The British government has opened a new visa route that will allow non-United Kingdom (UK) nationals to apply for teaching jobs in the country.
Interestingly, Nigeria was listed among the African nations whose citizens can now apply for qualified teacher status through the Teaching Regulation Agency in the UK, from February 2023.
BizWatch Nigeria reported that other foreign countries to which the offer extends include -Ghana, Hong Kong, India, Jamaica, Singapore, South Africa, Ukraine, and Zimbabwe.
Note that while applicants do not need a formal teacher training qualification, to stand a chance, eligible applicants will be required to have a qualified teacher status (QTS), a qualification awarded by the Teaching Regulation Agency.
Requirements for UK teaching jobs
- A minimum of two years of teaching experience.
- A first (bachelor’s) degree from a UK or non-UK university.
- An English language qualification, which is the same standard as a grade four General Certificate of Secondary Education.
- A maths qualification which is the same standard as a grade four GCSE to teach children aged three to 11 in primary school.
- A physics, chemistry, or biology (science) qualification which is the same standard as a grade four GCSE.
What you should know about international QTS
International qualified teacher status (iQTS) is a new teaching qualification backed by the UK government that:
- is delivered online by English teacher training providers in partnership with schools around the world
- meets the same standards as English QTS and leads to the automatic award of QTS.
- is open to all non-UK citizens, and is currently available from six providers, with plans to roll the qualification out more widely from September 2023
- is the only international teacher training course that leads to the automatic award of QTS (other courses may offer valuable training but do not lead to QTS)
When you apply for QTS you will:
- have to pay a fee
- not have to undergo any further training
- not have to visit the UK
