Become a teacher in the UK — DfE QTS

Updated: 3 May 2026

In short

5 routes to QTS in England: Recognition (FREE since 7 August 2025 — Ukraine yes, Russia/Belarus NO), Assessment Only (£2,500-3,250 if 2+ years teaching experience), PGCE (£9,535 home / £15-25k international — refugees = home students from day 1), School Direct/SCITT/Teach First (employment-based), iQTS. Salary M1 £32,916 to UPS3 £51,048. Shortage subject bursaries up to £29k tax-free.

FREE

Recognition

Ukraine yes, Russia no

£32k

M1 newly qualified

2025-26 outside London

£29k

PGCE bursary

shortage subjects

6-12

Months

Recognition / AO

⚠️ Russia / Belarus / CIS — NO free Recognition route

Since 7 August 2025 DfE gives FREE QTS Recognition to teachers from ~39 countries. Ukraine — YES (included on the list). Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan — NO.

If you are from Russia/Belarus/CIS: go via Assessment Only (£2,500-3,250 if 2+ years teaching experience + English C1+) or PGCE 1 year (£9,535 home, refugees = home students from day 1, plus bursary up to £29k for shortage subjects).

If you are from Ukraine: the Recognition route is the cheapest and quickest path. Via the DfE Apply for QTS portal.

5 routes — pick the one that fits

1 · RECOGNITION ROUTE — FREE (since 7 August 2025)

For teachers from ~39 approved countries (Ukraine yes; Russia/Belarus/CIS NO). Apply via DfE Apply for QTS. Documents review + competency check. 6-12 months. £0 cost (free since August 2025). If eligible — the quickest path.

2 · ASSESSMENT ONLY (AO)

For experienced teachers (2+ years) with qualifications not covered by Recognition. Provider-led: Wandsworth (£2,500), Leeds Trinity (£2,500), Tes (£3,250+VAT from January 2026). 6-12 months. Practical assessment in schools — you need a teaching position in a school during AO.

3 · PGCE (Postgraduate Certificate in Education)

1 year full-time / 2 years part-time. Tuition £9,535 home / £15-25k international. Refugees = home students from day 1 of refugee status. Student Finance covers tuition + maintenance loan. Plus shortage subject bursary up to £29k tax-free (maths, physics, computing, MFL).

4 · SCHOOL DIRECT / SCITT / TEACH FIRST

Employment-based routes. Teach in a school as a trainee, salary ~£20-25k. School Centred ITT (SCITT) — provider-led. Teach First — competitive 2-year programme in challenging schools. Good if you want a practical start.

5 · iQTS (international QTS)

For those outside the UK who want to gain QTS — can be taken remotely via partner institutions. Less common for refugees already in the UK — usually Recognition / AO / PGCE are more direct.

Comparing routes — cost & time

Route	Suits if	Time	Cost
Recognition	From Ukraine (or 38 other approved countries)	6-12 months	FREE
Assessment Only	2+ years teaching experience, English C1+, school placement secured	6-12 months	£2,500-3,250+VAT
PGCE	Any background, you want a structured pathway	1 year	£9,535 (refugee = home student) + Student Finance
School Direct/SCITT	You want a trainee salary from day 1	1 year	£0 + ~£20-25k salary
Teach First	Competitive, leadership-focused, challenging schools	2 years	£0 + ~£25-30k salary

Bridging jobs while you prepare

📚 Teaching Assistant (TA L1-3)

£18-25k. Direct classroom experience — a bonus for AO/PGCE applications. L3 = HLTA (Higher Level TA), can cover for teachers.

👤 Cover Supervisor

£20-25k. Leads classes when the teacher is absent. UK classroom experience.

📝 Supply teacher (via agency)

£100-180/day after you receive a TRN (Teacher Reference Number). Flexible schedule. Often available even before full QTS if you have a foreign teaching qualification.

🌐 Tutor / ESOL teacher

Private tutor £25-50/hour. ESOL teacher at a community college £20-30/hour. Heritage-language tutor if your native language is Russian/Ukrainian — in demand in community settings.

Refugee-teacher support orgs

🎓 REUK (Refugee Education UK)

Main hub for refugee teachers. Mentoring, scholarships database, ESL prep, navigation guidance. reuk.org

🌐 ReConnect Online

Online programme specifically for refugee teachers — preparation for UK classroom culture, language assessment.

🎓 Sanctuary Scholarships for PGCE

Glasgow £5,000/yr, Sussex full-fee waiver, Manchester PGCE bursaries. Search via REUK or university websites. NB: most Sanctuary Scholarships exclude Medicine/Dentistry, but PGCE is eligible.

💷 RefuAid Equal Access Loan

£10k interest-free for PGCE additional costs (childcare, equipment, travel) on top of Student Finance.

📚 CARA (Council for At-Risk Academics)

For academic teachers / lecturers (HE level). University placements, fellowships.

Frequently asked questions

What are the routes to QTS for a refugee teacher?

5 routes: (1) Recognition route — FREE since 7 August 2025 for ~39 countries (Ukraine — yes, Russia/Belarus/CIS — NO), 6-12 months. (2) Assessment Only (AO) £2,500-3,250+VAT, 6-12 months. (3) PGCE 1 year £9,535 home / £15-25k international. (4) School Direct / SCITT / Teach First (employment-based). (5) iQTS (international QTS).

I am Russian/Belarusian — how do I become a teacher?

You do NOT have the free Recognition route (closed for Russia/Belarus/CIS — only Ukraine from this region). Realistic routes: Assessment Only (£2,500-3,250 + 6-12 months if you already have significant teaching experience + English C1+), or PGCE 1 year (student finance as a home student from day one of refugee status, plus shortage subject bursary up to £29k tax-free for maths/physics/computing/MFL).

What is the teacher salary in the UK 2025-26?

M1 (newly qualified) £32,916 outside London, up to UPS3 (top of upper pay scale) £51,048. Inner London: £58,500 max. School-by-school differences for academy schools. Pay reform 2025-26 — DfE pay structure updated.

What is ECTE (Early Career Teacher Entitlement)?

From September 2025 ECT (Early Career Teacher) is renamed ECTE. 2-year induction for NQTs. 10% release time in Year 1 + 5% in Year 2 for professional development. Mentor training reduced from 2 years to 1 year.

Which subjects are most in demand?

Shortage subjects (% of target trainees recruited 2025): physics 31%, computing 37%, MFL (Modern Foreign Languages — French, Spanish, German) 43%. Bursaries up to £29k tax-free for PGCE in these subjects 2026-27. If you know these subjects — Recognition / AO / PGCE all viable.

Where is refugee-specific support for teachers?

REUK (Refugee Education UK) — main hub. Sanctuary Scholarships for PGCE at some universities (Glasgow, Sussex, Manchester — list via REUK). Article 26 (PGCE excluded most years — verify). RefuAid £10k loan. ReConnect Online — specialised programme for refugee teachers.

Sources: gov.uk · Qualified Teacher Status (QTS)gov.uk · QTS from overseas gov.uk · Apply for teacher training Get Into Teaching · Bursaries (£29k shortage subjects)REUK (Refugee Education UK)RefuAid Equal Access Loan Updated 24 Apr 2026

📋 gov.uk · QTS from overseas →