What you will get

QTS (qualified teacher status) allows you to teach in state schools in England.

It may also allow you to teach in the EU, the EEA and Switzerland. You should check with the institution you’d like to teach in for confirmation. The status of QTS in these countries may change after the UK leaves the EU. Please check GOV.UK for updates.

To teach in the rest of the UK or internationally, you may wish to consider a ‘PGCE (or PGDE) with QTS’ qualification instead.

A PGCE (postgraduate certificate in education) with QTS allows you to teach in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. It’s also recognised internationally. Many PGCE courses include credits that count towards a Master’s degree.

Some providers offer a PGDE (postgraduate diploma in education) with QTS, which is equivalent to a PGCE. In some cases these courses offer more credits towards a Master’s degree than PGCE courses.

To teach further education you don’t need QTS. Instead you can study for a PGCE or PGDE without QTS.