To teach in a state school in England, you must have a degree, and gain Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) by following a programme of Initial Teacher Training (ITT).

Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) programmes are a popular graduate route into teaching in England, combining academic study on campus with a minimum of 24 weeks on school placements, while you train towards your Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) recommendation. All university and college-led programmes will qualify you to be a teacher.

School Centred Initial Teacher Training (SCITT) programmes allow you to learn on the job as you work towards your Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) recommendation. Although your training is based in a school, they’re not your employers, and in many ways your training will be similar to training programmes in universities and colleges. While the majority of School Direct training programmes lead to a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) qualification, not all do.

There is!

Teacher training is a big investment, but there’s often funding available to help you. There are various funding sources to support you through your training programme. It’s not guaranteed, but there are different options you can check out depending on the route you’ve chosen, the subject you want to teach, and your personal circumstances. The DfE have recently announced funding, bursaries and scholarships for 2024-25 trainees.

For primary and secondary postgraduate teacher training, you’ll need the following or equivalents:

• A degree
• Grade 4 (C) or above in English and maths GCSEs
• Grade 4 (C) or above in GCSE science if you want to teach primary.

If you do not have GCSE grade 4 (C), you’ll need to show that you can meet an equivalent level. The training provider may ask you to take an equivalence test or show other evidence of your ability.

For further education postgraduate teacher training, training providers usually prefer you to have:

• A degree, or relevant vocational or technical qualification
• Grade 4 (C) or above in English and maths GCSEs (or equivalent).

You can get a statement from UK ENIC (the UK agency that recognises international qualifications and skills) that shows how your qualifications compare to UK qualifications. Some training providers may ask to see it as part of your application.

You can do that here: search by location or training provider.

Applications for teacher training (starting in September 2024) open on 10 October.

All applications for teacher training happen through the DfE's Apply for Teacher Training service.