If you do not already have an undergraduate degree, you may be eligible to do a teacher degree apprenticeship (TDA).
The TDA is a teacher training programme which offers a new route to become a qualified teacher.
The teacher training providers confirmed so far offer TDAs in secondary maths. TDAs in other subjects will be added throughout the year, up until September 2025, with training due to start in autumn 2025.
View the teacher degree apprenticeship courses currently available.
How do teacher degree apprenticeships work?
During a teacher degree apprenticeship 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 a teacher with an accredited teacher training provider. Trainee teachers will spend an average of 40% of their time (2 days a week) studying for their degree with a university.
The salary you’ll earn as a TDA trainee will depend on the type of school you work in and where the school is.
If you’re employed in a maintained school (schools funded by local authorities) as a TDA trainee, you’ll be paid on the unqualified teacher pay range.
Non-maintained schools (for example, academies, independent schools and private schools) can set their own pay, but often follow the same pay ranges.
You do not have to pay tuition fees, but you will not be eligible for student finance.
Who’s eligible to apply for a teacher degree apprenticeship?
Teacher degree apprenticeships are open for individuals 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 TDA, you must be:
- a resident of England for the last 3 years or more
- at least 16 years old
To meet the academic requirements for the TDA, you must have:
- 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 or equivalent qualifications required will be set by individual universities
Find your teacher training course
Take a look at the different teacher training courses available.