If you do not already have an undergraduate degree, you may be eligible to do a teacher degree apprenticeship (TDA), a new route to become a qualified teacher.
How do teacher degree apprenticeships work?
The teacher degree apprenticeship is a new teacher training programme where you’ll work in a school and earn a salary while getting a bachelor’s degree and qualified teacher status (QTS).
The teaching apprenticeship is a 4-year, full-time course that lets you train as either a primary or secondary teacher with an accredited teacher training provider. Trainee teachers will spend an average of 40% of their time (two days a week) studying for their degree with a university.
The salary you’ll earn as a trainee will reflect the level of responsibility that’s suitable for each stage of your teaching apprenticeship course. You do not have to pay tuition fees but you will not be eligible for student finance.
The teacher training providers confirmed so far will offer TDAs in secondary maths, with other subjects likely to be offered too.
The providers offering teacher degree apprenticeships are:
- Nottingham Trent University
- Staffordshire University, in partnership with the Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Teacher Education Collective
- University College London
- University of Brighton
- University of Huddersfield
- University of Nottingham
- University of Wolverhampton
- Xavier Teach Southeast, in partnership with the University of Sussex
Who’s eligible to apply for a teacher degree apprenticeship?
Teacher degree apprenticeships will be open to anyone who would like to gain a degree and become a qualified teacher. This includes, but is not limited to, teaching assistants, school leavers or people looking to change careers.
To be eligible to apply for a teacher degree apprenticeship you’ll need the following qualifications:
- GCSEs at grade 4 (C) or above in English and maths (and science if you want to teach primary)
- A levels - the number of A levels and grades required will be set by individual universities
You also need to be:
- a resident of England for the last 3 years or more
- age 16 years or over
How to apply for a teacher degree apprenticeship
Applications for new teaching apprenticeships are expected to open from autumn 2024 for both primary and secondary, with the first trainees due to start their apprenticeships in autumn 2025.