You’ll need to pass this induction to continue working in English schools.

Induction for teachers working outside England

You do not need to complete an induction period if you want to work in schools outside the UK. However, if you wish, you can choose to complete your Early Career Framework induction at a Department for Education-accredited British School Overseas.

Further information

Learn more about iQTS policy and iQTS Teachers’ Standards.

Learn more about other routes to qualified teacher status (QTS) and teaching in England.

Find more help and guidance if you’d like to teach in England.

If you already live in the UK, you should consider applying for teacher training leading to QTS in England.

This guidance relates to teaching in England. Different rules apply to teaching in Wales, teaching in Scotland and teaching in Northern Ireland.

 Contact

To get advice about iQTS, you can:

• call +44 800 389 2500, Monday to Friday between 8:30am and 5:30pm (UK local time) – calls will be charged at your standard rate

• use the live chat service at the bottom of this page

• sign up to get a teacher training adviser – you’ll be asked for your phone number, email and location so a teacher training adviser can call you back in your time zone

• email us on iqts.pilot@education.gov.uk

Get an adviser

Get free one-to-one support

Advisers can answer your questions, help with your application, and support you on your teaching journey.

Find out more about advisers