Train to teach if you do not have a degree

Undergraduate degree courses

You need a bachelor’s degree in any subject to train to teach in primary, secondary and special schools in England. If you do not already have a degree, you can train to be a teacher as part of your bachelor’s degree and get qualified teacher status (QTS).

You need QTS to teach in maintained primary, secondary and special schools in England (schools funded by local authorities).

As part of selecting your undergraduate degree course, you’ll need to decide if you want to train to teach at a primary or secondary level. Learn about deciding who to teach.

Full-time degree courses that include QTS typically cost £9,250 per year and can take up to 4 years but you can get funding for your training.

Qualifications vary depending on the course. For example, you could get QTS with a:

  • Bachelor of Arts (BA)
  • Bachelor of Education (BEd)
  • Bachelor of Science (BSc)

Find out more about the qualifications you need to be a teacher in England.

If you're a non-UK citizen who wants to study in England, you can visit the UK Council for International Student Affairs(opens in new window) for information about studying at an English university.

Teacher degree apprenticeships (TDAs)

If you do not have a degree you may be eligible to apply for a TDA. This new course will allow you work in a school and earn a salary while getting a bachelor’s degree and QTS. So you will not have to pay tuition fees.

Applications for both primary and secondary are expected to open in autumn 2024, with training due to start in autumn 2025.

Find out more about teacher degree apprenticeships (TDAs)(opens in new window).

Find your undergraduate degree course

Search for an undergraduate degree course to start your journey to becoming a teacher.

Search for a course

Find out more about teaching

Explore what teaching is really like, including how you can get experience in the classroom to find out if it's the career for you.

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