Teachers trained in the UK/EEA
If you qualified as a teacher in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland, you may be eligible for qualified teacher status (QTS) without further assessment.
Non-EEA nationals who have trained in an EEA member state will not automatically be recognised for QTS. The General Teaching Council for England (GTCE) maintains a register of qualified teachers in England. Teachers from the EEA and Switzerland should contact the GTCE to apply for QTS in England. The GTCE will assess your qualifications and, if approved, award QTS. When you have been awarded QTS and registered with the GTC, you are free to apply for any teaching post. Visit the GTCE registration pages to see which countries are included in the EEA.
Teachers trained outside the EEA
If you qualified as a teacher outside the EEA, you will be assessed against the standards for the award of QTS. The National Academic Recognition Information Centre for the United Kingdom (UK NARIC) compares international qualifications against UK standards. They will check if your qualifications are equivalent to degree and GCSE requirements. UK NARIC may ask you for:
- a photocopy of your final qualification certificate/diploma
- photocopies of your academic record/transcript/mark sheets
- official translations into English, and
- a covering letter written by you and enclosing full contact details.
Documents are not returned so ensure you send copies.
There is a small charge for individual assessment of your qualifications and a statement letter of comparability.
