Working as a teacher in England if you qualified outside the UK
This advice is for people who were educated as teachers outside of the UK but are not nationals of the UK.
It takes the following to teach in England:
- the right visa or status, as well as teaching experience and skills that you may use to convince an employer
- you can use to pass criminal and professional safeguarding checks (these will be organised by your employer)
One of the following could be the proper visa or status
- a pre-existing right to work in the UK, such as settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme or indefinite leave to remain in the UK
- a job offer allowing you to apply for a skilled worker visa
- eligibility for another type of visa
Irish citizens do not need a visa to work or live in the UK.
It is also very helpful to have:
- a teaching qualification (this can be from your own or another non-UK country)
- English ‘qualified teacher status’ (QTS)
- Visit Get into Teaching for general information and support about being a teacher in England, including details of salaries and benefits.
How to apply for Qualified Teacher
You might be qualified to apply to the Teaching Regulation Agency for QTS depending on where you obtained your teaching certification.
Additionally, you have the option of applying for assessment-only QTS while making a living as a teacher or for training to become a teacher in England.
Immigration and visas
The visas and immigration paths you may be able to take to work in England are explained in this section.
You can determine if you require a UK visa and seek assistance from UK Visas and Immigration.
